Telecommunications modem deactivation control method and apparatus

• US 7,012,993 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2002
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Alton, Ronald Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Bing Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/117,247
• Publication Number:
  US 20030190030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 379/219, 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 701/207, 701/210, 701/211
• US Class Current: 379/26.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0245 according to signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0248 dependent on the time of the day, e.g. according to expected transmission activity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0258 controlling an operation mode according to history or models of usage information, e.g. activity schedule or time of day
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/06 De-registration or detaching
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/38 triggered by timers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method is disclosed for controlling the deactivation of a telecommunications modem based on the call type, independent of the connection quality, to minimize power consumption. The present invention is particularly useful in mobile applications when the vehicle'"'"'s ignition is off and power resources are limited. Telematics control units (TCUs), installed in mobile vehicles, communicate with a service provider through a cellular communication network to provide telematics functionality for the vehicles. In one embodiment, the service provider sends a message which triggers the TCU to place a maintenance call to the service provider. During the maintenance call messaging, the TCU identifies a particular call type of the maintenance call. For any of the possible maintenance call types, the TCU will have stored in advance an allowed execution time for that call type. The TCU will set a call timer to the allowed execution time for that call type. When the allowed execution time has elapsed, the connection will be dropped and the modem will be turned off, regardless of whether the maintenance call was completed.

Claims

1. In a system comprising a service provider, a telematics control unit (TCU), and a telecommunications network for enabling communications between the service provider and the TCU, the TCU including a modem capable of being activated for processing a maintenance call, a method for controlling a deactivation of the modem after a start of the processing of the maintenance call, the method comprising:

connecting the modem to a TCU transceiver for transmitting data, not voice, to the service provider;

determining a call type identifier from the maintenance call for identifying a call type of the maintenance call;

utilizing a timer to count an allowed execution time specific to the identified call type after the start of the processing of the maintenance call; and

deactivating the modem after the timer counts the allowed execution time and the allowed execution time has elapsed, regardless of whether the processing of the maintenance call has been completed.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier as an index to a lookup table of allowed execution times.

3. The method as recited in claim 2, further including updating the lookup table of allowed execution times by processing an allowed execution time update maintenance call.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, the step of updating the lookup table of allowed execution times comprising increasing the allowed execution times in the lookup table if a percentage of maintenance calls that are successfully completed before the allowed execution time for the maintenance calls elapses is below a predetermined threshold.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit.

6. The method as recited in claim 5, further including updating the execution time unit by processing an allowed execution time update maintenance call.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, the step of updating the execution time unit comprising increasing the execution time unit if a percentage of maintenance calls that are successfully completed before the allowed execution time for the maintenance calls elapses is below a predetermined threshold.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, further including receiving the allowed execution time along with the call type identifier in the maintenance call.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, further including determining the allowed execution time in accordance with a current time of day.

10. The method as recited in claim 8, further including determining the allowed execution time in accordance with a current location of the TCU.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, further including determining the allowed execution time in accordance with the telecommunications network currently being used for communications.

12. The method as recited in claim 8, further including determining the allowed execution time in accordance with a received signal strength measured by the TCU.

13. The method as recited in claim 8, further including determining the allowed execution time in accordance with a transmit power of the TCU.

14. The method as recited in claim 1, further including:

waiting an allowed call type identifier receive time upon detecting the start of the processing of the maintenance call; and

deactivating the modem if the allowed call type identifier receive time elapses before the call type identifier is determined.

15. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein if the maintenance call is not successfully completed before the allowed execution time for the maintenance call elapses, the method further includes restarting the processing of the maintenance call after waiting a predetermined period of time after the elapse of the allowed execution time.

16. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and a current time of day as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular time of day period.

17. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to a current time of day.

18. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and a current location of the TCU as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular geographic area.

19. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to a geographic area encompassing a current location of the TCU.

20. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and the telecommunications network currently being used for communications as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular telecommunications network.

21. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to the telecommunications network currently being used for communications.

22. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and a received signal strength measured by the TCU as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular received signal strength range.

23. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to a received signal strength measured by the TCU.

24. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and a transmit power of the TCU as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular transmit power range.

25. The method as recited in claim 1, further including determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to a transmit power of the TCU.

26. A telematics control unit (TCU) for communicating with a service provider through a telecommunications network, comprising:

a modem capable of being activated for processing a maintenance call; and

a TCU processor programmed for

connecting the modem to a TCU transceiver for transmitting data, not voice, to the service provider,

determining a call type identifier from the maintenance call for identifying a call type of the maintenance call,

utilizing a timer to count an allowed execution time specific to the identified call type after a start of the processing of the maintenance call, and

deactivating the modem after the timer counts the allowed execution time and the allowed execution time has elapsed, regardless of whether the processing of the maintenance call has been completed.

27. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier as an index to a lookup table of allowed execution times.

28. The TCU as recited in claim 27, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for updating the lookup table of allowed execution times by receiving and processing an allowed execution time update maintenance call.

29. The TCU as recited in claim 28, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for increasing the allowed execution times in the lookup table if a percentage of maintenance calls that are successfully completed before the allowed execution time for the maintenance calls elapses is below a predetermined threshold.

30. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit.

31. The TCU as recited in claim 30, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for updating the execution time unit by receiving and processing an allowed execution time update maintenance call.

32. The TCU as recited in claim 31, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for increasing the execution time unit if a percentage of maintenance calls that are successfully completed before the allowed execution time for the maintenance calls elapses is below a predetermined threshold.

33. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for receiving the allowed execution time along with the call type identifier in the maintenance call.

34. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for:

waiting an allowed call type identifier receive time upon detecting the start of the processing of the maintenance call; and

deactivating the modem if the allowed call type identifier receive time elapses before the call type identifier is determined.

35. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein, if the maintenance call is not successfully completed before the allowed execution time for the maintenance call elapses, the TCU processor is further programmed for restarting the processing of the maintenance call after waiting a predetermined period of time after the elapse of the allowed execution time.

36. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and a current time of day as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular time of day period.

37. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to a current time of day period.

38. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and a current location of the TCU as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular geographic area.

39. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to a geographic area encompassing a current location of the TCU.

40. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and the telecommunications network currently being used by the TCU as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular telecommunications network.

41. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to the telecommunications network currently being used by the TCU.

42. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and a received signal strength measured by the TCU as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular received signal strength range.

43. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to a received signal strength measured by the TCU.

44. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by using the call type identifier and a transmit power of the TCU as an index to a set of lookup tables of allowed execution times, each lookup table corresponding to a particular transmit power range.

45. The TCU as recited in claim 26, wherein the TCU processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time specific to the identified call type by multiplying the call type identifier by an execution time unit specific to a transmit power of the TCU.

46. A telematics service system for processing maintenance calls in cooperation with a telematics control unit (TCU) through a telecommunications network, the TCU comprising a modem capable of being activated for receiving a maintenance call including a call type identifier for determining an allowed execution time specific to a call type of the maintenance call and controlling a deactivation of the modem after receiving the maintenance call, the telematics service system for assisting in controlling the deactivation of the modem, the telematics service system comprising:

a telematics service system processor programmed for transmitting a maintenance call including a call type identifier for identifying the call type of the maintenance call.

47. The telematics service system as recited in claim 46, wherein the telematics service system processor is further programmed for transmitting the allowed execution time along with the call type identifier in the maintenance call.

48. The telematics service system as recited in claim 47, wherein the telematics service system processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time transmitted along with the call type identifier in the maintenance call in accordance with a time of day that the maintenance call is transmitted.

49. The telematics service system as recited in claim 47, wherein the telematics service system processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time transmitted along with the call type identifier in the maintenance call in accordance with a location of the TCU at the time the maintenance call is transmitted.

50. The telematics service system as recited in claim 47, wherein the telematics service system processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time transmitted along with the call type identifier in the maintenance call in accordance with the telecommunications network used by the telematics service system at the time the maintenance call is transmitted.

51. The telematics service system as recited in claim 47, wherein the telematics service system processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time transmitted along with the call type identifier in the maintenance call in accordance with a received signal strength measured by the TCU.

52. The telematics service system as recited in claim 47, wherein the telematics service system processor is further programmed for determining the allowed execution time transmitted along with the call type identifier in the maintenance call in accordance with a transmit power of the TCU.

53. The telematics service system as recited in claim 46, wherein the telematics service system processor is further programmed such that if the maintenance call is not successfully completed before the allowed execution time elapses, the maintenance call is retransmitted to the TCU after waiting a predetermined period of time after the elapse of the allowed execution time.

54. The telematics service system as recited in claim 46, wherein the telematics service system processor is further programmed for transmitting an allowed execution time update maintenance call to the TCU for updating a lookup table of allowed execution times.

55. The telematics service system as recited in claim 54, wherein the allowed execution time update maintenance call increases the allowed execution times in the lookup table if a percentage of maintenance calls that are successfully completed before the allowed execution time for the maintenance calls elapses is below a predetermined threshold.

56. The telematics service system as recited in claim 46, wherein the telematics service system processor is further programmed for transmitting an allowed execution time update maintenance call to the TCU for updating an execution time unit.

57. The telematics service system as recited in claim 56, wherein the allowed execution time update maintenance call increases the execution time unit if a percentage of maintenance calls that are successfully completed before the allowed execution time elapses is below a predetermined threshold.