Method and system for remotely inventorying electronic modules installed in a vehicle

• US 7,092,799 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2003
• Issued: 08/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Ampunan, Nathan D., Gawlik, Thomas A., Oesterling, Christopher L., Zoeckler, Dennis L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US10/683,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20050080519A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,040 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/29, 701/207, 701/213, 701/33, 701/34, 701/35, 701/36, 701/32, 340/99, 3404255-490, 4554261-4556
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

The invention provides a method and system for remotely inventorying electronic modules installed in a vehicle. A vehicle telematics unit sends an identification request to at least one electronic module. The telematics unit receives at least one electronic module identifier in response to the request. The identifier includes the serial number and software revision for the electronic module. The received identifier is transmitted from the telematics unit to a call center. The call center, or a quality center to which the call center sends the transmitted identifier, determines if the transmitted identifier corresponds with an identifier included in an electronic module identifier database. The database includes an identifier for each module that is intended to be installed in the vehicle. A quality assurance notice is sent based on the determination, indicating either that the correct module is installed in the vehicle or that an incorrect module must be replaced.

Claims

1. A method for remotely inventorying electronic modules installed in a vehicle, comprising:

sending an identification request from a telematics unit to at least one electronic module;

receiving at least one electronic module identifier at the telematics unit in response to the identification request;

transmitting the electronic module identifier from the telematics unit to a call center; and

receiving a quality assurance message from the call center responsive to the transmission of the electronic module identifier.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining if the transmitted electronic module identifier corresponds with an electronic module identifier included in an electronic module identifier database.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

initiating a wireless network connection from the vehicle telematics unit to the call center responsive to a triggering event.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

saving the at least one electronic module identifier to an in-vehicle memory.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the identification request is initiated at the vehicle responsive to a triggering event.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the triggering event is selected from a group consisting of a specified number of vehicle ignition cycles, a specified period of time following a particular ignition cycle, stand alone time, odometer readings, and a waking cycle.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the electronic module identifier includes at least one of a pan serial number and a software revision number.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the telematics unit communicates with the electronic module via a vehicle communication bus.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the quality assurance notification states that the electronic modules associated with the electronic module identifier are correct or incorrect.

9. A computer readable medium including a program for remotely inventorying electronic modules installed in a vehicle, comprising:

computer program code for sending an identification request from a telematics unit to at least one electronic module;

computer program code for receiving at least one electronic module identifier at the telematics unit in response to the identification request;

computer program code for transmitting the electronic module identifier from the telematics unit to an electronic module identifier database; and

computer program code for receiving a quality assurance message from the electronic module identifier database responsive to the transmission of the electronic module identifier.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 9 further comprising:

computer program code for determining if the transmitted electronic module identifier corresponds with an electronic module identifier included in an electronic module identifier database.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 9 further comprising:

computer program code for initiating a wireless network connection from the vehicle telematics unit to the call center responsive to a triggering event.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 9 further comprising:

computer program code for initiating an identification request at the vehicle responsive to a triggering event.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 9 further comprising:

computer program code for saving the at least one electronic module identifier to an in-vehicle memory.

19. The medium of claim 9 wherein the quality assurance notification states that the electronic modules associated with the electronic module identifier are correct or incorrect.

14. A system for remotely inventorying electronic modules installed in a vehicle, comprising:

means for sending an identification request from a telematics unit to at least one electronic module;

means for receiving at least one electronic module identifier at the telematics unit in response to the identification request; and

means for transmitting the electronic module identifier from the telematics unit to an electronic module identifier database; and

means for receiving a quality assurance message from the electronic module identifier database responsive to the transmission of the electronic module identifier.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

means for determining if the transmitted electronic module identifier corresponds with an electronic module identifier included in an electronic module identifier database.

16. The system of claim 14 further comprising;

means for initiating an identification request at the vehicle responsive to a triggering event.

17. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

means for initiating a wireless network connection from the vehicle telematics unit to the electronic module identifier database responsive to a triggering event.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein the quality assurance notification states that the electronic modules associated with the electronic module identifier are correct or incorrect.

21. A method for remotely inventorying electronic modules installed in a vehicle, comprising:

sending an identification request from a telematics unit to at least one electronic module responsive to replacement of at least one electronic module during vehicle servicing;

receiving at least one electronic module identifier at the telematics unit in response to the identification request; and

transmitting the electronic module identifier from the telematics unit to a call center.