Method and system for managing personalized settings in a mobile vehicle

• US 7,319,924 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2004
• Issued: 01/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Zambo, Michael G., Ampunan, Nathan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu; Yonel
• Application Number:
  US10/970,946
• Publication Number:
  US 20060089755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/2, 701/36, 701/33, 701/29, 340/425.5, 307/9.1
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel

Abstract

A method of managing personalized settings in a mobile vehicle, particularly during service replacement of a vehicle module, is provided. The personalized settings currently stored in the vehicle module are determined. The settings are first stored at a vehicle settings storage unit and then transferred to a replacement module. Systems and programs for managing personalized settings in a mobile vehicle are also provided.

Claims

1. A method of managing personalized settings in a mobile vehicle during service replacement of a first vehicle module with a second vehicle module, comprising:

determining identifying parameters of the first vehicle module;

determining a predesignated memory location for the personalized settings in the first vehicle module;

determining the personalized settings stored in the first vehicle module;

storing the personalized settings at a vehicle settings storage unit; and

transferring the personalized settings to a generally matching predesignated memory location in the second vehicle module so that the personalized settings persist through the replacement of the first vehicle module with the second vehicle module.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating with the first vehicle module via a telematics unit to determine the personalized settings.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

entering a new value of the personalized settings.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

transferring the new value of the personalized settings to the second vehicle module.

5. A system for managing personalized settings in a mobile vehicle during service replacement of a first vehicle module with a second vehicle module, comprising:

means for determining identifying parameters of the first vehicle module;

means for determining a predesignated memory location for the personalized settings in the first vehicle module;

means for determining the personalized settings stored in the first vehicle module;

means for storing the personalized settings at a vehicle settings storage unit; and

means for transferring the personalized settings to a generally matching predesignated memory location in the second vehicle module so that the personalized settings persist through the replacement of the first vehicle module with the second vehicle module.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

means for communicating with the first vehicle module via a telematics unit to determine the personalized settings.

7. The system of claim 5, further comprising:

means for entering a new value of the personalized settings.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising:

means for transferring the new value of the personalized settings to the second vehicle module.

9. A method of managing personalized settings in a mobile vehicle during service replacement of a vehicle module, comprising:

receiving a signal at a telematics unit on a vehicle indicating that a vehicle module is to be replaced;

retrieving personalized settings data for the vehicle module;

storing the personalized settings data in a location other than the vehicle module;

replacing the vehicle module with a replacement module; and

thereafter

receiving a signal requesting resetting of the personalized settings data;

retrieving the stored personalized settings data; and

re-loading the personalized settings data for the replacement module.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the storing step further comprises transmitting the personalized settings data from the telematics unit to a remote facility, and wherein the step of retrieving the stored personalized settings data further comprises transmitting the stored personalized settings data from the remote facility back to the telematics unit.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the storing step further comprises storing the personalized data settings in another module within the vehicle, and wherein the step of retrieving the stored personalized settings data further comprises accessing the stored personalized settings data from the other module.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the other module comprises the telematics unit.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of receiving a signal at the telematics unit further comprises detecting press of a button on the telematics unit and receiving an indication of the vehicle module to be replaced.