Radio signal strength mapping through a telematics system

• US 7,373,152 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2002
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Oesterling, Christopher L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson; Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAO, MINH D
• Application Number:
  US10/293,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20040203436A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,008 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456.1, 455/404.2, 455/421, 455/9, 455/65, 455/67.11, 455/67.7, 455/226, 701/213, 701/214, 701/216
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/20 of receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/24 with feedback of measurements to the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/27 for locating or positioning the transmitter
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/318 Received signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports

Abstract

The invention provides a method of and system for determining a radio-frequency signal strength at a mobile vehicle. A signal strength measurement request is received from a call center for a selected radio frequency, a signal strength of the selected radio frequency is measured at the mobile vehicle, and the measured signal strength is sent to the call center.

Claims

1. A method of determining a radio-frequency signal strength at a mobile vehicle, comprising:

receiving, at an in-vehicle telematics unit, a signal strength measurement request from a call center for a selected radio broadcast frequency;

measuring a signal strength of the selected radio broadcast frequency at the mobile vehicle, wherein measuring the signal strength includes sending a signal strength measurement command message through a vehicle communication bus to a radio receiver in the mobile vehicle, and receiving the measured signal strength at the in-vehicle telematics unit; and

sending the measured signal strength to the call center.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal strength measurement request is received using an over-the-air interface function.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the radio broadcast frequency is selected from the group consisting of an AM radio frequency, an FM radio frequency, a satellite radio frequency.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the satellite radio frequency is broadcast from one of a geo-stationary satellite or a terrestrial repeater.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the measured signal strength is sent using an over-the-air interface function.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a set of location coordinates of the mobile vehicle; and

sending the set of location coordinates from the mobile vehicle to the call center.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a time stamp from the mobile vehicle to the call center.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a radio propagation map from the measured signal strengths.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the radio propagation map is generated based on a set of location coordinates of the mobile vehicle.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising sending the radio propagation map to a wireless service provider.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the wireless service provider is selected from the group consisting of an FM station, an AM station, a satellite radio broadcast service, and a radio broadcast station.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a quality-of-service parameter for the selected radio broadcast frequency.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the quality-of-service parameter is selected from the group consisting of a frame error rate, a bit error rate, and a data transmission rate.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the measured signal strength to a signal strength threshold; and

sending the measured signal strength to the call center based on the signal strength threshold.

15. A computer usable medium containing a program to determine a radio-frequency signal strength at a mobile vehicle, comprising:

computer program code to receive, at an in-vehicle telematics unit, a signal strength measurement request from a call center for a selected radio broadcast frequency;

computer program code to measure a signal strength of the selected radio broadcast frequency at the mobile vehicle, wherein the computer program code to measure the signal strength includes a computer program code to send a signal strength measurement command message through a vehicle communication bus to a radio receiver in the mobile vehicle, and computer program code to receive the measured signal strength at an in-vehicle telematics unit; and

computer program code to send the measured signal strength to the call center.

16. The computer usable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

computer program code to determine a set of location coordinates of the mobile vehicle; and

computer program code to send the set of location coordinates from the mobile vehicle to the call center.

17. The computer usable medium of claim 15, further comprising computer program code to send a time stamp from the mobile vehicle to the call center.

18. The computer usable medium of claim 15, further comprising computer program code to generate a radio propagation map from the measured signal strengths.

19. The computer usable medium of claim 18, further comprising computer program code to send the radio propagation map to a wireless service provider.

20. The computer usable medium of claim 15, further comprising computer program code to determine a quality-of-service parameter for the selected radio frequency.

21. The computer usable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

computer program code to compare the measured signal strength to a signal strength threshold; and

computer program code to send the measured signal strength to the call center based on the signal strength threshold.

22. A system for determining a radio-frequency signal strength at a mobile vehicle, comprising:

means for receiving, at an in-vehicle telematics unit, a signal strength measurement request from a call center for a selected radio broadcast frequency;

means for measuring a signal strength of the selected radio broadcast frequency at the mobile vehicle, the means for measuring the signal strength including means for sending a signal strength measurement command message through a vehicle communication bus to a radio receiver in the mobile vehicle, and means for receiving the measured signal strength at an in-vehicle telematics unit; and

means for sending the measured signal strength to the call center.

23. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

means for determining a set of location coordinates of the mobile vehicle; and

means for sending the set of location coordinates from the mobile vehicle to the call center.

24. The system of claim 22, further comprising means for sending a time stamp from the mobile vehicle to the call center.

25. The system of claim 22, further comprising means for generating a radio propagation map from the measured signal strengths.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising means for sending the radio propagation map to a wireless service provider.

27. The system of claim 22 further comprising means for determining a quality-of-service parameter for the selected radio frequency.

28. The system of claim 22, further comprising:

means for comparing the measured signal strength to a signal strength threshold; and

means for sending the measured signal strength to the call center based on the signal strength threshold.

29. A method of determining a radio-frequency signal strength at a mobile vehicle, comprising:

receiving, at an in-vehicle telematics unit, a signal strength measurement request from a call center for a radio broadcast frequency selected from an AM radio frequency, an FM radio frequency, and a satellite radio frequency;

measuring a signal strength of the selected radio broadcast frequency at the mobile vehicle, wherein measuring the signal strength comprises sending a signal strength measurement command message through a vehicle communication bus to a radio receiver in the mobile vehicle, and receiving the measured signal strength at an in-vehicle telematics unit;

determining a set of location coordinates of the mobile vehicle;

sending the measured signal strength and the set of location coordinates to the call center; and

generating a radio propagation map from the measured signal strengths and the set of location coordinates.