Method and system for operating a degraded vehicle communication unit
First Claim
1. A method for operating a vehicle communication unit within a mobile vehicle communication system, the method comprising:
- attempting to operate in a primary communication mode using a vehicle communication unit on a first vehicle, wherein the communication unit is equipped to communicate in the primary communication mode;
detecting a primary communication mode failure;
initiating short range wireless communication between the first vehicle and a second vehicle responsive to the primary communication mode failure, wherein the second vehicle has a vehicle communication unit enabled to communicate in the primary communication mode;
transmitting data between the first vehicle and the second vehicle via the short range wireless communication; and
communicating the data with a service provider via a wireless carrier system to request assistance for the first vehicle using the vehicle communication unit on the second vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method is directed to operating a degraded vehicle communication unit within a mobile vehicle communication system (MVCS). The method provides for determining a primary communication mode failure, initiating a secondary communication mode responsive to the primary communication mode failure determination, and operating a telematics device in the secondary communication mode within the vehicle communication unit. The step of determining the primary communication mode failure may include detecting if the telematics unit can not initiate contact with a wireless carrier system, and detecting if the telematics unit can not maintain communication with the wireless carrier system. The step of determining the primary communication mode failure may include determining a GPS unit within the vehicle communication unit is unable to receive a GPS satellite broadcast from a GPS satellite broadcast system.
10 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for operating a vehicle communication unit within a mobile vehicle communication system, the method comprising:
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attempting to operate in a primary communication mode using a vehicle communication unit on a first vehicle, wherein the communication unit is equipped to communicate in the primary communication mode; detecting a primary communication mode failure; initiating short range wireless communication between the first vehicle and a second vehicle responsive to the primary communication mode failure, wherein the second vehicle has a vehicle communication unit enabled to communicate in the primary communication mode; transmitting data between the first vehicle and the second vehicle via the short range wireless communication; and communicating the data with a service provider via a wireless carrier system to request assistance for the first vehicle using the vehicle communication unit on the second vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for operating a vehicle communication unit within a mobile vehicle communication system, the method comprising:
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attempting to operate a first vehicle communication unit on a first vehicle in a primary communication mode; detecting a primary communication mode failure due to degraded equipment on the first vehicle; initiating a second communication mode using a local wireless link between the first vehicle and a second vehicle responsive to the primary communication mode failure, wherein the second vehicle has a second vehicle communication unit configured to communicate using the primary communication mode; sending a request for assistance for the first vehicle to a service provider via a wireless communication system using the second vehicle communication unit; and communicating data to complete the request for assistance between the first vehicle and the second vehicle using the second communication mode. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification