Technique for providing management of a motor vehicle information system

• US 7,606,643 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2006
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellectual Discovery Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hunt, Gerald P., Kady, Mark A., Halsall, Keith R., Kapaleshwari, Laxman D.
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US11/407,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20070250220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/2, 701/20, 701/29, 701/33, 701/35, 701/36, 455/11.1, 455/39, 455/73, 455/412.2, 455/151.2, 342/357.1, 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/439
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/082 to be used in vehicles H04B1/086 takes precedence; holding or mounting accessories B60R11/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0274 by switching on or off the equipment or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A technique for providing management of a motor vehicle information system includes a number of steps. Initially, a wake-up message is received from a portable transmitter. In general, the wake-up message, unique to the portable transmitter, is provided responsive to user activation of a button that is electrically coupled to the portable transmitter. Next, it is determined whether power capability of the motor vehicle is adequate responsive to receipt of the wake-up message. When the motor vehicle power capability is adequate, power is provided to a wireless interface, a vehicle information system and a mass storage device, all of which are located within the motor vehicle. Information is then received via the wireless interface and stored in the mass storage device, when the power capability of the motor vehicle is adequate.

Claims

1. A method for providing management of a motor vehicle information system, comprising the steps of:

receiving a wake-up message from a portable transmitter, wherein the wake-up message is unique to the portable transmitter and is provided responsive to user activation of a button that is electrically coupled to the portable transmitter;

determining whether power capability of a motor vehicle is adequate responsive to receipt of the wake-up message;

providing power to a wireless interface, a vehicle information system and a mass storage device when the motor vehicle power capability is adequate, wherein the wireless interface, the vehicle information system and the mass storage device are located within the motor vehicle; and

receiving information via the wireless interface and storing the information in the mass storage device, when the power capability of the motor vehicle is adequate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable transmitter is included within a keyfob associated with the motor vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the mass storage device is one of a flash memory and a hard disk drive.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the wireless interface is compatible with the IEEE 802.11 specification.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

starting a timer following receipt of the wake-up message; and

removing power from the wireless interface, the vehicle information system and the mass storage device when the timer expires.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

removing power from the wireless interface, the vehicle information system and the mass storage device when download of the information is complete.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the received information includes a plurality of music files.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the received information is only stored in the mass storage device when a received identification (ID) signal corresponds to an authorized ID signal that is allowed to store information on the mass storage device.

9. A system for providing management of a motor vehicle information system, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a wake-up message from a portable transmitter, wherein the wake-up message is unique to the portable transmitter and is provided responsive to user activation of a button that is electrically coupled to the portable transmitter;

a processor coupled to the receiver; and

a memory subsystem coupled to the processor, the memory subsystem storing code that when executed by the processor instructs the processor to perform the steps of;

determining whether power capability of an associated motor vehicle is adequate responsive to receipt of the wake-up message;

providing power to a wireless interface, a vehicle information system and a mass storage device when the motor vehicle power capability is adequate, wherein the wireless interface, the vehicle information system and the mass storage device are located within the motor vehicle; and

receiving information via the wireless interface and storing the information in the mass storage device, when the power capability of the motor vehicle is adequate.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the portable transmitter is included within a keyfob associated with the motor vehicle.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the mass storage device is one of a flash memory and a hard disk drive.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the wireless interface is compatible with the IEEE 802.11 specification.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the memory subsystem stores additional code that when executed by the processor instructs the processor to perform the additional steps of:

starting a timer following receipt of the wake-up message; and

removing power from the wireless interface, the vehicle information system and the mass storage device when the timer expires.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the memory subsystem stores additional code that when executed by the processor instructs the processor to perform the additional step of:

removing power from the wireless interface, the vehicle information system and the mass storage device when download of the information is complete.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the information includes a plurality of music files.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the information is only stored in the mass storage device when a received identification (ID) signal corresponds to an authorized ID signal that is allowed to store information on the mass storage device.

17. A system for providing management of a motor vehicle information system, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a wake-up message from a portable transmitter, wherein the wake-up message is unique to the portable transmitter and is provided responsive to user activation of a button that is electrically coupled to the portable transmitter;

a processor coupled to the receiver; and

a memory subsystem coupled to the processor, the memory subsystem storing code that when executed by the processor instructs the processor to perform the steps of;

determining whether power capability of an associated motor vehicle is adequate responsive to receipt of the wake-up message;

providing power to a wireless interface, a vehicle information system and a mass storage device when the motor vehicle power capability is adequate, wherein the wireless interface, the vehicle information system and the mass storage device are located within the motor vehicle; and

receiving information via the wireless interface and storing the information in the mass storage device, when the power capability of the motor vehicle is adequate and a received identification signal indicates that allows for storage of the information on the mass storage device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the portable transmitter is included within a keyfob associated with the motor vehicle, and wherein the mass storage device is one of a flash memory and a hard disk drive.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the information is only stored in the mass storage device when a received identification (ID) signal corresponds to an authorized ID signal that is allowed to store information on the mass storage device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the memory subsystem stores additional code that when executed by the processor instructs the processor to perform the additional steps of:

starting a timer following receipt of the wake-up message; and

removing power from the wireless interface, the vehicle information system and the mass storage device when the timer expires.