In-vehicle notification of failed message delivery

• US 7,831,347 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2006
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Oesterling, Christopher L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Dalena
• Application Number:
  US11/618,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20080027605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,411 Days
• Field of Search: 701/33, 701/1, 701/36, 701/39, 370/908, 370/913, 370241-245, 379/800, 379/414, 455/63.1, 455/67.11, 455/73, 455/517, 455/423
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0278 Product appraisal
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 370/908 Local area network

Abstract

A method and system for in-vehicle notification of a failed message delivery for use with a vehicle email notification system in which triggers are used to initiate the generation and transmission of email messages that provide diverse types of dynamic vehicle information to the owner or other authorized subscriber. The email notifications are triggered by different events, some of which are independent of the vehicle (e.g., a monthly trigger), and others of which occur at the vehicle, such as a mileage or low oil life trigger. The notification system builds and sends to the subscriber an email message that contains the dynamic vehicle information and identifies any detected vehicle condition for which action is needed. If delivery of the email fails, a call is placed to the vehicle to inform the driver or other occupant of the failed attempt so that corrective action can be taken.

Claims

1. A method of electronically providing vehicle information and notifying a vehicle occupant about a failed attempt to deliver the vehicle information, comprising the steps of:

accessing vehicle data using a telematics unit of the vehicle;

transmitting the vehicle data from the telematics unit to an electronic message generating system;

constructing an electronic message containing vehicle information that includes at least some of the vehicle data;

sending the electronic message to a recipient via an electronic messaging system;

detecting a failed delivery of the electronic message;

sending a failed delivery notification to the telematics unit on the vehicle; and

communicating the failed delivery notification to the vehicle occupant.

2. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of constructing an electronic message further comprises constructing an email message that it contains (1) at least some of the vehicle data represented in language characters, (2) vehicle identification information unique to the vehicle, and (3) a diagnostic result indicating whether some action is required to address one or more of the vehicle conditions.

3. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of detecting a failed delivery of the electronic message further comprises receiving a return electronic message indicating that the electronic message was not delivered.

4. The method set forth in claim 3, wherein the step of receiving a return electronic message comprises receiving at the electronic message generating system a bounced back email message.

5. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of detecting a failed delivery of the electronic message further comprises the steps of:

determining that the electronic message was successfully delivered; and

determining after an elapsed period of time that the delivered electronic message was not opened.

6. The method set forth in claim 5, wherein the failed delivery notification comprises a message informing the vehicle occupant that there is a delivered electronic message waiting to be read.

7. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of communicating the failed delivery notification comprises playing a voice message within the vehicle.

8. The method set forth in claim 7, wherein the failed delivery notification comprises a pre-recorded audio message that is sent to the telematics unit and audibly played within the vehicle.

9. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of communicating the failed delivery notification comprises displaying the electronic notification on a driver information center in the vehicle.

10. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein, after communication of the failed delivery notification to the vehicle occupant, the method further comprises the step of enabling the vehicle occupant to be connected to a live advisor to take corrective action for the failed email delivery.

11. A method of electronically providing vehicle information and notifying a vehicle occupant about a failed attempt to deliver the vehicle information, comprising the steps of:

accessing vehicle data using a telematics unit of the vehicle;

transmitting the vehicle data from the telematics unit to a central data system;

sending an email containing at least some of the vehicle data to a recipient via a global computer network;

determining whether the email failed to be delivered to the recipient and, if so, sending a failed delivery notification to the vehicle occupant via the telematics unit.

12. The method set forth in claim 11, wherein the step of sending a failed delivery notification comprises sending an electronic notification to the telematics unit and communicating the electronic notification to the vehicle occupant.

13. The method set forth in claim 12, wherein the step of communicating the electronic notification comprises playing a voice message within the vehicle.

14. The method set forth in claim 12, wherein the electronic notification comprises a pre-recorded audio message.

15. The method set forth in claim 12, wherein the step of communicating the electronic notification comprises displaying the electronic notification on a driver information center in the vehicle.

16. The method set forth in claim 12, wherein, after communication of the electronic notification to the vehicle occupant, the method further comprises the step of enabling the vehicle occupant to be connected to a live advisor to take corrective action for the failed email delivery.

17. The method set forth in claim 11, wherein the step of sending a failed delivery notification comprises sending an electronic notification to a live advisor at a call center, placing a call by the live advisor to the vehicle occupant via the telematics unit, and notifying the vehicle occupant of the failed email delivery.