Method and system for communications between a telematics call center and a telematics unit

• US 7,844,246 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2004
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Gault, Thomas A., Nicolini, Daniele, Groskreutz, Bruce A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah; Charles N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stephen; Emem
• Application Number:
  US10/850,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20050261035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,385 Days
• Field of Search: 455/99, 455/100, 455/41.2, 455/456.3, 455/414.3, 455/433, 455/404.1, 455/403, 379 37- 51, 340287-309
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/56 including a user help function
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42391 where the subscribers are hearing-impaired persons, e.g. telephone devices for the deaf
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing

Abstract

The invention provides a method and system for communicating between a telematics call center and a telematics unit. A service communication is initiated from a telematics unit to a telematics call center responsive to user input. A text-based acknowledgment is received at the telematics unit from the call center in response to the initiation. A communication mode is established based on communication preference data in response to the acknowledgement. The method and system further comprises providing the communication preference data to the call center. A computer usable medium with suitable computer program code is employed for communicating between a telematics call center and a telematics unit.

Claims

1. A method for communicating between a telematics call center and a telematics unit, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) sending a communication from the telematics unit to the telematics call center, wherein the communication is sent in response to a user input;

(b) sending a text-based acknowledgement from the telematics call center to the telematics unit, wherein the text-based acknowledgement is sent in response to the communication of step (a);

(c) obtaining communication preference data from a web-hosting portal; and

(d) establishing a communication mode between the telematics call center and the telematics unit, wherein the communication mode is established in accordance with the communication preference data obtained in step (c) and is selected from the group consisting of;

a text/text communication mode, a text/voice communication mode, a voice/text communication mode, and a voice/voice communication mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further includes storing the communication preference data to a saved user profile that is saved in memory of the telematics unit.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein step (c) further includes sending the communication preference data from the telematics unit to the telematics call center, and the communication preference data is sent in response to the text-based acknowledgement of step (b).

4. The method of claim 2, wherein step (a) further includes sending the communication from the telematics unit to the telematics call center, and the communication includes the communication preference data obtained in step (c).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further includes obtaining the communication preference data from a saved user profile that is saved at the web-hosting portal, and sending the communication preference data from the web-hosting portal to the telematics unit or the telematics call center.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) further includes storing communication preference data to a saved user profile that is saved at the telematics call center.

7. A method for communicating between a telematics call center and a telematics unit, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) sending a communication from the telematics unit to the telematics call center, wherein the communication is sent in response to a user input;

(b) obtaining communication preference data from a web-hosting portal;

(c) sending the communication preference data from the web-hosting portal to the telematics call center or to the telematics unit; and

(d) establishing a communication mode between the telematics call center and the telematics unit, wherein the communication mode is established in accordance with the communication preference data obtained in step (c) and is selected from the group consisting of;

a text/text communication mode, a text/voice communication mode, a voice/text communication mode, and a voice/voice communication mode.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein step (d) further includes establishing a communication mode between the telematics call center and the telematics unit, wherein the communication mode is established in accordance with the communication preference data obtained in step (c) and is selected from the group consisting of:

a text/text communication mode, a text/voice communication mode, a voice/text communication mode, and a voice/voice communication mode.

9. A method for communicating between a telematics call center and a telematics unit, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) sending a communication from the telematics unit to the telematics call center, wherein the communication is sent in response to a user input;

(b) sending a text-based acknowledgement from the telematics call center to the telematics unit, wherein the text-based acknowledgement is sent over a wireless carrier system and is sent in response to the communication of step (a);

(c) obtaining communication preference data originally received via a web-hosting portal and that is saved in memory of the telematics unit;

(d) sending the communications preference data from the telematics unit to the telematics call center, wherein the communications preference data is sent over the wireless carrier system and is sent in response to the text-based acknowledgement of step (b); and

(e) establishing a communication mode between the telematics call center and the telematics unit, wherein the communication mode is established in accordance with the communication preference data obtained in step (c) and is selected from the group consisting of;

a text/text communication mode, a text/voice communication mode, a voice/text communication mode, and a voice/voice communication mode.