Method for accessing email attachments from a mobile vehicle

• US 8,046,414 B2
• Filed: 10/21/2003
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Veliu, Shpetim, Kamdar, Hitan S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamza; Faruk
• Application Number:
  US10/690,125
• Publication Number:
  US 20050086310A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,926 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/206, 709217-219, 709220-221, 709/207, 709/227, 709/238
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication

Abstract

A method for accessing email attachments from a mobile vehicle is disclosed. The method enables the user to contact a call center, and receive email attachments in a mobile vehicle telematics control unit. The telematics control unit determines whether the email attachment is audio-only, or whether it includes video elements. The telematics control unit then routes audio-only attachments to an audio device, and attachments having video elements to a display screen.

Claims

1. A method for accessing an email attachment from a mobile vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving an email attachment from a remote server at a vehicle telematics unit;

determining at the vehicle a classification of the email attachment; and

routing the email attachment within the vehicle based on the classification such that the email attachment is provided to a vehicle communication unit enabled to present the content of the email attachment.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a notification signal at the telematics unit, and setting an internal software flag responsive to the notification signal.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the internal software flag triggers receiving the email attachment at the mobile vehicle telematics unit.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the classification of the email attachment comprises determining whether the file is an audio-only file and routing the attachment to one of a audio unit or display screen based on the determination.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising setting a bit in a random access memory of the mobile vehicle telematics unit and thereby routing the email attachment to one of the audio unit or the display screen.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the email attachment is temporarily stored in a random access memory within the telematics unit.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising deleting the email attachment from the random access memory within the telematics unit after the email attachment has been routed to a vehicle communication unit.

8. A computer readable non-transitory medium storing a computer program for a system to receive email attachments at a vehicle, comprising:

computer readable code for receiving an email attachment from a remote server at a vehicle telematics unit;

computer readable code for determining at the vehicle a classification of the email attachment;

computer readable code for routing the email attachment within the vehicle based on the classification such that the email attachment is provided to a vehicle communication unit enabled to present the content of the email attachment.

9. The computer readable non-transitory medium of claim 8 further comprising computer readable code to receive a notification signal at the telematics unit, and set an internal software flag responsive to the notification signal.

10. The computer readable non-transitory medium of claim 9 further comprising computer readable code for triggering receiving the email attachment at the vehicle telematics unit.

11. The computer readable non-transitory medium of claim 8 further comprising computer readable code for determining whether the file is an audio-only file and routing the attachment to one of a audio unit or display screen based on the determination.

12. The computer readable non-transitory medium of claim 11 further comprising computer readable code for setting a bit in the random access memory of the vehicle telematics unit and thereby routing the email attachment to one of the audio unit or the display screen.

13. The computer readable non-transitory medium of claim 8 further comprising computer readable code for storing an email attachment temporarily in a random access memory within the vehicle telematics unit.

14. The computer readable non-transitory medium of claim 13 further comprising computer readable code for deleting the email attachment from the random access memory within the telematics unit after the email attachment has been routed to a vehicle communication unit.

15. A system for accessing an email attachment from a vehicle, the system comprising:

means for receiving an email attachment from a remote server at a vehicle telematics unit;

means for determining at the vehicle a classification of the email attachment; and

means for routing the email attachment within the vehicle based on the classification such that the email attachment is provided to a vehicle communication unit enabled to present the content of the email attachment.

16. The system of claim 15 further comprising means for receiving a notification signal at the telematics unit, and setting an internal software flag responsive to the notification signal.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising means for triggering receiving the email attachment at the vehicle telematics unit.

18. The system of claim 15 further comprising means for determining whether the email attachment file is an audio-only file and routing the attachment to one of a audio unit or display screen based on the determination.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising means for setting a bit in the random access memory of the vehicle telematics unit and thereby routing the email attachment to one of the audio unit or the display screen.

20. The system of claim 15 further comprising means for temporarily storing the email attachment in a random access memory within the telematics unit.

21. The system of claim 20 further comprising means for deleting the email attachment from the random access memory within the telematics unit after the email attachment has been routed to a vehicle communication unit.