Vehicle telematics unit activation with provisioning detection

• US 8,160,547 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2009
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Yi, Ki Hak, Madhavan, Sethu K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEHRA, INDER P
• Application Number:
  US12/541,681
• Publication Number:
  US 20110039533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 701/23, 701/24, 701/29, 701/36, 455410-411, 455/419, 455/404.1, 455/435.2
• US Class Current: 455/410
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/2066 Call type detection of indication, e.g. voice or fax, mobile of fixed, PSTN or IP
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/51 Centralised call answering arrangements requiring operator intervention , e.g. call or contact centers for telemarketing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/18 Management of setup rejection or failure

Abstract

A system and method for making vehicle originated calls to a telematics service provider or other call center. The method includes identifying a call type associated with a desired wireless communication of speech or data to the call center, and then carrying out one of a number of different call connection processes depending on the call type. For voice channel cellular connections, an in-band modem cellular connection is preferably established in most instances using a connection retry strategy that includes primary, secondary, and possibly tertiary connection attempts. Cell selection can be carried out using an acquisition task, background scan and inter-country PLMN reselection process that are used to select among available PLMNs and base stations. The system and method can be carried out in connection with various cellular system technologies, but is especially suited for use with GSM systems.

Claims

1. A vehicle telematics unit activation method for use with a wireless cellular network, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a connection request via an initiating input at a telematics unit in a vehicle;

(b) attempting a location update with the wireless cellular network;

(c) receiving a location update rejection and an identifier indicating a reason for the rejection;

(d) re-attempting the location update if the identifier has a first value; and

(e) waiting for a subsequent initiating input before re-attempting the location update if the identifier has a second value.

2. A vehicle telematics unit activation method as defined in claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises determining if the telematics unit has already been activated and if so, carrying out a network acquisition process instead of steps (b) through (e).

3. A vehicle telematics unit activation method as defined in claim 2, wherein the step of determining if the telematics unit has already been activated further comprises checking an activation flag that indicates whether the wireless cellular network has provisioned the telematics unit.

4. A vehicle telematics unit activation method as defined in claim 3, wherein the method further comprises setting the activation flag if the location update is successful.

5. A vehicle telematics unit activation method as defined in claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving the initiating input as a manual input at a vehicle user interface within the vehicle.

6. A vehicle telematics unit activation method as defined in claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving the initiating input as an ignition trigger that occurs upon switching of the vehicle ignition to an on state.

7. A vehicle telematics unit activation method as defined in claim 1, wherein step (c) further comprises performing the location update on a GSM network and receiving the identifier as a cause code included in the rejection.

8. A vehicle telematics unit activation method as defined in claim 7, wherein step (e) further comprises waiting for a subsequent initiating input before re-attempting the location update if the cause code indicates that a home location register for the telematics unit does not have an IMSI profile for the telematics unit.

9. A vehicle telematics unit activation method as defined in claim 1, wherein, following a determination that the location update is successful, the method further comprises the step of contacting a call center and confirming to the call center that the telematics unit has been activated.

10. A vehicle telematics unit activation method as defined in claim 9, further comprising the step of configuring the telematics unit with information downloaded from the call center.

11. A vehicle telematics unit activation method as defined in claim 1, wherein, following a determination that the location update is successful, the method further comprises the step of obtaining a phone number assigned to the telematics unit and presenting the assigned phone number within the vehicle.

12. A vehicle telematics unit activation method for use with a GSM wireless cellular network, comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving an initiating input and determining that the telematics unit has not been activated on the GSM network;

(b) attempting a location update with the GSM network;

(c) receiving a location update rejection and cause code;

(d) re-attempting the location update only after receiving another initiating input if the cause code indicates that an IMSI for the telematics unit is not contained in a home location register for the GSM network; and

otherwise

(e) re-attempting the location update one or more times for other causes of the rejection.

13. A vehicle telematics unit activation method as defined in claim 12, wherein, following a determination that the location update is successful, the method further comprises carrying out a carrier over-the-air process and sending a confirmation to a call center that the telematics unit has been activated on the GSM network.

14. A vehicle telematics unit activation method as defined in claim 12, further comprising the step of obtaining a phone number assigned to the telematics unit and presenting the phone number in the vehicle.

15. A vehicle telematics unit activation method as defined in claim 14, wherein the phone number is an MSISDN or local access number.