In-vehicle text messaging experience engine

• US 8,781,838 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2010
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Krause, Kevin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): COLUCCI, MICHAEL C
• Application Number:
  US12/852,947
• Publication Number:
  US 20120035923A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,436 Days
• Field of Search: 704/235, 704/246, 704/260, 704/270.1, 709/206, 709/233, 455/466, 455/414.3, 455/186.2, 717/171, 715/745, 701/1, 379/88.14, 379/52, 379/357.31, 379/539.12
• US Class Current: 704/270
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/066 Format adaptation, e.g. format conversion or compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/14 Short messaging services, e.g. short message services [SMS] or unstructured supplementary service data [USSD]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/18 Information format or content conversion, e.g. adaptation by the network of the transmitted or received information for the purpose of wireless delivery to users or terminals

Abstract

The disclosed invention provides a system and apparatus for providing a telematics system user with an improved texting experience. A messaging experience engine database enables voice avatar/personality selection, acronym conversion, shorthand conversion, and custom audio and video mapping. As an interpreter of the messaging content that is passed through the telematics system, the system eliminates the need for a user to manually manipulate a texting device, or to read such a device. The system recognizes functional content and executes actions based on the identified functional content.

Claims

1. A method for processing text messages sent to a telematics unit of a telematics-equipped vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, by the telematics unit, a text message via a network;

detecting, by the telematics unit, that the text message includes a privacy indicator, wherein detecting that the text message includes a privacy indicator comprises detecting that the text message contains a predetermined character string; and

processing, by the telematics unit, the text message based on the privacy indicator, wherein the processing of a text message including a privacy indicator is different from processing of a text message that does not include a privacy indicator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the text message based on the privacy indicator comprises:

converting the text message into audio; and

utilizing a subset of speakers of the vehicle to play the audio so as to direct the audio to an occupant of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined character string is selected from the group consisting of “

(P)”

, “

Priv”

, and “

Private”

.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein processing the text message based on the privacy indicator comprises:

utilizing a private vehicle display so as to display the text message to an occupant of the vehicle.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, part of a telematics unit of a telematics-equipped vehicle, having processor-executable instructions stored thereon for processing text messages sent to the telematics unit, the processor-executable instructions comprising instructions for:

receiving a text message via a network;

detecting that the text message includes a privacy indicator, wherein detecting that the text message includes a privacy indicator comprises detecting that the text message contains a predetermined character string; and

processing the text message based on the privacy indicator, wherein the processing of a text message including a privacy indicator is different from processing of a text message that does not include a privacy indicator.

6. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein processing the text message based on the privacy indicator comprises:

converting the text message into audio; and

utilizing a subset of speakers of the vehicle to play the audio so as to direct the audio to an occupant of the vehicle.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein the predetermined character string is selected from the group consisting of “

(P)”

, “

Priv”

, and “

Private”

.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 5, wherein processing the text message based on the privacy indicator comprises:

utilizing a private vehicle display so as to display the text message to an occupant of the vehicle.