System and method for notifying back office prior to end of telematics unit standby period

• US 8,873,442 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2010
• Issued: 10/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Hering, Carl J., Nixon, Timothy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamza, Faruk
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zaman, Shah R
• Application Number:
  US12/959,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20120140688A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,425 Days
• Field of Search: 370/311, 455/518, 455/444, 340/539.16
• US Class Current: 370/311
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0261 managing power supply demand, e.g. depending on battery level
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The described method and system provide for notification to network applications by a telematics unit in standby mode of when the telematics unit is switching away from standby mode and will be come unavailable for communication with the network applications. The network application may include mobile applications for mobile devices (such as smartphones) and web applications accessible through web pages. The telematics unit may communicate with the back office(s) of the network applications. If the vehicle is a plug-type vehicle, the telematics unit or network application may further extend the standby period of the telematics unit or vehicle when the vehicle is plugged in.

Claims

1. A method for processing a standby period of a telematics unit connected to a vehicle, the method comprising:

determining, at the telematics unit, that vehicle ignition is off;

in response to the determination that the vehicle ignition is off, switching, at the telematics unit, to a standby mode, wherein network applications are able to communicate with the telematics unit in the standby mode;

determining, at the telematics unit, that a time period has elapsed while the telematics unit is in the standby mode;

in response to determining the time period has elapsed, transmitting, by the telematics unit, data to at least one network application via a wireless network prior to the end of the standby period, wherein the data includes a notification that the telematics unit is going to switch from standby mode; and

switching, at the telematics unit, from standby mode to a different mode, wherein network applications are not able to communicate with the telematics unit in the different mode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitted data further includes data relating to a function of the network application to which the data is transmitted.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one network application further informs a user of the at least one network application that the telematics unit is going to switch from standby mode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is a plug-in type vehicle having a battery that is chargeable via a plug interface.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the duration of the time period is based on whether the vehicle is plugged in.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the duration of the time period is extended continuously while the vehicle is plugged in until the vehicle is unplugged.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

determining, at the telematics unit, that the vehicle is plugged in, and in response increasing the duration of the time period.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the telematics unit communicates with a back office associated with the at least one network application.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one network application is at least one of a mobile application accessible through a mobile device and a web application accessible through a web page.

10. A system for processing a standby period of a telematics unit connected to a vehicle, the system comprising:

the telematics unit, connected to the vehicle, adapted to;

determine that vehicle ignition is off;

in response to the determination that the vehicle ignition is off, switch to a standby mode, wherein network applications are able to communicate with the telematics unit in the standby mode;

determine that a time period has elapsed while the telematics unit is in the standby mode;

in response to determining the time period has elapsed, transmit data to a network application via a wireless network prior to the end of the standby period, wherein the data includes a notification that the telematics unit is going to switch from standby mode; and

switch from standby mode to a different mode, wherein network applications are not able to communicate with the telematics unit in the different mode; and

the network application, adapted to communicate with a telematics unit in standby mode and to inform a user of the network application when the telematics unit is switching from standby mode.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one network application is at least one of a mobile application accessible through a mobile device and a web application accessible through a web page.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium of a telematics unit connected to a vehicle having processor-executable instructions stored thereon for processing a standby period of the telematics unit, the processor-executable instructions, when executed by a processor, facilitating performance of the following steps:

determining that vehicle ignition is off;

switching, in response to the determination that the vehicle ignition is off, the telematics unit to a standby mode, wherein network applications are able to communicate with the telematics unit in the standby mode;

determining that a time period has elapsed while the telematics unit is in the standby mode;

transmitting, in response to determining the time period has elapsed, data to a network application via a wireless network prior to the end of the standby period, wherein the data includes a notification that the telematics unit is going to switch from standby mode; and

switching the telematics unit from standby mode to a different mode, wherein network applications are not able to communicate with the telematics unit in the different mode.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the vehicle is a plug-in type vehicle having a battery that is chargeable via a plug interface.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the duration of the time period is based on whether the vehicle is plugged in.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the duration of the time period is extended continuously while the vehicle is plugged in until the vehicle is unplugged.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the processor-executable instructions, when executed, further facilitate the performance of the following:

determining that the vehicle is plugged in and, in response thereto, increasing the duration of the time period.