Remotely controlling a vehicle telematics unit

• US 9,420,405 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2013
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company), GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Ahmed, Wahaj, Chim, Huong T., Sauerbrey, Steven S., Mathieson, Kier M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shen, Qun
• Application Number:
  US14/079,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20150133108A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,007 Days
• Field of Search: 455/420
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

A method and a system for providing control of a vehicle telematics unit using a mobile device. The method carried out by the system includes the steps of: determining a mobile device is configured to control a vehicle telematics unit; receiving at a call center a vehicle telematics unit (VTU) command from the mobile device instructing the telematics unit to provide vehicle data using short range wireless communication (SRWC); sending the VTU command from the call center to the telematics unit; and transmitting via SRWC the vehicle data.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a vehicle telematics unit using a mobile device, comprising the steps of:

(a) determining that a mobile device is configured to control a vehicle telematics unit;

(b) receiving at a call center a vehicle telematics unit (VTU) command from the mobile device instructing the vehicle telematics unit to provide vehicle data, including current vehicle hotspot credential data used by the vehicle telematics unit, to the mobile device using short range wireless communication (SRWC);

(c) sending the VTU command from the call center to the vehicle telematics unit along with one or more encryption keys;

(d) sending the one or more encryption keys from the call center to the mobile device;

(e) transmitting the vehicle data via SRWC between the vehicle telematics unit and the mobile device, wherein at least some of the vehicle data is encrypted using the encryption keys provided to the VTU and the mobile device;

(f) receiving from the mobile device updated vehicle hotspot credential data that is provided by a user; and

(g) changing the current vehicle hotspot credential data of the vehicle telematics unit using the updated vehicle hotspot credential data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises:

(a1) providing to a user of the vehicle a user account at a remote server, the user account having validating data associated therewith;

(a2) providing to the user an application software for installation on the mobile device; and

(a3) validating that the mobile device is associated with the user account after receiving the validating data from the mobile device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein validating data includes a username and password.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising (a4):

receiving an instruction via the user account enabling remote commands from the mobile device, wherein the instruction is received via a remote computer or the mobile device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the current vehicle hotspot credential data includes a wireless local area network (WLAN) password.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the current vehicle hotspot credential data includes at least one of a WLAN name, an internet protocol (IP) address, mask data, gateway data, and a media access control (MAC) address.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein data communicated via SRWC between the mobile device and the vehicle telematics unit is encrypted according to a private key infrastructure.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein data communicated via cellular transmission either between the mobile device and the call center or between the vehicle telematics unit and the call center is encrypted.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a vehicle carrying the vehicle telematics unit does not include a vehicle multi-tainment unit (VMU) capable of receiving telematics services via the vehicle telematics unit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the updated vehicle hotspot credential data is received and stored at a remote server in the user account.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the updated vehicle hotspot credential data is received at the vehicle telematics unit from the call center.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising:

instructions executable by a mobile device, wherein the instructions include;

generating a vehicle telematics unit (VTU) command, wherein the VTU command includes instructing a vehicle telematics unit to broadcast vehicle data, including current vehicle hotspot credential data used by the vehicle telematics unit, via short range wireless communication (SRWC);

providing the VTU command to the vehicle telematics unit, wherein the instructions include sending the VTU command first to a remote facility which will then send the VTU command to the vehicle telematics unit;

receiving one or more encryption keys at the mobile device;

receiving at the mobile device updated vehicle hotspot credential data that is provided by a user; and

directing the VTU to change the current vehicle hotspot credential data based on the user-provided updated vehicle hotspot credential data using a command transmitted to the VTU and encrypted using the encryption key(s).

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions further include:

enabling receipt of user-selectable credential data at the mobile device, wherein the credential data is associated with a wireless hotspot functionality of the vehicle telematics unit.

14. A method of controlling a vehicle telematics unit using a mobile device, comprising the steps of:

(a) transmitting a request for current vehicle hotspot credential data used by a vehicle telematics unit from a mobile device to a call center;

(b) receiving from the call center the current vehicle hotspot credential data at the mobile device;

(c) receiving one or more encryption keys at the mobile device;

(d) wirelessly transmitting the current vehicle hotspot credential data from the mobile device to the vehicle telematics unit via short range wireless communication (SWRC) using the encryption key(s);

(e) accessing a wireless hotspot generated by the vehicle telematics unit when the current vehicle hotspot credential data received at the mobile device matches the current hotspot credential data used by the vehicle telematics unit;

(f) receiving at the mobile device from a user updated vehicle hotspot credential data; and

(g) directing the vehicle telematics unit to change the current vehicle hotspot credential data based on the user-provided updated vehicle hotspot credential data.