Method and system for integrated assistance services

• US 9,939,286 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2014
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DBSD Corporation (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Dish Network LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Inventors: Raab, Stefan Bernard, Zufall, David Robert, Mulford, Gerard Daniel, Sorond, Mariam Aghdasi, Le Maitre, Marcus John
• Primary Examiner(s): Safaipour, Bobbak
• Application Number:
  US14/321,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20150057881A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3682 output of POI information on a road map G01C21/3614, G01C21/3685 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/2535 adapted for voice communication over an Internet Protocol [IP] network Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) network equipment and services H04M7/006; implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP] H04L69/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 Selecting a network or a communication service

Abstract

A method and an apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention includes a controller to process a travel assistance request for communication through a satellite and terrestrial mobile communication network. Data related to multiple assistance providers can be received in response to the request. At least one criterion can be processed for the assistance providers based on, for example, historical trip data. The assistance providers can be graphically represented for user selection based on the criterion. Data related to a selected assistance provider can be displayed, including navigation data to and/or from the assistance provider. In another embodiment, the travel assistance request can be communicated to a service center through the network. The service center can communicate data related to an assistance provider, including navigation data to and/or from the assistance provider. A rating of the assistance provider can be communicated to a specified community-of-interest through the network.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor operable to process a travel assistance request for communication to a mobile communications network, the processor operable to process data related to a plurality of assistance providers;

wherein the processor is operable to identify at least one preferred assistance provider based at least in part on a route between a current location and the at least one preferred assistance provider including a routine route segment;

a display coupled to the processor, the display operable to graphically represent the data related to at least the preferred assistance provider;

a transceiver operable to send the travel assistance request to a base station using a first communications technology and receive the data using a second communications technology; and

an input device coupled to the processor, the input device operable to detect a selection of one of the plurality of assistance providers.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to process a criterion for each of the plurality of assistance providers based on the data related to the plurality of assistance providers and historical trip data, the historical trip data including route segment data and destination area data.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to process a criterion for one of the plurality of assistance providers based on one or more of the following:

a distance from a location of the one of the plurality of assistance providers to a current location of a vehicle from which travel assistance request originated;

and

an estimated travel time from the location of the one of plurality of service providers to the current location of the vehicle from which the travel assistance request originated.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to process a criterion for one of the plurality of assistance providers based on a rating provided by a community-of-interest.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is operable to communicate with a diagnostics system for reception of the travel assistance request.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a modern coupled to the processor, the modern operable to communicate with at least one of a satellite and a terrestrial mobile communication network.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first communications technology includes at least one of a cellular-based communications technology, a broadband communications technology, a public safety communications technology, and a satellite communications technology.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first communications technology includes a first broadband communications technology and the second communications technology includes a second broadband communications technology.

9. An apparatus, comprising:

a processor operable to process a travel assistance request for communication to a service center through a terrestrial mobile communications network, the processor operable to receive data related to a first assistance provider from the service center through the terrestrial mobile communication network;

wherein the processor is operable to select a first assistance provider based at least in part on an absence of a routine route segment for a second assistance provider; and

a display coupled to the processor, the display operable to graphically represent the data related to the first and the second assistance providers.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an input device and an output device, the input device and the output device being coupled to the processor, the input device, the output device, and the processor collectively operable to communicate with an operator at the service center via both a cellular based communications technology and a broadband communications technology.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, where with respect to communications between the apparatus and the service center the processor is operable to utilize different communications technologies for sending and receiving data.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an input device and an output device, the input device and the output device being coupled to the processor, the input device, the output device, and the processor collectively operable to communicate with the assistance provider.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a modem coupled to the processor, the modem operable to communicate interchangeably with both of a satellite and terrestrial mobile communication network.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is operable to communicate with a diagnostics system for reception of the travel assistance request.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is operable to select a communications technology for use in communicating the travel assistance request to the service center.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the communications technology is a broadband communications technology.

17. A method, comprising:

receiving in a mobile communications unit data related to a plurality of assistance providers from a communications network upon communication of a travel assistance request by the mobile communications unit to the satellite and terrestrial mobile communications network;

wherein the data received includes routine route segment;

graphically representing using a display communicatively coupled to the mobile communications unit the plurality of assistance providers based on the data related to the plurality of assistance providers, the routine route segment data, and a criterion for each of the plurality of assistance providers; and

detecting, using a user input device communicatively coupled to the mobile communications unit, a selection of one of the graphically represented plurality of assistance providers, wherein the selection is based at least in part on a representation on the display of whether one or more routine route segments are associated with a route between a current location of the mobile communications unit and one or more of the plurality of assistance providers.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising determining the criterion for one of the plurality of assistance providers based on

historical trip data, the historical trip data including route segment data and destination area data.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising tracking a service vehicle dispatched by the selected assistance provider.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving the travel assistance request from a vehicle diagnostics system.