Method and system for communicating with a quiescent mobile vehicle

• US 20030109268A1
• Filed: 12/07/2001
• Published: 06/12/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Correia, John J., Fraser, Ronald W., Crocker, Dwayne A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,993,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/466
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/42 Transmitting or receiving remote control signals via a network
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/50 Receiving or transmitting feedback, e.g. replies, status updates, acknowledgements, from the controlled devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/93 Remote control using other portable devices, e.g. mobile phone, PDA, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

The invention provides a method for accessing a quiescent mobile vehicle using a wireless communication system. A vehicle communication device is placed into a discontinuous-receive mode. The vehicle communication device is periodically awakened to a service-ready mode based on the discontinuous-receive mode. A determination is made whether a short message service communication is waiting to be delivered during the service-ready mode. A short message service communication is received in response to the short message service communication determination, and an operation is performed based on the received short message service communication.

Claims

1. A method of accessing a quiescent mobile vehicle using a wireless communication system, comprising:

placing a vehicle communication device into a discontinuous-receive mode;

periodically waking the vehicle communication device to a service-ready mode based on the discontinuous-receive mode;

determining whether a short message service communication is waiting to be delivered during the service-ready mode;

receiving the short message service communication in response to the short message service communication determination; and

performing an operation based on the received short message service communication.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation performed is in direct response to a request in the short message service communication.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the operation performed is selected from a group consisting of unlocking a door, unlocking a trunk, disengaging the ignition, silencing an alarm, performing an electrical test, performing a mechanical test, reading an odometer, reading a gage, performing a maintenance function, performing a diagnostic function, updating an on-board computer module, updating an on-board computer application, updating a mobile phone, and updating an on-board system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation performed comprises initiating a call from the vehicle communication device.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the call is made to a call center.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the call made to the call center comprises sending a service response.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation performed comprises changing a duration of the service-ready mode.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the operation performed comprises changing a time period for waking the vehicle communication device to the service-ready mode.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein waking the vehicle communication device comprises a powering up of the vehicle communication device.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the short message service communication determination is based on a short message service request originating from a call center.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending a short message service reply to a call center.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

placing a vehicle communication device into a powered-down mode.

13. A computer usable medium including a program for accessing a quiescent mobile vehicle using a wireless communication system comprising:

computer program code for placing a vehicle communication device into a discontinuous-receive mode;

computer program code for periodically waking the vehicle communication device to a service-ready mode based on the discontinuous-receive mode;

computer program code for determining whether a short message service communication is waiting to be delivered during the service-ready mode;

computer program code for receiving the short message service communication in response to the short message service communication determination; and

computer program code for performing an operation based on the received short message service communication.

14. The computer usable medium of claim 13 further comprising:

computer program code for sending a short message service reply to a call center.

15. The computer usable medium of claim 13 further comprising:

computer program code for placing a vehicle communication device into a powered-down mode.

16. A mobile vehicle access system comprising:

means for placing a vehicle communication device into a discontinuous-receive mode;

means for periodically waking the vehicle communication device to a service-ready mode based on the discontinuous-receive mode;

means for determining whether a short message service communication is waiting to be delivered during the service-ready mode;

means for receiving the short message service communication in response to the short message service communication determination; and

means for performing an operation based on the received short message service communication.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

means for sending a short message service reply to a call center.

18. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

means for placing a vehicle communication device into a powered-down mode.