SYSTEM AND A METHOD FOR PROVIDING A COMMUNICATION LINK

• US 20040192348A1
• Filed: 12/20/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Technology Corporation
• Inventors: Ljunggren, Anders, Gudmundsson, Stefan, Sena, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,395,072 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/304 Boats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1025 preventing jamming or interference of said signal
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

System and method for providing a communication link between a central station (11) and a remote mobile or stationary object (13) including transmitting and receiving communication means (13) having transmitting and receiving communication means (14, 15) for speech and data transmission. The communication link includes a speech transmission link between the central station (11) and the remote object (13). The communication link also includes a data transmission link between the remote object and the central station that is rerouted via a centralized communication and database server (10) for handling operator and/or object related information. The method includes establishing a speech connection between the central station (11) and the remote object (13), and simultaneously establishing data connections between the remote object (13) and the communication and database server (10) as well as between the central station and the communication and database server.

Claims

1. A system for providing a communication link between a central station (11) and a remote mobile or stationary object (13) by means of transmitting and receiving communication means (14, 15) for speech and data transmission, the communication link comprises both a speech transmission link between the central station (11) and the operator of the remote object (13), as well as a data transmission link between the remote object and the central station which is routed via a centralized communication and database server (10) for handling at least one of operator and object related information.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the communication and database server (10) comprises a communication server (19) with functionality for handling operator and object identification, an operator and object information database (22) as well an application server (21) with functionality for making relevant information available to the central station (11).

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein the application server (21) is provided with functionality for updating operator and object information.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the communication links are established via a cellular communication network (14) or a satellite communication network (15).

5. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the central station (11) is a customer service center and the remote object (13) is remote object is one of a vehicle, a boat, a plane and a remote facility.

6. The system as recited in claim 4, wherein the central station (11) is a customer service center and the remote object (13) is remote object is one of a vehicle, a boat, and a plane equipped with a Global Positioning System (16) for providing information regarding the remote object'"'"'s position.

7. A method for providing a communication link between a central station (11) and a remote mobile or stationary object (13), characterized in the steps of establishing a speech connection between the central station (11) and the remote object (13), and simultaneously establishing data connections between the remote object and a communication and database server (10) as well as between the central station and said communication and database server (10).

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising the steps of locating the position of the remote object (13), controlling the functional and operational status of the remote object and its operator, and adapting the response to the type of service requested.

9. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising the steps of providing the communication and database server (10) with the functionality for adding, removing and updating services.

10. A method for activating a service center response to a vehicle service request call, said method comprising:

providing a system forestablishing a communication link between a central station and a remote mobile or stationary object; and

transmitting and receiving speech and data communications transmission via the communication link that comprises both a speech transmission link between the central station and the operator of the remote object, as well as a data transmission link between the remote object and the central station which is routed via a centralized communication and database server for handling at least one of operator and object related information.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the communication and database server comprises a communication server with functionality for handling operator and object identification, an operator and object information database as well an application server with functionality for making relevant information available to the central station.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the application server is provided with functionality for updating operator and object information.

13. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the communication links are established via a cellular communication network or a satellite communication network.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the central station is a customer service center and the remote object is one of a vehicle, a boat, a plane and a remote facility.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, wherein the central station is a customer service center and the remote object is one of a land vehicle, a boat, and a plane equipped with a Global Positioning System for providing location information about the remote object.