Method and system for monitoring and retrieving device usage

• US 20060217875A1
• Filed: 03/28/2005
• Published: 09/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Oesterling, Christopher L., Videtich, Matt C., Peterson, Michael L., Heald, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 7,636,626 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0254 based on statistics

Abstract

A method and system for monitoring and retrieving device usage for a device at a vehicle including storing a vehicle data record in the telematics unit, monitoring the device usage for device data, storing the device data at the vehicle, requesting the telematics unit to upload the device data, and transmitting the device data from the telematics unit to a remote location. At least one of the monitoring and the requesting is performed in accordance with the vehicle data record.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring and retrieving device usage for a device at a vehicle, the method comprising:

storing a vehicle data record in the telematics unit;

monitoring the device usage for device data;

storing the device data at the vehicle;

requesting the telematics unit to upload the device data; and

transmitting the device data from the telematics unit to a remote location;

wherein at least one of the monitoring and the requesting is performed in accordance with the vehicle data record.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the device data is selected from the group consisting of time data and channel data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the storing device data at the vehicle comprises storing the device data at a location selected from the group consisting of device storage at the device and in-vehicle memory at the telematics unit.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a customer delivery record (CDR);

storing a vehicle ignition vehicle data record at the telematics unit in response to the CDR; and

uploading baseline device data from the telematics unit to the remote location in accordance with the vehicle ignition vehicle data record after a vehicle start.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the data record is a call interval vehicle data record; and

the requesting the telematics unit to upload the device data comprises requesting the telematics unit to upload the device data in accordance with the call interval vehicle data record after a time interval.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the vehicle data record is a usage monitor vehicle data record; and

the monitoring the device usage for device data comprises monitoring the device usage in the telematics unit in accordance with the usage monitor vehicle data record.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the requesting the telematics unit to upload the device data comprises calling the telematics unit from the remote location during a telematics unit wake-up cycle while the vehicle is off.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting the device data comprises transmitting first device data at a first time, and further comprising:

monitoring the device usage for second device data;

storing the second device data at the vehicle;

requesting the telematics unit to upload the second device data;

transmitting the second device data from the telematics unit to a remote location at a second time; and

comparing the first device data to the second device data to determine a device usage difference between the first time and the second time.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

compiling a plurality of device usage differences for a plurality of time intervals; and

making decisions based on the plurality of device usage differences, the decisions being selected from the group consisting of marketing decisions and design decisions.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

aggregating a plurality of device usage differences for a plurality of time intervals for a plurality of vehicles; and

making decisions based on the aggregated plurality of device usage differences, the decisions being selected from the group consisting of marketing decisions and design decisions.

11. A system for monitoring and retrieving device usage for a device at a vehicle, the system comprising:

means for storing a vehicle data record in the telematics unit;

means for monitoring the device usage for device data;

means for storing the device data at the vehicle;

means for requesting the telematics unit to upload the device data; and

means for transmitting the device data from the telematics unit to a remote location;

wherein at least one of the means for monitoring and the means for requesting is responsive to the vehicle data record.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the device data is selected from the group consisting of time data and channel data.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the means for storing device data at the vehicle comprises means for storing the device data at a location selected from the group consisting of device storage at the device and in-vehicle memory at the telematics unit.

14. The system of claim 11 further comprising:

means for receiving a customer delivery record (CDR);

means for storing a vehicle ignition vehicle record at the telematics unit in response to the CDR; and

means for uploading baseline device data from the telematics unit to the remote location in accordance with the vehicle ignition vehicle data record after a vehicle start.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein:

the vehicle data record is a call interval vehicle data record; and

the means for requesting the telematics unit to upload the device data comprises means for requesting the telematics unit to upload the device data in accordance with the call interval vehicle data record after a time interval.

16. The system of claim 11 wherein:

the vehicle data record is a usage monitor vehicle data record; and

the means for monitoring the device usage for device data comprises means for monitoring the device usage in the telematics unit in accordance with the usage monitor vehicle data record.

17. The system of claim 11 wherein the means for requesting the telematics unit to upload the device data comprises means for calling the telematics unit from the remote location during a telematics unit wake-up cycle while the vehicle is off.

18. The system of claim 11 wherein the means for transmitting the device data comprises means for transmitting first device data at a first time, and further comprising:

means for monitoring the device usage for second device data;

means for storing the second device data at the vehicle;

means for requesting the telematics unit to upload the second device data;

means for transmitting the second device data from the telematics unit to a remote location at a second time; and

means for comparing the first device data to the second device data to determine a device usage difference between the first time and the second time.

19. A computer readable medium for monitoring and retrieving device usage for a device at a vehicle, the computer readable medium comprising:

computer readable code for storing a vehicle data record in the telematics unit;

computer readable code for monitoring the device usage for device data;

computer readable code for storing the device data at the vehicle;

computer readable code for requesting the telematics unit to upload the device data; and

computer readable code for transmitting the device data from the telematics unit to a remote location;

wherein at least one of the computer readable code for monitoring and the computer readable code for requesting is responsive to the vehicle data record.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein the device data is selected from the group consisting of time data and channel data.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein the computer readable code for storing device data at the vehicle comprises computer readable code for storing the device data at a location selected from the group consisting of device storage at the device and in-vehicle memory at the telematics unit.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 19 further comprising:

computer readable code for receiving a customer delivery record (CDR);

computer readable code for storing a vehicle ignition record at the telematics unit in response to the CDR; and

computer readable code for uploading baseline device data from the telematics unit to the remote location in accordance with the vehicle ignition vehicle data record after a vehicle start.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein:

The vehicle data record is a call interval vehicle data record; and

the computer readable code for requesting the telematics unit to upload the device data comprises computer readable code for requesting the telematics unit to upload the device data in accordance with the call interval vehicle data record after a time interval.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein:

the vehicle data record is a usage monitor vehicle data record; and

the computer readable code for monitoring the device usage for device data comprises computer readable code for monitoring the device usage in the telematics unit in accordance with the usage monitor vehicle data record.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein the computer readable code for requesting the telematics unit to upload the device data comprises computer readable code for calling the telematics unit from the remote location during a telematics unit wake-up cycle while the vehicle is off.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 19 wherein the computer readable code for transmitting the device data comprises computer readable code for transmitting first device data at a first time, and further comprising:

computer readable code for monitoring the device usage for second device data;

computer readable code for storing the second device data at the vehicle;

computer readable code for requesting the telematics unit to upload the second device data;

computer readable code for transmitting the second device data from the telematics unit to a remote location at a second time; and

computer readable code for comparing the first device data to the second device data to determine a device usage difference between the first time and the second time.