Methods of managing communications for an in-vehicle telematics system

• US 20080077310A1
• Filed: 09/22/2006
• Published: 03/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Murlidar, Jaycee, Ampunan, Nathan D., Clark, Jason W., Weiss, John P., Wasson, Ryan J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,865,282 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

A method of managing communications for an in-vehicle telematics system includes substantially simultaneously receiving requests for communicating first and second audio signals via a vehicle audio system. The signals respectively correspond to interactive voice services (provided via a menu dialogue) from a first in-vehicle system and to a first audio messaging from a second in-vehicle system. An arbitration control selects one of the signals as a priority output and the other as a subordinate output. The priority output is provided over the audio system. A queue manager maintains the subordinate output in a queue for outputting over the audio system after priority output completion. If the first signal is the subordinate output, then the queue manager maintains a state of the menu dialogue, as of a time the priority output is selected, for continuation of the menu dialogue from the maintained state after priority output completion.

Claims

1. A method of managing communications for an in-vehicle telematics system, the method comprising:

substantially simultaneously receiving, at the in-vehicle telematics unit, requests for communicating, via a vehicle audio system, a first audio signal corresponding to interactive voice services from a first in-vehicle system and a second audio signal corresponding to a first audio messaging from a second in-vehicle system, wherein the interactive voice services are provided to a user through at least one menu dialogue;

selecting, via an arbitration control in the in-vehicle telematics unit, one of the first and second audio signals as a priority output and an other of the second and first audio signals as a subordinate output;

providing the priority output over the vehicle audio system; and

maintaining, via a queue manager, the subordinate output in a queue for outputting over the vehicle audio system after completion of the priority output;

wherein if the first audio signal is the subordinate output, then the queue manager maintains a state of the at least one menu dialogue, as of a time the priority output is selected, for continuation of the at least one menu dialogue from the maintained state after the completion of the priority output.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for communicating, via the vehicle audio system, a third audio signal corresponding to a second audio messaging from a third in-vehicle system, the request received substantially simultaneously with the requests for communicating the first and second signals;

selecting, via the arbitration control in the in-vehicle telematics unit, one of the audio signals as a priority output, an other of the audio signals as a first subordinate output, and an other of the audio outputs as a second subordinate output;

providing the priority output over the vehicle audio system;

maintaining, via the queue manager, the first subordinate output in a queue for outputting over the vehicle audio system after completion of the priority output; and

maintaining, via the queue manager, the second subordinate output in the queue for outputting over the vehicle audio system after completion of the first subordinate output.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein if the first audio signal is the second subordinate output, then the queue manager is adapted to maintain a state of the at least one menu dialogue, as of the time the priority output is selected, for continuation of the at least one menu dialogue from the maintained state after the completion of the first subordinate output.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first in-vehicle system or the second in-vehicle system is selected from an in-vehicle phone, an in-vehicle navigation system, a server-based navigation system, and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first in-vehicle system or the second in-vehicle system operatively connects a user to a call center service advisor selected from an automated advisor and a human advisor.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first in-vehicle system or the second in-vehicle system is in communication with a two-way radio frequency communication system.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the two-way radio frequency communication system includes at least one of a wireless carrier system, a communications network, a land network, or combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing the subordinate output over the vehicle audio system after completion of the priority output.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

re-evaluating a priority of the first and second audio signals at predetermined intervals;

reassigning one of the first and second audio signals as the priority output and an other of the second and first audio signals as the subordinate output;

continuing providing or initially providing the reassigned priority output; and

continuing maintaining or initially maintaining, via the queue manager, the reassigned subordinate output.

10. A system, comprising:

a first in-vehicle system providing interactive voice services through at least one menu dialogue, the interactive voice services including a first audio signal configured to be provided over a vehicle audio system;

a second in-vehicle system providing first audio messaging including a second audio signal configured to be provided over the vehicle audio system;

an arbitration control coupled to the first and second in-vehicle systems, the arbitration control adapted to select, when the first and second audio signals occur substantially simultaneously, one of the first and second audio signals as a priority output and an other of the second and first audio signals as a subordinate output, wherein the priority output is provided over the vehicle audio system; and

a queue manager adapted to maintain the subordinate output in a queue for outputting over the vehicle audio system after completion of the priority output, wherein if the first audio signal is the subordinate output, then the queue manager is adapted to maintain a state of the at least one menu dialogue, as of a time the priority output is selected, for continuation of the at least one menu dialogue from the maintained state after the completion of the priority output.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a third in-vehicle system providing second audio messaging through a third audio signal configured to be provided over the vehicle audio system, wherein the arbitration control is coupled to the third in-vehicle system and is adapted to select, when at least two of the first, second and third audio signals occur substantially simultaneously, one of the first, second, and third audio signals as the priority output and an other of the first, second, and third audio signals as the subordinate output.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the arbitration control is adapted to select a third of the first, second, and third audio signals that is neither the priority output nor the subordinate output as a second subordinate output;

and wherein the queue manager is adapted to maintain the second subordinate output in the queue for outputting over the vehicle audio system after completion of the subordinate output.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein if the first audio signal is the second subordinate output, then the queue manager is adapted to maintain a state of the at least one menu dialogue, as of the time the priority output is selected, for continuation of the at least one menu dialogue from the maintained state after the completion of the subordinate output.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein at least one of the first in-vehicle system or the second in-vehicle system is selected from an in-vehicle phone, an in-vehicle navigation system, a server-based navigation system, and combinations thereof.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein at least one of the first in-vehicle system or the second in-vehicle system operatively connects a user to a call center service advisor selected from an automated advisor and a human advisor.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein at least one of the first in-vehicle system or the second in-vehicle system includes a two-way radio frequency communication system.

17. A system, comprising:

a first in-vehicle system providing an interactive voice menu including a first audio signal for playing over a vehicle audio system, wherein the first in-vehicle system has a state responsive to a user interaction through the interactive voice menu;

a second in-vehicle system providing first audio messaging including a second audio signal for playing over the vehicle audio system;

an arbitration control responsive to the first and second in-vehicle systems and adapted to select, when the first and second audio signals occur substantially simultaneously, one of the first and second audio signals as a priority output, and an other of the second and first audio signals as a subordinate output, wherein the priority output is provided over the vehicle audio system; and

a queue manager adapted to maintain the subordinate output in a queue for outputting over the vehicle audio system after completion of the priority output, wherein if the first audio signal is the subordinate output, then the queue manager is adapted to maintain the state of the first in-vehicle system as of a time of the maintaining in the queue, and allows continuation of the first in-vehicle system from the maintained state after the completion of the priority output.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein at least one of the first in-vehicle system or the second in-vehicle system is selected from an in-vehicle phone, an in-vehicle navigation system, a server-based navigation system, and combinations thereof.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the first in-vehicle system and the second in-vehicle system are the same system.