Method and system for selectively communicating with mobile platforms

• US 20080205320A1
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Turski, Karin L., Alrabady, Ansaf I., Proefke, David T., Huntzicker, Fred W., Abowd, Michael Jay
• Granted Patent: US 7,778,213 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast

Abstract

There is provided a method for selectively communicating from a remote system to a subset of a plurality of vehicles. Each of the vehicles is equipped with a first wireless communications device and a second wireless communication device. The method comprises broadcasting a common message from the remote system to the vehicles via the first wireless communication device. A subset of the plurality of vehicles is selected based upon the common message. A communications link is established between the remote system and the second wireless communication device of each of the selected subset of vehicles to transmit formatted electronic data therebetween.

Claims

1. Method for selectively communicating from a remote system to a subset of a plurality of vehicles each vehicle equipped with a first wireless communications device and a second wireless communication device, comprising:

broadcasting a common message from the remote system to the plurality of vehicles via the first wireless communication device;

selecting a subset of the plurality of vehicles based upon content of the common message; and

,

establishing a communications link between the remote system and the second wireless communication device of each of the selected subset of vehicles to transmit formatted electronic data therebetween.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content of the common message comprises a data stream comprising a header and a vehicle data field.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the header comprises a message identifier identifying the common message and a format descriptor for the vehicle data field.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the vehicle data field comprises a designator for a communications channel for the second wireless communication receiver, a selection parameter type, and, parametric data associated therewith.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein selecting the subset of the plurality of vehicles based upon the content of the common message comprises selecting vehicles each having the selection parameter type and the parametric data associated therewith which conforms to the content of the common message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the content of the common message comprises a selection parameter type and parametric data associated therewith.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the selection parameter type comprises an element of a vehicle identification number.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the selection parameter type comprises a vehicle model.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the selection parameter type comprises an engine model.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the selection parameter type comprises a software version number.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the selection parameter type comprises a software update date.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the parametric data for each of the selection parameter types comprises one of alphanumeric characters and wildcards.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising disabling the method for selectively communicating from the remote system to the plurality of vehicles equipped with the first wireless communications device and the second wireless communication device based upon predetermined criteria.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating from the remote system to the subset of the plurality of vehicles that are parked in an assembly yard subsequent to vehicle assembly.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the formatted electronic data from the remote system to the second wireless communication device of each vehicle of the selected subset of vehicles via the communications link subsequent to establishing the communications link, the formatted electronic data comprising data for reprogramming a control module of each of the selected subset of vehicles.

16. A vehicle, adapted to selectively communicate with a remote system via a remote access point during a period when the mobile platform is shutdown, the vehicle comprising:

a first communications receiver, adapted to receive and identify a common message broadcast from the remote system, the common message an electronic data stream comprising a header and a vehicle data field, wherein the header comprises a message identifier and a format descriptor for the vehicle data field, a designator for a communications channel for the wireless access point, a selection parameter type, and parametric data associated therewith;

the first communications receiver operative to selectively activate a second communications receiver when the vehicle has a selection parameter type and parametric data associated therewith which conform to the contents of the common message communicated to the first receiver; and

,

the second communications receiver, operative to establish a communications link with the remote system via the remote access point when selectively activated by the first communication receiver.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, further comprising the second communications receiver operative to activate an information management system and communicate information between the information management system and the wireless access point subsequent to the activation.

18. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the first communications receiver comprises a remote keyless entry system adapted to receive and identify the common message broadcast from the remote system.

19. The vehicle of claim 16, further comprising the first communications receiver adapted to ignore the common message broadcast from the remote system after the vehicle has logged a minimum in-service operating period.

20. A system, comprising an electronic computing system adapted to selectively wirelessly communicate with a plurality of vehicles during a period when the vehicles are non-operating, comprising:

the electronic computing system, signally connected to a wireless access point and a radio-frequency broadcast transmitter;

the radio-frequency broadcast transmitter adapted to generate and transmit a common message to each of the vehicles;

the electronic computing system adapted to establish a communications link via the wireless access point with a subset of the vehicles;

the subset of the vehicles having a selection parameter type and parametric data associated therewith which conform to the contents of the common message;

wherein the common message is an electronic data stream comprising a header and a vehicle data field, wherein the header comprises;

a message identifier and a format descriptor for the vehicle data field, a designator for a communications channel for the wireless access point, a selection parameter type, and parametric data associated therewith.