Method and system for selectively communicating with mobile platforms

• US 7,778,213 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• 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: Abowd, Michael Jay, Turski, Karin L., Alrabady, Ansaf I., Proefke, David T., Huntzicker, Fred W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eng; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): BIBBEE, CHAYCE R
• Application Number:
  US11/678,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20080205320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• Field of Search: 455/99, 455/569.2, 455/575.9, 370/312
• 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 receiver and a second wireless communications device comprising:

broadcasting a common message from the remote system to a plurality of vehicles that are shutdown and parked within a predefined geographic location, the common message including a communications channel designator, a selection parameter type, and parametric data corresponding to the selection parameter type;

receiving the common message at each vehicle via the respective first wireless communications receiver;

selecting a subset of the plurality of vehicles comprising activating the second wireless communications device within ones of the plurality of vehicles that have respective vehicle information matching the parametric data corresponding to the selection parameter type for communication with the remote system; and

communicating between the remote system and the respective second wireless communications device of each of the vehicles in the selected subset on a communications channel corresponding to the communications channel designator to transmit formatted electronic data therebetween.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection parameter type comprises an element of an ISO standard vehicle identification number.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection parameter type comprises a vehicle model.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection parameter type comprises an engine model.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection parameter type comprises a software version number.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the selection parameter type comprises a software update date.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the parametric data for each of the selection parameter types comprises combinations of alphanumeric characters and wildcards.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vehicles is parked in an assembly yard subsequent to vehicle assembly.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the formatted electronic data comprises data for reprogramming a respective control module of each vehicle in the selected subset of vehicles.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first wireless communications receiver comprises a remote keyless entry system.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein activating the second wireless communications device within ones of the plurality of vehicles that have respective vehicle information matching the parametric data corresponding to the selection parameter type for communication with the remote system occurs only within ones of the plurality of vehicles that have not logged a minimum in-service operating period.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of vehicles is parked at a vehicle retail establishment.

13. 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.