System and method for prioritized communication between a central station and remote objects

• US 7,809,367 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Teknisk Utveckling AB
• Inventors: Hellaker, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): D AGOSTA, STEPHEN M
• Application Number:
  US10/064,286
• Publication Number:
  US 20020197988A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,021 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/414.3, 455/521, 455/404.1, 455/569.2, 455/456.2, 455/418, 455/423, 455/424, 455/425, 340/988, 340/438, 701/29, 370/310.2, 370/328
• US Class Current: 455/423
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/002 with telemetering systems telemetering in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/007 with remote control systems remote control in general G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems

Abstract

A management, communication and control system including a customer service center 10 with an operator 11. At least one vehicle 20, at least one boat or ship 24, as well as one or more stationary pieces of equipment 25 such as a remote facility or plant that communicates with the service center 10 via a cellular communication network 30 like GSM (European standard) or AMPS (US standard) and/or a satellite communication network 31, either of which is for exchanging information, data and voice communication in both directions. A position of the vehicle(s) 20 is detected by means of a global positioning system (GPS) 40. Emergency assistance vehicles 22 and roadside assistance vehicles 23 can communicate with the service center 10 in a similar manner or in any other way, and are activated by the service center in case of need by one of the remote objects and/or vehicles.

Claims

1. A method for communication between at least one central station and at least one remote mobile or stationary object by means of transmitting and receiving means wherein said at least one object comprises a cellular phone module, which provides a private subscription for private usage by a driver or operator of the object and a selectable service subscription for transmitting and managing at least one service like remote status information, malfunction diagnostics and maintenance as well as technical and emergency assistance, by means of the at least one central station, and wherein the at least one object has implemented a sleep mode in which the power consumption is minimal, a standby mode in which the at least one object is powered up and waits for an incoming message comprising a service identifier from at least one central station via a cellular and/or satellite communication, and a first service execution mode for activating the identified service, wherein a conflict concerning simultaneous execution of several services during said selectable service subscription is handled automatically by assigning and affecting a priority to each service and deactivating any services with a minor priority than the service with a first priority, and wherein at least one object has implemented a phone mode and a second execution mode, wherein the phone mode is interrupted when a service is requested, and the second execution mode is activated, until a cellular and/or a satellite communication between at least one object and at least one central station has been established and the requested service has been executed.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sleep mode is terminated and the standby mode is activated when a wake up timer elapsed.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the standby mode is activated for a predetermined period of time, after which the sleep mode is again activated if no message has been received, or the first service execution mode and a requested service is activated if a related message has been received and decoded.

4. A method for communication between at least one central station and at least one remote mobile or stationary object by means of transmitting and receiving means wherein said at least one object comprises a cellular phone module, which provides a private subscription for private usage by a driver or operator of the object and a selectable service subscription for transmitting and managing at least one service like remote status information, malfunction diagnostics and maintenance as well as technical and emergency assistance, by means of the at least one central station, and wherein the at least one object has implemented a sleep mode in which the power consumption is minimal, a standby mode in which the at least one object is powered up and waits for an incoming message comprising a service identifier from at least one central station via a cellular and/or satellite communication, and a first service execution mode for activating the identified service and wherein a conflict concerning simultaneous execution of several services during said selectable service subscription is handled automatically by assigning and affecting a priority to each service and deactivating any services with a minor priority than the service with a first priority, and wherein the service subscription or a transition from private subscription to service subscription is initiated periodically and/or upon request of at least one central station or of at least one object, and/or by a key press of the operator and/or automatically by means of at least one sensor for detecting accidents, emergency or malfunctions of at least one object or by means of a further sensor for detecting an air-bag deployment or by an alarm in case of a theft.

5. A communication object for communicating with at least one central station by means of transmitting and receiving means, the object comprising a cellular phone module for providing a private subscription for private usage by a driver or operator of the object and a selectable service subscription for transmitting and managing at least one service like remote status information, malfunction diagnostics and maintenance as well as technical and emergency assistance, by means of the at least one central station, wherein the object has implemented a sleep mode in which the power consumption is minimal, a standby mode in which the object is powered up and waits for an incoming message comprising a service identifier from at least one central station via a cellular and/or satellite communication, and a first service execution mode for activating the identified service, and further comprising means for automatically resolving conflict associated with simultaneous execution of several services during said selectable service subscription by assigning and affecting a priority to each service and deactivating any services with a minor priority than the service with a first priority, and which object has implemented a phone mode and a second execution mode, wherein the phone mode is interrupted when a service is requested, and the second execution mode is activated, until a cellular and/or a satellite communication between the object and at least one central station has been established and the requested service has been executed.

6. A communication object according to claim 5, wherein in the standby mode, the cellular phone module, in the standby mode, is activated and the service subscription is selected.

7. A communicating object according to claim 5, wherein the sleep mode is terminated and the standby mode is activated when a wake up timer elapses.

8. A communication object according to claim 5, wherein the standby mode is activated for a predetermined period of time, after which the sleep mode is again activated if no message has been received or the first service execution mode and a requested service is activated if a related message has been received and decoded.

9. A communication object according to claim 5, further comprising at least one of a user interface manager, a satellite communication module, a GPS controller and at least one emergency sensor for automatically detecting accidents, emergency or malfunctions of the object.

10. A communication object according to claim 5, further comprising a controller module for performing priority management between different services.

11. A communication object according to claim 5, wherein the object is a vehicle, a boat or ship, an airplane or stationary equipment like facility or plant.

12. A communication object according to claim 5, wherein a satellite communication is provided for activation if the cellular communication is not available.

13. A communication object for communicating with at least one central station by means of transmitting and receiving means, the object comprising a cellular phone module for providing a private subscription for private usage by a driver or operator of the object and a selectable service subscription for transmitting and managing at least one service like remote status information, malfunction diagnostics and maintenance as well as technical and emergency assistance, by means of the at least one central station, wherein the object has implemented a sleep mode in which the power consumption is minimal, a standby mode in which the object is powered up and waits for an incoming message comprising a service identifier from at least one central station via a cellular and/or satellite communication, and a first service execution mode for activating the identified service, and further comprising means for automatically resolving conflict associated with simultaneous execution of several services during said selectable service subscription by assigning and affecting a priority to each service and deactivating any services with a minor priority than the service with a first priority, and wherein the service subscription or a transition from private subscription to service subscription is initiated periodically and/or upon request of at least one central station or of at least one object, and/or by a key press of the operator and/or automatically by means of at least one sensor for detecting accidents, emergency or malfunctions of at least one object or by means of a further sensor for detecting an air-bag deployment or by an alarm in case of a theft.

14. A system comprising at least one central station, at least one remote mobile or stationary object and transmitting and receiving means for communication between the at least one central station and the at least one remote mobile or stationary object, wherein the at least one remote mobile or stationary object comprises a cellular phone module, which provides a private subscription for private usage by a driver or operator of the object and a selectable service subscription for transmitting and managing at least one service like remote status information, malfunction diagnostics and maintenance as well as technical and emergency assistance, by means of at least one central station, and wherein the at least one remote mobile or stationary object has implemented a sleep mode in which the power consumption is minimal, a standby mode in which the at least one remote mobile or stationary object is powered up and waits for an incoming message comprising a service identifier from at least one central station via a cellular and/or satellite communication, and a first service execution mode for activating the identified service, and further comprising means for automatically resolving conflict associated with simultaneous execution of several services during said selectable service subscription by assigning and affecting a priority to each service and deactivating any services with a minor priority than the service with a first priority, and wherein at least one object has implemented a phone mode and a second execution mode, wherein the phone mode is interrupted when a service is requested, and the second execution mode is activated, until a cellular and/or a satellite communication between at least one object and at least one central station has been established and the requested service has been executed.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein said central station is configured to activate the service subscription.

16. A system according to claim 14, wherein the satellite communication (31) is provided for activation if the cellular communication (30) is not available.

17. A system comprising at least one central station, at least one remote mobile or stationary object and transmitting and receiving means for communication between the at least one central station and the at least one remote mobile or stationary object, wherein the at least one remote mobile or stationary object comprises a cellular phone module, which provides a private subscription for private usage by a driver or operator of the object and a selectable service subscription for transmitting and managing at least one service like remote status information, malfunction diagnostics and maintenance as well as technical and emergency assistance, by means of at least one central station, and wherein the at least one remote mobile or stationary object has implemented a sleep mode in which the power consumption is minimal, a standby mode in which the at least one remote mobile or stationary object is powered up and waits for an incoming message comprising a service identifier from at least one central station via a cellular and/or satellite communication, and a first service execution mode for activating the identified service, and further comprising means for automatically resolving conflict associated with simultaneous execution of several services during said selectable service subscription by assigning and affecting a priority to each service and deactivating any services with a minor priority than the service with a first priority, and wherein the service subscription or a transition from private subscription to service subscription is initiated periodically and/or upon request of at least one central station or of at least one object, and/or by a key press of the operator and/or automatically by means of at least one sensor for detecting accidents, emergency or malfunctions of at least one object or by means of a further sensor for detecting an air-bag deployment or by an alarm in case of a theft.