Method of activating a device

• US 8,180,337 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2009
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Veliu, Shpetim S., Medley, Joseph K.
• Primary Examiner(s): AJIBADE AKONAI, OLUMIDE
• Application Number:
  US12/550,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20110053575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/3.06, 455/414.1, 455/39, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3, 455/466, 455/550.1, 455/564, 455/569.1, 455/569.2, 340/426.12, 340/426.13, 340/426.14, 340/426.15, 340/426.16, 340/426.17, 340/426.2
• US Class Current: 455/420
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/002 with telemetering systems telemetering in general G08C

Abstract

A method of activating a device involves establishing communication between the device and another device and receiving, at the other device, a message including activation information from a third party facility. The activation information includes a header and a mobile dialing number. The method further includes using the header to identify the message as an activation message for the device and, via the device, retrieving the identified message from the other device. The mobile dialing number is stored in a memory associated with the device, where the mobile dialing number enables the third party facility to initiate communication with the device.

Claims

1. A method of activating a telematics device, comprising:

establishing communication between the telematics device and an other device;

receiving, at the other device, a message including activation information from a third party facility, the activation information including a header and a mobile dialing number;

via the telematics device, using the header to identify the message as an activation message for the telematics device;

via the telematics device, retrieving the identified message from the other device; and

storing the mobile dialing number in a memory operatively associated with the telematics device, the mobile dialing number enabling the third party facility to initiate communication with the telematics device.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the establishing of the communication between the telematics device and the other device is accomplished via a short range wireless connection.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein prior to the identifying of the message, the method further comprises examining the other device for the message, the examining being accomplished periodically by the telematics device, in response to a trigger, or combinations thereof.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the header includes a device identification number, a vehicle identification number, a subscriber'"'"'s name, a security code, an activation command, or combinations thereof.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

initiating communication with the third party facility; and

notifying the third party facility that the mobile dialing number has been stored in the memory associated with the telematics device.

6. The method as defined in claim 5 wherein the initiating of the communication with the third party facility is accomplished via i) the telematics device upon storing the mobile dialing number, or ii) the other device upon the retrieving of the identified message by the telematics device.

7. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein prior to receiving the message, the method further comprises:

establishing communication between the other device and the third party facility; and

requesting the message from the third party facility.

8. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the mobile dialing number is temporarily stored in the memory associated with the telematics device to enable the telematics device to receive a single service or a limited timed duration of one or more services from the third party facility.

9. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the other device is a handheld communications device, and wherein the third party facility is a call center.

10. A method of activating a deactivated telematics unit, comprising:

establishing communication between the deactivated telematics unit and a handheld communications device, the establishing being accomplished using a short range wireless connection;

requesting and receiving an activation message by the handheld communications device from a call center, the activation message including a header and a mobile dialing number;

examining the handheld communications device to identify the header associated with the activation message;

upon identifying the header, extracting, via the deactivated telematics unit, the mobile dialing number from the activation message; and

storing the mobile dialing number in a memory operatively associated with the deactivated telematics unit, the mobile dialing number enabling communication between the telematics unit and the telematics call center.

11. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the short range wireless connection is accomplished using an IEEE 802.11a standard, an IEEE 802.11b standard, an IEEE 802.11g standard, an IEEE 802.11n standard, WiFi, Bluetooth, ZigBee, or combinations thereof.

12. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the examining of the handheld communications device is accomplished by the deactivated telematics unit periodically, in response to a trigger, or combinations thereof.

13. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the header includes a device identification number, a vehicle identification number, a subscriber'"'"'s name, a security code, an activation command, or combinations thereof.

14. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein upon storing the mobile dialing number, the method further comprises:

initiating communication with the call center;

notifying the call center that the mobile dialing number has been stored in the memory associated with the deactivated telematics unit;

thereby reactivating the deactivated telematics unit.

15. The method as defined in claim 14, further comprising re-commissioning the telematics unit such that the telematics unit is associated with a user account, via the call center, after the call center has been notified that the telematics unit has been reactivated.

16. The method as defined in claim 14 wherein the initiating of the communication with the call center is accomplished via i) the telematics unit upon storing the mobile dialing number, or ii) the handheld communications device upon the extracting of the mobile dialing number by the telematics unit.

17. The method as defined in claim 10 wherein the activation message is a short message service (SMS), text message, or combinations thereof.

18. A system for activating a telematics unit, comprising:

a handheld communications device in selective and operative communication with the telematics unit via a short range wireless connection;

a call center in selective and operative communication with the handheld communication device, the call center configured to generate and transmit, to the handheld communication device, an activation message for activating the telematics unit, the activation message including a header and a mobile dialing number;

a processor operatively associated with the telematics unit, the processor including;

computer readable code for examining the handheld communications device for receipt of the activation message by identifying the header; and

computer readable code for extracting the mobile dialing number from the activation message; and

a memory operatively associated with the telematics unit and configured to store therein the mobile dialing number extracted from the activation message by the processor, the stored mobile dialing number enabling the call center to establish communication with the telematics unit.

19. The system as defined in claim 18 wherein the handheld communications device is selected from a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant, a smart phone, a personal laptop computer, a netbook computer, or combinations thereof.

20. The system as defined in claim 18, further comprising a wireless cellular network configured to establish communication between the handheld communications device and the call center.