Flexible telematics system and method for providing telematics to a vehicle

• US 9,628,599 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2015
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sirius XM Connected Vehicle Services Inc. (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sirius XM Connected Vehicle Services Inc. (Liberty Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Farrell, Tod, Ellingson, Robert Orson
• Primary Examiner(s): Gonzalez, Amancio
• Application Number:
  US14/842,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20150373176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 4554261, 455 412, 7071041
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6091 including a wireless interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/02 including a Bluetooth interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

With a telematics system comprising a telematics unit, a mobile device of the user, and an integrated communication device of a vehicle, a method for providing information to a user of a telematics system includes receiving an event call at the telematics unit and, in response to the event call, sending a first message from the telematics unit to at least one of the mobile device of the user and the integrated communication device of the vehicle and sending a second message from the telematics unit to a telematics provider over a communications channel, the second message causing the telematics provider to communicate with at least one of the mobile device of the user and a mobile device of a third party.

Claims

1. A method for providing information to a user of a telematics system, the telematics system comprising a telematics unit, a mobile device of the user, and an integrated communication device of a vehicle, which comprises:

receiving an event call at the telematics unit; and

in response to the event call;

sending a first message from the telematics unit to at least one of the mobile device of the user and the integrated communication device of the vehicle; and

sending a second message from the telematics unit to a telematics provider over a communications channel, the second message causing the telematics provider to communicate with at least one of;

the mobile device of the user; and

a mobile device of a third party.

2. The method of claim 1, which further comprises carrying out the first message sending step by sending the first message to the mobile device of the user and to the integrated communication device of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, which further comprises carrying out the first message sending step by sending the first message to a mobile device of a third party.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message comprises status information.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message comprises diagnostic information.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message comprises notification information.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of causing the telematics provider to communicate with the mobile device of the user comprises the mobile device receiving a text message from the telematics provider.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of causing the telematics provider to communicate with the mobile device of the user comprises the mobile device receiving a data message from the telematics provider.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of causing the telematics provider to communicate with the mobile device of the user comprises the mobile device receiving a live voice call from the telematics provider.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of causing the telematics provider to communicate with the mobile device of the user comprises the mobile device receiving an automated or pre-recorded voice call from the telematics provider.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second message includes global positioning system information.

12. The method of claim 11, which further comprises sending the second message to the telematics provider to assist the telematics provider in providing telematics function information.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of causing the telematics provider to communicate with the mobile device of the user comprises the mobile device receiving telematics information from the telematics provider.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of causing the telematics provider to communicate with the mobile device of the third party comprises the mobile device of the third party receiving telematics information from the telematics provider.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the telematics function information comprises at least one of speed alerts, real-time remote vehicle location requests, geo-fencing, stolen vehicle recovery procedures, traffic information, weather information, parking information, navigation, point-of-interest information, vehicle diagnostic information, and trip-planning features.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of causing the telematics provider to communicate with the mobile device of the third party comprises the mobile device of the third party receiving a text message from the telematics provider.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of causing the telematics provider to communicate with the mobile device of the third party comprises the mobile device of the third party receiving a call from the telematics provider.

18. A method for providing information to a user of a telematics system, the telematics system comprising a telematics unit, a mobile device of the user, and an integrated communication device of a vehicle, which comprises:

receiving an event call at the telematics unit; and

in response to the event call;

sending a first message from the telematics unit to the mobile device of the user; and

sending a second message from the telematics unit to a telematics provider over a communications channel, the second message causing the telematics provider to communicate with at least one of;

the mobile device of the user; and

a mobile device of a third party.

19. A method for providing information to a user of a telematics system, the telematics system comprising a telematics unit, a mobile device of the user, and an integrated communication device of a vehicle, which comprises:

receiving an event call at the telematics unit; and

in response to the event call;

sending a first message from the telematics unit to the integrated communication device of the vehicle; and

sending a second message from the telematics unit to a telematics provider over a communications channel, the second message causing the telematics provider to communicate with at least one of;

the mobile device of the user; and

a mobile device of a third party.