METHOD OF PROVIDING DIRECTIONS TO A VEHICLE SERVICE FACILITY
Granted: May 17, 2012
Application Number:
20120123629
A method of providing directions to a vehicle service facility includes generating a vehicle service alert that includes vehicle operating data, sending the vehicle service alert to a vehicle telematics service subscriber, offering the vehicle telematics service subscriber a choice of one or more vehicle service facilities for responding to the vehicle service alert, and if the vehicle owner chooses a vehicle service facility, providing turn-by-turn directions to the chosen vehicle…
HOLDER FOR A TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVICE
Granted: May 17, 2012
Application Number:
20120118769
A holder for a telecommunications device includes a container including a side wall connected to a base. Together the side wall and base define a cavity. Side wall defines an opening of the container at an end of the side wall distal to the base. A resilient insert is disposed inside the cavity. The insert includes a bottom portion that abuts the base and a feature for releasably retaining the device inside the container. A lid is in selective locking engagement with the side wall's…
SPEECH DIALECT CLASSIFICATION FOR AUTOMATIC SPEECH RECOGNITION
Granted: May 3, 2012
Application Number:
20120109649
Automatic speech recognition including receiving speech via a microphone, pre-processing the received speech to generate acoustic feature vectors, classifying dialect of the received speech, selecting at least one of an acoustic model or a lexicon specific to the classified dialect, decoding the acoustic feature vectors using a processor and at least one of the selected dialect-specific acoustic model or selected lexicon to produce a plurality of hypotheses for the received speech, and…
MULTIPLE ANTENNA ELEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD
Granted: April 26, 2012
Application Number:
20120098717
An antenna system connectable to a vehicle includes a primary antenna, a primary data transmission line, a secondary antenna, a secondary data transmission line, and an RF device. The primary antenna is connected to the vehicle and is located in an exterior environment. The secondary antenna is connected to the vehicle and is located in one of the exterior environment and an interior cabin of the vehicle. The primary data transmission line transmits a first RF signal and is in…
VEHICLE DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD
Granted: April 19, 2012
Application Number:
20120094630
A system and method of for establishing a connection between a vehicle and an external network includes a plurality of personal electronic devices and a transceiver. The plurality of personal electronic devices are each configured for establishing a data connection to the vehicle. Each of the plurality of personal electronic have a mobile plan that includes a data limit and an amount of data used. At least one of the plurality of personal electronic devices are selected to be in…
CONFIGURING OF VEHICLE COMMUNICATIONS MODULES
Granted: April 19, 2012
Application Number:
20120094657
A system and method for configuring a vehicle user interface that provides hands-free use of a mobile communications device by a vehicle operator. First, the mobile communications device located at a vehicle is linked with a vehicle user interface in the vehicle so that the driver or other occupant can carry out hands-free telephone calls through the mobile device. Then, an evaluation phone call is placed using the mobile device so that volume levels, noise, etc. can be checked. Based on…
METHOD FOR CREATING AND TAKING A DRIVING TOUR
Granted: April 19, 2012
Application Number:
20120095675
Embodiments of methods for creating and taking a driving tour using information derived from crowd sourcing are disclosed herein. A method includes, but is not limited to accessing an Internet website that is configured to enable a user to compose a driving tour based in part on the information derived from crowd sourcing and in part on a user-specified criterion. The method further includes inputting the user-specified criterion into the Internet website. The method further includes…
Telematics Device Reactivation Via Broadcast SMS Alert
Granted: April 12, 2012
Application Number:
20120087293
The disclosed invention provides a system and apparatus for deactivating unused telematics units in a cost effective manner, while allowing later contact with the unit by the service provider. The service provider deactivates a device by replacing a valid MIN with an invalid default MIN, deactivating the normal CDMA registration process, and implementing a reduced frequency registration regimen. A regionally broadcast SMS message is subsequently used to reach the deactivated module. The…
AFTERMARKET TELEMATICS UNIT AND METHOD FOR INSTALLATION VERIFICATION
Granted: April 12, 2012
Application Number:
20120089298
An aftermarket telematics unit (“ATU”) for use with a telematics service system having a call center is disclosed herein. The ATU is adapted for mounting to a vehicle and is configured for operation in an on-mode, a standby-mode, and an off-mode. The aftermarket telematics unit includes, but is not limited to, a memory unit and a processor that is operatively connected to the memory unit. The processor is configured to send a first notification to the call center when a number of…
AFTERMARKET TELEMATICS SYSTEM
Granted: April 5, 2012
Application Number:
20120083970
An aftermarket telematics system for use with a vehicle having a vehicle bus is disclosed herein. The aftermarket telematics system includes, but is not limited to, an aftermarket telematics unit that is configured to be mounted to the vehicle, to communicate with the vehicle bus, and to detect when the vehicle has been turned off. The aftermarket telematics system also includes a vehicle communication interface device configured to connect to the vehicle bus, to be communicatively…
MICROWAVE ANTENNA ASSEMBLIES
Granted: March 22, 2012
Application Number:
20120068896
A microwave antenna assembly includes a first dielectric layer, a second dielectric layer, a conductive layer, a first conductive patch, and a second conductive patch. The conductive layer is disposed in an inner region between the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer. The conductive layer includes a slot. A first conductive patch is surrounded by the slot. The second conductive patch is disposed against the second dielectric layer outside the inner region, and is…
METHOD FOR CONTROLLING MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS
Granted: March 22, 2012
Application Number:
20120071140
A method for controlling mobile communications involves identifying an operator of the mobile vehicle, where the operator is associated with the mobile communications device. The method further includes recognizing, via a telematics unit in the mobile vehicle, a first in-vehicle trigger to initiate a vehicle data upload event with a telematics service center. The vehicle data for the vehicle data upload event includes information of the mobile vehicle and of the operator of the mobile…
ANTENNA SYSTEM AND FILTER
Granted: March 22, 2012
Application Number:
20120068897
Antenna systems and antenna filters are provided, for example for use in a windshield or on a roof of a vehicle. An antenna system comprises a first antenna, a second antenna, and a filter. The first antenna is configured to operate at a first frequency. The second antenna is configured to operate at a second frequency. The filter is coupled to the first antenna. The filter is configured to create an open circuit condition at the second frequency and reduce secondary radiation between…
Charge Reminder Notification to Increase Electric Only Efficiency
Granted: March 15, 2012
Application Number:
20120065831
The described method and system provide a reminder to an electric vehicle user to charge a battery of the electric vehicle to optimize electric-only driving opportunities. The electric vehicle includes a telematics unit, and the vehicle user is associated with a mobile communications device remote from the vehicle. The described technique includes determining a location of the vehicle, comparing the location to a home location of the vehicle user, and retrieving vehicle battery charge…
System and method for remote management of electric vehicle charge profiles
Granted: March 1, 2012
Application Number:
20120049793
The described principles provide a method and system for assisting a user of an electric vehicle in maintaining a charge state of the chargeable onboard energy storage system. In an implementation, an intuitive remote interface allows the user to create, modify, save and select profiles. The user may select a profile to apply at a current time as well as optionally at a later time. A profile may have a date limitation or day of week limitation in addition to a time limitation. In an…
Determining Status of High Voltage Battery for Emergency Responders
Granted: March 1, 2012
Application Number:
20120050067
The described method and system provide an early notification to emergency responders regarding a non-nominal condition associated with a vehicle involved in a collision. The system provides a short range wireless system controller in communication with a battery controller. The short range wireless system controller is further in communication with a communications device associated with an emergency responder via broadcast over a short range wireless RF network. If battery physical…
OCCUPANT RECOGNITION AND VERIFICATION SYSTEM
Granted: March 1, 2012
Application Number:
20120053793
A method and system for recognizing and verifying the identity of a driver and front seat passenger of a vehicle. A vehicle owner uploads profile data for several individuals who may be a driver or passenger to a database in the vehicle. When a driver or passenger enters the vehicle, the system uses the profile data—which can include height, weight, and gender information about the individual—along with vehicle data such as seat position, to identify the driver or passenger from the…
VOICE DIALING USING A REJECTION REFERENCE
Granted: March 1, 2012
Application Number:
20120053943
A voice dialing method includes the steps of receiving an utterance from a user, decoding the utterance to identify a recognition result for the utterance, and communicating to the user the recognition result. If an indication is received from the user that the communicated recognition result is incorrect, then it is added to a rejection reference. Then, when the user repeats the misunderstood utterance, the rejection reference can be used to eliminate the incorrect recognition result as…
METHOD OF ADVERTISING TO A TARGETED VEHICLE
Granted: March 1, 2012
Application Number:
20120054028
A method of advertising to a targeted vehicle involves, via a processor at a service center, determining at least one vehicle navigation route to a point of interest, and identifying a marketing agency that represents an entity that is at least one of i) associated with the point of interest, or ii) offering at least one of goods or services directed toward at least one occupant of the targeted vehicle traveling along the vehicle navigation route(s). The method further involves offering,…
PRIMARY CONNECTION STRATEGY FOR VEHICLE ORIGINATED CELLULAR COMMUNICATION TO A CALL CENTER
Granted: February 23, 2012
Application Number:
20120046036
A system and method for making vehicle originated calls to a telematics service provider or other call center. The method includes identifying a call type associated with a desired wireless communication of speech or data to the call center, and then carrying out one of a number of different call connection processes depending on the call type. For voice channel cellular connections, an in-band modem cellular connection is preferably established in most instances using a connection retry…
