SWITCHING BETWEEN ACOUSTIC PARAMETERS IN A CONVERTIBLE VEHICLE
Granted: November 14, 2013
Application Number:
20130304475
A method of configuring an acoustics system of a convertible vehicle to receive speech from an occupant of the vehicle who is using hand-free technology. The position of the top of the convertible is first determined and based upon whether the top is up or down, an audio reception configuration is selected. The audio reception configuration includes a set of tuning parameters and a microphone arrangement. The acoustics system is then configured based upon the determination of whether the…
ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD FOR RECHARGING A RECHARGEABLE BACKUP BATTERY
Granted: November 14, 2013
Application Number:
20130300340
An arrangement for recharging a rechargeable backup battery of a telematics unit associated with a vehicle is disclosed herein. The arrangement includes, but is not limited to, an electrical device electrically coupled with the rechargeable backup battery. The electrical device is configured to convert light energy into electricity. The arrangement further includes a charge controller that is configured to direct an electric current from the electrical device into the rechargeable backup…
REMOTE COMMUNICATION DEVICE CALL ORIGINATION USING A DATA CHANNEL COMMUNICATION PATH
Granted: November 7, 2013
Application Number:
20130295889
A system and method for carrying out communications with a remote communication device (RCD) utilizes a data channel communication path to provide a call request from the RCD to a telematics services provider (TSP). In response to the call request, the TSP obtains a temporary phone number and sends it back to the RCD which then places a voice call to the TSP using the phone number. The received call is connected to an advisor to handle voice communication with the caller using the RCD.…
REMOTE COMMUNICATION DEVICE CALL ORIGINATION USING A DATA CHANNEL COMMUNICATION PATH
Granted: November 7, 2013
Application Number:
20130295888
A system and method for carrying out communications with a remote communication device (RCD) utilizes a data channel communication path to provide a call request from the RCD to a telematics services provider (TSP). In response to the call request, the TSP obtains a temporary phone number and sends it back to the RCD which then places a voice call to the TSP using the phone number. The received call is connected to an advisor to handle voice communication with the caller using the RCD.…
Monitoring and Aiding User Compliance with Vehicle Use Agreements
Granted: October 31, 2013
Application Number:
20130290199
A method is described for using a telematics system to monitor compliance with a vehicle use agreement. Monitoring is facilitated by vehicle sensors and GPS components. The method includes receiving information from onboard vehicle sensors, applying the vehicle data received from onboard vehicle sensors with pre-stored information pertaining to the vehicle use agreement, and determining whether the information acquired from onboard vehicle sensors indicates potential non-compliance with…
ENABLING FEATURES AND DISPLAY REMINDERS ON A MOBILE PHONE
Granted: October 24, 2013
Application Number:
20130281023
A method and system of providing a reminder message to a vehicle user, comprising the steps of establishing a short-range wireless communication between a vehicle and a mobile phone or other handheld communications device carried by the user; determining a vehicle trip initiation or termination involving the vehicle user; and providing a reminder message to the vehicle user via the handheld communications device in response to that determination. In addition, the method may comprise the…
PROCESSING MESSAGES RECEIVED AT A VEHICLE
Granted: October 17, 2013
Application Number:
20130275761
A system and method for processing messages received at a vehicle. The method carried by the system involves wirelessly receiving at a vehicle a first communication message having secure credentials and a message signature for a second communication message. Then, the vehicle authenticates the first communication message via its secure credentials. Later, the vehicle wirelessly receives the second communication message and validates this second message using the message signature from…
Maintaining Electrical Vehicle Recharging Station Data
Granted: October 17, 2013
Application Number:
20130275368
Maintaining an electricity powered vehicle recharging database is described where updating is based on recharging information provided by a subscriber via a telematics unit on the electric vehicle relating to a recharge event. Maintaining the database is carried out by receiving an indication that a recharge event has occurred, receiving additional information pertaining to the recharge event, comparing the recharge event information with recharge information for a previous recharge…
VEHICLE TELEMATICS COMMUNICATION FOR PROVIDING MOBILE DEVICE ALERTS
Granted: October 17, 2013
Application Number:
20130271275
A method of providing a mobile device alert to a vehicle operator, where the method may provide an alert in the event that a mobile phone or other such device is not detected. In an exemplary embodiment, the method detects operation of a vehicle, such as when the ignition is started. Then, the method attempts detection of a mobile phone or other such wireless device associated with an operator of the vehicle. If the method determines that the attempted detection failed, then an alert is…
VEHICLE INTERIOR COMPONENT FOR SUPPORTING A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
Granted: September 26, 2013
Application Number:
20130252680
An vehicle interior component for supporting a communication system is disclosed herein. The vehicle interior component includes, but is not limited to, a body that is adapted for attachment to an interior of the vehicle and that is configured to receive a smartphone. The vehicle interior component further includes a hardware module that is configured to communicatively couple with the smartphone. The vehicle interior component still further includes a user input module communicatively…
SPEECH SIGNAL PROCESSING RESPONSIVE TO LOW NOISE LEVELS
Granted: August 15, 2013
Application Number:
20130211832
A method of speech recognition in a vehicle. Audio including noise and a speech signal representative of an utterance from a user is received via a microphone, and a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for the received audio is calculated using a processor. It is determined whether the calculated SNR is greater than a predetermined SNR. If so, then a noise distribution is identified for addition to the received audio, and noise corresponding to the identified noise distribution is injected into…
SPEECH PROCESSING RESPONSIVE TO ACTIVE NOISE CONTROL MICROPHONES
Granted: August 15, 2013
Application Number:
20130211828
Speech processing for a vehicle, including receiving speech from a user via at least one speech microphone that converts the speech into a speech signal, receiving vehicle noise via at least one active noise control microphone that converts the noise into a vehicle noise signal, and processing the speech signal in response to the vehicle noise signal to reduce vehicle noise in the speech signal.
Estimation of Vehicle Location
Granted: August 1, 2013
Application Number:
20130197795
A method for estimating the position of a telematics-equipped vehicle during navigation includes: receiving a partial map corresponding to a route; receiving Global Positioning System (GPS) data corresponding to a current position of the vehicle; performing a closest street (CS) mapping based on the GPS data and the partial map so as to provide an estimation for a vehicle position on a street of the partial map; performing speed sum (SS) mapping based on the estimated vehicle position…
TELEMATICS UNIT AND MOBILE DEVICE PAIRING WITH MISSING DEVICE NOTIFICATIONS
Granted: August 1, 2013
Application Number:
20130196612
The described method and system provide for forgotten phone notification and vehicle theft notification. A method includes: activating a configurable device pairing program module associated with a short-range wireless unit of the telematics unit when a triggering condition is satisfied; determining, using the configurable device pairing program module and short-range wireless unit, whether the paired mobile device is within range of the short-range wireless unit; and providing, in…
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DATABASE BROWSING
Granted: July 11, 2013
Application Number:
20130179807
A method of enabling browsing of database tables on a computer system includes providing a configuration file to identify database table characteristics and to develop a graphical user interface (GUI) in communication with a database. The method further includes displaying on the GUI a main screen including: a record as a row from a specified database table; a related database table name, the table name being related to the specified database table; and a detail as a value in a column…
IDENTIFYING A NETWORK RECORD CORRESPONDING TO A PARTICULAR ROUTING EVENT
Granted: July 11, 2013
Application Number:
20130179071
A method for associating routing event records with network records in a system including a GPS device, the method including: receiving, from the UPS device, a route request; sending, to the UPS device, route information corresponding to a route calculated based on the route request; storing, in a database, a routing event record corresponding to the sending of the route information; comparing a parameter of the routing event record with a corresponding parameter of a network record…
SPEECH RECOGNITION ADJUSTMENT BASED ON MANUAL INTERACTION
Granted: June 27, 2013
Application Number:
20130166305
A method of operating a speech recognition system on a vehicle having a visual display and manually-operated input device that includes initiating a speech recognition system, controlling menu selections on a visual display using a manually-operated input device, receiving a notification from the manually-operated input device indicating that the user is manipulating the device in conjunction with the menu selections on the visual display, and adjusting operation of the speech…
METHOD OF WIRELESSLY COMMUNICATING DATA BETWEEN VEHICLES AND CENTRAL FACILITIES
Granted: June 27, 2013
Application Number:
20130163511
A method of wirelessly communicating packetized data between a vehicle and a central facility includes receiving a request at a vehicle telematics unit to transmit packetized data; determining whether the vehicle telematics unit is communicating through a roaming wireless carrier system; and delaying the transmission of packetized data between the vehicle telematics unit and a central facility until the vehicle telematics unit is no longer communicating through the roaming wireless…
METHOD OF PROVIDING INFORMATION TO A VEHICLE
Granted: June 20, 2013
Application Number:
20130158778
A method of providing information to a vehicle involves selecting content, and a source from which the information is retrievable. The information pertains to the content and the content is associated with an entity. The vehicle is tracked in real time. Via a telematics unit of the vehicle, vehicle data obtained from the tracking (including at least a then-current vehicle location and speed) is uploaded to an offboard server. The data is utilized, by a processor associated with the…
APPLICATION FOR A COMMUNICATIONS AND PROCESSING DEVICE
Granted: June 13, 2013
Application Number:
20130151064
An application for a communications and processing device includes a computer program embedded on a non-transitory, tangible medium. The computer program includes computer readable code for establishing respective connections between the communications and processing device and a telematics unit of a vehicle, an information system of an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), and an information system of a dealer associated with the OEM. The application further includes computer readable…
