VARIABLE CORRIDOR NAVIGATION
Granted: January 10, 2013
Application Number:
20130013197
The described method and system provide for GPS navigation utilizing variable route corridors. The method may be implemented at a GPS-capable device (e.g. a telematics unit in one implementation) or through a call center that provides navigation services to a telecommunications device (e.g. a telematics unit in another implementation). A user input corresponding to an intended destination is received and a route to the intended destination is calculated with a variable route corridor.…
NAVIGATION BLIND STARTUP
Granted: January 10, 2013
Application Number:
20130013196
The described method and system provide for GPS navigation utilizing a previously stored position as a starting port when current position information is not available. The method may be implemented at a GPS-capable device (e.g. a telematics unit in one implementation) or through a call center that provides navigation services to a telecommunications device (e.g. a telematics unit in another implementation). A user input corresponding to an intended destination is received, it is…
TIMING ADJUSTMENT FOR EXTENDING THE WIRELESS RANGE OF A VEHICLE TELEMATICS UNIT
Granted: December 27, 2012
Application Number:
20120327918
A system and method of extending the range of a vehicle telematics unit includes determining that a vehicle telematics unit is outside of a geographic range beyond which time division multiple access (TDMA) transmissions sent from the vehicle telematics unit to a base station arrive at the base station after a time slot allocated to the vehicle telematics unit in a time frame has passed; calculating a time delay that causes the TDMA transmissions to arrive at the base station in the…
METHOD OF SPEEDING CALL FLOW
Granted: December 20, 2012
Application Number:
20120320825
A system and method for communicating between a vehicle and a central facility includes initiating at a vehicle a request for turn-by-turn directions; establishing a packet-switched call between the vehicle and a central facility using a wireless carrier system and a mobile dialed number (MDN) associated with the vehicle; receiving determined route information at the vehicle from the central facility via the packet-switched call; offering a vehicle occupant a service option that uses a…
SPEECH RECOGNITION FOR PREMATURE ENUNCIATION
Granted: December 20, 2012
Application Number:
20120323577
Methods of automatic speech recognition for premature enunciation. In one method, a) a user is prompted to input speech, then b) a listening period is initiated to monitor audio via a microphone, such that there is no pause between the end of step a) and the beginning of step b), and then the begin-speaking audible indicator is communicated to the user during the listening period. In another method, a) at least one audio file is played including both a prompt for a user to input speech…
NEUTRAL ZONES FOR NAVIGATION
Granted: December 13, 2012
Application Number:
20120316770
The described method and system provide for treatment of certain areas as neutral zones during GPS navigation to avoid unnecessary off-route notifications and route recalculation. A GPS unit determines whether the user has entered a geographic region designated as a neutral zone, and does not provide the user with off-route notifications while the user is within the neutral zone. Not providing off-route notifications may be implemented by the GPS device by considering the user to be…
ROUTE PORTALS
Granted: December 13, 2012
Application Number:
20120316771
The described method and system provide for utilizing portals during GPS navigation to avoid unnecessary off-route notifications and route recalculation in problem areas. The method and system are described in the context of a GPS unit that is part of a telematics unit in a vehicle. If the route calculated by the GPS unit includes certain problem areas such as tunnels and stacked bridges, the GPS unit may utilize portals to process GPS navigation through those areas. When a user enters a…
METHOD OF DETERMINING A STATUS OF A VEHICLE ON A ROADWAY AND METHOD AND SYSTEM OF COMMUNICATING THE SAME
Granted: November 29, 2012
Application Number:
20120303203
A method of determining a status of a vehicle on a roadway, in one example, includes monitoring a then-current vehicle speed by an in-vehicle processor, and during the monitoring, determining that the speed has exceeded a pre-established threshold speed. When the speed exceeds the threshold speed, an algorithm is triggered. Upon triggering the algorithm, a sub-routine is initiated that determines if the vehicle is caught in a traffic jam. Also disclosed herein is a method and system for…
VEHICLE TELEMATICS COMMUNICATION FOR PROVIDING VEHICLE TELEMATICS SERVICES
Granted: November 29, 2012
Application Number:
20120302265
A method and system for providing a communication message to a vehicle occupant using a vehicle telematics unit. The method carried out by the system involves receiving a broadcasted message having a plurality of different codes at a vehicle telematics unit, generating a text message by converting at least some of the codes into one or more words, and concatenating the words together to form the text message. The method further involves presenting the text message to an occupant of the…
Method and process for activating a telematics device without a pre-activated MDN
Granted: November 29, 2012
Application Number:
20120302262
The described principles provide a method and system for circumventing the use of live MDNs and nongeographic prefixes in new vehicle-hosted telematics devices, while allowing the purchaser/user convenient use of the vehicle-hosted telematics device. The telematics unit is programmed or configured from the manufacturer with the same parameters as a cancelled or deactivated unit, with a cleared number for re-acquisition. A geographically specific MIN/MDN is later programmed into the…
HUMAN-MACHINE INTERFACE (HMI) AUTO-STEER BASED UPON-LIKELIHOOD TO EXCEED EYE GLANCE GUIDELINES
Granted: November 29, 2012
Application Number:
20120299714
The described method and system provide for HMI steering for a telematics-equipped vehicle based on likelihood to exceed eye glance guidelines. By determining whether a task is likely to cause the user to exceed eye glance guidelines, alternative HMI processes may be presented to a user to reduce ASGT and EORT and increase compliance with eye glance guidelines. By allowing a user to navigate through long lists of items through vocal input, T9 text input, or heuristic processing rather…
Vehicle Component Identification and Configuration Registry Reporting System
Granted: November 22, 2012
Application Number:
20120295592
A method and system for utilizing a telematics unit on a telematics-equipped vehicle as a register for ECU Critical Information (ECI) associated with the ECUs in the vehicle, which may include their serial numbers, configurations, software images, and other data includes the telematics unit querying ECUs within the telematics-equipped vehicle such as, for example, when the vehicle is started. The ECUs may then provide the telematics unit with the ECI associated with each ECU. The ECI may…
Methodologies for Implementing Smart Control of Vehicle Charging
Granted: November 15, 2012
Application Number:
20120286725
The described method and system provide for remotely controlling the charging operation of plurality of vehicles. In one implementation, a call center may receive a request from a utility regarding a particular grid and sends out an inquiry to locate vehicles in that grid. Once the vehicles have been located, the call center sends a command to those vehicles corresponding to the utility's request. In another implementation, vehicles may register information with the call center every…
METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DETECTING THEFT OF AN ITEM
Granted: November 15, 2012
Application Number:
20120286950
Various examples of a method and a system for detecting theft of an item are disclosed herein. The method includes at least detecting with an aftermarket telematics unit a loss of electrical power being supplied to the aftermarket telematics unit and switching the aftermarket telematics unit to an alternate source of electrical power. The aftermarket telematics unit detects an occurrence of a second condition subsequent to detecting the loss of electrical power. The second condition may…
AUTOMATING DIAL ATTEMPTS TO A TELEMATICS OR CELLULAR DEVICE
Granted: November 15, 2012
Application Number:
20120289166
A system and method of managing communications with a vehicle telematics unit includes determining that a data transmission to a vehicle telematics unit over a wireless carrier system has failed; automatically performing a network registration check with the wireless carrier system to determine the registration status of the vehicle telematics unit based on the data transmission failure; and deciding whether to re-transmit the data to the vehicle based on the results of the network…
METHOD FOR CONTROLLING MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS
Granted: November 8, 2012
Application Number:
20120282906
A method for controlling mobile communications involves establishing an RFID connection between an RFID tag disposed on or at a predefined location inside a cabin area of a vehicle and an RFID reader attached to a mobile communications device. Upon breaking the RFID connection, an application resident on the device recognizes that the device is no located in the predefined location. A message is automatically sent to an entity outside of the vehicle, where the message indicates that the…
METHOD FOR CONTROLLING MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS
Granted: November 8, 2012
Application Number:
20120282908
A method for controlling mobile communications involves identifying an operator of the mobile vehicle, where the operator is associated with a mobile communications device. Via a telematics unit disposed in the mobile vehicle, the method further involves recognizing, while the vehicle is in motion, that the mobile communications device is not located in a predefined location inside a cabin area of the vehicle, and in response to a command generated by the telematics unit based on the…
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING AN ERROR IN THE INSTALLATION OF AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT
Granted: November 1, 2012
Application Number:
20120274456
A system and method for detecting an error in the installation of an electrical component in a vehicle having a vehicle bus is disclosed herein. The system includes, but is not limited to a vehicle communication interface that is configured to be communicatively coupled with the vehicle bus and to detect a first power state of the vehicle. The system further includes an aftermarket telematics unit that is configured to be electrically connected to the vehicle and to wirelessly…
Navigation System Support of In-Vehicle TTY System
Granted: October 25, 2012
Application Number:
20120269330
The described method and system provide for utilizing a navigation system to facilitate communications between a call center and a disabled individual who may have difficulty hearing or speaking. In one implementation, if TTY services are unavailable through a TIM or TTY device, a call center may communicate with occupants of a vehicle through a vehicle navigation unit, utilizing a display and input method associated with the navigation unit. In another implementation, the call center…
BULB OUTAGE DETECTION AND PART NUMBER LOOKUP USING A TELEMATICS-EQUIPPED VEHICLE
Granted: October 25, 2012
Application Number:
20120271503
An automated system and method for detecting and responding to bulb outages on a vehicle. The method carried out by the system utilizes a telematics unit installed onboard the vehicle and includes the steps of: (a) receiving bulb status information at the telematics unit indicating the failure of a bulb on the vehicle and providing the telematics unit with bulb data for identifying the bulb; (b) obtaining bulb replacement information using the bulb data; and (c) providing the bulb…
