Vehicle telematics scan rate control
Granted: May 31, 2016
Patent Number:
9357475
A method and a system of controlling a public land mobile network (PLMN) scan rate (PCR) in a vehicle telematics unit. The method carried out by the system includes the steps of: (a) determining a power condition that includes a powered mode, an unpowered mode, and a discontinuous reception (DRx) mode; (b) determining whether the telematics unit is scanning one or more home networks or one or more visitor networks; and (c) setting the PCR based on the determined power condition and the…
Methods and system for vehicle setting control
Granted: May 31, 2016
Patent Number:
9352687
An input to increase or decrease a system setting in a vehicle interior is received, and the setting is adjusted. In one example, an in-vehicle ambient light color is controlled during the adjusting so an ambient light changes from a primary color setting to a first feedback color during setting increase and to a second feedback color during setting decrease; and the ambient light color is returned to the primary color setting at a time after completing the adjusting. In another example,…
Vehicle remote start attempts messaging system and method
Granted: May 31, 2016
Patent Number:
9352680
In a messaging system, computer readable instructions are executable by a processor of a communications server to: detect a vehicle remote start attempt that is initiated by a mobile communications device, transmit a remote start request to the vehicle, and receive a notification corresponding to success and/or failure of the attempt. If the attempt fails, the computer readable instructions are executable by the processor to: receive a cause of the failure encoded in a dynamic error…
Self-reported tracking methods including a trip plan with an expected duration or expected return
Granted: May 24, 2016
Patent Number:
9349290
A trip plan is received at an in-vehicle application on a memory of an in-vehicle infotainment unit or at an application on a mobile device memory. The trip plan includes an expected trip duration and/or an expected trip return. An in-vehicle bus facilitates monitoring for a return event, or a mobile device monitoring system facilitates monitoring for a return event. In an example, a notification that the return event has been recognized is received at one of the applications. The return…
Suppressing sudden cabin noise during hands-free audio microphone use in a vehicle
Granted: May 17, 2016
Patent Number:
9343057
A vehicle audio quality system for suppressing sudden vehicle cabin noise is provided, as well as methods of using the system. The system includes: an arrangement of heterogeneous microphones and a noise cancellation module (NCM). The microphone arrangement includes: a first microphone and a plurality of secondary microphones. The NCM includes a controller and a non-transitory computer-readable medium for storing application software executable by the controller to improve the quality of…
Vehicle telematics unit management
Granted: May 10, 2016
Patent Number:
9338731
A method and system for maintaining a wireless carrier system presence at a vehicle telematics unit in a vehicle includes placing the vehicle telematics unit in a quiescent mode that suspends its signal transmitting functions; instructing the vehicle telematics unit to periodically exit the quiescent mode and transmit a query that determines if the wireless carrier system used by a telematics service provider has changed; when the wireless carrier system has changed, receiving a new…
Method of communicating voice and data transmissions for telematics applications
Granted: May 3, 2016
Patent Number:
9332397
A method of establishing an alternate communication channel between a telematics unit and a central facility that includes determining that a vehicle telematics unit is unable to communicate data over a voice call using a voice channel; initiating a data call from the vehicle telematics unit to a central facility based on that determination; sending information identifying the vehicle telematics unit to the central facility over the data call; establishing a voice call from the central…
Vehicle telematics communications for providing directions to a vehicle service facility
Granted: May 3, 2016
Patent Number:
9329049
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…
Processing requests to establish communication sessions in a mobile vehicle communication system
Granted: March 29, 2016
Patent Number:
9299250
A method of processing requests to establish wireless communication sessions in a mobile vehicle communications system. The method comprises receiving a request to establish a communication session between a telematics unit of a vehicle and a remote facility, wherein the request takes the form of one or more electrical signals. The method further comprises determining whether less than a predetermined number of requests to establish a communication session between the telematics unit and…
Multimode acquisition for a wireless device
Granted: March 29, 2016
Patent Number:
9301242
A method of re-attempting to wirelessly connect a vehicle telematics unit with a wireless carrier system includes detecting that a primary retry method has failed; and carrying out a secondary retry method that: determines whether the vehicle telematics unit will communicate using a first radio access technology (RAT) or a second RAT; re-attempts a cellular connection with one or more base stations using a first RAT attachment procedure when it is determined that the vehicle telematics…
Vehicle incident response method and system
Granted: March 8, 2016
Patent Number:
9282447
An improvement is provided to a method that detects a vehicle incident, and responds to the vehicle incident with (i) a communication to a remote advisor center that establishes a wireless connection between the remote advisor center and a vehicle associated with the vehicle incident and a conversation between an advisor at the remote advisor center and an occupant of the vehicle, and with (ii) a message to an emergency contact. With the improvement, call-in information associated with…
Method of generating anthropomophic vehicle images
Granted: March 8, 2016
Patent Number:
9280919
A method of generating anthropomorphic vehicle images for a vehicle owner is shown that includes providing a plurality of anthropomorphic vehicle images on a visual display for a vehicle owner to select; receiving a selection of an anthropomorphic vehicle image from the vehicle owner using a wireless device; obtaining vehicle data using one or more vehicle sensors located on the vehicle; altering at least a portion of the selected anthropomorphic vehicle image based on the accessed…
Managing wireless communication settings in a plurality of vehicles
Granted: March 1, 2016
Patent Number:
9277486
A method of managing short-range wireless communications settings applied at a vehicle includes detecting a plurality of short-range wireless communications settings used by an existing vehicle; storing the plurality of short-range wireless communications settings with a subscriber identity; detecting that a person associated with the subscriber identity has begun using a new vehicle; uploading the plurality of short-range wireless communications settings from the existing vehicle to the…
Securing a command path between a vehicle and personal wireless device
Granted: March 1, 2016
Patent Number:
9276737
A system and a method using that system is provided for establishing a secure communication channel between a vehicle and a mobile device. The method may include providing at least one unique mobile device identifier and at least one unique vehicle telematics unit identifier associated with the mobile device identifier to a call center. At least one of the two identifiers may be provided to a wireless service provider. Two private keys may be generated—a first private key based on the…
Connection key distribution
Granted: March 1, 2016
Patent Number:
9276736
A system and a method implementing the method pertaining to securely providing a mobile device with a cryptographic key in a vehicle. The method includes generating a cryptographic key pair. The key pair may include at least a first cryptographic key and a second cryptographic key. The method may further include creating a label using a scannable image readable by a mobile device; the scannable image may be based on the second cryptographic key. And the method may include providing the…
Vehicle component identification and configuration registry reporting system
Granted: February 23, 2016
Patent Number:
9269203
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…
Instructional ring tone
Granted: February 16, 2016
Patent Number:
9264259
The described method and system selectively provide an instructional ring tone, configurable for both message content and frequency of playback, to aid a user in answering an incoming call via a hands free telecommunications device. The instructional ring in one aspect contains a message instructing a user as to a method of answering an incoming call. This message may be set to play the first time that an incoming call is encountered, and it may be set, e.g., by a service provider…
System and method for managing emergency calls
Granted: February 9, 2016
Patent Number:
9258419
A system and method for managing emergency calls are disclosed herein. The method includes receiving an emergency related call at a call center, and during the emergency related call, retrieving information related to i) a type of incident being reported, ii) a location of the incident being reported, and iii) a description of the incident being reported. A public safety answering point to notify of the incident is identified, where such identification is based upon at least some of the…
Vehicle telematics unit power management
Granted: February 9, 2016
Patent Number:
9254798
A system and method(s) for conserving vehicle power when a primary power system of a vehicle is powered down during a voice call. The method includes the steps of: (a) receiving an indication that the vehicle's primary power system is powered down during the voice call; (b) after a predetermined period of time, determining whether to power down a secondary power system associated with a vehicle telematics system; (c) when it is determined that the secondary power system should be powered…
Providing notification that an electronic device is located at a vehicle
Granted: February 2, 2016
Patent Number:
9251693
A method of providing an alert that a portable electronic device has been left at a vehicle. The method comprises determining that an occupant has exited the vehicle. The method further comprises detecting that a portable electronic device is located at the vehicle. When it has been determined that the occupant has left the vehicle and that the electronic device has been left behind, the method still further comprises generating an alert to notify the occupant that the electronic device…
