Granted Patent B2

US 7,636,626 · App. 11/091,175 · Granted Dec 22, 2009

Abstract

Claims (46)

1. A method for monitoring and retrieving device usage for a device at a vehicle, the method comprising:

storing a vehicle data record in a telematics unit;

monitoring a vehicle device and acquiring device usage data;

storing the device usage data at the vehicle;

initiating a call between the telematics unit and a call center via a wireless carrier system based on the vehicle data record;

accessing the device usage data stored at the vehicle; and

transmitting the device usage data using the call between the telematics unit and the call center;

wherein the method further comprises the steps of:

receiving a customer delivery record (CDR) at a remote location;

storing a vehicle ignition vehicle data record at the telematics unit in response to the CDR; and

uploading baseline device data from the telematics unit to a call center in accordance with the vehicle ignition vehicle data record after a vehicle start.

2. A method for monitoring and retrieving device usage for a device at a vehicle, the method comprising:

storing a vehicle data record in a telematics unit;

monitoring the device usage for device data;

storing the device data at the vehicle;

requesting the telematics unit to upload the device data by calling the telematics unit from a remote location during a telematics unit wake-up cycle while the vehicle is off; and

transmitting the device data from the telematics unit to the remote location;

wherein at least one of the monitoring and the requesting is performed in accordance with the vehicle data record.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the device data is selected from the group consisting of time data and channel data.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of storing the device data at the vehicle further comprises: storing the device data at a location selected from the group consisting of device storage at the device and in-vehicle memory at the telematics unit.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving a customer delivery record (CDR);

storing a vehicle ignition vehicle data record at the telematics unit in response to the CDR; and

uploading baseline device data from the telematics unit to the remote location in accordance with the vehicle ignition vehicle data record after a vehicle start.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein:

the vehicle data record is a call interval vehicle data record; and

the step of monitoring the device usage for device data comprises requesting the telematics unit to upload the device data in accordance with the call interval vehicle data record after a time interval.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein:

the vehicle data record is a usage monitor vehicle data record; and

the step of monitoring the device usage for device data comprises monitoring the device usage in the telematics unit in accordance with the usage monitor vehicle data record.

8. A method for monitoring and retrieving satellite radio usage in a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

recording initial satellite radio usage data over a first period of time;

transmitting the initial satellite radio usage data from the telematics unit to a call center via a wireless carrier system after the first period of time;

recording additional satellite radio usage data over a second period of time;

transmitting the additional satellite radio usage data from the telematics unit to a call center via the wireless carrier system after the second period of time;

comparing the initial satellite radio usage data with the additional satellite radio usage data; and

making decisions based on the comparison;

wherein the step of making decisions comprises increasing communication frequency with a vehicle user when satellite radio usage falls below predetermined values.

9. A method for monitoring and retrieving satellite radio usage in a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

recording initial satellite radio usage data over a first period of time;

transmitting the initial satellite radio usage data from the telematics unit to a call center via a wireless carrier system after the first period of time;

recording additional satellite radio usage data over a second period of time;

transmitting the additional satellite radio usage data from the telematics unit to a call center via the wireless carrier system after the second period of time; and

comparing the initial satellite radio usage data with the additional satellite radio usage data; and

making decisions based on the comparison;

wherein the step of making decisions comprises decreasing communication frequency or ceasing communications with a vehicle user when satellite radio usage rises above predetermined values.

Assignments (14)