PREVENTING UNAUTHORIZED USE OF VEHICLE WIRELESS SERVICES
A method and system for temporarily disabling vehicle wireless services to prevent a third-party such as a bailee from using one or more vehicle wireless services without authorization. The wireless services may accrue cellular data charges to the vehicle user's account. The method includes configuring a telematics unit to identify a valet event, determining the occurrence of the valet event at the telematics unit, and initiating a valet mode in the vehicle based on the determination. In the valet mode, the vehicle wireless services may be temporarily disabled.
1 . A method of temporarily disabling one or more wireless services to prevent a third-party from using the one or more wireless services without authorization, comprising the steps of:
configuring a telematics unit of a vehicle to identify a valet event and initiate a valet mode;
determining a valet event at the telematics unit; and
initiating the valet mode in the vehicle based on the determination, wherein in the valet mode, one or more wireless services are temporarily disabled.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the valet event is a first command received from a human machine interface (HMI) device in the vehicle, a call center, a personal wireless device (PWD), or an internet web-application.
3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the first command is based upon a request from a vehicle user.
4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the request from the vehicle user is sent from at least one of the following: the HMI device, the PWD, or the internet web-application.
5 . The method of claim 2 wherein the first command includes a first authenticating code.
6 . The method of claim 5 wherein the vehicle remains in the valet mode until a second command is received having a second authenticating code.
7 . The method of claim 6 wherein the first authenticating code is the same as the second authenticating code.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless services includes the delivery of voice services or the delivery of data services.
9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the data services include entertainment or infotainment services including one or more of the following: streaming video, streaming audio, internet browsing, email access, voice over internet protocol (VoIP) usage, internet chat usage, or internet messenger usage.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the third-party is a bailee to a user of the vehicle.
11 . A method of temporarily disabling one or more wireless services to prevent a third-party from using the one or more wireless services without authorization, comprising the steps of:
configuring a vehicle to enter a valet mode, wherein the valet mode disables one or more wireless services when a vehicle telematics unit determines a valet event;
receiving at a call center from a user of the vehicle a first command associated the valet event; and
remotely initiating the valet mode at the vehicle based on the first command.
12 . The method of claim 11 wherein the first command is received from at least one of the following: a human machine interface (HMI) device in the vehicle, a personal wireless device (PWD), or an internet web-application.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein the first command includes a first authenticating code.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the vehicle remains in the valet mode until a second command is received having a second authenticating code.
15 . The method of claim 14 wherein the first authenticating code is the same as the second authenticating code.
16 . The method of claim 11 wherein the wireless services includes the delivery of voice services or the delivery of data services.
17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the data services include entertainment or infotainment services including one or more of the following: streaming video, streaming audio, internet browsing, email access, voice over internet protocol (VoIP) usage, internet chat usage, or internet messenger usage.
18 . The method of claim 11 wherein the third-party is a bailee to a user of the vehicle.