Method and system for integrated satellite assistance services
A method and an apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention includes a controller to process a travel assistance request for communication through a satellite and terrestrial mobile communication network. Data related to multiple assistance providers can be received in response to the request. At least one criterion can be processed for the assistance providers based on, for example, historical trip data. The assistance providers can be graphically represented for user selection based on the criterion. Data related to a selected assistance provider can be displayed, including navigation data to and/or from the assistance provider. In another embodiment, the travel assistance request can be communicated to a service center through the network. The service center can communicate data related to an assistance provider, including navigation data to and/or from the assistance provider. A rating of the assistance provider can be communicated to a specified community-of-interest through the network.
1. A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing code representing instructions to cause a processor to:
send a first signal associated with an assistance request to a service center via a satellite and terrestrial mobile communications network;
receive data associated with a plurality of assistance providers in response to the assistance request;
select, at a first time, a first preferred assistance provider from the plurality of assistance providers based at least in part on a route between a current location and the first preferred assistance provider including a routine route segment at the first time; and
select, at a second time, a second preferred assistance provider from the plurality of assistance providers based at least in part on an absence of the routine route segment from the route at the second time.
2. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the first preferred assistance provider is within a destination area, the destination area being a routine destination area during the first time, the destination area being a non-routine destination area during the second time.
3. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the first preferred assistance provider is within a first destination area during the first time, the first destination area being a routine destination area, the first preferred assistance provider being within a second destination area during the second time, the second destination area being a non-routine destination area.
4. A non-transitory processor-readable medium storing code representing instructions to cause a processor to:
send a first signal associated with an assistance request to a service center via a satellite and terrestrial mobile communications network;
receive data associated with a plurality of assistance providers in response to the assistance request;
select, at a first time, a first preferred assistance provider from the plurality of assistance providers based at least in part on the first preferred assistance provider being located within a first destination area, the first destination area being a routine destination area at a first time, the first destination area being a non-routine destination area during a second time; and
select, at the second time, a second preferred assistance provider from the plurality of assistance providers based at least in part on the second preferred assistance provider being located within a second destination area, the second destination area being a routine destination area at the second time.
5. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the first preferred assistance provider is located within the first destination area at the first time and the second time, the first preferred assistance provider being located without the first destination area at a third time.
6. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the code representing instructions to cause the processor to select the first preferred assistance provider includes code representing instructions to select the first preferred assistance provider based at least in part on a number of routine route segments associated with a route between a current location and a location of the first preferred assistance provider.