System and method for assisting recovery of a communication connectivity impaired stolen vehicle

A system for assisting recovery of a communication connectivity impaired vehicle having an electronic controller, the system comprising:

• a remote vehicle service provider configured to:
• maintain communication with the vehicle's electronic controller via a global positioning system (GPS);
• detect a loss of GPS connectivity with the vehicle;
• identify the vehicle as having been removed from last known location without authorization of an owner of the vehicle;
• send a long-lived short message service (SMS) communication to a mobile communication provider in response to the identified removal of the vehicle;
• wherein the mobile communication provider is configured to attach the long-lived SMS communication to a network of cellular towers;
• wherein each of the cellular towers is configured to transmit the long-lived SMS communication to the vehicle's electronic controller when the vehicle is within transmitting range of a respective cellular tower;
• and
• wherein the vehicle's electronic controller is configured to:
• receive the long-lived SMS communication;
• and
• trigger an emergency vehicle action in response to the received long-lived SMS communication.

A method of assisting recovery of a communication connectivity impaired vehicle having an electronic controller, the method comprising:

• detecting, by a remote vehicle service provider configured to maintain communication with the vehicle's electronic controller via a global positioning system (GPS), a loss of GPS connectivity with the vehicle caused by a cellular antenna of the vehicle being rendered inoperative;
• identifying, by the remote vehicle service provider, the vehicle as having been removed from last known location without authorization of an owner of the vehicle;
• sending, by the remote vehicle service provider, a long-lived short message service (SMS) communication to a mobile communication provider in response to the identified removal of the vehicle;
• attaching, by the mobile communication provider, the long-lived SMS communication to a network of cellular towers;
• transmitting, via one of the cellular towers, the long-lived SMS communication to the vehicle's electronic controller when the vehicle is within transmitting range of the subject cellular tower;
• receiving, via the vehicle's electronic controller, the long-lived SMS communication;
• triggering, via the vehicle's electronic controller, an emergency vehicle action in response to the received long-lived SMS communication;
• identifying, by the remote vehicle service provider, geographic location of the cellular tower having transmitted the long-lived SMS communication to the vehicle's electronic controller;
• communicating, by the remote vehicle service provider, the geographic location of the subject cellular tower to a vehicle searching authority;
• and
• establishing, by the remote vehicle service provider, an aggressive packet connection with the vehicle's electronic controller following receiving thereby the long-lived SMS communication.