Truck communication system
AssigneesQUALCOMM Incorporated, Transcommunications, Inc.
InventorsJames B. Coppinger, Robert V. Helms, Thomas F. Doyle
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method for sending e-mail messages between an authorized user connected to a publicly accessible computer network system and a vehicle occupant using a private communication system having different messaging formats. E-mail messages are received by an interface, converted into an appropriate format, and transmitted to an intended user or vehicle occupant if a sufficient balance exists in an account associated with the vehicle occupant.
Claims15
A system for sending e-mail messages between an authorized user connected to a publicly accessible computer network system and a vehicle occupant using a private communication system having different messaging formats, comprising:
- an interface for sending e-mail messages between said publicly accessible computer network system and said private communication system, each of said e-mail messages comprising a message and at least an identification number corresponding to a vehicle occupant;
- accounting means for adjusting an account associated with said vehicle occupant prior to sending said e-mail messages to said authorized user or to said vehicle occupant;
- translation means for converting said e-mail messages from a format compatible with said publicly accessible computer network system into a format compatible with said private communication system and for converting said e-mail messages from a format compatible with said private communication system into a format compatible with said publicly accessible computer network system;
- and
- means for transmitting and receiving said e-mail messages to and from a mobile communication terminal located on a vehicle.
A method for sending e-mail messages between an authorized user connected to a publicly accessible computer network system and a vehicle occupant using a private communication system having different messaging formats, comprising the steps of:
- receiving an e-mail message by an interface, from either said authorized user or from said vehicle occupant, said e-mail message comprising a message, and at least an identification code corresponding to said vehicle occupant;
- determining if a sufficient balance exists in an account associated with said vehicle occupant prior to sending said e-mail message to said authorized user or to said vehicle occupant;
- adjusting said account by a predetermined amount;
- converting said e-mail message to a format compatible with said publicly accessible computer network system if said e-mail message originated from said private communication system;
- converting said e-mail message to a format compatible with said private communication system if said e-mail message originated from said publicly accessible computer network system;
- transmitting said converted e-mail message to a mobile communication terminal associated with said vehicle occupant if said converted e-mail message originated from said publicly accessible computer network;
- and
- sending said converted e-mail message to said publicly accessible computer network if said e-mail message originated from said private communication system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.