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US 7,599,680 B2Granted
System and method of billing for minutes shared between a portable wireless communication device and a telematics unit
AssigneeGeneral Motors Corporation
InventorsRussell A. Patenaude, Anthony J. Sumcad, Hitan S. Kamdar
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of tracking short-range wireless communication in a vehicle. The method includes tracking a total usage time of a short-range wireless connection between a telematics unit and a portable wireless communication device, sending the tracked total usage time from the telematics unit to a call center via a wireless connection and generating a usage bill at the call center based on the total usage time.
Claims17
A method of tracking short-range wireless communication in a vehicle, the method comprising:
- detecting a wireless communication signal from a portable wireless communication device at a telematics unit in the vehicle, the portable wireless communication device being selected from a personal digital assistant or a handset;
- initiating tracking of a short-range wireless connection between the portable wireless communication device and the telematics unit responsive to detecting the wireless communication signal;
- tracking, via the telematics unit, a total usage time of the short-range wireless connection between the telematics unit and the portable wireless communication device;
- triggering a vehicle upload request in response to at least one trigger;
- initiating, via the telematics unit, a wireless connection between the telematics unit and a call center and sending the tracked total usage time from the telematics unit to the call center via the wireless connection, the initiating and the sending being responsive to the triggering of the vehicle upload request;
- and
- generating a usage bill at the call center based on the total usage time.
4 more elements
A system for tracking short-range wireless communication in a vehicle, the system comprising:
- means for detecting a wireless communication signal from the portable wireless communication device at a telematics unit in the vehicle, the portable wireless communication device being selected from a personal digital assistant or a handset;
- means for initiating tracking of a short-range wireless connection between the Portable wireless communication device and the telematics unit responsive to detecting the wireless communication signal;
- means for tracking, via the telematics unit, a total usage time of the short-range wireless connection between the telematics unit and the portable wireless communication device;
- means for triggering a vehicle upload request in response to at least one trigger;
- means for initiating, via the telematics unit, a wireless connection between the telematics unit and a call center and sending the tracked total usage time from the telematics unit to the call center via the wireless connection, the initiating and the sending being responsive to the means for triggering the vehicle upload request;
- and
- means for generating a usage bill at the call center based on the total usage time.
4 more elements
A computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising:
- computer readable code for detecting a wireless communication signal from the portable wireless communication device at a telematics unit, the portable wireless communication device being selected from a personal digital assistant or a handset:
- computer readable code for initiating tracking of a short-range wireless connection between the portable wireless communication device and the telematics unit responsive to detecting the wireless communication signal;
- computer readable code for tracking, via the telematics unit, a total usage time of the short-range wireless connection between the telematics unit and the portable wireless communication device;
- computer readable code for triggering a vehicle upload request in response to at least one trigger;
- computer readable code for initiating, via the telematics unit, a wireless connection between the telematics unit and a call center and sending the tracked total usage time from the telematics unit to the call center via the wireless connection, the initiating and the sending being responsive to the triggering of the vehicle upload request;
- and
- computer readable code for generating a usage bill at the call center based on the total usage time.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.