# US 7,613,435 B2 · Method for providing satellite radio service in a vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,613,435 B2 - Document ID: US7613435B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/426,079 - Filed: 2006-06-23 - Published: 2007-12-27 - Granted: 2009-11-03 - Earliest claimed: 2006-06-23 - Assignees: Ford Motor Company - Inventors: Lisa Reynolds; Francis Luk; Mounir Hider; Sukhwinder Wadhwa - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7613435B2 ## CPC - H04H 40/90: specially adapted for satellite broadcast receiving - H04H 60/13: Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information - H04H: BROADCAST COMMUNICATION (multiplex communication H04J; pictorial communication aspects of broadcast systems H04N) ## Abstract An aspect of the invention provides a method for providing satellite radio service in a vehicle. A satellite radio may be activated before a customer purchases the vehicle. The satellite radio may remain active until it receives a deactivation signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for providing satellite radio service in a vehicle comprising: installing a satellite radio module in the vehicle, the module being (i) enabled to play at least a subset of signals the module receives from a satellite broadcast for the vehicle's useful life, the subset being defined by activation information, and (ii) configured to deactivate in the event the module receives a deactivation signal from the satellite broadcast; collecting transaction information including a transaction date associated with the vehicle; storing at least a subset of the transaction information in memory; and transmitting a message including the transaction date to a satellite radio service provider such that a determination can be made regarding a preactivation duration. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the vehicle includes a vehicle identification number, and wherein the transaction information includes the vehicle identification number. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the module includes a module identification number, and wherein the transaction information includes the module identification number. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3 wherein the transaction date is a module installation date. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the transaction date is a shipping date. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a message including information about a sales event associated with the vehicle including a sales date. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising, after the step of installing the module in the vehicle, selling the vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the transaction date is a sales date. ### Claim 9 A method for providing satellite radio service for a satellite radio module in a vehicle comprising: receiving a message including a transaction date associated with the vehicle, the transaction date used to determine a preactivation duration; determining whether the preactivation duration exceeds a predetermined period of time; transmitting a signal containing deactivation information for the module if the preactivation duration exceeds the predetermined period of time; and disabling the module from playing at least a subset of signals the module receives from a satellite broadcast based on the deactivation information. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the preactivation duration begins after the module is installed in the vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the message includes a module identification number or a vehicle identification number, and wherein the transaction date indicates the date on which the module was installed in the vehicle. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the preactivation duration begins after the vehicle is shipped. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein the message includes a module identification number or a vehicle identification number, and wherein the transaction date indicates a date on which the vehicle was shipped. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the preactivation duration begins after the vehicle is sold. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein the message includes a module identification number or a vehicle identification number, and wherein the transaction date indicates a date on which the vehicle was sold. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the message comes from a vehicle manufacturer. ### Claim 17 A method for providing satellite radio service for a satellite radio module in a vehicle comprising: receiving a message including a transaction date associated with the vehicle, the transaction date used to determine a preactivation duration; determining whether the preactivation duration exceeds a predetermined period of time; and transmitting a signal containing deactivation information for the module if the preactivation duration exceeds the predetermined period of time to disable the module from playing at least a subset of signals the module receives from a satellite broadcast. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the preactivation duration begins after the vehicle is shipped. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 wherein the message includes a module identification number or a vehicle identification number, and wherein the transaction date indicates a date on which the vehicle was shipped. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein the preactivation duration begins after the vehicle is sold.