Christopher M Dow

US Patent:

20050283284, Dec 22, 2005

Filed:

Jun 16, 2004

Appl. No.:

10/869341

Inventors:

Alain Grenier - Ann Arbor MI, US
Christopher Dow - Clawson MI, US
Kenneth Schmitt - Pinckney MI, US

International Classification:

G01M017/00

US Classification:

701029000, 701033000

Abstract:

Services for a vehicle or fleet of vehicles can be ordered, renewed, modified, managed, configured, and/or cancelled through a common interface. Services may be managed remotely from outside the vehicle as well as from within the vehicle. For example, the driver of a vehicle could access a secure web site from their home computer to subscribe for satellite radio services, cancel a subscription for global positioning information, renew a contract for broadband Internet access in the vehicle, and modify a relationship for remote vehicle security services. Each service that is registered with the system can possess a different status. Such functionality allows devices necessary for various services to be pre-installed in the vehicle. The service management system can also store user profiles that reflect user preferences and patterns of behavior with respect to how the services are performed and configured.

US Patent:

20130013196, Jan 10, 2013

Filed:

Jul 8, 2011

Appl. No.:

13/179010

Inventors:

Christopher L. Dow - Clawson MI, US
Todd E. Damon - Phoenix AZ, US

Assignee:

GENERAL MOTORS LLC - Detroit MI

International Classification:

G01C 21/00

US Classification:

701445, 701450

Abstract:

The described method and system provide for GPS navigation utilizing a previously stored position as a starting port when current position information is not available. The method may be implemented at a GPS-capable device (e.g. a telematics unit in one implementation) or through a call center that provides navigation services to a telecommunications device (e.g. a telematics unit in another implementation). A user input corresponding to an intended destination is received, it is determined whether current position information of the user is available; and, if not available, a route to the intended destination is calculated based on a previously stored position of the user. It may further be determined whether current position information of the user subsequently becomes available, and, when available, it may further be determined whether the user is on the calculated route that was based on the previously stored position of the user. If the user is not on route, a new route may be recalculated based on the current position of the user, which became available. In preferred implementations, the system and method are implemented within the context of a GPS unit that is part of a telematics unit in a vehicle.