Patent ID: 7562167
Filing Date: 2009-07-14
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for communicating vehicle data between an electronic control unit of a vehicle and a service center microprocessor, comprising: identifying, by the electronic control unit, a first set of communication links available at a location of the vehicle and attributes of each communication link of the first set of communication links; determining if a notice of vehicle information is to be sent to an operator of the vehicle having access to at least one communication device having at least one communication link with the electronic control unit; and responsive to determining that a notice of vehicle information is to be sent to the operator of the vehicle, i) selecting a first method to contact the operator of the vehicle based on at least one attribute of each available communication link of the first set of communication links; and ii) sending a first signal having the notice of vehicle information from the electronic control unit to a first communication device of the at least one communication device of the vehicle operator via the selected first method; determining if the notice of vehicle information is to also be sent to a service center microprocessor; responsive to determining that the notice of vehicle information is to also be sent to the service center microprocessor, identifying, by a second communication device of the at least one communication device of the vehicle operator, a second set of communication links available between the second communication device and a communication device of the service center and attributes of each communication link of the second set of communication links; selecting a second method to contact the service center based on at least one attribute of each available second communication link of the second set of communication links; sending a second signal having the notice of vehicle information from the second communication device of the vehicle operator to the service center communication device via the selected second method; responsive to the service center microprocessor determining that a software upgrade of the vehicle is necessary, identifying a third communication link available between the service center microprocessor and the electronic control unit and attributes of the third communication link and downloading the software upgrade from the service center microprocessor to the electronic control unit via the third communication link.