Patent ID: 7596366

Claim:
A client device, wherein the client device is a Telematics unit in a vehicle, the client device comprising: a network access device having at least a powered state and a power-off state, the powered state allowing the network access device to receive messages over a communication channel, the power-off state not allowing the network access device to receive messages over the communication channel wherein the network access device determines whether wireless coverage exists for the network access device and provides an indication of an out-of-coverage condition when the network access device is out of wireless coverage; and a controller that determines time periods for the network access device to be in the powered state, the time periods based on a discontinuous reception parameter obtained from the network access device, wherein when the vehicle's ignition is turned off, the controller enables a ring indicator on the network access device to indicate the out-of-coverage condition and programs the network access device to only activate the ring indicator to indicate the out-of-coverage condition when the network access device has been out of wireless coverage for a predetermined amount of time, wherein the controller receives the indication of the out-of-coverage condition if the network access device has been out of wireless coverage for the predetermined amount of time and switches the network access device to the power-off state if there is the out-of-coverage condition for the network access device, wherein upon receipt of the indication of the out-of-coverage condition, the controller waits a second predetermined amount of time to determine if the network access device goes back into wireless coverage before switching the network access device to the power-off state.