Automated enrollment and activation of telematics equipped vehicles

Abstract

A method for automated enrollment and activation of a mobile telematics system comprising receiving a customer data record of a customer at a communication services database, determining a command signal based on the customer data record, sending the command signal to a telematics unit of a vehicle, enrolling the customer in a telematics-unit access system based on the command signal and activating the telematics unit of the telematics-unit access system based on the command signal.

1 . A method for automated enrollment and activation of a mobile telematics system comprising: 
 receiving a customer data record of a customer at a communication services database;    determining a command signal based on the customer data record;    sending the command signal to a telematics unit of a vehicle;    enrolling the customer in a telematics-unit access system based on the command signal; and    activating the telematics unit of the telematics-unit access system based on the command signal.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein sending a command signal to a telematics unit of a vehicle further comprises: 
 sending the command signal from an external telematics database to a communication services manager in a telematics call center; and    sending the command signal from the communication services manager in the telematics call center to the telematics unit of a vehicle.    
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein sending a command signal to a telematics unit of a vehicle further comprises: 
 sending the command signal from a communication services database in a telematics call center to a communication services manager in the telematics call center; and    sending the command signal from the communication services manager in the telematics call center to the telematics unit of a vehicle.    
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the customer data record is received from a source selected from the group consisting of: an enrollment website, the customer delivery record at a vehicle dealership, a telephone line or from the telematics unit.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the customer data record is obtained in segments received from more than one source.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the command signal includes customer data.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the command signal includes customer-desired features to be activated in the telematics-unit access system.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the customer-desired features are selected from the group consisting of navigation assistance, real-time traffic advisories, directory assistance, roadside assistance, business or residential assistance, information services assistance, emergency assistance, and communications assistance, vehicle personalization, vehicle data upload, vehicle data download, unlock/lock vehicle, flash lights, honk horn, perform diagnostic functions and perform vehicle tracking functions.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein activating the telematics unit of the telematics-unit access system setup further comprises; 
 configuring the hardware of the telematics unit in the vehicle.    
   
   
       10 . A computer usable medium storing a computer program comprising: 
 computer readable code for receiving a customer data record of a customer at a communication services database;    computer readable code for determining a command signal based on the customer data record;    computer readable code for sending the command signal to a telematics unit of a vehicle;    computer readable code for enrolling the customer in a telematics-unit access system based on the command signal; and    computer readable code for activating the telematics unit of the telematics-unit access system based on the command signal.    
   
   
       11 . The computer usable medium storing a computer program of  claim 10  wherein sending a command signal to a telematics unit of a vehicle further comprises: 
 computer readable code for sending the command signal from an external telematics database to a communication services manager in a telematics call center; and    computer readable code for sending the command signal from the communication services manager in the telematics call center to the telematics unit of a vehicle.    
   
   
       12 . The computer usable medium storing a computer program of  claim 10  wherein sending a command signal to a telematics unit of a vehicle further comprises: 
 computer readable code for sending the command signal from a communication services database in a telematics call center to a communication services manager in the telematics call center; and    computer readable code for sending the command signal from the communication services manager in the telematics call center to the telematics unit of a vehicle.    
   
   
       13 . The computer usable medium storing a computer program of  claim 10  wherein activating the telematics unit of the telematics-unit access system setup further comprises; 
 computer readable code for instructing a hardware configuration to be set in hardware of the telematics unit in the vehicle.    
   
   
       14 . A telematics-unit access system comprising: 
 means for receiving a customer data record at a communication services database;    means for determining a command signal based on the customer data record;    means for sending the command signal to a telematics unit of a vehicle;    means for enrolling the customer in a telematics-unit access system based on the command signal; and    means for activating the telematics unit of the telematics-unit access system based on the command signal.    
   
   
       15 . The telematics-unit access system of  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 means for sending the command signal from an external telematics database to a communication services manager in a telematics call center; and    means for sending the command signal from the communication services manager in the telematics call center to the telematics unit of a vehicle.    
   
   
       16 . The telematics-unit access system of  claim 14 , further comprising: 
 means for sending the command signal from a communication services database in a telematics call center to a communication services manager in the telematics call center; and    sending the command signal from the communication services manager in the telematics call center to the telematics unit of a vehicle.