Patents by Inventor James J. Piwowarski
James J. Piwowarski has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20180063882Abstract: A method of connectivity management of a telematics unit. The method includes: setting, via a controller, a telematics unit at a first connectivity mode; establishing, via an antenna, communications with a wireless carrier system at the first connectivity mode; determining, via the controller, that the vehicle has encountered a connectivity-type event; shifting, via the controller, the telematics unit from the first connectivity mode to a second connectivity mode; and establishing, via the antenna, communications with the wireless carrier system at the second connectivity mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2016Publication date: March 1, 2018Inventors: Andrew J. MacDonald, George Knish, James J. Piwowarski, Scott T. Droste
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Patent number: 9301242Abstract: A method of re-attempting to wirelessly connect a vehicle telematics unit with a wireless carrier system includes detecting that a primary retry method has failed; and carrying out a secondary retry method that: determines whether the vehicle telematics unit will communicate using a first radio access technology (RAT) or a second RAT; re-attempts a cellular connection with one or more base stations using a first RAT attachment procedure when it is determined that the vehicle telematics unit will communicate using the first RAT; and re-attempts a cellular connection with one or more base stations using a second RAT attachment procedure when it is determined that the vehicle telematics unit will communicate using the second RAT.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2012Date of Patent: March 29, 2016Assignee: General Motors LLCInventors: Ki Hak Yi, Curtis L. Hay, Andrew J. Macdonald, Yao Hui Lei, James J. Piwowarski
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Patent number: 9179488Abstract: A method of re-establishing a cellular connection between a vehicle telematics unit and a wireless carrier system includes detecting a loss of cellular connection between a vehicle telematics unit and a wireless carrier system; accessing a technology order table (TOT) that orders a plurality of radio access technologies (RATs) capable of use at the vehicle telematics unit according to desirability; attempting to re-establish the cellular connection by: determining the RAT used by the vehicle telematics unit when the loss of cellular connection was detected; searching the TOT to locate a less desirable RAT relative to the RAT used by the vehicle telematics unit when the loss of cellular connection was detected; attempting to connect with the wireless carrier system using the less desirable RAT and a group of PLMNs that is limited to home and home-equivalent PLMNs; and if that attempt fails, attempting to connect with the wireless carrier system by iterating through each of the RATs ordered in the TOT beginningType: GrantFiled: January 24, 2014Date of Patent: November 3, 2015Assignee: General Motors LLCInventors: Yao Hui Lei, Andrew J. Macdonald, Ayman R. Daoud, Dipankar Pal, David George, James J. Piwowarski, Curtis L. Hay
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Publication number: 20150215986Abstract: A method of re-establishing a cellular connection between a vehicle telematics unit and a wireless carrier system includes detecting a loss of cellular connection between a vehicle telematics unit and a wireless carrier system; accessing a technology order table (TOT) that orders a plurality of radio access technologies (RATs) capable of use at the vehicle telematics unit according to desirability; attempting to re-establish the cellular connection by: determining the RAT used by the vehicle telematics unit when the loss of cellular connection was detected; searching the TOT to locate a less desirable RAT relative to the RAT used by the vehicle telematics unit when the loss of cellular connection was detected; attempting to connect with the wireless carrier system using the less desirable RAT and a group of PLMNs that is limited to home and home-equivalent PLMNs; and if that attempt fails, attempting to connect with the wireless carrier system by iterating through each of the RATs ordered in the TOT beginningType: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2014Publication date: July 30, 2015Applicant: General Motors LLCInventors: Yao Hui Lei, Andrew J. Macdonald, Ayman R. Daoud, Dipankar Pal, David George, James J. Piwowarski, Curtis L. Hay
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Publication number: 20140128072Abstract: A method of re-attempting to wirelessly connect a vehicle telematics unit with a wireless carrier system includes detecting that a primary retry method has failed; and carrying out a secondary retry method that: determines whether the vehicle telematics unit will communicate using a first radio access technology (RAT) or a second RAT; re-attempts a cellular connection with one or more base stations using a first RAT attachment procedure when it is determined that the vehicle telematics unit will communicate using the first RAT; and re-attempts a cellular connection with one or more base stations using a second RAT attachment procedure when it is determined that the vehicle telematics unit will communicate using the second RAT.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2012Publication date: May 8, 2014Applicant: GENERAL MOTORS LLCInventors: Ki Hak Yi, Curtis L. Hay, Andrew J. Macdonald, Yao Hui Lei, James J. Piwowarski
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Patent number: 8660549Abstract: A method of regulating the battery usage of a wireless device includes receiving information indicating the battery charge level of a wireless device over a first wireless communication channel using a short-range wireless communication protocol; choosing a wireless communication protocol for use by the wireless device with a second wireless communication channel based on the received battery charge level information; constructing a message instructing the wireless device to use the chosen wireless communication protocol for communications via the second wireless communication channel; and sending the message from a vehicle telematics unit to the wireless device.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2012Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLCInventors: Robert A. Hrabak, James J. Piwowarski
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Patent number: 8615358Abstract: The present invention provides a method of operating a telematics enabled mobile vehicle communication system. The method includes receiving a navigation request from a user interface to a telematics unit, receiving a location signal defining an approximate geographic location of the telematics unit to the telematics unit, analyzing the navigation request and the location signal to produce a navigation route defined by a plurality of navigation points including an initial navigation point and one or more additional navigation points, producing a local navigation zone and a global navigation zone based on the analyzed location signal wherein each navigation zone defines a geographic area concentrically radiating from a known geographic location, determining which navigation zone the initial navigation point is within, and producing navigation instructions that provide direction to navigation points along the navigation route and are based on the determined navigation zone and the navigation route.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2005Date of Patent: December 24, 2013Assignee: General Motors LLCInventors: Ronald W. Fraser, James J. Piwowarski, Mark J. Glaza, John P. Weiss
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Patent number: 8582775Abstract: A method of securing wireless communications includes storing a recipient's micro-certificate at a vehicle, a call center, or a certificate authority, transmitting the micro-certificate from its place of storage, extracting the public key from the micro-certificate, encrypting the vehicle communication using the public key, transmitting the encrypted vehicle communication to the recipient, and decrypting the vehicle communication using a private key after receiving the vehicle communication. The micro-certificate can include identifying data for the recipient and can have a length that is less than twice the length of the public key contained in the micro-certificate.Type: GrantFiled: February 12, 2009Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: General Motors LLCInventors: Kenneth L. Peirce, Sethu K. Madhavan, James J. Piwowarski
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Publication number: 20130288659Abstract: A method of regulating the battery usage of a wireless device includes receiving information indicating the battery charge level of a wireless device over a first wireless communication channel using a short-range wireless communication protocol; choosing a wireless communication protocol for use by the wireless device with a second wireless communication channel based on the received battery charge level information; constructing a message instructing the wireless device to use the chosen wireless communication protocol for communications via the second wireless communication channel; and sending the message from a vehicle telematics unit to the wireless device.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2012Publication date: October 31, 2013Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLCInventors: Robert A. Hrabak, James J. Piwowarski
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Patent number: 8412452Abstract: A system serving a remotely accessible page includes a server and the remotely accessible page operatively connected to the server. The remotely accessible page includes a first activation option for initiating a navigation function utilizing no starting point or a starting point entered by a user, and a second activation option for initiating a navigation function utilizing a starting point obtained by the system from a vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2007Date of Patent: April 2, 2013Assignee: General Motors LLCInventors: James J. Piwowarski, Steven J. Ross, Richard A. Johnson
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Patent number: 8265193Abstract: The present invention provides a method for communicating data over a voice channel of a wireless communication system. The method includes receiving a first periodic data signal and modulating the first periodic data signal to produce a second periodic data signal. Modulating the first periodic data signal includes inserting a predetermined silence period into the first periodic data signal at timed intervals to produce the second periodic data signal. The method further includes communicating the second periodic data signal over the voice channel of the wireless communication system. The method of modulating the first periodic data signal may include receiving a control signal that includes parameters for a length of the predetermined silence period and timing of the intervals, modulating the first periodic data signal responsive to the received control signal, and producing the second periodic data signal.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2004Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: General Motors LLCInventors: Sethu K. Madhavan, Fahd Z. Laghrari, James J. Piwowarski
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Publication number: 20100202616Abstract: A method of securing wireless communications includes storing a recipient's micro-certificate at a vehicle, a call center, or a certificate authority, transmitting the micro-certificate from its place of storage, extracting the public key from the micro-certificate, encrypting the vehicle communication using the public key, transmitting the encrypted vehicle communication to the recipient, and decrypting the vehicle communication using a private key after receiving the vehicle communication. The micro-certificate can include identifying data for the recipient and can have a length that is less than twice the length of the public key contained in the micro-certificate.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2009Publication date: August 12, 2010Applicant: GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATIONInventors: Kenneth L. Peirce, Sethu K. Madhavan, James J. Piwowarski
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Patent number: 7738509Abstract: The invention provides a method for inband emergency notification for voice calls by multiplexing at least one emergency signal within an audible data stream and transmitting the audible data stream from a telematic communication unit to a mobile vehicle communication system. The mobile vehicle communication system decodes the emergency signal from the audible data stream and provides an emergency service as a function of the emergency signal.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2002Date of Patent: June 15, 2010Assignee: General Motors LLCInventors: James J. Piwowarski, John L. Dale, Gregory B. Stewart
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Patent number: 7657368Abstract: The present invention provides a method of operating a telematics enabled mobile vehicle communication system. The method includes receiving a navigation request at a service provider from a telematics unit. The navigation request includes current location information of the telematics unit, destination information, and telematics unit memory capacity information. The method further includes producing navigation instructions based on the received navigation request. The navigation instructions provide directions from the current location of the telematics unit to the destination. The navigation instructions include a plurality of data elements describing the navigation instructions. The amount of data elements included within the navigation instructions is associated with the received telematics unit memory capacity information. The method additionally includes communicating the produced navigation instructions to the telematics unit.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2004Date of Patent: February 2, 2010Assignee: General Motors CompanyInventors: John P. Weiss, Mark J. Glaza, James J. Piwowarski
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Publication number: 20080306682Abstract: A system for sharing destinations includes a communications device for transmitting a destination location and a designated recipient of the destination location. The system further includes a call center including an advisor configured to receive the destination location and the designated recipient of the destination location, a communications system operable by the advisor for pushing a message to an electronic device of the designated recipient regarding the destination location, and a central computer system operable by the advisor for identifying in a profile of the designated recipient that the destination location has been shared.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2008Publication date: December 11, 2008Applicant: GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATIONInventors: Walter A. Dorfstatter, James J. Piwowarski, Steven J. Ross, Richard A. Johnson
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Publication number: 20080306681Abstract: A system serving a remotely accessible page includes a server and the remotely accessible page operatively connected to the server. The remotely accessible page includes a first activation option for initiating a navigation function utilizing no starting point or a starting point entered by a user, and a second activation option for initiating a navigation function utilizing a starting point obtained by the system from a vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 5, 2007Publication date: December 11, 2008Inventors: James J. Piwowarski, Steven J. Ross, Richard A. Johnson
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Patent number: 7218925Abstract: The invention provides a method of initiating a telematics service to a mobile vehicle. A service initiation is received from a call center. A caller identification number of the service initiation is determined. A vehicle service function is determined based on the caller identification number.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2002Date of Patent: May 15, 2007Assignee: General Motors CorporationInventors: Dwayne A. Crocker, Mingheng Wang, James J. Piwowarski
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Patent number: 7072645Abstract: The present invention provides a method for implementing automated call routing using an origin identifier within a telematics equipped mobile vehicle that includes receiving an incoming call signal, the incoming call signal including an origin identifier, determining an answer mode based on the origin identifier of the incoming call signal, initiating the answer mode responsive to the answer mode determination, and operating the telematics unit based on the initiated answer mode. Origin identifiers may include an automatic number identifier and a digital signature. The step of determining the answer mode may include determining a first answer mode when the origin identifier is within a predetermined group of origin identifiers and determining a second answer mode when the origin identifier is not within the predetermined group of origin identifiers.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2003Date of Patent: July 4, 2006Assignee: General Motors CorporationInventors: Steven P. Schwinke, William E. Italia, James J. Piwowarski, Kevin R. Krause
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Patent number: 6963760Abstract: An apparatus, method, and code on a computer readable medium are provided for constructing and operating a vehicle communication unit that is adapted for enunciating an audio signal to the cabin of a vehicle, and for simultaneously receiving the enunciated audio signal and a voice-command from a user speaking in the cabin of the vehicle, and for generating a DTMF signal in response to the voice-command without muting or otherwise interrupting the enunciated audio signal.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2001Date of Patent: November 8, 2005Assignee: General Motors CorporationInventor: James J. Piwowarski
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Publication number: 20040203672Abstract: The invention provides a method of initiating a telematics service to a mobile vehicle. A service initiation is received from a call center. A caller identification number of the service initiation is determined. A vehicle service function is determined based on the caller identification number.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2002Publication date: October 14, 2004Applicant: General Motors CorporationInventors: Dwayne A. Crocker, Mingheng Wang, James J. Piwowarski