Abstract: A method and system that inhibits transmission of location information by a telematics unit outside of a geographic region in which such transmission is prohibited. The method includes identifying the relative location of the vehicle and a call center to which the information is to be sent. If the vehicle is in a country or other geographic region that prohibits transmission of vehicle location data outside of the region and, if the call center is determined by the vehicle to be outside of that region, then the telematics unit inhibits the location data from being sent in any communication between the vehicle and call center.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for serving binary short message service (SMS) content to multiple mobile devices that use different wireless networks to receive data. One implementation involves a method for serving binary SMS content to the subscribers of a telematics service provider (TSP) on multiple mobile devices that are provisioned with multiple wireless networks. The method involves receiving a binary SMS at a receiving module of an external short message entity (ESME), translating the SMS into a protocol data unit (PDU), and routing the PDU to an SMS gateway producing application. The PDU is directed to a virtual serial port, which is created by the gateway producing application and mapped to a physical serial port at a terminal server. The PDU is sent from the terminal server to a data modem that is provisioned with a wireless carrier, and the data modem is instructed to transmit the SMS to a mobile device.

Abstract: A device-vehicle interoperability verification method is disclosed herein. Vehicle information is obtained by a mobile communications device, and this vehicle information pertains to a vehicle within which the device is being used or is going to be used. The vehicle information and device identification information is transmitted from the device to a server. The transmission occurs in response to a command generated by an application resident on the device, which includes computer readable code, embedded on a tangible, non-transitory computer readable medium, for performing the transmission. A data aggregator at the server queries a database to obtain data pertaining to an interoperability between the device and the vehicle, and a communications module at the server sends a message to the device that includes at least the data pertaining to the interoperability between the device and the vehicle.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for serving binary short message service (SMS) content to multiple mobile devices that use different wireless networks to receive data. One implementation involves a method for serving binary SMS content to the subscribers of a telematics service provider (TSP) on multiple mobile devices that are provisioned with multiple wireless networks. The method involves receiving a binary SMS at a receiving module of an external short message entity (ESME), translating the SMS into a protocol data unit (PDU), and routing the PDU to an SMS gateway producing application. The PDU is directed to a virtual serial port, which is created by the gateway producing application and mapped to a physical serial port at a terminal server. The PDU is sent from the terminal server to a data modem that is provisioned with a wireless carrier, and the data modem is instructed to transmit the SMS to a mobile device.

Abstract: A device-vehicle interoperability verification method is disclosed herein. Vehicle information is obtained by a mobile communications device, and this vehicle information pertains to a vehicle within which the device is being used or is going to be used. The vehicle information and device identification information is transmitted from the device to a server. The transmission occurs in response to a command generated by an application resident on the device, which includes computer readable code, embedded on a tangible, non-transitory computer readable medium, for performing the transmission. A data aggregator at the server queries a database to obtain data pertaining to an interoperability between the device and the vehicle, and a communications module at the server sends a message to the device that includes at least the data pertaining to the interoperability between the device and the vehicle.

Abstract: A method and system for enabling police pursuing a vehicle to slow the vehicle down via short range wireless communication with the vehicle. The process can be carried out with or without involvement of a call center that provides telematics services to the vehicle. The method involves configuring the vehicle to accept a slowdown command, confirming the target vehicle at a pursuing police vehicle, establishing the short range connection between the police vehicle and target vehicle, and slowing the target vehicle by sending it the slowdown command over the wireless connection. The call center can enable or disable the slowdown service according to the vehicle owner's wishes.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring data transfer performance between a central facility and a vehicle that includes calculating the message latency between the transmission and receipt of a message from a call center to the vehicle, or vice-versa. The information can be used to generate a latency map that is useful in diagnosing wireless system problems and in deciding when and how to communicate with a vehicle depending upon its location.

Abstract: A method and system that inhibits transmission of location information by a telematics unit outside of a geographic region in which such transmission is prohibited. The method includes identifying the relative location of the vehicle and a call center to which the information is to be sent. If the vehicle is in a country or other geographic region that prohibits transmission of vehicle location data outside of the region and, if the call center is determined by the vehicle to be outside of that region, then the telematics unit inhibits the location data from being sent in any communication between the vehicle and call center.

Abstract: A method and system for enabling police pursuing a vehicle to slow the vehicle down via short range wireless communication with the vehicle. The process can be carried out with or without involvement of a call center that provides telematics services to the vehicle. The method involves configuring the vehicle to accept a slowdown command, confirming the target vehicle at a pursuing police vehicle, establishing the short range connection between the police vehicle and target vehicle, and slowing the target vehicle by sending it the slowdown command over the wireless connection. The call center can enable or disable the slowdown service according to the vehicle owner's wishes.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring data transfer performance between a central facility and a vehicle that includes calculating the message latency between the transmission and receipt of a message from a call center to the vehicle, or vice-versa. The information can be used to generate a latency map that is useful in diagnosing wireless system problems and in deciding when and how to communicate with a vehicle depending upon its location.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of and system for testing a telematics system in a mobile vehicle, which begin with sending at least one test command from a test center to a call center based on a test script. A test command is transmitted from the call center to the telematics unit. The test command is executed at the telematics unit and then a test response is sent from the telematics unit to the call center. Another aspect of the invention provides a computer usable medium that includes a program for testing a telematics system in a mobile vehicle.

Abstract: A tufted carpet having a backing which has thereon a plurality of first areas of tufts of fine denier fibers and a plurality of second areas of tufts of at least one looped, uncrimped, coarse denier fiber. Preferred patterns for the areas of tufts are alternating stripes or a checkerboard.

Abstract: A tufted carpet having a backing which has thereon a plurality of tufts of fine denier fibers and a plurality of tufts of stiff, crimped, coarse denier fibers. A preferred pattern of tufts is alternate stripes or a checkerboard of areas consisting essentially of tufts of one type of fiber in an area.