Abstract: One or more ECU's in an automotive vehicle have a contingent boot and an authenticated boot. When each such ECU is initialized, that ECU performs the contingent boot and the authenticated boot in parallel. The authenticated boot authenticates operational firmware for that ECU that is stored in flash memory of that ECU, starting with initial firmware of the operational firmware. Contingent boot firmware is stored in flash memory of the ECU or is stored in essentially non-alterable memory of the ECU. The contingent boot executes the ECU contingent boot firmware for that ECU. The contingent boot firmware has limited functionality and does not have the ability to flash the flash memory. Upon successful authentication of the initial firmware, the ECU executes the initial firmware and terminates the contingent boot.

Abstract: Vehicle diagnostic access authentication techniques comprise, in response to receiving a request for diagnostic access to the vehicle that comprises a public key certificate, transmitting an authentication challenge back to an external testing tool that causes it to obtain, from a PKI computing system, and return to the vehicle a signed authentication challenge comprising a digital signature. The vehicle then determines whether the digital signature is valid using the public key certificate and, when valid, a set of diagnostics associated with a diagnostic role specified by the diagnostic access request are unlocked. When any of the set of unlocked diagnostics associated with the diagnostic role match any of the set of diagnostics for the set of components specified by the diagnostic access request, the external testing tool is granted diagnostic access to the vehicle to execute the one or more matched diagnostics.

Abstract: One or more ECU's in an automotive vehicle have a contingent boot and an authenticated boot. When each such ECU is initialized, that ECU performs the contingent boot and the authenticated boot in parallel. The authenticated boot authenticates operational firmware for that ECU that is stored in flash memory of that ECU, starting with initial firmware of the operational firmware. Contingent boot firmware is stored in flash memory of the ECU or is stored in essentially non-alterable memory of the ECU. The contingent boot executes the ECU contingent boot firmware for that ECU. The contingent boot firmware has limited functionality and does not have the ability to flash the flash memory. Upon successful authentication of the initial firmware, the ECU executes the initial firmware and terminates the contingent boot.

Abstract: A security gateway module for an automotive vehicle is couplable in series between an OBD CAN bus and an internal CAN bus of the vehicle over which electronic devices of the vehicle communicate. The security gateway module checks CAN bus messages received on the OBD CAN bus, determines whether they should be passed to the internal CAN bus, passes those that it determines should be passed and does not pass those it determines should not be passed.

Abstract: A security gateway module for an automotive vehicle is couplable in series between an OBD CAN bus and an internal CAN bus of the vehicle over which electronic devices of the vehicle communicate. The security gateway module checks CAN bus messages received on the OBD CAN bus, determines whether they should be passed to the internal CAN bus, passes those that it determines should be passed and does not pass those it determines should not be passed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of operating a telematics device within a mobile vehicle communication system. The method includes receiving a request to initiate communication and identifying a request type based on the received request. The method further includes associating the identified request type with at least one service type within a service type table, wherein the service type table maps one or more request types to a corresponding service type within the service type table. The method additionally includes determining a service type number based on the corresponding service type. The method may further include providing the determined service type number and out-pulsing the provided service type number. The method may additionally include determining the identified request type does not map to the corresponding service type and out-pulsing the received request to initiate communication.

Abstract: The present invention present invention provides a method and system for configuring a telematics unit in a mobile vehicle. An assigned system identifier is stored in the telematics unit, and a determination is made as to whether the assigned system identifier corresponds to a broadcast system identifier. A wireless carrier is called based on the determination, and a mobile identification number is received from the wireless carrier.

Abstract: A system and method for determining a time zone based date and time from a Global Positioning System (GPS) signal, the method including receiving a time zone reference signal at a telematics device, determining a local Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) correction from the time zone reference signal, storing the local UTC correction, and calculating local time from the local UTC correction and the GPS signal. In one embodiment, the time zone reference signal is the GPS signal. In an alternative embodiment, the time zone reference signal is a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) signal. In yet another alternative embodiment, the method includes scheduling mobile vehicle communication system activities based on the local time.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for managing promotional telematics services within a telematics equipped mobile vehicle. The method includes receiving a request to initiate at least one telematics service, determining if the at least one requested telematics service is associated with a special billing plan, and implementing the special billing plan responsive to the determination. The method may further include operating the telematics unit within the at least one requested telematics service. The step of implementing the special billing plan responsive to the determination may include determining if a remaining special time value of the special billing plan is not equal to zero, decrementing the remaining special time value when the remaining time value is not equal to zero, and incrementing a special billing time value when the remaining time value is zero. The remaining time value may be a predetermined time value.

Abstract: A device for implementing a method of remotely routing a voice call forward to a telematic device is disclosed. The device first maintains a call state of the voice call in response to an answering of call forwarding rings by the telematic device. The device then forwards the calls to the next assigned device in response to a failure of a user of the telematic device to answer fake rings from the telematic device. Such a failure can be indicated by a monitoring of a prescribed number of back ring tones or a dropping of call within a prescribed timer window.

Abstract: The current invention provides a method and system for enabling a device function of a vehicle. A speech input stream is received at a telematics unit. A speech input context is determined for the received speech input stream. The received speech input stream is processed based on the determination and the device function of the vehicle is enabled responsive to the processed speech input stream. A vehicle device in control of the enabled device function of the vehicle is directed based on the processed speech input stream. A computer usable medium with suitable computer program code is employed for enabling a device function of a vehicle.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for implementing interactive radio features within a telematics equipped mobile vehicle. The method includes receiving radio station information, detecting an initiation command received from a user interface, and providing the radio station information to the telematics unit responsive to the detected initiation command. The radio station information may include a radio station identification, a radio station telephone number, and a radio station message. The method may further include receiving a communication command, and initiating a wireless communication via the telematics unit responsive to the received communication command.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for responding to digital vehicle requests. After a telematics unit receives a voice query and converts the voice query to a compressed digital signal, the signal is transmitted to a call center node. The signal is then parsed at the call center node to determine an inquiry. The call center node may then formulate at least one response to the inquiry and transmit the at least one formulated response in a digital format over the wireless network to the telematics unit. The at least one formulated response is then translated to an analog format at the telematics unit.