Procedure and device for a vehicle emergency call

Abstract

A system that uses a large number of processors configured to: utilize a variety of vehicle connectivity options, each option communicating with one of the multiple processors to make multiple simultaneous calls to emergency services, utilizing the multiple vehicle connectivity options in response to the detection of a vehicle accident, wherein one of the processors is configured to terminate cellular call attempts when another of the processors indicates that a call made by the other processor has been connected.

Description

SPECIALIZATION

[0001] The embodiments shown relate generally to a method and a device for vehicle emergency call redundancy. BACKGROUND

[0002] Vehicle safety systems have evolved and improved significantly with the introduction and integration of connected services into the vehicle environment. Vehicle telematics and infotainment systems that can communicate with the cloud provide options such as contacting emergency services in the event of a vehicle accident.

[0003] Some vehicle systems use an embedded vehicle modem to call an intermediary or emergency service in the event of an accident. Other strategies involve a vehicle computer system connecting to an occupant's phone and using the occupant's phone to make a call to an intermediary or emergency service.

[0004] DE 10 2013 005 824 A1 discloses an emergency call system for a vehicle. DE 10 2008 023 281 A1 discloses an emergency call device for directly placing an emergency call. DE 101 55 550 C1 discloses a method and an emergency call device for triggering an emergency call from a vehicle. US 2012 0 220 258 A1 discloses a method and a system for making emergency calls. SUMMARY

[0005] In a first illustrative embodiment, a system comprises a plurality of processors configured to use a plurality of vehicle connectivity options, each option communicating with one of the plurality of processors to initiate at least two calls to emergency services in response to the detection of a vehicle accident.

[0006] In a second illustrative embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises the detection of a vehicle accident. The method also includes initiating a first and second emergency call, simultaneously using a first and second vehicle communication option respectively, in response to the detection of the accident.

[0007] In a third illustrative embodiment, a non-volatile, computer-readable storage medium stores instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a procedure that includes the detection of a vehicle accident. The procedure also includes making a first emergency call using a first vehicle communication option after the accident is detected, and making a second, simultaneous emergency call using a second vehicle communication option after the accident is detected. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. Figure 1 shows an illustrative vehicle computer system; Fig. Figure 2 shows an illustrative system for implementing the illustrative embodiments; and Fig. 3A and Fig. Figure 3B shows illustrative procedures for making redundant calls to emergency services. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0008] As necessary, detailed embodiments are disclosed herein; however, it is understood that the disclosed embodiments are simply examples that can be implemented in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to scale; some features may be exaggerated or minimized to show details of specific components. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be understood as limiting, but only as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the field how to apply the embodiments in different ways.

[0009] Fig. Figure 1 presents an exemplary block topology for a vehicle-based computer system 1 (VCS) for a vehicle 31. An example of such a vehicle-based computer system 1 is the SYNC system manufactured by The Ford Motor Company. A vehicle released with a vehicle-based computer system may include a visual front-end interface 4 located in the vehicle. The user may also be able to interact with the interface, for example, if it is provided with a touch-sensitive screen. In another illustrative embodiment, the interaction occurs by pressing a button, a voice dialogue system with automatic speech recognition and speech synthesis.

[0010] In illustrative embodiment 1, shown in Fig. 1, a processor 3 controls at least part of the operation of the vehicle-based computer system. The processor provided in the vehicle enables the processing of instructions and routines on board. Furthermore, the processor is connected to both non-persistent 5 and persistent 7 memory. In this illustrative embodiment, the non-persistent memory is access memory (RAM) and the persistent memory is a hard disk drive (HDD) or flash memory. In general, persistent (non-volatile) memory can include any type of storage that retains data when a computer or other device is shut down. These include, but are not limited to, HDDs, CDs, DVDs, magnetic tapes, hard disks, portable USB drives, and any other suitable form of persistent storage.

[0011] The processor is also provided with a number of different inputs that allow the user to connect to the processor via the interface. In this illustrative embodiment, a microphone 29, an auxiliary input 25 (for input 33), a USB input 23, a GPS input 24, a screen 4, which can be a touchscreen display, and a BLUETOOTH input 15 are provided. An input selector 51 is also provided to allow a user to switch between the inputs. The input to the microphone and the auxiliary input is converted from analog to digital by a converter 27 before being passed to the processor. Although not shown, numerous vehicle components and auxiliary components can utilize a vehicle network (e.g., but not limited to a CAN bus) in communication with the VCS to send or receive data to the VCS (or components thereof).

[0012] Outputs to the system can include, but are not limited to, a picture display 4 and a speaker 13, or a stereo system output. The speaker is connected to an amplifier 11 and receives its signal from the processor 3 via a digital-to-analog converter 9. Output can also be made to a remote BLUETOOTH device, such as a PND 54, or a USB device, such as a vehicle navigation device 60, along the bidirectional data streams shown in Figures 19 and 21, respectively.

[0013] In an illustrative embodiment, the system 1 uses the BLUETOOTH transceiver 15 to communicate with the user's mobile device 53 (e.g., mobile phone, smartphone, PDA, or any other device with remote wireless network connectivity) 17. The mobile device can then be used to communicate with a network 61 outside the vehicle 31 59, for example, by communicating 55 with a mobile phone mast 57. In some embodiments, the mast 57 can be a Wi-Fi access point.

[0014] An example of communication between the mobile device and the BLUETOOTH transceiver is represented by signal 14.

[0015] Pairing a mobile device 53 and the BLUETOOTH transceiver 15 can be initiated by a button 52 or a similar input. Accordingly, the CPU is instructed to pair the onboard BLUETOOTH transceiver with a BLUETOOTH transceiver in a mobile device.

[0016] Data can be communicated between the CPU 3 and the network 61 using, for example, a data plan, Data Over Voice, or DTMF tones connected to the mobile device 53. Alternatively, it may be desirable to include an onboard modem 63 with an antenna 18 to communicate data between the CPU 3 and the network 61 over the voice band 16. The mobile device 53 can then be used to communicate with a network 61 outside the vehicle 31 59, for example, by communicating 55 with a mobile phone mast 57. In some embodiments, the modem 63 can establish communication 20 with the mast 57 for communication with the network 61. As a non-restrictive example, the modem 63 can be a USB mobile modem and the communication 20 can be mobile phone communication.

[0017] In an illustrative embodiment, the processor, along with an operating system, is provided with an API for communicating with modem application software. The modem application software can access an onboard module or firmware via the Bluetooth transceiver to establish wireless communication with a remote Bluetooth transceiver (such as one found in a mobile device). Bluetooth is a subset of the IEEE 802 PAN (Personal Area Network) protocols. IEEE 802 LAN (Local Area Network) protocols include WLAN and have considerable overlapping functionality with IEEE 802 PAN. Both are suitable for wireless communication within a vehicle. Other communication methods that can be used in this area include optical point-to-point radio (such as IrDA) and non-standard customer IR protocols.

[0018] In another embodiment, the mobile device 53 includes a modem for voice or broadband data communication. In the data-over-voice embodiment, a method known as frequency-division multiplexing can be implemented when the owner of the mobile device can speak over the device while data is being transmitted. At other times, when the owner is not using the device, the data transfer can utilize the entire bandwidth (300 Hz to 3.4 kHz in one example). While frequency-division multiplexing may be conventional and still used for analog cellular communication between the vehicle and the internet, it has been largely replaced by hybrid code-division multiplexing (CDMA), time-division multiplexing (TDMA), and space-division multiplexing (SDMA) for digital cellular communication.These are all ITU IMT-2000 (3G) compliant standards and offer data rates of up to 2 MB for stationary and walking users and 385 KB for users in a moving vehicle. 3G standards are now being replaced by IMT-Advanced (4G), which offers 100 MB for users in a vehicle and 1 GB for stationary users. If the user has a data plan associated with the mobile device, it is possible that the data plan enables broadband transmission and the system could use a greater bandwidth (making data transmission faster). In yet another embodiment, the mobile device 53 is replaced by a cellular communication device (not shown) installed in the vehicle 31. In yet another embodiment, the mobile device 53 can be a wireless local area network (LAN) device capable of communication over, for example (but not limited to), an 802.11g network (e.g., 802.11g).Wi-Fi) or a WiMax network capable.

[0019] In one embodiment, incoming data can be forwarded via Data-Over-Voice or a data plan through the BLUETOOTH transceiver to the mobile device and into the vehicle's internal processor 3. In the case of certain temporary data, the data can be stored, for example, on the HDD or other storage media 7 until the data is no longer needed.

[0020] Additional sources that can be connected to the vehicle via an interface include a personal navigation device 54 with, for example, a USB connection 56 and / or an antenna 58, a vehicle navigation device 60 with a USB 62 or other connection, an onboard GPS device 24, or a remote navigation system (not shown) with network connectivity 61. USB is one of a class of serial network protocols. IEEE 1394 (FireWire™ (Apple), i.LINK™ (Sony), and Lynx™ (Texas Instruments)), EIA (Electronics Industry Association) serial protocols, IEEE 1284 (Centronics Port), S / PDIF (Sony / Philips Digital Interconnect Format), and USB-IF (USB Implementers Forum) form the backbone of device-to-device serial standards. Most of the protocols can be implemented for either electrical or optical communication.

[0021] Furthermore, the CPU could communicate with a variety of other auxiliary devices 65. These devices could be connected by a wireless 67 or a wired (69) connection. An auxiliary device 65 could, but is not limited to, include personal media players, wireless medical devices, portable computers, and the like.

[0022] Alternatively, or in addition, the CPU could be connected to a vehicle-based wireless router 73, for example by using a WLAN (IEEE 803.11) 71 transceiver. This could allow the CPU to connect to remote networks in the vicinity of the local router 73.

[0023] In addition to the exemplary operations performed by the vehicle computer system located in the vehicle, in certain embodiments these operations can be performed by a computer system communicating with the vehicle computer system. Such a system may, but is not limited to, a wireless device (e.g., a mobile phone) or a remote computer system (e.g., a server) connected by the wireless device. Collectively, such systems may be referred to as vehicle-connected computer systems (VACS). In certain embodiments, specific components of the VACS may perform specific parts of an operation, depending on the specific implementation of the system.For example, and without being limited to this, if a process includes a step of sending or receiving information with a coupled wireless device, then it is likely that the wireless device will not perform this part of the process, since the wireless device would not "send and receive" information with itself. Someone with average expertise in the field of invention will understand when it is inappropriate to attach a special computer system to a given solution.

[0024] In each of the illustrative embodiments discussed herein, an exemplary, non-limiting example of a process that can be performed by a computer system is shown. With respect to each process, it is possible for the computer system performing the process to be configured, for the limited purpose of executing the process, as a special-purpose processor. None of the processes need be fully executed and are understood as examples of types of processes that can be performed to achieve elements of the invention. Additional steps may be added to or removed from the exemplary processes as desired.

[0025] In current emergency notification systems, accident-related sensors trigger calls to emergency services either using an embedded vehicle modem or a cellular phone paired with a vehicle computer system. If a modem is damaged and the system relies on it to make the call, or if a phone is damaged and the system relies on it to make the call, the process could fail to make the call, and no emergency assistance could be obtained. In the illustrative embodiments, the process uses both a vehicle modem and the paired phone to make redundant, parallel calls, and if both are connected, the emergency service can terminate one of the redundant calls. If one of the devices connects beforehand, the vehicle computer can cancel the other call.

[0026] Fig. Figure 2 shows an illustrative system for implementing the illustrative embodiments. In this illustrative system, the process detects an accident using one or more vehicle sensors 203. These sensors transmit relevant information regarding the accident via the vehicle control network (CAN) bus(s). This can include, but is not limited to, impact sensor data, airbag sensor data, vehicle speed at the time of the accident, vehicle rollover sensor data, passenger restraint data, etc.

[0027] This data is forwarded from the CAN bus to a vehicle telematics control unit (TCU) equipped with a modem 205. This unit can make a call in the absence of an operator mobile phone, or if an operator mobile phone is damaged. The data is also forwarded to an infotainment system 207, which can use a paired mobile phone to make an external call and can operate in the absence of a vehicle modem, or if a vehicle modem is damaged. This distribution of the relevant data provides two avenues for outgoing calls.

[0028] The TCU / modem uses a cellular connection 213 to transmit voice, data, or text to an emergency service 215. The infotainment system uses a BLUETOOTH connection 209 to a user device, which also uses a cellular connection 211. In the illustrative embodiments, since both the modem and the phone are capable of making cellular calls independently, both systems can initiate or make a call at essentially the same time. In another example, if a Wi-Fi call / contact option is available, this option can be used instead of, or in addition to, the calls in response to the same accident indicator. By attempting to make two or more calls in response to accident detection, the process has a greater chance of making a call, even if the vehicle or a connected cellular phone has been severely damaged.Average professionals will understand that parallel or essentially concurrent calls, as described in this disclosure, may be initiated at somewhat different times, based on the processing of the signals that detect an accident and on the available special communication options, such as a vehicle modem and a connected or paired cellular phone. It should also be acknowledged that the redundant or parallel calls are initiated in parallel or generally concurrently or simultaneously, as opposed to sequentially or conditionally, based on the outcome of a previous call or waiting for a signal that a special attempt has failed before initiating a call via another communication option.

[0029] Fig. 3A and Fig. Figure 3B illustrates redundant calls made to emergency services. Regarding the illustrative embodiments described in these figures, it is noted that a general-purpose processor can be temporarily enabled as a special-purpose processor for the purpose of executing some or all of the exemplary procedures shown herein. When code-providing instructions are executed to perform some or all of the steps of the procedures, the processor can be temporarily repurposed as a special-purpose processor until the procedures are completed. In another example, to a suitable extent, firmware acting according to a pre-configured processor can cause the processor to act as a special-purpose processor provided for the purpose of executing the procedures or some sensible variations thereof.

[0030] This illustrative example demonstrates procedures for making simultaneous calls from two (or more) different provided connections. These procedures are intended to occur at the same time, allowing more than one call to be made if both systems function correctly. The termination of one of the multiple calls could result from a fault in one of the calling systems; the calling vehicle computer determining that the call should be terminated; manual user termination of the call; or, for example, termination of the redundant call by the emergency service. Because the service receives the vehicle's GPS coordinates with each call, it knows that two completed calls from the same vehicle both correspond to that vehicle.One of the two calls can be terminated, or, in an alternative solution, the service can allow both calls to continue in case latent damage to a calling system causes a failure during the call, and if one call is terminated, the other call can, for example, end automatically (or also be terminated by the service).

[0031] Fig. Figure 3A shows an illustrative example of the process for the telematics unit to initiate the call. As noted, this process will occur in response to the same trigger or accident detection as the process described in Figure 3A. Fig. 3B is shown when an accident is detected. In this process, the accident is detected by means of one or more sensors 301. The process collects and sends relevant data to a vehicle telematics unit 303 and instructs that a call be made using a vehicle modem.

[0032] The call is attempted using the vehicle modem 305, and the attempt continues until the call is connected 307. In this example, the process also monitors the other call(s) 313 while the call attempt is in progress to determine if an alternative connection has been established. In this example, the process terminates the call attempt through the telematics unit 315 when the alternative connection is established. As noted, in other examples, the call may continue to be attempted and / or made until the other call ends or the emergency service terminates one or both calls.

[0033] Once the call is connected, the process sends the relevant emergency data 307, which was received from the CAN bus and other vehicle systems. Additionally, in this example, the process notifies the concurrently running process located in Fig. 3B indicates that the call was made and that some or all of the data was sent to 311.

[0034] Fig. Figure 3B shows an example of a call made using an occupant's paired phone. Again, the collision is detected using one or more vehicle sensors 321. This is the same impact detection that prompted the telematics unit to make the call (i.e., a second set of sensors is not required). This process uses the paired infotainment system to connect to the paired user phone 323.

[0035] The connection is then used to make a call to the emergency service 325 from the paired phone. Again, until the call is connected to 327, the process continues to attempt to connect. And again in this example, the process can provide clues from the process that is in Fig. 3A indicates that the call initiated by the telematics unit has been completed or connected (333) and can terminate the call attempt via the mobile phone (335). Furthermore, as with the TCU connection / attempt, this process can continue attempting the call until the emergency service terminates the call or until the other call is completed.

[0036] Once the call is connected, the process sends the data to the emergency service. This data will often include a vehicle registration number and / or vehicle location, so that after receiving the same data from two different calls, the emergency service can determine whether to end one of the calls, if desired, as it will be clear that multiple calls have been received from the same vehicle. And as with the process that in Fig.As shown in 3A, this operation can notify the operation making the telematics control unit call if the telematics operation is configured to terminate the telematics call in the event of connecting or completing the other call.

[0037] By allowing multiple calls to be made and completed in response to the same triggering event, rather than triggering different communication options sequentially, the probability of completing a call is increased. Furthermore, system failure can cause a call to be dropped mid-conversation; therefore, multiple calls provide a backup or redundant operation in case a system fails.

[0038] While exemplary embodiments are described above, these embodiments are not intended to describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the description are descriptive and not limiting, and it is understood that various modifications can be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Furthermore, the features of the different implementations can be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.

Claims

[1] System comprising a large number of processors configured to: utilize a variety of vehicle connectivity options, each option communicating with one of the multiple processors to make multiple simultaneous calls to emergency services, utilizing the multiple vehicle connectivity options in response to the detection of a vehicle accident, wherein one of the processors is configured to terminate cellular call attempts when another of the processors indicates that a call made by the other processor has been connected. [2] System according to claim 1, wherein a first processor is configured to use a telematics control unit to make an emergency call via an embedded vehicle modem (63). [3] System according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a second processor is configured to use a BLUETOOTH connection (209) with a paired mobile phone (335) of an occupant to make an emergency call using the mobile phone (335). [4] System according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the processors are configured to send vehicle accident data via the connections established as a result of the calls. [5] A computer-implemented method that the detection of a vehicle accident; Making an initial emergency call using an initial vehicle communication option in response to the detection of the accident; and Making a second, simultaneous emergency call using a second vehicle communication option after the detection of the accident and the termination of one of the first or second emergency calls when the other of the first or second emergency calls has been completed, includes. [6] Method according to claim 5, wherein the first vehicle communication option comprises a telematics control unit in communication with an embedded vehicle modem (63) via which the first emergency call can be made. [7] Method according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the second vehicle communication option comprises an infotainment system (207) coupled with the mobile phone (335) of an occupant, through which the second emergency call can be made. [8] Method according to any one of claims 5 to 7, further comprising the transmission of vehicle accident data via connections established as a result of the calls. [9] A non-volatile, computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a procedure which the detection of a vehicle accident; Making an initial emergency call using an initial vehicle communication option after detecting the accident; and simultaneously making a second emergency call using a second vehicle communication option after detection of the accident; ending the first or second call when the other party of the first or second call has been connected, includes. [10] Storage medium according to claim 9, wherein the first vehicle communication option comprises a telematics control unit in communication with an embedded vehicle modem (63) via which the first emergency call can be made. [11] Storage medium according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the second vehicle communication option comprises an infotainment system (207) coupled with a mobile phone (335) of an occupant, through which the second emergency call can be made. [12] Storage medium according to one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the method further comprises sending the vehicle accident data via connections established as a result of the first and second calls.

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