Method for detecting a situation in which a person suffers a medical emergency, and first aid system

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for detecting a situation in which a person (2) who is located in a vehicle (1) suffers a medical emergency and for providing aid measures. The method according to the invention is characterized in that a computing unit (4) examines vital data (5) for deviations from predefined standard values and, should a deviation be identified, causes an alert (102) to be output in the vehicle (1), wherein the computing unit (4) establishes a communications link (104) to an aider (8) external to the vehicle by means of a telecommunications unit (7) and grants the aider (8) access to at least some of the vital data (5) and access to the control of vehicle functions, wherein the computing unit (4) activates a microphone and a loudspeaker for the purpose of establishing a bidirectional verbal communications link (104) between vehicle occupants (6) and aider (8) and a camera, which captures at least a portion of a vehicle interior, for the purpose of transferring camera images to the aider (8), whereby the aider (8) is put into a position of being able to talk to the vehicle occupants (6), to visually examine the person (2) and to propose suitable measures for aiding the person (2) on the basis of an examination result, wherein the aider (8) controls at least one vehicle function in order to facilitate the examination and / or assist the person (2).

Description

[0001] Procedure for detecting a situation in which a person suffers a health emergency and first aid system

[0002] The invention relates to a method for detecting a situation in which a person in a vehicle suffers a health emergency and for providing assistance measures according to the type defined in more detail in the preamble of claim 1, as well as to a first aid system according to the type defined in more detail in the preamble of claim 9.

[0003] After a traffic accident, quick action is required to rescue victims. As of March 31, 2018, all newly registered vehicles in the European Union must be equipped with the eCall system. This is an automatic emergency call system for motor vehicles that can detect an accident and automatically notify emergency services. This enables emergency services to be dispatched to the scene of the accident particularly quickly by shortening the rescue chain and quickly establishing contact. An alarm can be triggered automatically or manually via eCall. A data set is transmitted from the vehicle to an emergency call center. The data set includes at least the time of the accident, the geocoordinates of the accident location, and the direction of travel. Optionally, data from an on-board safety system, such as the severity of the accident, can also be transmitted.In addition, a voice channel is opened to the emergency call center so that, if the vehicle occupants are still conscious, verbal communication with the rescue services can also take place.

[0004] Another emergency assistance system for car accidents is also known from DE 199 45 147 A1. The emergency assistance system can include a personal injury detection device and a first aid device. The personal injury detection device is capable of monitoring the vital signs of vehicle occupants and assessing the extent of injuries after an accident. Depending on the severity of the injuries, an automated system in the vehicle provides information for administering appropriate first aid measures. This information can be provided acoustically, and a robotic voice can also be used to encourage the injured person, which is intended to keep them conscious.The emergency assistance system can also activate the vehicle's visual and acoustic devices to alert people in the vicinity of the crashed vehicle to the accident and prompt them to provide first aid.

[0005] DE 10 2019 219 498 A1 discloses a method and system for telemedical treatment in a vehicle. If a vehicle occupant's reduced health status is detected, the occupant is provided with a questionnaire to complete. The vehicle occupant can forward this questionnaire to a physician so that the physician can more quickly assess the occupant's health status. To do so, the vehicle occupant can manually initiate a telemedical examination with a physician. The vehicle can also assess the occupant's health status and, if an emergency is detected, automatically inform a physician of the emergency situation, activate an automated driving mode to a doctor's office, and / or collect navigation data to the nearest doctor's office and store it in a navigation system.

[0006] DE 10 2015 105 581 A1 discloses a system and method for monitoring the health status of a vehicle occupant. The system can perform such a precise assessment of the health status that a support person can be contacted even when a health emergency is only just imminent but has not yet become acute. The system can automatically initiate a telemedicine examination for this purpose. The system can also automatically control vehicle functions such as the air conditioning, lights, or window lifts. To assess the health status, the system compares a vehicle occupant's vital parameters with predefined default values. DE 10 2012 200 189 A1 discloses a method for operating a vehicle in which the driver's health status is determined, and a safety program for operating the vehicle is activated based on the result.

[0007] DE 10 2019 211 588 A1 discloses a method and a device for providing care to a vehicle occupant in an emergency situation. Vital parameter-specific value ranges are defined for different vital parameters, and an escalation level is determined based on these values. Depending on the escalation level, different assistance measures are initiated, starting with the issuance of assistance instructions and an alarm, and progressing to the automatic contact of a physician.

[0008] DE 10 2016 207 447 A1 discloses a method and a device for occupant assistance in a vehicle. Depending on a measured vital parameter, the device can change the ambient conditions in the vehicle interior. A physician can also transmit treatment instructions to the vehicle, whereby the seat heating of the vehicle occupant's seat is manually controlled from outside the vehicle to provide targeted heat treatment to the vehicle occupant.

[0009] DE 10 2012 014 717 A1 discloses a method and driver assistance system for operating a vehicle when the driver has a health condition. If a health condition exists, a communication connection can be established with a clinic. The vehicle can receive control commands from the clinic to control on-board devices, such as a seat adjustment. This allows a doctor to perform remote treatment on the driver.

[0010] DE 10 2019 215 351 A1 also discloses an emergency information system for a vehicle and a method for its operation. In an emergency, the vehicle can be brought to a stop automatically and information can be displayed graphically to potential emergency personnel.

[0011] Such emergency systems can improve the initiation of relief measures for people injured in a traffic accident. However, vehicle-related emergency situations also arise where no traffic accident has occurred. With increased life expectancy in civilized and developed countries, the number of older people is also increasing. Accordingly, more and more vehicles are being driven by older people. However, with increasing age, the risk of illness also increases, with cardiovascular diseases in particular being one of the most common causes of death in the Western world. For example, it may happen that a person driving a vehicle suffers a heart attack or suffers circulatory collapse for another health-related reason while using their vehicle.In order to further increase safety in general road traffic, there is a need for assistance systems that also proactively enable and / or facilitate the provision of first aid in connection with emergencies caused by health impairments.

[0012] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a method for detecting a situation in which a person in a vehicle suffers a health emergency and for providing assistance with the features of claim 1, as well as a first aid system with the features of claim 9. Advantageous embodiments and further developments emerge from the dependent claims.

[0013] In a method for detecting a situation in which a person in a vehicle is suffering from a health emergency and for providing assistance, the person's vital signs are recorded with the aid of at least one sensor, sensor data generated by the sensor is evaluated by a computing unit to determine vital data, and, depending on the vital data in the vehicle, instructions for providing assistance to the person are issued that are appropriate to the respective situation. The method further provides that the computing unit examines the vital data for deviations from predefined standard values, whereby person-specific standard values ​​are determined which the computing unit takes into account when examining the vital data for deviations, and the computing unit triggers an alarm in the vehicle upon detection of a deviation. If this deviation is not proactively prevented by a vehicle occupant,the computing unit establishes a communication connection to an assistant outside the vehicle by means of a telecommunications unit and grants the assistant access to at least some of the vital data and access to the control of vehicle functions, wherein the computing unit activates a microphone and a loudspeaker for establishing a bidirectional verbal communication connection between the vehicle occupant and the assistant, and a camera, which captures at least a portion of a vehicle interior, for transmitting camera images to the assistant, thereby enabling the assistant to speak to the vehicle occupant, visually examine the person, and, depending on the examination result, to propose suitable measures to assist the person, wherein the assistant controls at least one vehicle function to facilitate the examination and / or assist the person.

[0014] The method according to the invention is based on the idea of ​​monitoring the health of vehicle occupants, at least the person driving the vehicle, while the vehicle is in use. This allows for early detection of health emergencies that at least impair safe operation of the vehicle. This allows for early intervention before the driver's ability to safely control the vehicle deteriorates to such an extent that this is no longer possible. Similarly, the health of other vehicle occupants can also be monitored, allowing for early detection of emergencies such as circulatory collapse or a heart attack, and appropriate countermeasures to be initiated.

[0015] According to the invention, a communication link is established with the external assistance person, for example, a paramedic, telemedical emergency doctor, or other suitable medical personnel, who can evaluate the transmitted vital data and examine the person in distress through the possibility of bidirectional verbal communication and visual examination via the camera images generated by the camera. This examination by a person enables a particularly comprehensive and differentiated assessment of the health status of the person in distress compared to purely sensor-based health analysis by a machine. This makes it possible to determine appropriate measures for initiating assistance even more specifically.Because the assistant also gains control over vehicle functions through the computing unit, the assistant is also able to provide assistance to the person particularly quickly or to change the vehicle configuration, making it easier for the assistant to carry out the examination.

[0016] A wide variety of a person's vital signs can be recorded, such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory rate, skin conductivity, skin surface temperature, respiratory depth, and the like. For the recorded parameters and / or variables derived from them, person-specific standard values ​​or ranges are defined, which the corresponding vital signs do not exceed in a healthy person. The person-specific standard values ​​or ranges can be defined depending on age, gender, height, body weight, pre-existing medical conditions, etc. If at least one of the vital parameters deviates from the corresponding standard value or range, the computing unit is able to evaluate and determine the type of health emergency.Preferably, the processing unit can record such vital signs and determine vital data that enable an assessment of the condition of the person's cardiovascular system. This makes it possible to detect an impending heart attack and initiate appropriate support measures before the heart attack occurs.

[0017] Preferably, the assistant controls at least one of the following vehicle functions:

[0018] - Adjusting a seat;

[0019] - Switching interior lights on or off;

[0020] - Adjusting a vehicle's air conditioning system;

[0021] - Operating a window regulator; and / or

[0022] - Adjusting seat heating.

[0023] By adjusting the seat, the assistant is able to move the person in need of assistance within the vehicle and thus into a position that has a positive effect on their health. In addition, the person can be moved relative to the camera, which makes it easier for the assistant to examine the person visually. This is further supported by the assistant being able to specifically activate or deactivate interior lights. For example, the assistant can switch on lights embedded in the vehicle roof lining, which enables a particularly comprehensive visual analysis of the person in need. The interior climate in the vehicle can be influenced by operating a window regulator and / or the vehicle air conditioning system.For example, the person experiencing a health emergency can be supplied with fresh air and / or the temperature in the vehicle interior can be raised or lowered. The air mass flow delivered by the vehicle's climate control system can also be adjusted. The vehicle's climate control system can also be set to recirculate air, which prevents the intake of toxic fumes from the vehicle's surroundings. If the person is in danger of getting cold, the vehicle's seat heating can be activated to warm them up.

[0024] To avoid false alarms, an alarm can also be manually deactivated by a vehicle occupant before the assistant is notified. However, if this deactivation fails to occur, either because it is actually a health emergency and / or because the driver is traveling alone in the vehicle and is no longer able to independently enter inputs via a corresponding human-machine interface, the assistant is automatically notified by the processing unit.

[0025] In addition to vital data, other data can be transmitted to the assistant. This includes, for example, personal data such as name, address, age, gender, height, weight, blood type, pre-existing conditions, allergies, implants, illnesses, the wearing of implants, or similar of the person experiencing the health emergency, and / or vehicle data, which includes all information collected by the vehicle using sensors and / or processed in a computing unit. For example, this includes the vehicle's past or current speed, acceleration values, the force exerted by the driver on an accelerator or brake pedal, currently active vehicle devices such as active windshield wipers, activated hazard warning lights, activated vehicle headlights, the setting of the vehicle's air conditioning system, and the like.This allows the assistant to perform a particularly comprehensive assessment of the situation. For example, the behavior of the person experiencing a health emergency, such as particularly violent shaking of the steering wheel, can be used to infer certain health impairments, such as the onset of an epileptic shock.

[0026] Any number of sensors can be used to monitor the vital signs of vehicle occupants, particularly the person driving the vehicle. According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method, at least one vehicle-integrated sensor and / or at least one sensor integrated into a mobile device worn or carried by the person is used to record the vital signs. The vehicle-integrated sensor can be, for example, a capacitive sensor for measuring skin conductivity, a pressure sensor for measuring movements, pulse rate, blood pressure, or the like, a camera, particularly an infrared camera, for measuring body temperature, or the like. Camera images generated by the camera can also be evaluated, for example, to determine certain movement patterns that may indicate a health emergency.The person experiencing a health emergency can carry a smartphone and / or wear a wearable device such as a smartwatch or smartband as a mobile device. A pulse oximeter can also be used to check or determine blood oxygen saturation.

[0027] The assistant can verbally instruct the vehicle occupants to provide first aid. If only the person driving the vehicle is in the vehicle, this enables them to help themselves. If there are several vehicle occupants in the vehicle, they can provide support. If only the person driving the vehicle is in the vehicle and they have lost consciousness, the assistant can at least provide assistance by activating the vehicle functions. For even more comprehensive support in carrying out first aid measures, according to a further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention, information relevant to the examination and / or suitable measures to help the person can also be displayed visually in the vehicle. The information relevant to the examination includes, for example, the vital data recorded by the vehicle.These can be further processed by the assistant and, for example, visually enhanced. For example, the assistant can mark relevant areas in a corresponding pulse rate or ECG plot so that the vehicle occupants can easily understand the corresponding information. If first aid measures need to be initiated, for example performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation or applying a defibrillator, additional and instructive information can be displayed visually in the vehicle. Any display device located in the vehicle can be used for this purpose. The display device can be permanently integrated into the vehicle or integrated into a mobile device that has a communication link with the vehicle. For example, visual information is shown on a head unit in the vehicle and / or on the display of a smartphone.This enables the vehicle occupants to interpret the relevant information particularly quickly and easily.

[0028] A further advantageous embodiment of the method according to the invention further provides that at least some of the vital data is passed on to third parties, wherein at least some of the vital data is transmitted from the vehicle to the assistant and from the assistant to a central processing unit external to the vehicle, via which third parties are granted access to at least some of the vital data. By providing at least some of the vital data, third parties can assess the emergency situation that has occurred in the vehicle. The third parties can be, for example, actors involved in the rescue chain, such as a rescue service with an ambulance, an emergency doctor with an emergency doctor's vehicle, a hospital, a clinic, a rehabilitation center, or the like.By transmitting the relevant data, which can also include personal data and / or vehicle data, to the central processing unit outside the vehicle, this data can be made accessible to third parties in a particularly simple manner. The assistant can also specify which of the relevant data should be transmitted to the central processing unit outside the vehicle and / or which third parties have access to which part of the data. The central processing unit outside the vehicle can be operated, for example, by a vehicle manufacturer or by an emergency service. Relevant data can be transmitted in various ways, for example via the Internet. Transmission from the vehicle to the assistant is typically via mobile communications. If suitable devices are within range, other wired or wireless communication technologies such as WiFi, Bluetooth or NFC can also be used.

[0029] According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method, the alarm is output in the vehicle haptically, visually and / or acoustically. This enables a particularly quick and easily understandable interpretation of the alarm, so that the vehicle occupants and / or persons outside the vehicle are alerted to the health emergency. For the haptic output of the alarm, for example, actuators integrated into vehicle seats or actuators connected to the steering wheel can be used. This can cause a vehicle seat to vibrate and / or the steering wheel to shake. For the visual output of the alarm, hazard warning lights arranged in the vehicle interior can be activated and / or warning messages can be displayed on vehicle displays such as the instrument cluster, the head unit and / or another display.According to a further advantageous embodiment of the method, any external vehicle lighting devices such as headlights, taillights, brake lights, indicators, or the like can be activated for the visual output of the alarm outside the vehicle. These can be controlled in a modulated manner, which enables the generation of specific light patterns. In particular, illuminated signals are output that are not output in an otherwise traffic situation. For example, a flashing frequency higher than a usual flashing frequency can be selected and / or different lighting devices such as the hazard warning lights and the brake light can be controlled alternately. For the acoustic output of the alarm, sirens, bells, loudspeakers, or the like can emit warning sounds inside the vehicle interior and / or a warning message can be issued verbally. For the acoustic output of the alarm outside the vehicle, the vehicle horn can be activated, for example.Additionally or alternatively, an external loudspeaker or similar device mounted on the vehicle can be used to sound the alarm. Such an external loudspeaker is already present on electric vehicles for generating driving noise.

[0030] Preferably, the vehicle is brought to a standstill automatically when the alarm is triggered. If the person driving the vehicle is no longer able to operate it safely, the vehicle can be brought to a safe stop automatically. To do this, the vehicle can monitor its surroundings using various environmental sensors such as cameras, LIDA sensors, radar sensors and / or ultrasonic sensors and issue corresponding control commands for at least partially automated control of the vehicle's longitudinal and / or lateral guidance. The vehicle is brought to a standstill in such a way that other road users are not endangered. This means that the vehicle can not only stop but also drive to a safe area of ​​the road such as a hard shoulder, a parking or rest area or an emergency layby. This further increases road safety, especially if the person driving the vehicle loses consciousness.Fixed GPS coordinates are usually known for parking areas, rest areas, and emergency laybys. Furthermore, parking areas, rest areas, and emergency laybys are safer for first responders or assisting third parties (emergency services, etc.) because they are not exposed to the danger of moving traffic.

[0031] It may be possible to determine the vehicle's position by determining its GPS coordinates. The GPS coordinates can be determined by the vehicle itself and / or a mobile device and sent to the vehicle-external processing unit via wireless data transmission.

[0032] In a first aid system comprising a vehicle, a computing unit, a telecommunications unit, a sensor, a human-machine interface, and a camera, the listed devices are configured according to the invention to carry out a method according to the invention. The vehicle can be any vehicle, such as a car, truck, van, bus, or the like. One or more sensors can be permanently integrated into the vehicle, with the aid of which the vital signs of vehicle occupants, at least of the person driving the vehicle, are monitored. Vehicle occupants can also carry mobile devices such as smartphones, smartwatches, smart bands, pulse oximeters, or the like, which enables even more comprehensive recording and monitoring of vital signs. The corresponding devices or sensors transmit information to the computing unit, which can also be permanently integrated into the vehicle.The processing unit generates vital data from the information transmitted by the sensors, which are then analyzed for deviations from normal values. Such deviations indicate the future or current occurrence of a health emergency. In such a case, the processing unit initiates the issuance of a warning. Using the human-machine interface, e.g., a touchscreen, vehicle occupants can prevent further action in the event of an alarm being triggered. This includes, for example, contacting an external helper via the telecommunications unit. A bidirectional verbal communication channel, particularly via mobile communications, is established with the external helper using a vehicle-integrated microphone and loudspeaker.Images generated by the camera are also transmitted via the telecommunications unit to the assistant so that they can assess the situation in the vehicle. Multiple cameras can also be installed in the vehicle, allowing a visual examination of vehicle occupants from multiple viewing angles. Particularly intuitive instructions for vehicle occupants on how to provide first aid are possible via the visual output of relevant information in the vehicle. Any display device is suitable for this purpose, in particular a central on-board display such as the head unit or similar. The differentiated examination of the assistant external to the vehicle displays information relevant to the respective situation, allowing particularly efficient treatment of the person experiencing a health emergency.

[0033] Further advantageous embodiments of the method according to the invention for detecting a situation in which a person in a vehicle suffers a health emergency and for providing helpful measures as well as the first aid system according to the invention also emerge from the exemplary embodiments which are described in more detail below with reference to the figures.

[0034] Showing:

[0035] Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of the actors involved in the implementation of a method according to the invention; and

[0036] Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of the devices involved in carrying out the method according to the invention.

[0037] The method according to the invention makes it possible to provide particularly rapid and targeted assistance to a person 2 experiencing a health emergency in a vehicle 1. For this purpose, the person 2 is monitored using at least one sensor 3, shown in Figure 2, in order to analyze the vital status of the person 2. Corresponding sensors 3 can be permanently integrated into the vehicle 1 or into a mobile terminal 9. The mobile terminal 9 can be carried by the person 2 or worn on the body. Accordingly, the vehicle 1 and / or the mobile terminal 9 collect measurement data 101.

[0038] The vehicle 1 and / or the mobile terminal 9 comprise a computing unit 4 for evaluating the measurement data 101. The computing unit 4 derives vital data 5 from the measurement data 101, which allow conclusions to be drawn about the state of health of the person 2. If there is at least one deviation in the vital data 5 from predefined person-specific standard values, the corresponding computing unit 4 can trigger the output of an alarm 102 in the vehicle 1. An alarm 102 can be output both via the mobile terminal 9 and / or via vehicle-integrated means. By activating, for example, the vehicle's indicators or taillights and / or the horn, a corresponding alarm 102 can also be output externally to alert persons nearby.

[0039] With the aid of the method according to the invention, it is possible to issue an alarm 102 to person 2 before they themselves realize that their health is in immediate danger, such as in the case of an impending heart attack. The issue of alarm 102 results in an automatic notification of the health emergency to an external assistance person 8, unless this is proactively prevented by person 2 or another vehicle occupant 6. For this purpose, vehicle 1 establishes a communication connection 104 to assistance person 8 via a telecommunications unit 7 shown in Figure 2. If person 2 notices an impending health emergency independently of their vital sign monitoring, it is also possible for person 2 to alert assistance person 8 by entering a manual operating action 103 via a human-machine interface 11, also shown in Figure 2.

[0040] If the assistant 8 is alerted, at least parts of the vital data 5 are transmitted from the vehicle 1 to the assistant 8. In addition to at least part of the vital data 5, vehicle data 12 and / or personal data 13 can also be transmitted. The vehicle data 12 includes, for example, vehicle-intrinsic data such as a steering angle, vehicle travel speed, acceleration forces or the like, and the personal data 13 includes, for example, the name, gender, age, weight, height, blood type and / or the like of the person 2. In addition, bidirectional verbal communication between the assistant 8 and person 2 or the vehicle occupants 6 is established via the communication link 104.As a result, the assistant 8 is able to have a conversation with the person 2 and / or the vehicle occupants 6 and to analyze the current situation of the person 2 who is in a health emergency by evaluating the received vital data 5, vehicle data 12 and / or personal data 13.

[0041] The assistant 8 thus carries out an examination or treatment of the person 2 in step 105. The assistant 8 is accordingly able to assess the health status of the person 2 and recommend suitable measures to provide assistance. These measures are carried out directly by the person 2 and / or the vehicle occupants 6, and the assistant 8 is also able to operate the vehicle functions themselves in step 106. For example, the assistant 8 is able to adjust a vehicle seat, for example, move the vehicle seat forwards or backwards and / or raise or lower a backrest, switch an interior light on or off, adjust a vehicle air conditioning system to change the temperature in the vehicle interior and / or supply fresh air to the person 2, operate a window regulator, and / or adjust a seat heater.This enables the assistant 8 to examine the person 2 even more easily and reliably and, if necessary, to carry out assistance measures directly themselves. To instruct the vehicle occupants 6, the assistant 8 can cause information 107 to be output via output means of the vehicle 1. For example, the information 107 can be output acoustically via loudspeakers and / or visually via a display device in the vehicle 1. This prompts the vehicle occupants 6 to apply the first aid measures 108 appropriate for the current emergency situation. Because a human examines the person 2, a particularly differentiated and comprehensive, and thus targeted, examination and treatment of the person 2 is possible. This increases the chances of survival of the person 2 in an emergency.

[0042] The data collected in connection with the method according to the invention, i.e., vital data 5, vehicle data 12, and / or personal data 13, can be transmitted by the assistant 8 to a central processing unit 10, for example, a cloud server, also referred to as a backend. From there, the corresponding information can be made available to third parties. These include, for example, a rescue control center 14, an ambulance 15, an emergency doctor 16, and / or a hospital 17. In step 109, the assistant 8 can also directly inform the rescue control center 14 about the emergency, so that the rescue center 14 can initiate immediate relief measures, i.e., alerting the ambulance 15, in step 110. This enables rescuers to arrive at the vehicle 1 in a particularly short time.

[0043] It is also possible for corresponding vital data 5, vehicle data 12, and / or personal data 13 to be obtained from a clinic 17 via the emergency department 14. This occurs in a step 111. The emergency department 14 can arrange for the assignment of person 2 to a destination clinic in step 112. For this purpose, a pre-registration 113 is made. In step 114, person 2 is transported by ambulance 15 to the clinic 17, possibly including an examination by the emergency physician 16. A working diagnosis can be established in step 115.

[0044] Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of the devices involved in carrying out the method according to the invention. The vehicle 1 comprises several computing units 4, of which a first computing unit 4.1 is responsible for processing the vital data 5, and a second computing unit 4.2 serves to provide a wide variety of driver assistance systems. Relevant data such as program code and / or control parameters can be stored in a physical storage medium 18, which can also be part of the corresponding computing units 4.1 and 4.2. The aforementioned human-machine interface 11 serves for interaction with the person 2 and / or vehicle occupants 6. The vehicle 1 also comprises at least one, in this case several, sensors 3. The sensors 3 are integrated into a sensor unit 19, each with a sensor module, abbreviated as "SM," and biosignal processing.For example, an electrical or electronic sensor 3 “el”, a mechanical sensor 3 “mech”, and / or an optical sensor 3 “opt” can be used as sensors 3.

[0045] The telecommunications unit 7 is used for communication with the mobile terminal 9, a remote assistance system 20 via which the assistant 8 can be reached, and possibly an electronic health card 21. All common technologies can be used as a communication protocol, such as Bluetooth, WLAN, in particular WiFi, mobile communications, for example using LTE, and / or NFC.

[0046] The corresponding devices of vehicle 1 communicate via a data bus 22.

[0047] The mobile terminal 9 also includes a human-machine interface 11, a data bus 22, a corresponding sensor unit 19, and means for wireless data transmission, which utilize the communication protocol "KOM.P" underlying a radio technology such as Bluetooth or WLAN. The mobile terminal 9 also includes a processor 23 for performing data processing "DV" and a physical storage medium 18 for storing program code.

[0048] The remote assistance system 20 also includes means for implementing wireless communication, such as an LTE interface and a corresponding underlying communication protocol. Data is forwarded within the remote assistance system 20 in a similar manner via a data bus 22. Also part of the remote assistance system 20 are a physical storage medium 18 and a human-machine interface 11, via which the assistance person 8 can interact with the person 2 and / or the vehicle occupants 6.

[0049] The central idea is to enable a bidirectional verbal communication link between the assistant 8 and at least the person 2, as well as the possibility for the assistant 8 to conduct a visual examination of the person 2 with the aid of camera images generated by the camera(s) arranged in the vehicle 1. The assistant 8 is also able to remotely control vehicle functions to facilitate the examination and / or to directly initiate initial steps to assist the person 2.

Claims

Claims: A method for detecting a situation in which a person (2) inside a vehicle (1) experiences a medical emergency and for providing assistance, wherein vital signs of the person (2) are detected by means of at least one sensor (3), sensor data generated by the sensor (3) are evaluated by a processing unit (4) to determine vital data (5), and, depending on the vital data (5), instructions for providing assistance to the person (2) appropriate to the situation are issued in the vehicle (1), wherein the processing unit (4) examines the vital data (5) for deviations from normal values ​​and, upon detecting a deviation, causes an alarm (102) to be issued in the vehicle (1), wherein the processing unit (4) establishes a communication connection (104) to an external helper (8) by means of a telecommunications unit (7) and grants the helper (8) access to at least part of the vital data (5).wherein the computing unit (4) activates a microphone and a loudspeaker for establishing a bidirectional verbal communication link (104) between vehicle occupants (6) and assistant (8) and a camera which captures at least a section of a vehicle interior for transmitting camera images to the assistant (8), thereby enabling the assistant (8) to speak with the vehicle occupants (6), to visually examine the person (2) and, depending on the examination result, to suggest suitable measures to help the person (2), characterized in that person-specific norm values ​​are defined which the computing unit (4) takes into account when examining the vital data (5) for deviations; the computing unit (4) only establishes the communication link (104) to the assistant (8) if this is not proactively prevented by a vehicle occupant (6); and, The computing unit (4) further grants the assistant (8) access to the control of vehicle functions, wherein the assistant (8) controls at least one vehicle function to facilitate the investigation and / or to assist the person (2). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the assistant (8) controls at least one of the following vehicle functions: - Adjusting a seat; - Switching interior lights on or off; - Adjusting a vehicle's air conditioning system; - Operating a window regulator; and / or - Setting a seat heater. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that vital signs are recorded and vital data (5) are determined which enable an assessment of the state of the cardiovascular system of the person (2). Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one vehicle-integrated sensor (3) and / or at least one sensor (3) integrated into a mobile device (9) worn or carried by the person (2) is used to record the vital signs (5). Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that Information relevant to the investigation and / or the appropriate measures to assist the person (2) are visually displayed in the vehicle (1). A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that at least part of the vital data (5) is transmitted to a third party, wherein at least part of the vital data (5) from the vehicle (1) is transmitted to the person assisting (8). and is transmitted by the assistant (8) to a central processing unit (10) external to the vehicle, through which third parties are granted access to at least part of the vital data (5). A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the alarm (102) is output in the vehicle (1) haptically, visually, and / or audibly. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the alarm (102) is output externally to the vehicle visually and / or audibly, and / or the vehicle (1) is automatically brought to a standstill upon output of the alarm (102).First aid system comprising a vehicle (1), a computing unit (4), a telecommunications unit (7), a sensor (3), a human-machine interface (11), and a camera, characterized in that the vehicle (1), the computing unit (4), the telecommunications unit (7), the sensor (3), the human-machine interface (11) and a camera are configured to carry out a method according to one of claims 1 to 8.

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