Alert transmission in case of impact on a stationary vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for transmitting an alert in a vehicle. Upon receiving (201) a signal indicating an impact on the vehicle while the vehicle is stationary, the method comprises determining (202) the presence or absence of at least one person inside the vehicle. If the presence of at least one person is determined to be inside the vehicle, the method comprises transmitting (203) an alert to a remote recipient predetermined by a radio communication module of the vehicle. FIG. 2

Description

Title of the invention: Warning transmission in case of impact on a stationary vehicle

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of transmission of an alert in the event of a vehicle collision, for example in the event of an accident.

[0002] The term “vehicle” means any type of vehicle such as a private, utility or heavy goods vehicle.

[0003] It is known to launch an emergency call in an automated manner, in the event of a vehicle accident detected while the vehicle is in motion.

[0004] When the vehicle is parked, an emergency call may be provided in case an emergency is detected for an occupant, for example if the occupant is detected as being ill.

[0005] However, there is no solution for dealing with the case of an accident or collision with a vehicle when the vehicle is stationary, particularly when the engine is off, or even when the ignition is off and the vehicle is switched off.

[0006] There is therefore a need to improve the safety of the occupants of a vehicle, including in driving situations where the vehicle is stationary.

[0007] To this end, a first aspect of the invention relates to a method for transmitting an alert in a vehicle, comprising the following steps: - upon receiving a signal indicating an impact on the vehicle while the vehicle is stationary, determining the presence or absence of at least one person inside the vehicle; - if the presence of at least one person is determined to be inside the vehicle, an alert is transmitted to a remote recipient predetermined by a radio communication module of the vehicle.

[0008] Thus, the method according to the invention makes it possible to improve the safety of the occupants of a vehicle when the vehicle is stopped.

[0009] According to embodiments, the method may further include determining a vehicle contact state and the presence or absence of at least one person inside the vehicle may be determined upon receipt of the signal indicating an impact on the vehicle when the contact state indicates that one of the vehicle's engines is off.

[0010] Thus, the safety of the vehicle's occupants is improved, including when the vehicle's engine is off.

[0011] According to some embodiments, determining the presence or absence of at least one person inside the vehicle can be based on data descriptive of the presence or absence of at least one person inside the vehicle, received from at least one sensor.

[0012] Thus, the invention takes advantage of sensors already present on most current vehicles, which reduces its cost and facilitates its integration into existing vehicles.

[0013] In addition, descriptive data on the presence or absence of at least one person inside the vehicle are received from at least one sensor among: - a weight sensor; and / or - a motion sensor; and / or - a camera pointed towards the inside of the vehicle.

[0014] Most current vehicles are equipped with at least one of these sensors, which facilitates the integration of the invention into the vehicle and reduces its cost.

[0015] According to some embodiments, the signal indicating a shock is received from at least one sensor among: - a trigger sensor for an airbag protection system; and / or - a vehicle impact sensor.

[0016] Again, such sensors are generally already present in vehicles, which facilitates the integration of the invention and reduces its cost.

[0017] According to some embodiments, the alert transmitted is a predetermined emergency message or an emergency call.

[0018] Thus, it is permissible to alert the predetermined remote recipient about an urgent situation, potentially endangering one or more occupants of the vehicle.

[0019] Alternatively, the transmitted alert is a message determined from shock detection data and / or descriptive data of the presence or absence of at least one person inside the vehicle.

[0020] Thus, the emergency is characterized precisely to the predetermined remote recipient, which improves their handling of the emergency, and improves the safety of the vehicle occupants.

[0021] A second aspect of the invention relates to a computer program comprising instructions for implementing the method according to the first aspect of the invention, when these instructions are executed by a processor.

[0022] A third aspect of the invention relates to a control module in a vehicle, comprising an interface capable of receiving a signal indicating an impact on the vehicle, and a processor configured to: determine the presence or absence of at least one person inside the vehicle, upon receipt of the signal indicating an impact on the vehicle while the vehicle is stationary, and - if it is determined that at least one person is inside the vehicle, transmit an alert to a remote recipient predetermined by a radio communication module of the vehicle.

[0023] A fourth aspect of the invention relates to a vehicle comprising a control module according to the third aspect of the invention and a radio communication module capable of transmitting the alert to the predetermined remote recipient.

[0024] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from an examination of the detailed description below, and the accompanying drawings in which:

[0025] [Fig-1] illustrates a motor vehicle according to embodiments of the invention;

[0026] [Fig.2] is a method for transmitting an alert in the event of a vehicle accident according to methods of implementing the invention;

[0027] [Fig.3] illustrates a control module in a vehicle, according to modes of realization of the invention.

[0028] Fig. 1 illustrates a motor vehicle 100, according to embodiments of the invention.

[0029] The vehicle 100 includes a control module 101, capable of implementing the method according to the invention, for transmitting an alert in the event of a shock, in particular an accident, detected on the vehicle, while the vehicle is stationary.

[0030] The control module 101 may be exclusively dedicated to the function of transmitting a warning in the event of a collision, or may, alternatively, be capable of performing at least one other function implemented in the vehicle 100. The control module 101 may be an “Electronic Control Unit” type module, ECU.

[0031] In a known manner, the vehicle comprises: - a battery 104 storing electrical energy and capable of supplying electrical energy to the vehicle's electrical systems 100. The power supply to all the car's electrical systems can be activated by a contact 106 of the vehicle when the contact is in an "activated" or "on" state; - a 105 engine, which can be started by the vehicle's contact 106, when the contact 106 is in a "started" or "start" state.

[0032] Thus, in the "activated" state of contact 106, the electrical systems of the vehicle 100 are powered while the engine is off. In the "started" state of contact 106, the engine 105 is running and the electrical systems are powered.

[0033] The driver can change the state of the contact 106 by interaction between a physical key and the contact, or by manipulating a physical interface such as a dial having several positions corresponding to the respective states of the contact 106.

[0034] According to the invention, the control module 101 is capable of obtaining information on the state of the contact 106, so as to determine whether the vehicle is stopped, in particular whether the engine is in an operating state of being on or off.

[0035] The vehicle 100 may include a radio communication module 102 capable of communicating with a mobile access network via technologies such as 4G or 5G, for example, and / or with other road vehicles or road infrastructure elements, according to technologies known as V2X, or "Vehicle to Air". The radio communication module 102 thus enables the establishment of communication sessions with remote entities, in particular for the transmission of the alert according to the invention, as described below, in the form of an emergency call or an emergency message.

[0036] The vehicle 100 may further comprise a set of N sensors 103, referenced 103.1 to 103.N, N being an integer greater than or equal to 2.

[0037] According to the invention, the set of N sensors 103 includes at least one first sensor which is capable of acquiring descriptive data on the presence or absence of at least one passenger inside the vehicle.

[0038] No restrictions are attached to the at least one first sensor, which may be one or more of the following sensors: - a weight sensor, for example of the piezoelectric type; and / or - a motion sensor; and / or - a color or infrared camera directed towards the interior of the vehicle. The color camera may be of the RGB type, for "Red Green Blue" in English; and / or - any other sensor capable of acquiring descriptive data on the presence or absence of at least one passenger inside the vehicle.

[0039] According to the invention, the set of N sensors 103 comprises at least one second sensor capable of detecting an impact on the vehicle 100, and of obtaining, for this purpose, impact detection data descriptive of the detected impact, for example, an accident involving the vehicle 100. The at least one second sensor may be one or more of the following sensors: - a trigger sensor for an airbag protection system; and / or - a shock sensor, including for example an accelerometer; and / or - any other sensor capable of detecting an impact on the vehicle, in particular an accident of vehicle 100.

[0040] Vehicle shock or accident means any situation involving deformation or degradation of the vehicle, one of its components or its bodywork in particular, due to a collision, explosion, forcing or any other mechanical or chemical cause.

[0041] The shock detection data can thus indicate a type of shock and / or at least one component of the vehicle involved in the shock.

[0042] Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating the steps of a method for transmitting an alert, according to embodiments of the invention.

[0043] The process described with reference to [Fig.2] can be implemented in the vehicle 100 described with reference to [Fig.1], in particular by the control module 101.

[0044] Initially, according to the invention, at a step 200, the control module 101 determines that the vehicle is stationary, i.e., that the engine is off. Such a determination can be based on the state of the contact 106, which is accessed by the control module 101. The vehicle contact can, for example, be: - in a "stopped" state, in which not only is the engine stopped, but the battery 104 is not powering all the vehicle's electrical systems 100; or - or in an "activated" state in which the vehicle's electrical systems are powered by battery 104, but in which engine 105 is stopped.

[0045] The vehicle may, for example, be stopped because it is parked or during a car wash service.

[0046] At a step 201, the control module 101 receives a signal indicating an impact on the vehicle 100 from at least one second sensor 101. The control module 101 thus detects an impact on the vehicle 100 during step 201. Optionally, the control module 101 may also receive impact detection data from at least one other sensor 101.

[0047] The process according to the invention then proceeds to a step 202, after having thus cumulatively determined: - that the vehicle is stopped, in particular that engine 105 is stopped; and - that an impact has been detected on vehicle 100.

[0048] During step 202, the control module 101 determines whether at least one passenger is present in the vehicle 100, based on descriptive data of the presence or absence of at least one passenger inside the vehicle, from at least one first sensor.

[0049] If the control module 101 determines that the vehicle 100 has no passengers at step 202, the process ends at a step 204, without transmission of an alert.

[0050] If the control module 101 determines that the vehicle 100 contains at least one passenger in step 202, the control module 101 transmits an alert to a predetermined remote recipient via the radio communication module 102 described previously. The predetermined remote recipient may be associated with a contact address stored in the memory of the control module 101.

[0051] The transmission of the alert may include: - the transmission of a predetermined emergency message to the predetermined remote recipient; - the transmission of a predetermined emergency message, based on shock detection data and / or descriptive data indicating the presence of at least one passenger, to a predetermined remote recipient. For example, the emergency message thus determined may indicate a type of shock and / or a number of passengers detected; - the issuance of an emergency call to the predetermined remote recipient.

[0052] Thus, the invention makes it possible to improve the safety of the occupants of a vehicle, including in situations where the vehicle is stationary.

[0053] Figure 3 shows the structure of a control module 101, according to embodiments of the invention.

[0054] The control module 101 includes a processor 301 configured to communicate unidirectionally or bidirectionally, via one or more buses or via a direct wired connection, with a memory 302 such as a Random Access Memory (RAM), a Read Only Memory (ROM), or any other type of memory (Flash, EEPROM, etc.). Alternatively, the memory 302 comprises several memories of the aforementioned types.

[0055] The memory 302 is capable of storing, permanently or temporarily, at least some of the data used and / or resulting from the implementation of the steps of the process described with reference to [Fig.2].

[0056] In particular, memory 302 can store the emergency message and the contact address to which the emergency message and / or emergency call should be sent, and can store, at least temporarily, descriptive data of the presence or absence of the driver, and shock detection data.

[0057] The processor 301 is capable of executing instructions, stored in memory 302, for the implementation of the steps of the process according to the invention, described with reference to [Fig. 2]. Alternatively, the processor 301 can be replaced by a microcontroller designed and configured to perform the steps of the process according to the invention, described with reference to [Fig. 2].

[0058] The control module 101 includes at least a first interface 303 which is a receiving interface capable of obtaining descriptive data on the presence or absence of a passenger in the vehicle communicated by at least a first sensor of the assembly 103.

[0059] The control module 101 further includes a second interface 304 which is a receiving interface capable of receiving the signal indicating a shock from at least one second sensor of the assembly 103, and optionally the shock detection data.

[0060] The control module 101 includes a third interface 305 capable of transmitting the alert to the predetermined recipient, either in the form of an emergency message or in the form of an emergency call, via the communication module 102 of the vehicle.

[0061] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above by way of example; it extends to other variants.

Claims

Demands

1. A method for transmitting an alert in a vehicle (100), comprising the following steps: - upon receipt (201) of a signal indicating an impact on the vehicle while the vehicle is stationary, determination (202) of the presence or absence of at least one person inside the vehicle; - in the event of determination of the presence of at least one person inside the vehicle, transmission (203) of an alert to a remote recipient predetermined by a radio communication module (102) of the vehicle.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a determination (200) of a contact state (106) of the vehicle (100); wherein the presence or absence of at least one person inside the vehicle is determined (202) upon receipt (201) of the signal indicating an impact on the vehicle while the contact state indicates that an engine (105) of the vehicle is stopped.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the determination (202) of the presence or absence of at least one person inside the vehicle (100) is based on descriptive data of the presence or absence of at least one person inside the vehicle, received from at least one sensor (103.1-103.N)

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein descriptive data on the presence or absence of at least one person inside the vehicle are received from at least one sensor (103.1-103.N) among: - a weight sensor; and / or - a motion sensor; and / or - a camera directed towards the inside of the vehicle.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the signal indicating a shock is received from at least one sensor (103.1-103.N) among: - a trigger sensor of an airbag protection system; and / or - a vehicle shock sensor.

6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the alert transmitted is a predetermined emergency message or an emergency call.

7. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the transmitted alert is a message determined from shock detection data and / or descriptive data of the presence or absence of at least one person inside the vehicle.

8. Computer program comprising instructions for carrying out the method according to any one of the preceding claims, when such instructions are executed by a processor (301).

9. Control module (101) in a vehicle (100), comprising an interface (304) capable of receiving a signal indicating an impact on the vehicle, and a processor (301) configured to: - determine the presence or absence of at least one person inside the vehicle, upon receipt of the signal indicating an impact on the vehicle while the vehicle is stationary, and - if the presence of at least one person inside the vehicle is determined, transmit an alert to a remote recipient predetermined by a radio communication module of the vehicle.

10. Vehicle (100) comprising a control module (101) according to claim 9 and a radio communication module (102) capable of transmitting the alert to the predetermined remote recipient.

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