Vehicles and server equipment equipped with emergency call functions.

Abstract

To provide a vehicle with emergency notification function and a server device that can take various responses to emergencies occurring in a vehicle.SOLUTION: In an automatic emergency notification system 1, a vehicle 2 with emergency notification function includes: a vehicle communication unit that transmits an emergency notification about an emergency occurring in the vehicle 2 to a server device 4 for requesting an emergency response; an emergency notification switch that can be operated manually by an occupant of the vehicle 2 when the emergency occurs; a user interface unit provided on the vehicle 2 for the occupant of the vehicle 2; and a CPU that functions as a control unit that generates an emergency notification and transmits it from the vehicle communication unit when the emergency occurs in the vehicle 2. The control unit presents a plurality of type items of emergencies in the user interface unit to let the occupant make a selection when the emergency notification switch is manually operated by the occupant of the vehicle 2, generates an emergency notification by the manual operation for the type item selected by the occupant, and transmits the emergency notification from the vehicle communication unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vehicle having an emergency notification function and a server device.

Background Art

[0002] Vehicles such as automobiles may collide with other automobiles while traveling or the physical condition of the passengers may deteriorate. In this case, the automobile will make an emergency notification to the operator of the emergency support center (Patent Documents 1 and 2). When there is an emergency notification, the operator of the emergency support center requests the dispatched unit to dispatch. The dispatched unit uses an emergency vehicle or the like and rushes to the site where the automobile that made the emergency notification is located and executes an emergency response. As a result, the automobile and the passengers in which an emergency has occurred can receive an emergency response.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] By the way, emergencies may occur frequently simultaneously. In this case, if an emergency dispatch is requested for all emergency notifications to specialized dispatched units for emergency responses such as ambulance and wrecker, it may become impossible to respond to emergencies. Furthermore, vehicle emergencies include not only serious and severe emergencies such as accidents and occupant emergencies, but also simpler emergencies such as vehicles getting stuck, dead batteries, and running out of fuel. In the case of simpler emergencies, it may be possible for other vehicle users who are nearby to respond, rather than requiring a specialized emergency response team.

[0005] Thus, vehicles are required to be equipped to handle a variety of emergencies that may occur within the vehicle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A vehicle having an emergency call function according to one embodiment of the present invention makes an emergency call regarding an emergency that occurs in the vehicle. 、 A vehicle communication unit that transmits to a server device to request emergency response; an emergency call switch that can be manually operated by the occupants of the vehicle when an emergency occurs; a user interface unit provided in the vehicle for the occupants of the vehicle; and a control unit that generates an emergency call and transmits it from the vehicle communication unit when an emergency occurs in the vehicle. A memory that stores, as supplementary information for each of the multiple emergency type items that are selectably presented in the user interface unit, the vehicle's weight or vehicle class, the vehicle's battery size or output voltage, or the vehicle's fuel type or tank capacity, and a detection unit that detects an emergency in the vehicle or its occupants, The control unit has the following characteristics: to , in the user interface section Multiple types of emergencies include the vehicle getting stuck, having a dead battery, and running out of fuel. The options are presented to the crew for selection, and a manual emergency call is generated for the type of item selected by the crew. Furthermore, it is possible to obtain supplementary information about the type item selected by the occupant from the memory and transmit the emergency notification from the vehicle communication unit along with the type item selected by the occupant, and when the detection unit detects an emergency in the vehicle or occupant, it is possible to generate an emergency notification about the emergency occurring in the vehicle and automatically transmit it from the vehicle communication unit to the server device. If the emergency call switch is manually operated by the occupant of the vehicle, the automatic transmission of emergency calls based on the emergency situation by the detection unit is stopped, and only the manually operated emergency call for the type of item selected by the occupant is transmitted from the vehicle communication unit to the server device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] In this invention, when the emergency call switch is manually operated by a vehicle occupant, the user interface unit presents multiple emergency type items for the occupant to select, and generates a manually operated emergency call for the type item selected by the occupant, which is then transmitted from the vehicle communication unit. As a result, a server device that receives emergency calls from a vehicle can distinguish between other emergency calls, such as an emergency call automatically transmitted based on emergency detection, and other emergency calls, in that the received emergency call is based on a type item manually selected by the occupant of the vehicle where the emergency occurred using the user interface unit. The control unit, for example, in the user interface, presents only simple emergency scenarios that can be handled by the user, such as vehicle getting stuck, dead battery, and running out of fuel. This allows the server device, which receives emergency calls from vehicles, to recognize emergency calls based on manually selected scenarios as simple emergencies and to request assistance from other vehicle users near the vehicle experiencing the emergency, rather than from a specialized emergency response team. The server device can then take a variety of actions to address emergencies occurring in vehicles. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is an explanatory diagram of an automatic emergency call system for an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram of a computer device that can be used as a server device or operator terminal as shown in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the control system of the automobile shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a timing chart showing the basic flow of automatic emergency calls within the overall automatic emergency call system shown in Figure 1. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a flowchart of the manual emergency call control that can be implemented by the vehicle shown in Figure 1. [Figure 6]FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an example of a simple type item table of a plurality of emergency situations recorded in the vehicle memory of FIG. 3. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram of an example of an accompanying information table for each simple type item of an emergency situation recorded in the vehicle memory of FIG. 3. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a flowchart of automatic emergency reporting control that can be performed by the vehicle of FIG. 1. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flowchart of server control that can be performed by the server device of FIG. 1 for emergency reporting. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of an example of an emergency responder table recorded in the memory of the server device of FIG. 1.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

[0011] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an automatic emergency reporting system 1 of a vehicle 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The automatic emergency reporting system 1 of FIG. 1 includes a vehicle 2 corresponding to the system, an operator terminal 3 of an emergency support center, and a server device 4.

[0012] The vehicle 2 is an example of a vehicle that can travel with passengers. The control system 30 of the vehicle 2 establishes a communication path with a base station 6 including the road on which the vehicle 2 travels as a zone by a mobile communication device 33 described later. A plurality of base stations 6 are connected to a communication network 7. The base station 6 and the communication network 7 may be those of 5G provided by a carrier or those dedicated to, for example, ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) provided by a public institution or the like. The server device 4 is connected to the communication network 7 and the local area network 5 of the emergency support center by a communication device 17 described later. An operator terminal 3 is connected to the local area network 5.

[0013] Automobile 2 may collide with another automobile 9 during driving or the physical condition of the occupants such as the owner driving may deteriorate. When an emergency occurs in automobile 2 like this, the control system 30 of automobile 2 transmits an emergency notification to the server device 4 of the emergency support center through the base station 6 and the communication network 7 from the mobile communication device 33 described later. At the emergency support center, the server device 4 receives an emergency notification from automobile 2 where an emergency has occurred. The operator reads information about automobile 2 where an emergency has occurred from the server device 4 using, for example, the operator terminal 3, makes a call to the occupants of automobile 2 as necessary to confirm the degree of injury, etc., and requests the dispatch of the emergency response dispatch unit. Note that the request for the dispatch of automobile 2 having an emergency notification function may be requested by the server device 4 to the emergency response dispatch unit. The emergency response dispatch unit rides in the emergency vehicle 8 and rushes to the scene where automobile 2 that made the emergency notification is located and executes an emergency response. Thereby, automobile 2 and the occupants where an emergency has occurred can receive an emergency response by the dispatch unit.

[0014] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a computer device 10 that can be used as the server device 4 or the operator terminal 3 of FIG. 1. The computer device 10 in FIG. 2 has a CPU 11, a memory 12, a GNSS receiver 13, a timer 1, a display device 15, an operation device 16, a communication device 17, and a server bus 18 to which these are connected. Note that the computer device 10 as the server device 4 may be composed of a CPU 11, a memory 12, a GNSS receiver 13, a timer 14, and a communication device 17. The computer device 10 as the operator terminal 3 may have a microphone and a speaker (not shown) for calls.

[0015] The communication device 17 is connected to the communication network 7 or the local area network 5. The communication device 17 transmits and receives communication data of the computer device 10. For example, the communication device 17 of the server device 4 receives an emergency notification from automobile 2 as a server communication unit.

[0016] The display device 15 is, for example, an LCD monitor, which displays a screen for the operator or other user. The display screen of the display device 15 may include, for example, an emergency call screen, a call screen, a dispatch request screen, and so on. The emergency call screen displays whether an emergency call has been received from the server device 4, the content of the emergency call, etc. The content of the emergency call may include the location of the vehicle 2 that made the emergency call, the time of the call, and the reported or predicted condition of vehicle 2 and its occupants. It may also display whether there are any other emergency calls occurring nearby. The call screen could be, for example, the screen used to initiate a call to the mobile device of vehicle 2 or its occupant that has received an emergency call. The dispatch request screen should be a screen that requests deployment of units near the scene of the emergency.

[0017] The operating device 16 is, for example, a keyboard, pointing device, touch panel, or button, and is operated by an operator. The operator operates the operating device 16 to switch, for example, the display screen of the display device 15.

[0018] The GNSS receiver 13 receives radio waves from the GNSS satellite 101 shown in Figure 1 and generates the current time. The GNSS receiver 13 may also obtain the installation location of the computer device 10 along with the current time.

[0019] Timer 14 measures time or time. The time of Timer 14 may be calibrated by the current time of GNSS receiver 13.

[0020] Memory 12 stores programs and data for the computer device 10 to function as a server device 4 or an operator terminal 3. For example, the memory 12 of the server device 4 may store information on multiple emergency responders who can be requested to respond.

[0021] The CPU 11 reads and executes a program from memory 12. As a result, the CPU 11 functions as a control unit that controls the overall operation of the server device 4 or a control unit that controls the overall operation of the operator terminal 3. The CPU 11, acting as the control unit of the server device 4, may, when the communication device 17 receives an emergency call from the vehicle 2, select information on the emergency responder to be dispatched from the memory 12. The CPU 11, acting as the control unit of the server device 4, may also request the emergency response team to dispatch personnel regarding the vehicle 2 that made the emergency call. The CPU 11, acting as the control unit for the operator terminal 3, accesses the server device 4 in response to the operator's operation on the display screen, obtains information regarding emergency calls from the server device 4, and switches the display on the display device 15.

[0022] Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram of the control system 30 of the automobile 2 shown in Figure 1. The control system 30 of the automobile 2 in Figure 3 includes a vehicle ECU 31, a vehicle memory 32, a mobile communication device 33, a vehicle GNSS receiver 34, a vehicle timer 35, an acceleration sensor 36, a occupant monitoring system (DMS) 37, an in-vehicle camera 38, an in-vehicle speaker 39, an in-vehicle microphone 40, a vehicle display device 41, a vehicle operation device 42, an SOS switch 43, and a vehicle network 44 to which these are connected. The vehicle network 44 may be a wired communication network for the vehicle 2, for example, one compliant with CAN (Controller Area Network) or LIN (Local Interconnect Network). The vehicle network 44 may also be a communication network such as a LAN, or a combination of these. A wireless communication network may be included as part of the vehicle network 44. The vehicle GNSS receiver 34, vehicle timer 35, vehicle display device 41, vehicle operation device 42, in-vehicle speaker 39, and in-vehicle microphone 40 may be the same as those in the computer device 10 in Figure 2. However, the vehicle operation device 42 is preferably a touch panel that is superimposed on the vehicle display device 41. The vehicle display device 41 may display, for example, the status of the autonomous driving of the vehicle 2, an emergency call screen, etc. The vehicle operation device 42 and the vehicle display device 41 function as a user interface unit provided in the vehicle 2 for the occupants of the vehicle 2.

[0023] The mobile communication device 33 establishes a communication path with the base station 6. As a vehicle communication unit, the mobile communication device 33 sends and receives data with the communication device 17 of the server device 4 through the base station 6 and the communication network 7.

[0024] The acceleration sensor 36 detects the acceleration of the vehicle 2. The acceleration sensor 36 may also detect the speed of the vehicle 2. When the vehicle 2 makes a sudden stop or collides, a higher acceleration than normal occurs. As a detection unit, the acceleration sensor 36 can detect emergencies such as collisions involving the vehicle 2.

[0025] The in-car camera 38 captures images of the interior of the car 2. The in-car camera 38 may capture images of only the owner of the car 2, or it may capture images of the entire interior.

[0026] The occupant monitoring device 37 identifies the owner and passengers in the vehicle based on images captured by the in-vehicle camera 38 and monitors their condition. Occupants may fall asleep, be distracted, or have an abnormal heart rate. The occupant monitoring device 37 may detect abnormalities in the occupants' health condition based on an abnormal heart rate or other factors. The occupant monitoring device 37 can detect an emergency situation involving an occupant by detecting abnormal conditions in the occupants as a detection unit.

[0027] The SOS switch 43 may be a separate physical button located inside the vehicle 2, for example, on the steering wheel or shift knob. Since the SOS switch 43 is operated by the occupants in an emergency, it should be located in a position that is easy for the driver to operate. The SOS switch 43 may be equipped with a button cover or the like to prevent unintentional misoperation. The SOS switch 43 is an emergency call switch that is manually operated by the occupants of the vehicle 2 in an emergency. In this embodiment, the SOS switch 43, which can be manually operated by the occupants of the vehicle 2 in the event of an emergency, is separate from the user interface unit consisting of the vehicle display device 41 and the vehicle operation device 42 described above. In addition, for example, the SOS switch 43 may be provided in the vehicle 2 as an integrated unit, incorporated into the vehicle operation device 42 described above. Alternatively, the SOS switch 43 may be displayed on the vehicle display device 41 so as to be operable by the vehicle operation device 42.

[0028] The vehicle memory 32 stores programs and data.

[0029] The vehicle ECU 31 reads and executes a program from the vehicle memory 32. As a result, the vehicle ECU 31 functions as a control unit that controls the overall operation of the vehicle 2, including its driving control. The vehicle ECU 31, which acts as the control unit for the vehicle 2, controls the driving of the vehicle 2, including autonomous driving. The vehicle ECU 31 detects, for example, a collision when the value detected by the acceleration sensor 36 exceeds a threshold, or when the occupant monitoring device 37 detects an abnormality or instability in the occupant's health condition. Based on these detections, the vehicle ECU 31 determines that an emergency has occurred in the vehicle 2. When an emergency occurs in the vehicle 2, the vehicle ECU 31 generates an emergency notification and automatically transmits it from the mobile communication device 33 to the server device 4. The mobile communication device 33, as a vehicle communication unit, can transmit an emergency notification about an emergency occurring in the vehicle 2 to the server device 4 to request an emergency response.

[0030] Figure 4 is a timing chart showing the basic flow of automatic emergency calls in the overall automatic emergency call system 1 of Figure 1. Figure 4 shows a car 2 and a server device 4. Time flows from top to bottom. Figure 4 shows an example of an emergency call in the event of a collision involving vehicle 2. Emergency calls in other situations are basically similar to those in Figure 4.

[0031] In step ST1, the vehicle ECU 31 of the automobile 2 identifies the occupants in the automobile 2. The vehicle ECU 31 identifies the occupants using, for example, an occupant monitoring device 37.

[0032] In step ST2, the vehicle ECU 31 of automobile 2 initiates emergency call control.

[0033] In step ST3, the vehicle ECU 31 of the vehicle 2 detects a collision with the vehicle 2. The vehicle ECU 31 detects a collision with the vehicle 2, for example, when the value detected by the acceleration sensor 36 exceeds a threshold. The vehicle ECU 31 may also detect a collision with the vehicle 2 by predicting an unavoidable collision with the vehicle 2.

[0034] In step ST4, the vehicle ECU 31 of the vehicle 2 collects information from the vehicle 2. The vehicle ECU 31 may, for example, use an occupant monitoring device 37 to collect information on the occupants' condition after collision detection. The occupants may have been injured or injured as a result of the collision, or may be unconscious.

[0035] In step ST5, the vehicle ECU 31 of vehicle 2 determines whether an emergency requiring emergency notification has occurred. The vehicle ECU 31 may determine whether an emergency requiring emergency notification has occurred based on, for example, the degree of impact from the collision, the awareness or movement of occupants such as the owner, etc. If an emergency requiring emergency notification has occurred, the vehicle ECU 31 proceeds to step ST6. If an emergency requiring emergency notification has not occurred, the vehicle ECU 31 returns to step ST4. This allows the vehicle ECU 31 to continue monitoring the state after collision detection.

[0036] In step ST6, the vehicle ECU 31 of automobile 2 acquires occupant injury information. The vehicle ECU 31 may acquire, for example, information about the occupant's condition after collision detection, which was acquired in step ST4, as occupant injury information.

[0037] In step ST7, the vehicle ECU 31 of car 2 automatically transmits an emergency call. The vehicle ECU 31 uses the mobile communication device 33 to transmit an emergency call to the server device 4 indicating that car 2 is in an emergency situation due to accident detection. This automatically transmitted emergency call may include information about occupant injuries. In this way, when the vehicle ECU 31 of automobile 2 detects an emergency in automobile 2 or its occupants, it can generate an emergency notification about the emergency occurring in automobile 2 and automatically transmit it from the mobile communication device 33 to the server device 4.

[0038] In step ST11, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 determines whether or not an emergency call has been received. The server device 4 receives the emergency call transmitted by the vehicle ECU 31 of the automobile 2 in step ST7. If no emergency call has been received, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 repeats this process. If an emergency call is received, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 proceeds to step ST12.

[0039] In step ST12, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 outputs a dispatch request to the dispatching unit based on the information contained in the emergency call. Upon receiving a dispatch request, the response unit will rush to the location of the vehicle that made the emergency call, taking with them the information contained in the emergency call, and carry out emergency response activities such as medical assistance.

[0040] Incidentally, emergencies can occur simultaneously and frequently. In such cases, if we were to request emergency response from specialized emergency response units, such as ambulances and tow trucks, for every single emergency call, emergency response resources would be depleted, potentially making it impossible to respond to emergencies. Furthermore, emergencies occurring in vehicle 2 include not only serious and severe emergencies such as accidents or occupant emergencies, but also simpler emergencies such as vehicle 2 getting stuck, a dead battery, or running out of fuel. In the case of simpler emergencies, it may be possible for other vehicle users who are nearby the vehicle where the emergency occurred to respond, rather than requiring a specialized emergency response team. Thus, it is necessary to ensure that vehicle 2 can take a variety of actions to respond to emergencies that may occur in vehicle 2.

[0041] Figure 5 is a flowchart of the manual emergency call control that can be performed by vehicle 2 in Figure 1. The vehicle ECU 31 of automobile 2 repeatedly executes the control shown in Figure 5.

[0042] In step ST21, the vehicle ECU 31 determines whether the SOS switch 43, which serves as an emergency call switch, has been manually operated by an occupant of the vehicle 2. If the SOS switch 43 has not been manually operated, the vehicle ECU 31 repeats this process. If the SOS switch 43 is manually operated, the vehicle ECU 31 proceeds to step ST22.

[0043] In step ST22, the vehicle ECU 31 generates a simplified confirmation screen to be displayed when the SOS switch 43 is manually operated, and displays it on the vehicle display device 41, which serves as the user interface. The simplified confirmation screen presents buttons for several simplified emergency categories that can be selected by manual operation of the vehicle operation device 42. To prevent the number of buttons for simplified categories from becoming excessive and burdensome to operate during an emergency, the simplified confirmation screen may display a limited number of buttons for multiple simplified emergency categories, for example, five or fewer. The simplified confirmation screen may also include buttons for manual emergency reporting without selecting a specific simplified category, a cancel button, etc.

[0044] In step ST23, the vehicle ECU 31 acquires the occupant's manual operation of the vehicle operation device 42 from the vehicle operation device 42, while a simplified confirmation screen containing buttons for multiple simplified emergency categories is displayed on the vehicle display device 41. The occupant selectively selects from the multiple simplified category buttons that corresponds to the emergency currently occurring. This allows the vehicle ECU 31 to present multiple emergency categories in the user interface section (vehicle display device 41, vehicle operation device 42) and allow the occupant to make a selection.

[0045] In step ST24, the vehicle ECU 31 determines whether a button for a simplified category item has been selected by the occupant's manual operation of the vehicle operating device 42. If the operation is not performed to select a button for a simplified category item, the vehicle ECU 31 terminates this control. In this case, no emergency call is generated by manual operation. If the operation is performed to select a button for a simplified category item, the vehicle ECU 31 proceeds to step ST25.

[0046] In step ST25, the vehicle ECU 31 generates a manually operated emergency call for a simple type item that has been manually operated by the occupant. This emergency call is generated because the SOS switch 43, which acts as an emergency call switch, has been manually operated by the occupant of the vehicle 2, and is different from the automatic emergency call generated by the vehicle 2 based on its own emergency judgment. The manually operated emergency call may include information indicating that it is a manually operated emergency call. The vehicle ECU 31 may temporarily record the generated manually operated emergency call in the vehicle memory 32. After that, the vehicle ECU 31 terminates this control.

[0047] Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a simplified emergency category table 51 recorded in the vehicle memory 32 of Figure 3. The simplified emergency category table 51 in Figure 6 includes information on buttons for vehicle 2 being stuck, dead battery, and running out of fuel. These emergencies are simpler and more isolated than accidents involving vehicle 2 or sudden illness of an occupant, and can be handled by other vehicle users without the need for a specialized emergency response team. They can be handled among the users of vehicle 2.

[0048] In this case, in step ST22, the vehicle ECU 31 generates a simple confirmation screen including buttons for vehicle 2 being stuck, battery dead, and fuel depleted, and displays it on the vehicle display device 41.

[0049] Figure 7 is an explanatory diagram of an example of an accompanying information table 52 for each simplified emergency category recorded in the vehicle memory 32 of Figure 3. The supplementary information table 52 for the simplified emergency categories in Figure 7 records information such as the weight of vehicle 2, the size of vehicle 2, the size of vehicle 2's battery according to specifications, the output voltage of vehicle 2's battery, the type of fuel vehicle 2 uses, and the tank capacity of vehicle 2.

[0050] In this case, when the vehicle ECU 31 generates a manually operated emergency call in step ST25, it reads and obtains information from the vehicle memory 32 corresponding to the manually operated simplified type item in the accompanying information table 52 and adds it to the manually operated emergency call to be generated. As a result, the manual emergency call generated by the vehicle's ECU31 includes information on the simplified emergency category selected by the occupant, along with any associated information. For example, if an occupant manually operates the button for vehicle 2 to be stuck, the vehicle ECU 31 reads the weight of vehicle 2 available for use in the stuck state and the vehicle class of vehicle 2 from the supplementary information shown in Figure 7, which is stored in the vehicle memory 32, and adds them to the manually operated emergency call. Furthermore, if an occupant manually presses the battery jump-start button on vehicle 2, the vehicle ECU 31 reads the size of the battery available for use in responding to a battery jump-start and the battery's output voltage from the supplementary information shown in Figure 7, which is stored in the vehicle memory 32, and adds them to the manually operated emergency call. Furthermore, if an occupant manually presses the fuel depletion button on vehicle 2, the vehicle ECU 31 reads the type of fuel available to respond to fuel depletion and the tank capacity from the supplementary information shown in Figure 7, which is stored in the vehicle memory 32, and adds them to the manually operated emergency call. By including this supplementary information along with information on minor emergency categories in the emergency call, the server device 4 and operators receiving the emergency call can appropriately select emergency responders who are capable of handling the emergency, including the supplementary information.

[0051] Figure 8 is a flowchart of the automatic emergency call control that can be implemented by vehicle 2 in Figure 1. The vehicle ECU 31 of automobile 2 may repeatedly execute the automatic emergency call control shown in Figure 8 in order to automatically send an emergency call based on the automatic detection of an emergency, as shown in Figure 4.

[0052] In step ST31, the vehicle ECU 31 collects information from the vehicle 2 in the same way as in step ST4. However, in step ST31, the vehicle ECU 31 also acquires collision detection information for the vehicle 2 in the same way as in step ST3. In addition, the vehicle ECU 31 also acquires information on the manually operated emergency call generated in the process shown in Figure 5.

[0053] In step ST32, the vehicle ECU 31 determines whether or not a manually operated emergency call has been generated. The vehicle ECU 31 may, for example, check whether a manually operated emergency call has been generated based on the recorded data in the vehicle memory 32. If a manually operated emergency call has been generated, the vehicle ECU 31 stops the automatic transmission of the emergency call and proceeds to step ST33 to transmit the manually operated emergency call. If a manually operated emergency call has not been generated, the vehicle ECU 31 proceeds to step ST34 to transmit the automatic emergency call.

[0054] In step ST33, the vehicle ECU 31 reads and acquires a manually operated emergency call from the vehicle memory 32 and transmits it from the mobile communication device 33 to the server device 4. The vehicle ECU 31 transmits only manually operated emergency calls from the mobile communication device 33 to the server device 4. This manually operated emergency call includes the type item selected by the occupant, along with related information. After that, the vehicle ECU 31 terminates this control.

[0055] In step ST34, the vehicle ECU 31, similar to step ST5, determines whether an emergency requiring emergency notification has occurred. The vehicle ECU 31 may determine whether an emergency requiring emergency notification has occurred based on, for example, the degree of impact from a collision, the awareness or movement of occupants such as the owner, etc. Furthermore, the vehicle ECU 31 determines whether or not a collision with vehicle 2 has been detected as one of the emergencies. Similar to step ST3, the vehicle ECU 31 may determine that a collision with vehicle 2 has been detected, for example, if the detected value of the acceleration sensor 36 exceeds a threshold. If no emergency requiring an emergency call has occurred, the vehicle ECU 31 returns to step ST31. As a result, the vehicle ECU 31 repeats the processes of steps ST31, ST32, and ST34. If an emergency requiring an emergency call occurs, the vehicle ECU31 proceeds to step ST35.

[0056] In step ST35, the vehicle ECU 31 of automobile 2 acquires occupant injury information, similar to step ST6. The vehicle ECU 31 may acquire, for example, information about the occupant's condition after collision detection, which was acquired in step ST31, as occupant injury information.

[0057] In step ST36, the vehicle ECU 31 generates information for automatic emergency notification. The information for the automatic emergency notification may include, for example, the detection values ​​of the acceleration sensor 36 at the time of collision and the collision level determination results used by the vehicle ECU 31 to automatically detect an emergency, along with information indicating that it is an automatic emergency notification. The vehicle ECU 31 may temporarily record the automatic emergency notification in the vehicle memory 32.

[0058] In step ST37, the vehicle ECU 31 of automobile 2 automatically transmits an emergency notification from the mobile communication device 33 to the server device 4.

[0059] Figure 9 is a flowchart of the server control that can be performed by the server device 4 in Figure 1 for emergency notification. As shown in Figure 4, the CPU 11 of server device 4 repeatedly executes the control shown in Figure 9 in order to respond to emergency calls. Step 11 corresponds to the step with the same number in the automatic emergency call in Figure 4. When the CPU 11 of server device 4 receives and acquires an emergency notification in step ST11, it proceeds to step ST41.

[0060] In step ST41, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 analyzes the received emergency call to obtain information and selects emergency responders to respond to the received emergency call. The CPU 11 of the server device 4 reads information on multiple emergency responders from the memory 12 and selects emergency responders who can respond to the information contained in the received emergency call. The CPU 11 of the server device 4 may select multiple emergency responders who can respond. For example, if the server device 4 receives a manually operated emergency call generated by an occupant manually operating a button on the stack of vehicle 2, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 should select an emergency responder who is capable of handling the situation based on the weight and vehicle class of vehicle 2 included in the emergency call along with the stack information. Furthermore, if a manual emergency call is received, generated when an occupant manually operates the battery jump-start button in vehicle 2, the CPU 11 of server device 4 may select an emergency responder who can provide a battery with the battery size and output voltage specified in the emergency call, along with the battery jump-start information. Alternatively, the CPU 11 may select an emergency responder who can use another vehicle with a battery capable of matching that output voltage, along with booster cables. Furthermore, if the server device 4 receives a manually operated emergency call generated by a crew member manually pressing the fuel depletion button on vehicle 2, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 should select an emergency responder who can handle the situation based on the fuel type and tank capacity included in the emergency call along with the fuel depletion information.

[0061] In step ST42, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 obtains the operator's approval operation for the selected emergency responder. The operator confirms the emergency call information and the selected emergency responder information on the display device 15 of the server device 4 and operates the operation device 16 of the server device 4. Alternatively, the operator may confirm the emergency call information and the emergency responder information on the display device 15 of the operator terminal 3 and operate the operation device 16 of the operator terminal 3. In this case, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 only needs to obtain the operator's operation through the communication device 17 of the operator terminal 3 and the communication device 17 of the server device 4.

[0062] In step ST43, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 determines whether the operator's action obtained is an approval or selection regarding the emergency responder selected in step ST41. If it is not an approval or selection operation regarding an emergency responder, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 returns the process to step ST41. The CPU 11 of the server device 4 repeats the process from step ST41 to step ST43 until an approval or selection regarding an emergency responder is obtained. Once an approval or selection operation regarding an emergency responder is obtained, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 proceeds the process to step ST12.

[0063] In step ST12, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 outputs a dispatch request for emergency response to the approved emergency responders. When a dispatch request is received, the dispatched units will take the information contained in the emergency call and head to the location of the vehicle that made the emergency call, and carry out the emergency response. For example, if car 2 is stuck, the response team will connect the stuck car 2 to their own vehicle with a tow rope and use their own vehicle to move the stuck car 2. This resolves the emergency situation regarding the stuck car 2. Furthermore, if the battery of vehicle 2 is dead, the response team will replace the battery of vehicle 2 with a new one. Alternatively, the response team will connect the battery of vehicle 2 to their own vehicle's battery with booster cables and charge the battery of vehicle 2. Furthermore, if vehicle 2 runs out of fuel, the dispatched unit will provide some of the fuel they brought with them or a portion of the fuel in their own vehicle to vehicle 2 that has run out of fuel. This resolves the emergency situation in vehicle 2, which experienced a minor emergency.

[0064] Figure 10 is an explanatory diagram of an example of an emergency responder table 61 recorded in the memory 12 of the server device 4 in Figure 1. The CPU 11 of the server device 4 uses the information contained in the received emergency call to select a candidate emergency responder to be dispatched in response to the received emergency call from the information of multiple emergency responders recorded in the emergency responder table 61 in memory 12. The CPU 11 of the server device 4 may also select the emergency responders to be dispatched from the information of multiple emergency responders recorded in the emergency responder table 61 in memory 12.

[0065] In the emergency responder table 61 in Figure 10, each row contains a record of information for one emergency responder. Each emergency responder record includes identification information such as the emergency responder's name, information about the emergencies they can handle, and location information.

[0066] The first row of records in Figure 10 contains information about the dispatch unit (business entity) called "First Wrecker," including information that it can handle stuck vehicles without weight restrictions, and the address indicating the location of that dispatch unit. The second row of the record contains information about a dispatch unit (business entity) called "Second Wrecker," including that it is capable of handling two stuck vehicles up to 2 tons in weight, and the address indicating the location of that dispatch unit. The records in the third and fourth rows also contain information about the deployed units (organizations).

[0067] In contrast, the fifth line of the record contains information about the user (individual) of another vehicle, rather than the deployment force (business entity). Specifically, the information of the user (individual) referred to as "First User" includes information such as the type of other vehicle used ("SUV"), possession of booster cables, and whether it is an electric vehicle, as well as the current location of the other vehicle. The current location of the other vehicle may be determined by latitude and longitude obtained by a vehicle GNSS receiver 34 or the like. The records in the sixth through eighth rows also contain information about other users (individuals) who use the vehicles. In this way, the memory 12 of the server device 4 records information on multiple emergency responders who can be requested to deploy, including information on the emergency response units that can be deployed, as well as information on other vehicle users.

[0068] In this case, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 may select the most suitable emergency responder based on the information from the manually operated emergency call in step ST41 of Figure 9. For example, if the simplified type item included in the emergency call is a stack of vehicle 2, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 extracts and selects an emergency responder capable of handling the weight or vehicle class of vehicle 2, as included as supplementary information, from the emergency responder table 61 in Figure 10. If the weight of the stacked vehicle 2 exceeds 2 tons, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 may select the dispatch unit (business entity) "First Wrecker" from the emergency responder table 61 in Figure 10 that is capable of handling the stack. The CPU 11 of the server device 4 may also select users (individuals) who use SUVs or trucks, such as "First User," "Second User," and "Third User," as emergency responders. Furthermore, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 may, instead of an operator, prioritize selecting the emergency responder closest to the location where vehicle 2 is stuck from among multiple available emergency responders. By making such a priority selection, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 is more likely to prioritize selecting information on other vehicle users over information on available response teams. Also, if the selected emergency responder includes information on other vehicle users with the capabilities to handle the associated information, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 may prioritize selecting information on other vehicle users over information on available response teams.

[0069] Furthermore, if the simplified type item included in the emergency call is a dead battery in car 2, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 extracts and selects an emergency responder who can provide a battery of the size specified in the accompanying information from the emergency responder table 61 in Figure 10. The CPU 11 of the server device 4 may select "First Road Service," a dispatching unit (business entity) that can provide a battery of the size specified in the accompanying information, from the emergency responder table 61 in Figure 10. The CPU 11 of the server device 4 may also select users (individuals) such as "First User" and "Second User," who can provide booster cables using another vehicle that matches the output voltage of the battery specified in the accompanying information, as emergency responders. Furthermore, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 may, instead of the operator, select the emergency responder closest to the location where the vehicle 2 is parked from among several available emergency responders, prioritizing their selection.

[0070] Furthermore, if the simplified type item included in the emergency call is that vehicle 2 has run out of fuel, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 extracts and selects an emergency responder capable of providing the type of fuel included as supplementary information from the emergency responder table 61 in Figure 10. The CPU 11 of the server device 4 may select "First Fuel Service," a dispatching unit (business entity) capable of providing the type of fuel included as supplementary information, from the emergency responder table 61 in Figure 10. The CPU 11 of the server device 4 may also select users (individuals) such as "Second User" and "Fourth User," who can provide booster cables using another vehicle compatible with the type of fuel included as supplementary information, as emergency responders. Furthermore, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 may, instead of the operator, select the emergency responder closest to the location where the vehicle 2 is parked from among several available emergency responders, prioritizing their selection.

[0071] As described above, in this embodiment, when the SOS switch 43, which serves as an emergency call switch, is manually operated by an occupant of the vehicle 2, the vehicle ECU 31 presents a plurality of emergency type items in the user interface units 41 and 42 to allow the occupant to select one, generates a manually operated emergency call for the type item selected by the occupant, and transmits it from the mobile communication device 33. This allows the CPU 11 of the server device 4, which receives the emergency call from the vehicle 2, to distinguish the received emergency call from other emergency calls, such as an emergency call automatically transmitted based on emergency detection, from an emergency call based on an occupant of the vehicle 2 where an emergency has occurred. Furthermore, the vehicle ECU 31 presents only simple emergency situations that can be handled by the user, such as vehicle 2 getting stuck, dead battery, and running out of fuel, as multiple emergency situation types that can be selectively selected in the user interface units 41 and 42. As a result, the server device 4, which receives emergency calls from vehicle 2, recognizes that emergency calls based on manually selected emergency situations are for simple emergencies and can select, for example, the user of another vehicle near vehicle 2 where the emergency has occurred, as the emergency responder, rather than a specialized emergency response team, and request their dispatch. The server device 4 can select emergency responders without being limited to a specialized emergency response team, and can take diverse responses to emergencies occurring in vehicle 2. In particular, if an emergency call can obtain supplementary information about the type of item selected by the occupant, such as the weight or vehicle class of vehicle 2, the battery size or output voltage of vehicle 2, or the fuel type or tank capacity of vehicle 2, the CPU 11 of the server device 4 can select the user of another vehicle with the necessary capabilities to respond to the emergency as an emergency responder based on that supplementary information and request their dispatch. The user of the other vehicle heading to the scene in response to the dispatch request will be able to respond to the emergency.

[0072] The embodiments described above are examples of preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications or changes are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, this application discloses the invention in the following embodiments. (Aspect 1) The vehicle communication unit transmits emergency reports about emergencies occurring in the vehicle to a server device to request an emergency response, An emergency call switch that can be manually operated by the occupants of the aforementioned vehicle in the event of an emergency, A user interface unit provided in the vehicle for the occupants of the vehicle, A control unit that generates an emergency call and transmits it from the vehicle communication unit when an emergency occurs in the vehicle, It has, The control unit, When the emergency call switch is manually operated by the occupant of the vehicle, the user interface unit presents a list of emergency scenarios for the occupant to select, generates a manually operated emergency call for the scenario selected by the occupant, and transmits it from the vehicle communication unit. A vehicle equipped with an emergency call function. (Aspect 2) The control unit presents the vehicle getting stuck, dead battery, and running out of fuel as multiple emergency scenarios in the user interface unit. A vehicle having an emergency call function, as described in Embodiment 1. (Aspect 3) It has a detection unit that detects an emergency situation for the vehicle or its occupants, The control unit, When the detection unit detects an emergency involving the vehicle or its occupants, it is possible to generate an emergency notification regarding the emergency occurring in the vehicle and automatically transmit it from the vehicle communication unit to the server device. If the emergency call switch is manually operated by the occupant of the vehicle, the automatic transmission of emergency calls based on the emergency situation by the detection unit is stopped, and only the manually operated emergency call for the type of item selected by the occupant is transmitted from the vehicle communication unit to the server device. A vehicle having an emergency call function as described in embodiment 1 or 2. (Aspect 4) The user interface unit has a memory that stores, as supplementary information for each of the multiple emergency type items that are presented for selection, the vehicle's weight or vehicle class, the vehicle's battery size or output voltage, or the vehicle's fuel type or tank capacity. The control unit, The vehicle communication unit retrieves supplementary information about the type item selected by the occupant from the memory and transmits it as an emergency call along with the type item selected by the occupant. A vehicle having an emergency call function, as described in Embodiment 3. (Appendix 5) A server communication unit is provided that has a server communication unit capable of receiving an emergency call made by the occupants of a vehicle when an emergency occurs in the vehicle and the occupants of the vehicle have selected an emergency type from among several emergency categories, and is used to request a dispatch request for the vehicle that made the emergency call from an emergency response unit, A server memory that records information on multiple emergency responders who can be requested to deploy, When the server communication unit receives an emergency call from the vehicle, the server control unit selects information of an emergency responder to be dispatched from the server memory, A server device having the following features. (Aspect 6) The server memory records information on multiple emergency response personnel who can be requested to deploy, including information on the emergency response units available, as well as information on the users of other vehicles. The server control unit, If an emergency call received from the vehicle experiencing an emergency concerns at least the vehicle being stuck, having a dead battery, or running out of fuel, the server memory will prioritize selecting information about other vehicle users over information about available response units. A server device as described in Embodiment 5. (Aspect 7) The server control unit, If the emergency call received from the vehicle in which the emergency has occurred includes supplementary information such as the vehicle's weight or size, the vehicle's battery size or output voltage, or the vehicle's fuel type or tank capacity, From among the information of multiple emergency responders recorded in the server memory, the system selects, with the highest priority, the information of the user of another vehicle capable of responding to the emergency, based on the accompanying information. A server device according to embodiment 5 or 6. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 1...Automatic emergency call system, 2...Automobile (vehicle), 3...Operator terminal, 4...Server device, 5...Local area network, 6...Base station, 7...Communication network, 8...Emergency vehicle, 9...Other vehicles, 10...Computer device, 11...CPU, 12...Memory, 13...GNSS receiver, 14...Timer, 15...Display device, 16...Operation device, 17...Communication device, 18...Server bus, 30...Control system, 31...Vehicle ECU, 32...Vehicle memory, 33...Mobile communication device, 34...Vehicle GNSS receiver, 3 5...Vehicle Timer, 36...Accelerometer, 37...Occupant Monitoring Device, 38...In-Vehicle Camera, 39...In-Vehicle Speaker (User Interface Unit), 40...In-Vehicle Microphone (User Interface Unit), 41...Vehicle Display Device (User Interface Unit), 42...Vehicle Operation Device (User Interface Unit), 43...SOS Switch (Emergency Call Switch), 44...Vehicle Network, 51...Simplified Category Item Table, 52...Additional Information Table, 61...Emergency Response Personnel Table, 101...GNSS Satellite

Claims

[Claim 1] The vehicle communications unit transmits emergency notifications about emergencies occurring in the vehicle to a server device to request emergency response, An emergency call switch that can be manually operated by the occupants of the aforementioned vehicle in the event of an emergency, A user interface unit provided in the vehicle for the occupants of the vehicle, A control unit that generates an emergency call and transmits it from the vehicle communication unit when an emergency occurs in the vehicle, The user interface unit includes a memory that stores, as supplementary information for each of the multiple emergency type items that can be selected, the vehicle's weight or vehicle class, the vehicle's battery size or output voltage, or the vehicle's fuel type or tank capacity. A detection unit for detecting an emergency situation involving the vehicle or its occupants, It has, The control unit, When the emergency call switch is manually operated by the occupant of the vehicle, the user interface unit is presented with multiple emergency scenarios, such as the vehicle getting stuck, a dead battery, and a fuel shortage, for the occupant to select one. A manual emergency call is generated for the scenario selected by the occupant. Additional information regarding the scenario selected by the occupant is retrieved from the memory, and the emergency call is transmitted from the vehicle communication unit along with the scenario selected by the occupant. Furthermore, when the detection unit detects an emergency involving the vehicle or its occupant, an emergency call regarding the emergency occurring in the vehicle is generated and automatically transmitted from the vehicle communication unit to the server device. If the emergency call switch is manually operated by the occupant of the vehicle, the automatic transmission of emergency calls based on the emergency situation by the detection unit is stopped, and only the manually operated emergency call for the type of item selected by the occupant is transmitted from the vehicle communication unit to the server device. A vehicle equipped with an emergency call function.

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