Telematics Unit Enhanced Location Data Emergency Call Handling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Emergency calling from mobile devices, such as cell phones in vehicles, poses challenges due to the need for accurate and timely location information transmission to public safety answering points (PSAPs), especially when the device is in motion and GPS signals are unreliable.

Innovation Solution

A telematics unit equipped with a cellular radio transceiver, location data generating unit, processor, and memory that determines and transmits enhanced location information, including geographical location, velocity, heading, and highway lane identification, to facilitate emergency call origination and routing to the appropriate PSAP, using methods like dead reckoning when GPS is unavailable.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional GPS is used for location determination in moving vehicles, then location information can be obtained, but the reliability deteriorates when GPS signals are unavailable or unreliable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocation information reliabilityVSAvoidlocation information accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-determines the vehicle's location using GPS when signals are available and reliable, storing this information in advance. This preliminary action ensures that location data is captured before signal availability deteriorates, allowing the system to maintain reliable location information even when GPS signals become unavailable during motion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces cell tower triangulation as an intermediary method to supplement GPS-based location determination. When GPS signals are unavailable or unreliable, the system uses the cellular network's tower triangulation capability as an alternative mediator to determine vehicle location, thereby maintaining location information reliability without complete dependence on GPS.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If enhanced location information including velocity, heading, and lane identification is transmitted, then the usefulness for emergency response improves, but the message complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemergency response usefulnessVSAvoidmessage structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple location-related parameters (geographical location, velocity, heading, and highway lane identification) into a single integrated enhanced location information message. This merging approach delivers comprehensive emergency response data in one transmission, improving versatility without requiring multiple separate message exchanges, thereby managing complexity through consolidation rather than proliferation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The enhanced location information message structure is designed to be universal, incorporating multiple types of data (position, motion, orientation, and lane-specific information) that can serve various emergency response scenarios. This multi-functional message format adapts to different emergency situations without requiring separate specialized message structures, enhancing versatility while maintaining a standardized format.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Loss of time

If the telematics unit determines and transmits enhanced location information proactively, then the response time for emergency services improves, but the energy consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveemergency response timeVSAvoidtelematics unit energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The telematics unit performs preliminary determination of enhanced location information (including velocity, heading, and lane identification) and stores it ready for transmission. When an emergency call is initiated, this pre-computed information is immediately included in the message, eliminating the need for real-time calculation during the emergency event and thus reducing both response time and peak energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system determines enhanced location information continuously or periodically rather than only when needed, maintaining a buffer of current location data. This partial excessive action ensures that up-to-date information is always available for immediate transmission during emergencies, reducing response time while spreading energy consumption over normal operation periods rather than concentrating it during critical moments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS8761722B1Enhanced location data in emergency call handling

Publication Date: 2014.06.24 T MOBILE INNOVATIONS LLC

AI summary

A telematics unit for use in a vehicle. The telematics unit comprises a cellular radio transceiver operable for placing an emergency call in a wireless access network, a location data generating unit operable to determine and output enhanced location information about the vehicle location, a processor, a memory, and an application stored in the memory. When executed by the processor, the application builds an emergency call origination message, including at least some of the enhanced location information and transmits the emergency call origination message via the cellular radio transceiver.