Vehicle User Tracking With Mobile Position Data Backup
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users may be unable to receive timely aid in emergency situations due to reliance on mobile devices that are out of power or signal range, as existing systems like US 10,939,244 B1 do not provide reliable user tracking when out of communication range.
Innovation Solution
An emergency assistance system comprising a position monitoring unit in a mobile device, a user tracking unit in a vehicle, and a multi-access data storage unit, which monitors and stores user position information, allowing the vehicle to perform emergency actions when the user is in an unexpected situation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users rely on mobile devices for emergency communication, then communication capability is improved, but reliability deteriorates when device is out of power or signal range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a server as an intermediary component that receives position information from both the mobile device and the vehicle. When the mobile device is unavailable, the server can still track the user's location through data from the vehicle's user tracking unit, which monitors the user's position within the vehicle and communicates it to the server. This intermediary server acts as a backup communication channel, ensuring tracking reliability even when direct mobile device communication fails.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements multi-functionality by creating two parallel tracking pathways: one through the mobile device's position monitoring unit and another through the vehicle's user tracking unit. Both pathways feed into the same server, allowing the system to universally track user position regardless of which device is available. This redundancy ensures that emergency assistance can be initiated through either channel, improving overall system reliability.
2Reliability
If position information is continuously monitored and stored, then user tracking reliability is improved, but data storage requirements and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex data storage and processing functions from the mobile device and vehicle units, concentrating them in a centralized server. The mobile device's position monitoring unit and the vehicle's user tracking unit are simplified to only capture and transmit position data, while the server handles the heavy lifting of storing, managing, and processing the continuous position information. This extraction reduces the complexity burden on individual devices while maintaining reliable tracking through centralized data management.
3Loss of time
If vehicle performs emergency actions based on user position, then emergency response speed is improved, but false alarm risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the server continuously receives and verifies position information from both the mobile device and the vehicle's tracking unit before triggering emergency actions. The server can cross-validate data from multiple sources, assess the situation, and confirm genuine emergencies before activating vehicle responses. This feedback loop reduces false alarms by filtering out spurious signals while maintaining rapid response to authentic emergencies through pre-configured action protocols.
Data Source
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Figure 3
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an emergency assistance system, a vehicle comprising such emergency assistance system, an emergency assistance method, and a computer program element for such emergency assistance system. The emergency assistance system comprises a position monitoring unit, a user tracking unit and a multi-access data storage unit. The position monitoring unit is arrangeable in a mobile device of a user. The user tracking unit is arrangeable in a vehicle of the user and comprises at least one wireless network element. The position monitoring unit is configured to monitor position information of the user and send the position information to the multi-access data storage unit. The user tracking unit is configured to receive the position information of the user from the multi-access data storage unit via the wireless network element and monitor a current route of the user based on the position information.