Method and apparatus for detecting vehicular collisions

• US 20050128062A1
• Filed: 12/16/2003
• Published: 06/16/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Temic Automotive of North America, Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Grivas, Nick J., Lundsgaard, Soren K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,119,669 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

A portable electronic device, like a cellular telephone is capable of detecting collisions between vehicles and notifying the proper authorities. The device includes a microprocessor and memory, in addition to an accelerometer and global positioning systems receiver. The memory includes at least one filter for screening out false positives, which are false collision detections. In one embodiment, the device determines its velocity. It then checks to see if its velocity falls within a range associated with moving vehicles. If so, the device monitors the accelerometer. When acceleration values in excess of a predetermined threshold are detected, the device pauses and again checks its velocity. If the velocity has fallen from the range associated with moving vehicles to a range associated with a vehicle that has sustained a collision, the device notifies emergency personnel that a collision has occurred. Another filter includes an operability check of the keypad, coupled with a notification message that the authorities will be called if the keypad has not been actuated within a predetermined time. Another embodiment includes a detector capable of detecting a vehicular cradle, such that the notification only occurs when high acceleration values are detected in a vehicle.

Claims

1. A portable, electronic device capable of detecting collisions between vehicles, the device comprising:

a. a controller subsystems;

b. a radio-frequency transmit and receive subsystem;

c. a global position system subsystem; and

d. an accelerometer;

wherein the controller subsystem comprises a microprocessor and a memory, the memory having firmware stored therein, wherein the firmware comprises at least one filter for preventing false positives.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises:

a. a keypad and display subsystem comprising a keypad and a visual display; and

b. a microphone and speaker subsystem.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one filter comprises a plurality of actions to be executed by the microcontroller, the plurality of actions comprising:

a. monitoring the velocity of the device;

b. recording a plurality of velocity values in the memory;

c. monitoring the acceleration of the device via the accelerometer;

d. determining when the velocity falls within a predetermined range;

e. determining when the acceleration exceeds a predetermined threshold; and

f. actuating the transmit subsystem when both the velocity falls within a predetermined range and the acceleration exceeds the predetermined threshold.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of actions further comprises determining the velocity of the device after the acceleration falls below a predetermined minimum threshold.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the actuating the transmit subsystem occurs only when:

a. the velocity falls within a predetermined range;

b. the acceleration exceeds a predetermined threshold; and

c. the velocity of the device after the acceleration falls below the predetermined minimum threshold.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the actuating the transmit subsystem occurs only when the acceleration exceeds the predetermined threshold for at least a predetermined minimum time.

7. The device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of actions further comprises:

a. determining the operability of the keypad;

b. notifying a user that a collision has been detected; and

c. notifying the user that the transmit subsystem will be actuated if a key is not pressed.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the plurality of actions further comprises actuating the transmit subsystem when the keypad is inoperable.

9. A portable, electronic device capable of detecting collisions between vehicles, the device comprising:

a. a controller subsystem;

b. a radio-frequency transmit and receive subsystems;

c. a global position system subsystem; and

d. an accelerometer; and

e. a means for detecting a vehicular cradle.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the means for detecting the vehicular cradle is selected from the group consisting of reed switches, Hall effect sensors, means for monitoring data communications with peripheral devices, means for monitoring charging of the battery, and means for monitoring audio communications with vehicular car-kits and accessories.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the controller subsystem comprises a microprocessor and a memory, the memory having firmware stored therein, wherein the firmware comprises at least one filter for preventing false positives.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the at least one filter comprises a plurality of actions to be executed by the microcontroller, the plurality of actions comprising:

a. monitoring the velocity of the device;

b. recording a plurality of velocity values in the memory;

c. monitoring the acceleration of the device via the accelerometer;

d. determining when the velocity falls within a predetermined range;

e. determining when the acceleration exceeds a predetermined threshold; and

f. actuating the transmit subsystem when both the velocity falls within a predetermined range and the acceleration exceeds the predetermined threshold.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of actions further comprises determining the velocity of the device after the acceleration falls below a predetermined minimum threshold.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the actuating the transmit subsystem occurs only when:

a. the velocity falls within a predetermined range;

b. the acceleration exceeds a predetermined threshold; and

c. the velocity of the device after the acceleration falls below the predetermined minimum threshold.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the actuating the transmit subsystem occurs only when the acceleration exceeds the predetermined threshold for at least a predetermined minimum time.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of actions further comprises:

a. determining the operability of the keypad;

b. notifying a user that a collision has been detected; and

c. notifying the user that the transmit subsystem will be actuated if a key is not pressed.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of actions further comprises actuating the transmit subsystem when the keypad is inoperable.

18. The device of claim 3 or 12, wherein the memory comprises at least one message, wherein when the microprocessor actuates the transmit subsystem, the at least one message is transmitted.

19. A collision detecting system, comprising:

a. the device of claim 9;

and

b. a vehicular cradle, the cradle comprising a means for actuating the means for detecting a vehicular cradle.