Emergency call apparatus for vehicle

• US 20080207163A1
• Filed: 02/21/2008
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Shimizu, Takashi
• Application Number:
  US12/070,736
• Publication Number:
  US 20080207163A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12

Abstract

In an in-vehicle emergency call apparatus, after a vehicle battery starts electric discharge, electric currents flowing in from the vehicle battery are integrated to calculate a consumed electric current integrated value. When the consumed electric current integrated value reaches a specified value, a position information transmission operation may be performed. In such a case, even after the consumed electric current integrated value reaches the specified value, electric power is continuously supplied from the vehicle battery to the electric power supply device. The position information transmission operation is thereby performed continuously. The position information can be thus continuously transmitted to a service center as much as possible; a service of pursuing a stolen car can be provided as much as possible.

Claims

1. An emergency call apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

an electric power supply device configured to receive electric power functioning as operating power from a vehicle battery and supply each unit or device included in the apparatus with the operating power;

a consumed electric current integrating device configured to calculate a consumed electric current integrated value by integrating consumed electric currents flowing in from the vehicle battery after the vehicle battery starts electric discharge;

a control unit configured to control electric power supply from the vehicle battery to the electric power supply device while performing an emergency call operation based on occurrence of a start trigger signal in a state where the operating power is supplied to the electric power supply device from the vehicle battery; and

a wireless communication device configured to receive an electric power supply stop signal from an outside, wherein;

if an emergency call operation is performed when the consumed electric current integrated value reaches a specified value,

the control unit is further configured to continue the electric power supply without stopping the electric power supply from the vehicle battery to the electric power supply device to thereby continue the emergency call operation even after the consumed electric current integrated value reaches the specified value; and

if the emergency call operation is continued even after the consumed electric current integrated value reaches the specified value,

the control unit is further configured to stop the electric power supply from the vehicle battery to the electric power supply device when an electric power supply stop signal is received from an outside via the wireless communication device.

2. The emergency call apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

if the emergency call operation is not performed when the consumed electric current integrated value reaches the specified value, the control unit stops the electric power supply from the vehicle battery to the electric power supply device immediately after the consumed electric current integrated value reaches the specified value.

3. The emergency call apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a manipulation detection device configured to detect a predetermined manipulation of a user, wherein

if the electric power supply is continued to thereby continue the emergency call operation even after the consumed electric current integrated value reaches the specified value,

the control unit stops the electric power supply from the vehicle battery to the electric power supply device when the manipulation detection device detects the predetermined manipulation.

4. The emergency call apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a clock device configured to count a transit time period from when the consumed electric current integrated value reaches the specified value, wherein

if the electric power supply is continued to thereby continue the emergency call operation even after the consumed electric current integrated value reaches the specified value,

the control unit stops the electric power supply from the vehicle battery to the electric power supply device when the transit time period reaches a predetermined time period.

5. The emergency call apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a position information acquisition unit configured to acquire present position information, wherein

the control unit performs, as the emergency call operation for pursuing a stolen car, a position information transmission operation which transmits the acquired present position information to a service center via the wireless communication device.

6. An emergency call apparatus for a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

an electric power supply device configured to receive from a vehicle battery electric power functioning as operating power;

an emergency call operation control unit configured to perform an emergency call operation based on occurrence of a start trigger signal with the operating power supplied;

a consumed electric current integrating device configured to calculate a consumed electric current integrated value by integrating consumed electric currents flowing in from the vehicle battery after the vehicle battery starts electric discharge;

a power control unit configured, if the consumed electric current integrated value reaches a specified value, to cause the electric power supply device to stop supplying of the operating power;

a continuation control unit configured,

if an emergency call operation is performed,

to cause the electric power supply device to continue supplying of the operating power to thereby allow continuing the emergency call operation even after the consumed electric current integrated value reaches the specified value; and

a wireless communication device configured to receive an electric power supply stop signal from an outside,

wherein the continuation control unit is further configured to cause the electric power supply device to stop supplying of the operating power when an electric power supply stop signal is received from an outside via the wireless communication device, even if the emergency call operation is continued after the consumed electric current integrated value reaches the specified value.

7. A method for an emergency call operation for a vehicle, the method comprising:

supplying electric power obtained from a vehicle battery functioning as operating power;

performing an emergency call operation based on occurrence of a start trigger signal with the operating power supplied;

calculating a consumed electric current integrated value by integrating consumed electric currents flowing in from the vehicle battery after the vehicle battery starts electric discharge;

stopping supplying of the operating power if the consumed electric current integrated value reaches a specified value;

continuing, if an emergency call operation is performed, supplying of the operating power to thereby continue the emergency call operation even after the consumed electric current integrated value reaches the specified value; and

receiving an electric power supply stop signal from an outside via a wireless communication device to thereby stopping supplying of the operating power even if the emergency call operation is continued after the consumed electric current integrated value reaches the specified value.