EMERGENCY CALLING DEVICE FOR A VEHICLE

• US 20100284382A1
• Filed: 08/27/2008
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Menzel, Mark, Stählin, Ulrich, Gee, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,331,338 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/338
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/095 Traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

A network-based emergency call device for a vehicle. A first connection between the vehicle and a server is firmly prescribed as a permanent IP connection. This connection is used to send an emergency call, together with the necessary emergency call data to the server. The latter forwards the emergency to all the registered assistance units via further connections directly and without human action. The assistance unit providing assistance is selected automatically by taking the emergency call by an assistance unit. The subsequent setup of a communication link between the assistance unit taking the call and the vehicle involves the use of the already existing IP connection between the vehicle and the server for the communication link which is to be set up. The data to be transmitted and the data rate can also be customized to the current situation of the vehicle and to the surroundings of the vehicle.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. An emergency call device for a vehicle for a network-based transmission of an emergency call to assistance units, said emergency call device comprising:

a network interface for setting up a connection to a server;

a transmission unit for transmitting emergency call data to the server via the connection, wherein the connection is a permanent IP connection;

wherein the network interface is also configured to set up a communication link to an assistance unit via the server in an event of said emergency call being taken by said assistance unit; and

wherein the communication link uses the IP connection between the emergency call device and the server.

17. The emergency call device as claimed in claim 16,

wherein the communication link comprises a first and a second section;

wherein the first section exists between the emergency call device and the server;

wherein the second section exists between the server and the assistance unit taking the emergency call; and

wherein at least the first section of the communication link is a Voice-over-IP connection.

18. The emergency call device as claimed in claim 16,

wherein transmission of the emergency call to the assistance units does not require a public safety answering point;

and

wherein the assistance unit taking the emergency call is selected by a direct, independent taking of the emergency call by the assistance unit.

19. The emergency call device as claimed in claim 16,

wherein the emergency call data are selected from the group consisting of a current and historical position of the vehicle, a nature of an accident, a seriousness of an accident, a time of an accident, a number of occupants, individual information from the occupants, biometric information, information relating to a technical fault, error diagnosis information, and measured values from sensors in the vehicle.

20. The emergency call device as claimed in claim 16,

wherein a nature of the emergency call data and parameters of the transmission of the emergency call data are customized to supplementary information;

and

wherein the supplementary information corresponds to external surroundings of the vehicle.

21. The emergency call device as claimed in claim 20,

wherein the nature of the emergency call data is selected from the group consisting of data format, content of the data, and nature of a conditioning of the data;

and

wherein the parameters of the transmission are selected from the group consisting of data rate, frequency of update for the data, and bandwidth of the connection which has been set up.

22. An emergency call system for vehicles for the network-based transmission of an emergency call, said emergency call system having:

an emergency call device as claimed in claim 16;

a server;

wherein the server is configured to forward the emergency call to all of the assistance units registered on the server.

23. The use of an emergency call device as claimed in claim 16 in a vehicle.

24. A vehicle having an emergency call device as claimed in claim 16.

25. A method for network-based transmission of an emergency call from an emergency call device in a vehicle to assistance units, said method comprising the following steps:

establishing a first connection between the vehicle and a server, wherein the first connection is a permanent IP connection; and

sending emergency call data by an emergency call device to a server via the first connection;

distributing emergency call data to the assistance units by the server via a second connection; and

establishing a communication link between the vehicle and an assistance unit, taking the emergency call, via the server, wherein the communication link uses the IP connection.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25, wherein the communication link comprises a first and a second section, wherein the first section exists between the emergency call device and the server, wherein the second section exists between the server and the assistance unit taking the emergency call;

said method further comprising the step of establishing a Voice-over-IP connection at least in the first section of the communication link.

27. The method as claimed in claim 25 further comprising the step of:

customizing a nature of the emergency call data and parameters of the transmission of the emergency call data to supplementary information, wherein the supplementary information corresponds to external surroundings of the vehicle.

28. The method as claimed in claim 25 further comprising the step of:

providing information about the assistance units for the server in the form of an emergency call database by a certification point; and

approving voluntary assistance units for entry into the database by a certification point.

29. A program element which, when executed on a processor, instructs the processor to perform the following steps:

setup of a first connection between a vehicle and a server;

sending emergency call data by an emergency call device to a server via a first connection;

distribution of emergency call data to assistance units by the server via a second connection;

setup of a communication link between the vehicle and an assistance unit, taking the emergency call, via the server;

wherein the first connection is a permanent IP connection; and

wherein the communication link uses the IP connection.

30. A computer-readable medium which stores a program element which, when executed on a processor, instructs the processor to perform the following steps:

setup of a first connection between a vehicle and a server;

sending of emergency call data by an emergency call device to a server via a first connection;

distribution of the emergency call data to assistance units by the server via a second connection;

setup of a communication link between the vehicle and an assistance unit, taking the emergency call, via the server;

wherein the first connection is a permanent IP connection; and

wherein the communication link uses the IP connection.