System and Method for Automatic Storage and Retrieval of Emergency Information

• US 20110230159A1
• Filed: 03/19/2010
• Published: 09/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hatton, David Anthony
• Application Number:
  US12/727,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20110230159A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

A vehicle communication system includes a computer processor in communication with a memory circuit, a transceiver in communication with the processor and operable to communicate with one or more wireless devices, and one or more storage locations storing one or more pieces of emergency contact information. In this illustrative system, the processor is operable to establish communication with a first wireless device through the transceiver. Upon detection of an emergency event by at least one vehicle based sensor system, the vehicle communication system is operable to contact an emergency operator. The vehicle communication system is further operable to display one or more of the one or more pieces of emergency contact information in a selectable manner. Upon selection of one of the one or more pieces of emergency contact information, the vehicle computing system places a call to a phone number associated with the selected emergency contact.

Claims

1. A vehicle communication system comprising:

a computer processor in communication with a memory circuit;

a transceiver in communication with the processor and operable to communicate with one or more wireless devices;

one or more storage locations storing one or more pieces of emergency contact information;

wherein the processor is operable to establish communication with a first wireless device through the transceiver;

wherein, upon detection of an emergency event by at least one vehicle based sensor system, the vehicle communication system is operable to contact an emergency operator;

wherein, the vehicle communication system is further operable to display one or more of the one or more pieces of emergency contact information in a selectable manner; and

wherein, upon selection of one of the one or more pieces of emergency contact information, the vehicle computing system places a call to a phone number associated with the selected emergency contact.

2. The vehicle communication system of claim 1, wherein the one or more storage locations include a vehicle-based storage location.

3. The vehicle communication system of claim 1, wherein the one or more storage locations include a remote network storage location.

4. The vehicle communication system of claim 1, wherein the emergency contact information includes a name and phone number of an emergency contact.

5. The vehicle communication system of claim 1, wherein the emergency contact information includes a plurality of names and phone numbers of a plurality of emergency contacts, and at least one of the names and/or phone numbers is designated as a primary contact.

6. The vehicle communication system of claim 1, wherein the one or more pieces of displayed information are touch selectable.

7. The vehicle communication system of claim 1, wherein the one or more pieces of displayed information are voice selectable.

8. The vehicle communication system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle communication system renders the one or more pieces of displayed information selectable after the contact to the emergency operator is complete.

9. The vehicle communication system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle communication system is operable to inform a user that a call is being place to an emergency contact number, wherein the vehicle communication system is further operable to ask a user if the call should be aborted.

10. The vehicle communication system of claim 9, wherein, if the user does not respond, the vehicle communication system is operable to continue completion of the call to the emergency number.

11. A vehicle communication system, comprising:

at least one input device;

at least one storage location, in communication with the at least one input device;

wherein a user can access the input device to store emergency contact information at the at least one storage location, and wherein the vehicle communication system is further operable to access the emergency information in the event that one or more vehicle sensors detects an emergency condition.

12. The vehicle communication system of claim 11, wherein the input device is a voice input device, and where the vehicle communication system is further operable to translate voice input to a data form suitable for storage and display as text.

13. The vehicle communication system of claim 11, wherein the input device is a touch sensitive input device.

14. A method of storing emergency contact information, comprising:

providing a web-based interface capable of receiving user input corresponding to emergency contact information;

storing input emergency contact information at one or more server storage locations;

detecting a communication link with a vehicle computing system; and

uploading the stored emergency contact information to the vehicle computing system over the communication link.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein detecting the communication link further comprises receiving a request from the vehicle computing system for upload of the information from the server storage location.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising prompting the user to enter at least an emergency contact name.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising prompting the user to enter at least an emergency contact number.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising prompting the user to select at least one input name and/or number as a primary contact number.