Automatic transmission system of an emergency signal and a method thereof using a driver's brain wave

• US 5,729,205 A
• Filed: 03/07/1997
• Issued: 03/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Kwon, Young-Wook
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery
• Assistant Examiner(s): TWEEL JR, JOHN ALEXANDER
• Application Number:
  US08/813,656
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573, 340/471, 370/313, 379/38, 379/39, 379/50, 128/691, 128/731, 128/904, 607/76
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/22 Motor vehicles operators, e.g. drivers, pilots, captains
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1112 Global tracking of patients, e.g. by using GPS
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6803 Head-worn items, e.g. helmets, masks, headphones or goggles
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/028 Communication between parent and child units via remote transmission means, e.g. satellite network

Abstract

An automatic transmission system of an emergency signal and a method thereof using a driver'"'"'s brain wave which enables the police and hospitals, having a network with an earth station, to provide a proper and immediate rescue operation for those involved in an accident by transmitting an emergency signal derived from the driver'"'"'s brain wave to the earth station via a global positioning system (GPS) satellite if a driver is in critical condition after the accident. The automatic transmission system of an emergency signal using a driver'"'"'s brain wave includes a brain wave sensing block, an amplifier, an analog/digital converter, a memory, a microcontroller, and a transmission block.

Claims

1. An automatic transmission system for sending an emergency signal based on a current condition of a human driver'"'"'s brain wave, comprising:

means for sensing a brain wave generated by the human driver and for converting the brain wave into an electric brain wave signal;

an amplifier for amplifying the electric brain wave signal inputted from the brain wave sensing means;

an analog/digital converter for converting the analog brain wave signal inputted from the amplifier into a digital brain wave signal;

a memory for storing a digitized reference brain wave emergency signal representing a condition when the life of the driver is in danger;

a micro-controller for comparing the digital brain wave signal inputted from the analog/digital converter with the reference brain wave emergency signal stored in the memory, and for producing a first information signal representing the current location of the automatic transmission system and a second information signal representing emergency information when the life of the driver is in danger; and

a transmission block for transmitting the first information signal and the second information signal by adding the information signals on a carrier signal of a high frequency.

2. The automatic transmission system of claim 1, further comprising a forced transmission switch for forcibly transmitting the information signals by turning ON the forced transmission switch when the life of the driver is not in danger but an emergency rescue operation is required.

3. A method for controlling an automatic transmission system for sending an emergency signal based on a current condition of a human driver'"'"'s brain wave, comprising the steps of:

initializing all variables when electric power is applied;

determining whether a selection switch is turned ON;

reading a brain wave sensing signal of the driver'"'"'s brain wave when the selection switch is turned ON;

determining whether the life of the driver is in danger after comparing the brain wave sensing signal with a reference brain wave emergency signal stored in a memory; and

transmitting a wireless signal about an emergency when the life of the driver is in danger, the wireless signal including a current location of the automatic transmission system.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of determining whether a forced transmission mode is set when the selection switch is turned ON, and forcibly transmitting a wireless signal about the emergency when the forced transmission mode is set, the wireless signal including the current location of the automatic transmission system.