Emergency assistance system using bluetooth technology

• US 6,340,928 B1
• Filed: 06/22/2000
• Issued: 01/22/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: McCurdy, Roger A.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US09/599,981
• Time in Patent Office: 579 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/426, 340/436, 340/438, 340/988, 340/990, 340/995, 180/273, 280/735, 455/404, 343/711, 343/712, 343/713
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/52 for indicating emergencies
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

An emergency assistance system (10) that transmits vehicle and occupant information to an emergency station (26) in the event of a vehicle crash condition. The system (10) includes a vehicle crash sensing system (40) that senses the vehicle crash condition and transmits a crash signal through a first port (42) using Bluetooth™ technology. A cellular phone (12) having GPS (30) receives the crash signal through a second port (32) using Bluetooth™ technology, which in turn is coupled to a controller (16) within the cellular phone (12). In response to receipt of the crash signal, the controller (16) enables the cellular phone (12) to initialize a telephone call to the emergency station (26) and to transmit a signal to the emergency station (26) identifying the current location of the vehicle and the vehicle condition.

Claims

1. An emergency assistance apparatus, comprising:

a vehicle crash sensing system including a first port using BLUETOOTH technology to transmit a vehicle crash signal indicative of a vehicle sensed crash condition; and

a portable cellular phone, transportable in or located near the vehicle, including a second port using BLUETOOTH technology to receive said crash signal and to enable wireless communications between said portable cellular phone and an emergency station in response to receipt of said crash signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second port is coupled to a controller of said portable cellular phone.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said portable cellular phone further includes a communication interface coupled to said controller to transmit vehicle occupant information and vehicle information received from said vehicle crash sensing system to said emergency station.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said portable cellular phone further includes a microphone coupled to said controller to provide voice signals between said emergency station and an occupant.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said portable cellular phone further includes a GPS coupled to said controller to transmit a vehicle location signal to said emergency station.

6. An emergency assistance apparatus, comprising:

a vehicle crash sensing system for determining a vehicle crash condition and transmitting a crash signal through a first port using BLUETOOTH technology; and

a portable cellular phone, transportable in or located near the vehicle, including;

(i) a controller;

(ii) a second port using BLUETOOTH technology coupled to said controller to receive said crash signal and to enable said portable cellular phone to initialize a telephone call to an emergency station in response to receipt of said crash signal;

(iii) a GPS coupled to said controller to provide said controller with vehicle position information;

(iv) a communication interface coupled to said controller for transmitting vehicle crash condition information and vehicle position information to said emergency station; and

(v) a microphone coupled to said controller and providing voice signals between said emergency station and said vehicle occupant.

7. A method for communicating a vehicle emergency condition, comprising the steps of:

sensing a vehicle crash condition;

transmitting a vehicle crash signal indicative of a sensed vehicle crash condition through a first port using BLUETOOTH technology;

receiving said crash signal through a second port using BLUETOOTH technology in a portable cellular phone transportable in or located near the vehicle; and

enabling wireless communications between said portable cellular phone and an emergency station in response to receipt of said crash signal.

8. The method of claim 7, further including the step of coupling said second port to a controller in said portable cellular phone.

9. The method of claim 8, further including the step of sensing occupant information and vehicle information and transmitting the sensed occupant information and the vehicle information to said emergency station using a communication interface included in said portable cellular phone and coupled to said controller.

10. The method of claim 8, further including the step of providing voice signals between said emergency station and an occupant using a microphone included in said portable cellular phone and coupled to said controller.

11. The method of claim 8, further including the steps of sensing vehicle location via GPS and transmitting the vehicle location to said emergency station through said portable cellular phone.

12. A method for emergency assistance, comprising the steps of:

determining the occurrence of a vehicle crash condition;

transmitting a vehicle crash signal through a first port in an airbag crash sensor using BLUETOOTH technology in response to a determined crash condition;

receiving the crash signal through a second port using BLUETOOTH technology in a portable cellular phone transportable in or located near the vehicle;

determining present vehicle location;

initializing a telephone call from said portable cellular phone to an emergency station in response to receiving the crash signal;

transmitting vehicle condition and location to said emergency station; and

providing voice signals between said emergency station and said vehicle occupant.