Method and apparatus for extra-vehicular emergency updates following an accident

• US 8,933,822 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 01/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Hatton, David Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Shirley
• Application Number:
  US13/832,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20140266810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 340/989, 445/404.2, 445/404.1, 445/410, 455/404.2, 455/404.1, 455/410
• US Class Current: 340/989
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/00 Traffic control systems for road vehicles arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00 ; automatic vehicle control B62D
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/00 Arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received correcting synchronisation H04L7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/00 Substation equipment, e.g. for use by subscribers subscriber services or facilities provided at exchanges H04M3/00; prepayment telephone coin boxes H04M17/00; current supply arrangements H04M19/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A system includes a processor configured to receive instructions from a vehicle computing system (VCS) to being reporting a mobile device location. The processor is also configured to access a list of emergency contacts. Further, the processor is configured to determine that a mobile device has left a predetermined perimeter around a last known vehicle location. The processor is additionally configured to periodically report mobile device GPS coordinates to members of the emergency contacts list, until the mobile device reaches a destination.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving instructions from a vehicle computing system (VCS) to begin reporting a mobile device location;

accessing a list of emergency contacts;

determining that a mobile device has left a predetermined perimeter around a last known vehicle location; and

until the mobile device reaches a hospital location, periodically reporting mobile device GPS coordinates to members of the emergency contacts list.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the last known vehicle location was received from the VCS.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the last known vehicle location was determined by the mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to compare current mobile device GPS coordinates to hospital coordinates to determine if the device has reached the destination.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to compare a plurality of sequential coordinates against each other to determine if the device has reached the destination.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to begin periodically reporting if the device remains in proximity to the last known vehicle location for longer than a predetermined period of time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to access one or more social media sites and to perform periodic status updates corresponding to the periodic reporting, including mobile device GPS coordinates.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving instructions from a vehicle computing system (VCS) to begin reporting a mobile device location;

accessing a list of emergency contacts;

determining that a mobile device has left a predetermined perimeter around a last known vehicle location; and

until the mobile device reaches a hospital location, periodically reporting mobile device GPS coordinates to members of the emergency contacts list.

9. The storage medium of claim 8, wherein the last known vehicle location was received from the VCS.

10. The storage medium of claim 8, wherein the last known vehicle location was determined by the mobile device.

11. The storage medium of claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to compare a plurality of sequential coordinates against each other to determine if the device has reached the destination.

12. The storage medium of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to begin periodically reporting if the device remains in proximity to the last known vehicle location for longer than a predetermined period of time.