eCall device switching procedure

• US 8,971,838 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2011
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vodafone GmbH (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: Vodafone GmbH (Vodafone Group PLC)
• Inventors: Dietz, Ulrich
• Primary Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US13/373,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20120196560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 707/802, 707/29.1, 707/423, 340/870.02
• US Class Current: 455/404.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/04 for emergency applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

A method of performing a switching procedure of an eCall device from a first state of activity to a second state of activity whereby details of the switching procedure are preferably stored in a report file. The report file is preferably stored in a storage unit which can be part of a database. Furthermore, the present invention relates to an eCall device being adapted for performing a switching procedure from a first state of activity to a second state of activity and relates to a backend unit being adapted for supporting a switching procedure of an eCall device from a first state of activity to a second state of activity. Beyond the present invention relates to an eCall system being adapted for performing a switching procedure of an eCall device from a first state of activity to a second state of activity.

Claims

1. A method of performing a switching procedure of an eCall device from a first state of activity to a second state of activity where the actual state or status of the eCall device is changed from switched-on to switched off, or vice versa, characterised in that a communication link is set up between the eCall device and a control centre, that an individual communication process relating to the switching procedure is performed between the eCall device and the control centre, said switching procedure performing a switch from a first state of activity to a second state of activity of the eCall device, that a report file about the switching procedure is generated during the individual communication process and that the report file is stored within a storage unit.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that during the individual communication process an information message related to performing the switching procedure is transmitted from the eCall device to the control centre and that a first confirmation message related to the received information message is transmitted from the control centre to the eCall device.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that after the eCall device has received the first confirmation message, the eCall device switches from the first state of activity to the second state of activity.

4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that after the eCall device has switched from the first state of activity to the second state of activity, the eCall device transmits a switching completion message to the control centre.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that the control centre transmits a second confirmation message to the eCall device, said second confirmation message comprising information that the switching procedure is completed.

6. The method according claim 2, characterized in that the report file is generated based on the first confirmation message and/or the switching completion message and/or the second confirmation message.

7. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the switching procedure is performed as an atomical process.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it is checked by the eCall device and/or the control centre whether an active communication link between the eCall device and the control centre exists and that the switching procedure is performed during said existing active communication link.

9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the state of activity of the eCall device and/or the current status of the switching procedure is graphically and/or acoustically output on an output device, said output device being allocated to said eCall device.

10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the eCall device is a mobile device, that the eCall device is preferably arranged within a vehicle, that the control centre is remotely located from the mobile eCall device and that the communication link is set up between said mobile eCall device and said remote control centre.

11. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the communication link is set up via a communication network, particularly via a mobile radio telecommunication network.

12. An eCall device being adapted for performing a switching procedure from a first state of activity to a second state of activity, where the actual state or status of the eCall device is changed from switched-on to switched-off, or vice versa, said eCall device comprising an interface to a control centre for setting up a communication link between the eCall device and the control centre, means for performing an individual communication process relating to the switching procedure with the control centre, said switching procedure performing a switch from a first state of activity to a second state of activity of the eCall device, means for processing a report file about the switching procedure during the individual communication process, and an interface to a storage unit for storing the report file.

13. A control centre being adapted for supporting a switching procedure of an eCall device from a first state of activity to a second state of activity, where the actual state or status of the eCall device is changed from switched-on to switched-off, or vice versa, said control centre comprising an interface to an eCall device for setting up a communication link between the control centre and the eCall device, means for performing an individual communication process relating to the switching procedure with the eCall device, said switching procedure performing a switch from a first state of activity to a second state of activity of the eCall device, means for processing a report file about the switching procedure during the individual communication process, and an interface to a storage unit for storing the report file.

14. An eCall system being adapted for performing a switching procedure of an eCall device from a first state of activity to a second state of activity, where the actual state or status of the eCall device is changed from switched-on to switched-off, or vice versa, said eCall system comprising at least one eCall device, at least one control centre, means for setting up a communication link between the eCall device and the control centre, means for performing an individual communication process relating to the switching procedure between the eCall device and the control centre, said switching procedure performing a switch from a first state of activity to a second state of activity of the eCall device, means for generating a report file about the switching procedure during the individual communication process, and a storage unit for storing the report file.