Method and apparatus for emergency phone in a vehicle key

• US 9,107,058 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2013
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Inha, Kai Allan, Webb, Ronald James, Tuukkanen, Marko Tapio
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DANH C
• Application Number:
  US13/858,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20140302810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/404.2, 455/550.1, 340/584
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72421 with automatic activation of emergency service functions, e.g. upon sensing an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

An approach is provided for placing an emergency call using a key. The key platform processes and/or facilitates a processing of sensor information to determine at least one emergency condition. Then, the key platform causes, at least in part, an initiation of at least one emergency call via at least one key in response to the at least emergency condition, wherein the at least one key is configured with one or more emergency phone functionalities.

Claims

1. A method comprising facilitating a processing of and/or processing (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal, the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal based, at least in part, on the following:

sensor information to determine at least one emergency condition;

at least one determination of the sensor information from one or more sensors associated with at least one vehicle, one or more other sensors associated with the at least one key, or a combination thereof, wherein the one or more sensors associated with the at least one vehicle and the one or more other sensors associated with the at least one key exchange the sensor information via one or more short range communication means; and

an initiation of at least one emergency call via the at least one key in response to the at least one emergency condition,

wherein the at least one key is configured with one or more emergency phone functionalities.

2. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination of a decision to initiate the at least one emergency call from at least one vehicle, the at least one key, or a combination thereof.

3. A method of claim 2, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination of the decision to initiate the at least one emergency call at the at least one key if an emergency system associated with the at least one vehicle is unavailable.

4. A method of claim 1, wherein the initiation of the at least one emergency call is performed by the at least one key if one or more other emergency phone functionalities associated with at least one vehicle is unavailable.

5. A method of claim 1, wherein the sensor information includes, at least in part, location information, the method further comprising:

at least one determination of the location information based, at least in part, on cellular information associated with the one or more emergency phone functionalities of the at least one key.

6. A method of claim 1, wherein the sensor information includes, at least in part, location information, the method further comprising:

at least one determination of the location information from the one or more sensors of the at least one vehicle by causing, at least in part, a transmission of the location information from the one or more sensors to the at least one key if the at least one key is within a communication range of the at least one vehicle.

7. A method of claim 1, wherein the (1) data and/or (2) information and/or (3) at least one signal are further based, at least in part, on the following:

at least one determination of telematics information associated with the at least one emergency condition; and

a storage of the telematics information at the at least one key.

8. A method of claim 1, wherein the at least one key is configured with at least one speaker, at least one microphone, or a combination thereof to support the one or more emergency phone functionalities.

9. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

process and/or facilitate a processing of sensor information to determine at least one emergency condition;

determine the sensor information from one or more sensors associated with at least one vehicle, one or more other sensors associated with at least one key, or a combination thereof, wherein the one or more sensors associated with the at least one vehicle and the one or more other sensors associated with the at least one key exchange the sensor information via one or more short range communication means; and

cause, at least in part, an initiation of at least one emergency call via the at least one key in response to the at least one emergency condition,

wherein the at least one key is configured with one or more emergency phone functionalities.

10. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine a decision to initiate the at least one emergency call from at least one vehicle, the at least one key, or a combination thereof.

11. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine the decision to initiate the at least one emergency call at the at least one key if an emergency system associated with the at least one vehicle is unavailable.

12. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the initiation of the at least one emergency call is performed by the at least one key if one or more other emergency phone functionalities associated with at least one vehicle is unavailable.

13. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sensor information includes, at least in part, location information, the method further comprising:

determine the location information based, at least in part, on cellular information associated with the one or more emergency phone functionalities of the at least one key.

14. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the sensor information includes, at least in part, location information, the method further comprising:

determine the location information from the one or more sensors of the at least one vehicle by causing, at least in part, a transmission of the location information from the one or more sensors to the at least one key if the at least one key is within a communication range of the at least one vehicle.

15. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

determine telematics information associated with the at least one emergency condition; and

cause, at least in part, a storage of the telematics information at the at least one key.

16. An apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one key is configured with at least one speaker, at least one microphone, or a combination thereof to support the one or more emergency phone functionalities.