911 assist by wireless charger with NFC in the vehicle

• US 9,277,385 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation, Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Iwamoto, Reiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Elhag, Magdi
• Application Number:
  US14/208,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20150264545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/41.1, 455/41.2, 455/41.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

A method for requesting emergency assistance for a vehicle involved in an accident. The method includes the following: storing vehicle operating conditions prior to the accident in a storage device; detecting the accident; after the accident, deactivating charging of a smartphone being charged on a wireless charging pad; transmitting to the smartphone the vehicle operating conditions stored prior to the accident; transmitting the vehicle operating conditions from the smartphone to emergency authorities; and calling the emergency authorities using the smartphone and initiating handsfree communication with the emergency authorities.

Claims

1. A method for requesting emergency assistance for a vehicle involved in an accident, the method comprising:

storing vehicle operating conditions in a plurality of data packets prior to the accident in a storage device;

detecting the accident;

after the accident, deactivating charging of a smartphone being charged on a wireless charging pad;

transmitting to the smartphone the vehicle operating conditions stored prior to the accident;

transmitting the vehicle operating conditions from the smartphone to emergency authorities;

calling the emergency authorities using the smartphone and initiating hands free communication with the emergency authorities;

transmitting to the emergency authorities a most recently stored data packet; and

transmitting to the emergency authorities a next most recently stored data packet with complete vehicle operating conditions if the most recently stored data packet is incomplete.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing one or more of the following as the vehicle operating conditions:

vehicle position, airbag status, roll-over status, and time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each one of the plurality of data packets include the following:

vehicle position, airbag status, roll over status, and time.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising storing the vehicle operating conditions of each one of the plurality of data packets at different times based on a predetermined time interval.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising storing the data packets of most recent time intervals.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising storing the data packets of five most recent time intervals.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting to the smart phone the vehicle operating conditions using near field communication (NFC).

8. A system for requesting emergency assistance for a vehicle involved in an accident, the system comprising:

a controller configured to control at least a portion of the system;

a storage device configured to store vehicle operating conditions in a plurality of data packets present prior to the accident;

a wireless charging pad configured to wirelessly charge a smartphone placed thereon, the controller configured to cease charging by the charging pad after detection of the accident; and

a transmitter configured to transmit to the smartphone the vehicle operating conditions stored prior to the accident;

wherein

the controller is configured to;

command the smartphone to transmit the vehicle operating conditions to emergency authorities after the accident;

command the smartphone to call the emergency authorities;

initiate hands free communication with the emergency authorities;

command the smartphone to transmit to emergency authorities a most recently stored data packet; and

command the smartphone to transmit to emergency authorities a next most recently stored data packet with complete data when the most recently stored data packet is incomplete.

9. The system of claim 8, each one of the plurality of data packets include the following:

vehicle position, airbag status, roll over status, and time.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the vehicle operating conditions of each one of the plurality of data packets are stored at different times based on a predetermined time interval, and only data packets of most recent time intervals are stored.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the wireless charging pad includes a wireless charging coil and a near field communication (NFC) coil of the transmitter.

12. A device for requesting emergency assistance for a vehicle involved in an accident, the device comprising:

a controller;

a storage device configured to store vehicle operating conditions in a plurality of data packets present prior to the accident;

a wireless charging pad configured to wirelessly charge a smartphone placed thereon, the controller configured to cease charging by the wireless charging pad after detection of the accident;

a transmitter configured to transmit to the smartphone vehicle operating conditions stored prior to the accident; and

a housing including the controller, the storage device, the wireless charging pad, and the transmitter;

wherein

the controller is configured to command the smartphone to transmit to emergency authorities a most recently stored data packet; and

the controller is configured to command the smartphone to transmit to the emergency authorities a next most recently stored data packet with complete data when the most recently stored data packet is incomplete.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the device is configured to be installed in the vehicle to retrofit the vehicle.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the transmitter is a near field communication (NFC) transmitter.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein:

each one of the data packets including the following;

vehicle position, airbag status, roll over status, and time; and

the controller is configured to store the vehicle operating conditions of each one of the plurality of data packets at different times based on a predetermined time interval.