System and Method For Emergency Reporting

• US 20100159868A1
• Filed: 12/18/2008
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Temic Automotive of North America, Incorporated (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Seymour, Shafer
• Granted Patent: US 9,154,636 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/404.100
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/004 Alarm propagated along alternative communication path or using alternative communication medium according to a hierarchy of available ways to communicate, e.g. if Wi-Fi not available use GSM
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72418 for supporting emergency services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/04 with alarm systems, e.g. fire, police or burglar alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

A determination is made as to whether a first channel is communicatively coupled to a communication network. The first communication channel is configured to preferentially transmit emergency messages to the communication network. When the first communication channel is not communicatively coupled to the communication network, a second communication channel and at least one configuration parameter to configure the second communication channel are determined. The second communication channel is configured with the determined at least one parameter. An emergency message is transmitted over the configured second communication channel.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining whether a first channel is communicatively coupled to a communication network, the first communication channel configured to preferentially transmit emergency messages to the communication network;

when the first communication channel is not communicatively coupled to the communication network, determining a second communication channel and at least one configuration parameter to configure the second communication channel;

configuring the second communication channel with the determined at least one parameter;

transmitting an emergency message over the configured second communication channel.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a second communication channel and at least one configuration parameter comprises configuring a receiver to receive the at least one parameter from a source.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the source is selected from a group consisting of a television communication channel, a radio communication channel, and a cellular communication channel.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining a second communication channel and at least one configuration parameter comprises selecting the second communication channel from amongst a plurality of second channels according to a predetermined criteria.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the predetermined criteria is based upon an automatic selection.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the predetermined criteria is based upon a dynamic selection.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the second channel and the at least one parameter comprises:

automatically determining a source of the at least one parameter;

attempting to obtain the at least one parameter from the source;

when the parameter is not be obtained from the source, determining a second source from amongst a plurality of second sources.

8. A method comprising:

determining whether a safety system has been deployed;

when the safety system has been deployed determining a set of configuration parameters to configure a communication channel for transmissions from amongst a plurality of sets of configuration parameters;

configuring a channel according to the selected set of configuration parameters;

transmitting an emergency signal via the configured channel.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein determining the set of configuration parameters includes selecting a source from which to receive the set of configuration parameters and receiving the set of configuration parameters from the source.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein selecting a source to receive the configuration parameters comprises selecting a source from a dynamic list.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein selecting a source to receive the configuration parameters comprises choosing a predetermined source.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein determining the set of configuration parameters comprises selecting a set of configuration parameters from a plurality of sets, wherein each set corresponds to a different channel from amongst a plurality of channels.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein determining parameters comprises selecting an identity of a channel based upon a pre-determined choice.

14. An apparatus comprising:

an interface for receiving an indication of whether a primary communication channel exists with an emergency response system;

a receiver configured to receive at least one configuration parameter associated with a secondary communication channel;

a transmitter configured to send emergency messages via the secondary communication channel;

a controller coupled to the transmitter and receiver, the controller being configured to determine when the primary communication channel does not exist with the emergency response system, and when the primary communication channel does not exist, receive the at least one configuration channel from the receiver and configure the secondary communication channel according to the at least one parameter.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a database, the database coupled to the controller, the database including an identity of the secondary communication channel.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the controller is further configured to adjust the receiver to receive the at least one parameter from a predetermined source.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the predetermined source is selected from a group comprising a television communication channel, a radio communication channel, and a cellular communication channel.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the at least one parameter is selected from a group comprising a frequency, a modulation scheme, a data encoding, a data rate, and a signal strength.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the primary communication channel is selected from a group comprising a radio communication channel, a television communication channel, a wired communication channel, a satellite communication channel, a cellular communication channel, or a radio beacon communication channel.