Vehicle communication system with integrated pre-impact sensing

• US 6,812,832 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2002
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Altan, Osman D., Hoffman, Allan J., Lobaza, Anthony Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): La, Anh V.
• Application Number:
  US10/305,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20040100368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 340/436, 340/539.18, 340/425.5, 340/435, 340/825.36, 340/825.49, 701/45, 701/30, 701/29, 280/735, 280/734, 455/404.1, 455/567
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01061 between the airbag system and other vehicle electronic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

An integrated vehicle communication system for a vehicle includes a telecommunication apparatus in communication with a vehicle data bus. A pre-impact system in also communication with the vehicle data bus, the pre-impact system further providing the telecommunication apparatus with a signal reflective of a determined imminent impact detected thereby. Upon receiving the signal reflective of the determined imminent impact, the telecommunication apparatus initiates a notification to a service provider if the telecommunication apparatus is not in communication with an impact detection system controller in the vehicle.

Claims

1. An integrated vehicle communication system for a vehicle, comprising:

a telecommunication apparatus in communication with a vehicle data bus; and

a pre-impact system in communication with said vehicle data bus;

said pre-impact system further providing said telecommunication apparatus with a signal reflective of a determined imminent impact detected thereby;

wherein, upon receiving said signal reflective of said determined imminent impact, said telecommunication apparatus initiates a notification to a service provider if said telecommunication apparatus is not in communication with an impact detection system controller in the vehicle.

2. The vehicle communication system of claim 1, wherein said impact detection system controller is coupled to said vehicle data bus.

3. The vehicle communication system of claim 1, wherein said telecommunication apparatus, upon receiving said signal reflective of said determined imminent impact, sends a query to said impact detection system controller through said vehicle data bus.

4. The vehicle communication system of claim 3, wherein said query is determinative of communication between said telecommunication apparatus and said impact detection system controller and, if communication is maintained therebetween, said query is further determinative of an impact detection engagement status of an impact detection system within the vehicle.

5. The vehicle communication system of claim 4, wherein:

if said query determines that said telecommunication apparatus is no longer in communication with said impact detection system controller, then said telecommunication apparatus initiates a notification to the service provider;

if said query determines that said telecommunication apparatus is still in communication with said impact detection system controller, and said query determines that said impact detection system has been engaged, then said telecommunication apparatus initiates a notification to the service provider; and

if said query determines that said telecommunication apparatus is still in communication with said impact detection system controller, and said query determines that said impact detection system has not been engaged, then said telecommunication apparatus does not initiate a notification to the service provider.

6. The vehicle communication system of claim 3, wherein said telecommunication apparatus, upon receiving said signal reflective of said determined imminent impact, further sends an imminent impact signal to the service provider.

7. The vehicle communication system of claim 5, wherein:

if said query determines that said telecommunication apparatus is no longer in communication with said impact detection system controller, then said telecommunication apparatus sends a call imminent message to the service provider prior to initiating said notification to the service provider;

if said query determines that said telecommunication apparatus is still in communication with said impact detection system controller, and said query determines that said impact detection system has been engaged, then said telecommunication apparatus sends a call imminent message to the service provider prior to initiating said notification to the service provider; and

if said query determines that said telecommunication apparatus is still in communication with said impact detection system controller, and said query determines that said impact detection system has not been engaged, then said telecommunication apparatus sends a false alarm message to the service provider.

8. A vehicle communication network, comprising:

a wireless telecommunication network;

a public switched telephone network accessible by said wireless telecommunication network; and

an integrated vehicle communication system configured within a vehicle, said vehicle communication system further comprising;

a telecommunication apparatus in communication with a vehicle data bus; and

a pre-impact system in communication with said vehicle data bus;

said pre-impact system further providing said telecommunication apparatus with a signal reflective of a determined imminent impact detected thereby;

wherein, upon receiving said signal reflective of said determined imminent impact, said telecommunication apparatus initiates a notification to a service provider connected to said public switched telephone network if said telecommunication apparatus is not in communication with an impact detection system controller in the vehicle.

9. The vehicle communication network of claim 8, wherein said impact detection system controller is coupled to said vehicle data bus.

10. The vehicle communication network of claim 8, wherein said telecommunication apparatus, upon receiving said signal reflective of said determined imminent impact, sends a query to said impact detection system controller through said vehicle data bus.

11. The vehicle communication network of claim 10, wherein said query is determinative of communication between said telecommunication apparatus and said impact detection system controller and, if communication is maintained therebetween, said query is further determinative of an impact detection engagement status of an impact detection system within the vehicle.

12. The vehicle communication network of claim 11, wherein:

if said query determines that said telecommunication apparatus is no longer in communication with said impact detection system controller, then said telecommunication apparatus initiates a notification to the service provider;

if said query determines that said telecommunication apparatus is still in communication with said impact detection system controller, and said query determines that said impact detection system has been engaged, then said telecommunication apparatus initiates a notification to the service provider; and

if said query determines that said telecommunication apparatus is still in communication with said impact detection system controller, and said query determines that said impact detection system has not been engaged, then said telecommunication apparatus does not initiate a notification to the service provider.

13. The vehicle communication network of claim 10, wherein said telecommunication apparatus, upon receiving said signal reflective of said determined imminent impact, further sends an imminent impact signal to the service provider.

14. The vehicle communication network of claim 12, wherein:

if said query determines that said telecommunication apparatus is no longer in communication with said impact detection system controller, then said telecommunication apparatus sends a call imminent message to the service provider prior to initiating said notification to the service provider;

if said query determines that said telecommunication apparatus is still in communication with said impact detection system controller, and said query determines that said impact detection system has been engaged, then said telecommunication apparatus sends a call imminent message to the service provider prior to initiating said notification to the service provider; and

if said query determines that said telecommunication apparatus is still in communication with said impact detection system controller, and said query determines that said impact detection system has not been engaged, then said telecommunication apparatus sends a false alarm message to the service provider.

15. A method for communicating an impact event of vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of an imminent impact from a vehicle pre-impact detection system; and

determining a communication status with an impact detection system controller within the vehicle;

wherein if it is determined that communication with said impact detection system controller is interrupted, then further initiating a communication to a service provider that an actual impact has occurred.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein if it is determined that communication with said impact detection system controller is not interrupted, then further determining an impact detection engagement status.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein if said impact detection engagement status indicates that a vehicle impact detection system has engaged, then further initiating a communication to a service provider that an actual impact has occurred.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said indication of an imminent impact from a vehicle pre-impact detection system is received by a vehicle communication system, from said pre-impact detection system, over a vehicle data bus.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

upon receiving an indication of an imminent impact, delaying for a predetermined period of time prior to sending a query to said impact detection system controller in order to determine a communication status thereof.

20. A storage medium, comprising:

a machine readable computer program code for communicating an impact event of vehicle; and

instructions for causing a computer to implement a method, the method further comprising;

receiving an indication of an imminent impact from a vehicle pre-impact detection system; and

determining a communication status with an impact detection system controller within the vehicle;

wherein if it is determined that communication with said impact detection system controller is interrupted, then further initiating a communication to a service provider that an actual impact has occurred.