Device pertaining to a motor vehicle, used to provide data relating to an accident

• US 7,567,169 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2004
• Issued: 07/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Dickmann, Jurgen, Justen, Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): Blount; Eric M
• Application Number:
  US10/569,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20070132564A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,818 Days
• Field of Search: 340/905
• US Class Current: 340/436
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/016 Personal emergency signalling and security systems emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

In a device for a motor vehicle for providing data relating to an accident, the data relating to an accident includes both position data of the motor vehicle and data relating to the vehicle, which in turn includes recovery-related specification data. Furthermore, a conversion device is for converting an emergency call which is received by such a device, the recovery-related specification data being converted automatically into a reproduction form which is understandable for persons involved in the recovery, and output.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a motor vehicle mounted information output device adapted to provide data relating to an accident, the data including recovery-related specification data, the device arranged at a recovery-related location on the motor vehicle that is easily accessible to rescue personnel;

wherein the recovery-related specification data includes data relating to;

(a) at least one of (i) an installation location, (ii) a type and (iii) a status of at least one safety device installed in the motor vehicle and automatically activatable when the motor vehicle is involved in an accident;

(b) at least one of (i) an installation location and (b) a type of at least one battery that is installed in the motor vehicle;

(c) a position of an emergency off switch for a power supply in the motor vehicle; and

(d) reinforcements for parts of a vehicle bodywork.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device is arranged on one of (a) a lid of a trunk, (b) a hood, and (c) a battery cover.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device includes a chip mounted on a vehicle battery and is adapted to make available retrievable information.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device includes a memory device affixed to the vehicle, the recovery-related specification data retrievable from the memory device.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device includes a voice output device adapted to output the recovery-related specification data.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device includes a plurality of voice output devices, each voice output device adapted to output the recovery-related specification data about a respective area of the motor vehicle at which the voice output device is arranged.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the device includes at least one of (a) a text unit and (b) a graphic unit that includes the recovery-related specification data.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the text unit includes a vehicle-specific code that is assigned vehicle-specific, recovery related specification data stored in one of (a) an electronic medium and (b) a print medium.

9. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission device adapted to send an emergency call that includes the recovery-related specification data to an emergency-call control center.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the recovery-related specification data includes data relating to at least one of (i) special equipment items, (ii) special protection devices, and (iii) special devices suitable for disabled vehicle occupants.

10. A method, comprising:

automatically converting an emergency call that includes recovery-related specification data relating to a motor vehicle accident into a reproducible form that is comprehensible to persons participating in a recovery; and

outputting the converted recovery-related specification data on a motor vehicle mounted information output device adapted to provide the data relating to the motor vehicle accident, the device arranged at a recovery-related location on the motor vehicle that is easily accessible to rescue personnel;

wherein the recovery-related specification data includes data relating to;

(a) at least one of (i) an installation location, (ii) a type and (iii) a status of at least one safety device installed in the motor vehicle and automatically activatable when the motor vehicle is involved in an accident;

(b) at least one of (i) an installation location and (b) a type of at least one battery that is installed in the motor vehicle;

(c) a position of an emergency off switch for a power supply in the motor vehicle; and

(d) reinforcements for parts of a vehicle bodywork.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the converting and outputting steps are performed by a transmission device of a motor vehicle mounted information output device that is adapted to provide data relating to the accident, the data including the recovery-related specification data, the device arranged at a recovery-related location on the motor vehicle that is easily accessible to rescue personnel, the transmission device sending the emergency call that includes the recovery-related specification data to an emergency-call control center.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the automatic conversion is performed in an emergency call control center, the outputting step including transmitting the converted recovery-related specification data by the emergency call control center to the persons participating in the recovery.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the recovery-related specification data includes data relating to at least one of (i) special equipment items, (ii) special protection devices, and (iii) special devices suitable for disabled vehicle occupants.