Emergency communications system for vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10812960-B2
Application number	US-201815901247-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2018
Priority date	Feb 21, 2018
Publication date	Oct 20, 2020
Grant date	Oct 20, 2020

Abstract

An emergency communication system for a vehicle. The system includes a drone docking station configured to be mounted to a vehicle. An aerial drone is configured to be docked to the docking station and released from the docking station when the vehicle is disabled and/or a driver is incapacitated at a location that is out of range of communication with emergency authorities.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An emergency communication system for a vehicle comprising:
a driver status monitor configured to monitor a driver of the vehicle and determine when the driver is incapacitated;
a drone docking station configured to be mounted to the vehicle;
an aerial drone configured to be docked to the docking station and released from the docking station when the driver is incapacitated, as determined by the driver status monitor, at a location that is out of range of communication with emergency authorities; and
a position detection module for the vehicle in cooperation with a vehicle communication module, wherein the position detection module is configured to identify a location where a transmitter of the vehicle was last in range of communication with emergency authorities and input the location to a drone control module, and the drone control module is configured to command a flight control module of the aerial drone to fly the aerial drone to the location.

2. The emergency communication system of claim 1 , further comprising the drone control module configured to instruct the drone docking station to release the aerial drone when the driver is incapacitated.

3. The emergency communication system of claim 1 , wherein:
the drone includes the flight control module and a navigation control module configured to fly the aerial drone to a location where the aerial drone is able to communicate with emergency authorities; and
the aerial drone includes a drone communication module and a transmitter configured to transmit a distress message to the emergency authorities.

4. The emergency communication system of claim 3 , wherein:
the aerial drone further includes a receiver; and
the drone communication module, the transmitter of the drone, and the receiver are configured to relay communication between the vehicle communication module configured for the vehicle and emergency authorities.

5. The emergency communication system of claim 3 , wherein the distress message includes a location of the vehicle.

6. The emergency communication system of claim 3 , wherein:
the aerial drone further includes a camera; and
the distress message includes a picture of the disabled vehicle and an area about the disabled vehicle taken by the camera of the drone.

7. The emergency communication system of claim 2 , wherein:
the docking station is one of a plurality of docking stations configured to be mounted to the vehicle;
the aerial drone is one of a plurality of aerial drones each configured to be mounted to different ones of the plurality of dockings stations; and
the drone control module is configured to release the plurality of aerial drones from the plurality of docking stations when the driver is incapacitated, and command control modules of each one of the plurality of drones to fly the plurality of drones away from the vehicle in different directions.

8. The emergency communication system of claim 1 , wherein the drone docking station is configured to be mounted to at least one of the following locations of the vehicle: a roof; a bumper; a hood; a trunk; a vehicle undersurface; and a roof rack.

9. The emergency communication system of claim 1 , wherein the aerial drone further includes:
a navigation module with maps of areas that are in range of communication with emergency authorities; and
the flight control module configured to fly the aerial drone to one of the areas that is in range of communication with emergency authorities.

10. An emergency communication system for a vehicle comprising:
a driver status monitor configured to monitor a driver of the vehicle and determine when the driver is incapacitated;
a drone docking station configured to be mounted to the vehicle;
an aerial drone configured to be docked to the docking station and released from the docking station when the vehicle is disabled at a location that is out of range of communication with emergency authorities;
a drone control module included with the aerial drone and configured to instruct the aerial drone docking station to release the aerial drone when the driver is incapacitated, as determined by the driver status monitor, at a location out of range of communication with emergency authorities;
a flight control module included with the aerial drone and a navigation control module included with the aerial drone configured to fly the aerial drone to where the aerial drone is able to communicate with emergency authorities to transport a distress message thereto; and
a position detection module for the vehicle in cooperation with a vehicle communication module, wherein the position detection module is configured to identify a location where a transmitter of the vehicle was last in range of communication with emergency authorities and input the location to the drone control module, and the drone control module is configured to command the flight control module of the aerial drone to fly the aerial drone to the location.

11. The emergency communication system of claim 10 , wherein:
the aerial drone further includes a receiver, a drone communication module, and a transmitter; and
the drone communication module, the transmitter of the drone, and the receiver are configured to relay communication between the vehicle communication module configured for the vehicle and emergency authorities.

12. The emergency communication system of claim 10 , wherein the distress message includes a location of the vehicle.

13. The emergency communication system of claim 10 , wherein:
the aerial drone further includes a camera; and
the distress message includes a picture of the disabled vehicle and an area about the disabled vehicle taken by the camera of the drone.

14. The emergency communication system of claim 10 , wherein:
the docking station is one of a plurality of docking stations configured to be mounted to the vehicle;
the aerial drone is one of a plurality of aerial drones each configured to be mounted to different ones of the plurality of dockings stations; and
the drone control module is configured to release the plurality of aerial drones from the plurality of docking stations when the driver status monitor determines that the driver is incapacitated and command control modules of each one of the plurality of drones to fly the plurality of drones away from the vehicle in different directions.

15. The emergency communication system of claim 10 , wherein the drone docking station is configured to be mounted to at least one of the following locations of the vehicle: a roof; a bumper; a hood; a trunk; a vehicle undersurface; and a roof rack.

16. The emergency communication system of claim 10 , wherein the aerial drone further includes a navigation module with maps of areas that are in range of communication with emergency authorities; and
the flight control module configured to fly the aerial drone to one of the areas that is in range of communication with emergency authorities.

17. An emergency communication system for a vehicle comprising:
a drone docking station configured to be mounted to a vehicle;
an aerial drone configured to be docked to the docking station;
a drone control module of the vehicle configured to instruct the drone docking station to release the aerial drone when the vehicle is disabled and/or the driver is incapacitated;
a flight control module and a navigation control module of the aerial drone configured to fly the aerial drone;
a vehicle communication module configured to communicate with emergency authorities by way of a transmitter/receiver of the vehicle, and mo

Assignees

• Denso Int America Inc

Inventors

• Weinfield Aaron

Classifications

• B64U80/86

  Land vehicles · CPC title

• B64U2201/104

  using satellite radio beacon positioning systems, e.g. GPS · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• B64U2101/20

  for use as communications relays, e.g. high-altitude platforms · CPC title

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title