Vehicle Emergency Broadcast

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017015263-A1
Application number	US-201514799174-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 14, 2015
Priority date	Jul 14, 2015
Publication date	Jan 19, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A communication system for a vehicle includes an accelerometer, and a controller electrically coupled to the accelerometer and configured to respond to a signal indicative of an accident of the vehicle. The controller's response to the signal includes activating an emergency mode, requesting biometric data of occupants of the vehicle, and transmitting data identifying the vehicle, a location of the vehicle and a time of activation, and biometric data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A vehicle communication system comprising:
an accelerometer; and a controller programmed to, in response to a signal from the accelerometer indicative of an accident of the vehicle, activate an emergency mode, request biometric data of occupants of the vehicle, and cause data identifying the vehicle, a location of the vehicle, and a time of activation of the emergency mode, and biometric data received in response to the request to be transmitted.

2 . The system of claim 1 further including a seat belt having a biometric sensor in communication with the controller and programmed to measure a heart rate and respiration rate, and to output the biometric data based on the rates.

3 . The system of claim 1 further including a steering wheel having a biometric sensor in communication with the controller and programmed to measure a heart rate and to output the biometric data based on the rate.

4 . The system of claim 1 further including a camera in communication with the controller and programmed to capture images of an operator of the vehicle, wherein the controller is further programmed to activate the emergency mode in response to detection of eyes of the operator being closed for a time greater than a predetermined time.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further programmed to receive data from a remote sensor including a personal wearable device.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein a mobile phone relays the data from the personal wearable device to the controller.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the data identifying the vehicle includes a vehicle identification number (VIN) and a license plate number.

8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the controller is further programmed to encrypt the biometric data prior to transmission with an encryption key associated with the license plate number and the VIN.

9 . The system of claim 1 further including an RF transceiver, wherein the controller is further programmed cause the data to be transmitted via the RF transceiver.

10 . A vehicle comprising:
a biometric sensor; an RF transceiver; and at least one controller programmed to, in response to activation of an emergency mode, request biometric data of occupants of the vehicle, and transmit via the RF transceiver, data identifying the vehicle, a location of the vehicle, and a time of activation of the emergency mode, and biometric data received from the sensor in response to the request.

11 . The vehicle of claim 10 further including an emergency button electrically coupled to the at least one controller, wherein activation of the emergency mode is in response to activation of the emergency button and wherein the at least one controller is further programmed to transmit an Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) to a healthcare facility.

12 . The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the at least one controller is further programmed to activate the emergency mode in response to detection of a traffic accident involving the vehicle.

13 . The vehicle of claim 10 further including a seatbelt assembly, wherein the biometric sensor is mounted to the seatbelt assembly.

14 . The vehicle of claim 10 further including a steering wheel assembly, wherein the biometric sensor is mounted to the steering wheel assembly.

15 . The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the data identifying the vehicle includes a vehicle identification number (VIN) and a license plate number.

16 . The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the at least one controller is further programmed to encrypt the biometric data prior to transmission with an encryption key associated with the license plate number and the VIN.

17 . A method of broadcasting a vehicular emergency message comprising:
receiving biometric data of occupants of a vehicle from a sensor; detecting an emergency event associated with the vehicle; assigning an emergency type associated with the emergency event; and transmitting the biometric data, the emergency type, a location, a time, an identification of the vehicle, and route data in response to the emergency event.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the sensor is coupled to a seatbelt assembly and the biometric data includes a heart rate and a respiration rate.

19 . The method of claim 17 further comprising transmitting an Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) to a healthcare facility.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the emergency type includes traffic accident, medical emergency, police assistance, fire assistance, or Emergency Medical Service (EMS) assistance.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Makled Daniel A
• Mcquillen Michael
• Surnilla Gopichandra

Classifications

• B60R21/00 Primary

  Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks (safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles B60R22/00; seats constructed to protect the occupant from the effect of abnormal g-forces, e.g. crash or safety seats, B60N2/42; energy-absorbing arrangements for hand wheels for steering vehicles B62D1/11; energy-absorbing arrangements for vehicle steering columns B62D1/19) · CPC title

• G08B25/016

  Personal emergency signalling and security systems (emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12) · CPC title

• G08B25/009

  Signalling of the alarm condition to a substation whose identity is signalled to a central station, e.g. relaying alarm signals in order to extend communication range · CPC title

• H04W4/90

  Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS] · CPC title

• G08G1/127

  to a central station {; Indicators in a central station} · CPC title