Abstract:
A method for coupling location information from a vehicle includes the steps of providing a WLAN communication device with a controller in the vehicle; detecting an emergency condition; and attempting to create a communication link with a portable WLAN enabled device. A system for coupling location information from a vehicle includes a WLAN communication device with a controller installed in a vehicle; a WLAN enabled device in communication with the WLAN enabled controller in the vehicle using a WLAN protocol in response to an emergency condition; a wireless communication network in communication with the WLAN enabled device; and a public safety answering point in communication with the wireless communication network.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a wireless communication devices, and more particularly to a method of and system for coupling location information from a vehicle to a device by way of a wireless local area network link. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     As the deployment of wireless local area networks (WLAN) continues to expand, new applications for data and new channels for providing data to individuals continue to evolve. One recent application for the transfer of data can be found in the area of telematics. Telematics is a term generally related to the provisioning of data and/or services to vehicles. One particularly beneficial aspect of a conventional telematics system is the transmission of emergency and/or location information related to a vehicle in the event of an emergency condition. For example, in a conventional telematics system, if a vehicle is in an accident and an air bag is deployed, the telematics unit in the vehicle will automatically contact a public safety answering point (PSAP) and/or a call center for a service associated with the telematics unit. The telematics unit could transfer information such as the location of the device or information related to the status vehicle of systems. 
     Most current telematics systems include a wireless communication device embedded within the vehicle for accessing a telematics service provider. For example, conventional telematics units include a cellular telephone transceiver to enable communication between the vehicle and a call center associated with telematics service for the vehicle. The vehicle could have a handset coupled to the cellular telephone transceiver and/or include hands free functionality within the vehicle. Alternatively, a portable phone operated by the user could be coupled to a “cradle” which enables communication between the portable device and the cellular telephone transceiver of the telematics system. The cradle could enable synchronization between the portable and the telematics system of the vehicle. 
     One advantage of having a cellular telephone transceiver integrated in the telematics system of the vehicle is that a higher power transceiver could be employed within the vehicle. For example, a 3 Watt cellular transceiver could be installed in the vehicle, which provides much greater power than a conventional 0.6 mn Watt transceiver used in a portable cellular telephone. Such higher power transceivers enable greater access to telecommunication services, for example when in rural areas or where base station coverage is generally weaker. 
     However, some low-end telematics systems have been proposed which do not include a separate cellular communication device installed in the vehicle, but use a user&#39;s portable wireless communication device which is coupled to the vehicle by way of a cradle or some other communication means. Although such an arrangement generally reduces cost, a portable wireless communication device may be less durable than a mobile cellular telephone installed in a vehicle. In the event of a collision, a portable wireless communication device of such a telematics communication system could become dislodged and damaged, rendering it unable to make the necessary call to the PSAP. 
     Accordingly, there is a need for an improved telematics system which enables the communication of emergency information to a PSAP in the event a portable wireless communication device of a telematics system is damaged during an emergency condition. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a system for communicating location information according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a method for communicating location information according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a flow chart of a method for communicating location information according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a method for communicating location information according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing a method for communicating location information according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing a method for requesting emergency voice access to communicate location information according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing alternate methods for providing emergency voice access according to the present invention; and 
     FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing a method for requesting emergency data access to communicate location information according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning now to FIG. 1, a block diagram of a telematics communication system according to the present invention is shown. A telematics unit  102  is provided in a vehicle according to the present invention. The telematics unit  102  preferably comprises a controller  104  having various input/output (I/O) ports for communicating with various components of the vehicle. For example, the  19  controller  104  is coupled to a vehicle bus  106 , a power supply  110 , a man machine interface (MMI)  112 , and a crash sensor input  114 . The controller  104  is also preferably coupled to various memory elements, such as a random access memory (RAM)  118  or a flash memory  120 . The telematics system  104  also preferably includes a global positioning system (GPS) unit  122  which provides the location of the vehicle, as is well known in the art. Finally, the controller  104  is also preferably coupled to an audio I/O  124  which preferably includes a hands free system having a microphone and a speaker for audio communication for a user of the vehicle by way of a wireless communication network, such as a cellular telephone network. A wireless local area network (WLAN) node  126  is also coupled to the controller  104  and enables communication between a WLAN enabled device and the controller  104  by way of a WLAN communication link, such as by Bluetooth, EEEE 802.11, IrdA, or any other WLAN application. The WLAN node  126  could be a pc board enabling communication via a WLAN protocol installed in the telematics controller, or some other device coupled to the controller to enable separate WLAN devices to communicate with the controller. 
     The system of the present invention could include a separate WLAN enabled device  130  located within the vehicle. Such a separate WLAN device  130  could be another portable cellular telephone with a wireless local area communication means, or some other wireless communication device, such as a PDA or laptop computer which incorporates a PCMCIA card or embedded circuit enabling wireless communications over a WLAN. Similarly, another wireless communication devices  132  having WLAN communication capability could exist outside the vehicle. The WLAN node communicate with the wireless communication devices  130  and  132  via a WLAN communication protocol over a WLAN communication link  134  or  136 , respectively. The wireless communication devices  130  and  132  generally communicate with a wireless carrier  140 . 
     The wireless communication devices  130  and  132  preferably include a memory for storing an emergency public access request setting. As will be described in more detail in reference to later figures, an emergency public access request setting provides parameters defining access which will be granted to a third party who has indicated that an emergency condition exists. For example, the emergency public access request setting could indicate the type of access (e.g., voice or data), the time of access (e.g., anytime or only when the device is not in a call), etc. 
     Finally, a WLAN node  160  could exist outside the vehicle. Such a WLAN node  160  could communicate with the public switch telephone network (PSTN)  170 . The WLAN node  160  could be for example a node along a roadway which may exist for providing traffic data to a traffic system. The WLAN node could be any type of transceiver for receiving information from a portable device by a WLAN protocol, as well as for communicating with a wide area network (WAN such as the wireless carrier  140  or the SPTN  170 . Finally, both the wireless carrier  140  and the PSTN  170  could communicate with a PSAP  150 , or some other entity for monitoring information related to a vehicle, such as a telematics call center which is well known in the art. Alternatively, the functionality of the PSAP  150  or a call center could be incorporated in the wireless carrier  140  or the PSTN  170 . 
     Turning now to FIGS. 2-8, methods for coupling location information which could be employed in a communication network, such as the communication network of FIG. 1, are described. Referring first to FIG. 2, a flow chart shows a method for communicating location information according to the present invention. In particular, a WLAN enabled controller is provided in the vehicle at a step  202 . An emergency condition is then detected at the vehicle at a step  204 . The WLAN enabled controller then provides the location and/or emergency information to a separate WLAN enabled device by a WLAN protocol at a step  206 . Such location and/or emergency information could be provided according to a WLAN protocol as standard messages which could be detected by another WLAN enabled device within range of the WLAN enabled controller. The data could be periodically transferred to increase the likelihood of being detected by a passing vehicle, and then transferred to a PSAP. The periodic transfer of data can be particularly important in the event of fast moving traffic by the scene of an accident. Although it may not be possible to maintain a communication link between the WLAN enabled controller of the vehicle and a separate WLAN device, it may be possible to receive data from a WLAN enabled device in a fast moving vehicle, for example. 
     Turning now to FIG. 3, a flow chart shows a method for communicating location information according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention. A WLAN enabled device, such as the WLAN enabled controller  104  of FIG. 1, is provided in a vehicle at a step  302 . It is then determined whether an emergency condition is detected at the vehicle at a step  304 . An emergency condition could include any abnormal state of the vehicle, as detected by any vehicle sensor or other component of a telematics unit in the vehicle. For example, an emergency condition could be detected by a crash sensor associated with an airbag system and coupled to the crash sensor input  114 . 
     If an emergency condition is detected, an originating WLAN enabled device, such as controller  104 , makes an emergency public access request over a WLAN link to a separate terminating WLAN device at a step  306 . An emergency public access request preferably specifies the type of access desired (e.g., voice, data, both voice and data, etc.). Such a request to seize a voice or data channel would enable the WLAN enabled controller to control the transceiver of a terminating WLAN device according to parameters set by the terminating WLAN device. A terminating WLAN device could be, for example, a portable wireless communication device having cellular telephone capability and WLAN capability located within the vehicle, or could be a separate wireless communication device outside the vehicle. Alternatively, the WLAN enabled controller could attempt to access a WLAN node of a communication system, such as WLAN node  160  of FIG.  1 . 
     A voice call is then coupled to the originating WLAN device via a terminating WLAN device at a step  308 . For example, the wireless communication device  132  could be communicating with a PSAP  150  by way of the wireless carrier  140 . Because the controller  104  of the telematics unit  102  is WLAN enabled, the controller  104  can create a WLAN link to the terminating WLAN device. Accordingly, the voice call from the PSAP to the terminating WLAN enabled device could be provided to the user of the vehicle by way of the WLAN node  126  and the audio I/O  124 . That is, the WLAN link between the wireless communication device  132  and the WLAN node  126  could enable a voice connection between the PSAP and a user in the vehicle utilizing hands free capability of telematics unit, even if the wireless communication device normally used in the vehicle is inoperative. The controller of the vehicle then preferably transfers location and/or emergency information to the PSAP via the WLAN connection and a wireless carrier at a step  310 . Emergency information could include any information related to the vehicle, including current or stored vehicle system information. 
     Turning now to FIG. 4, a method for communicating location information according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown. A WLAN enabled device is provided in a vehicle at a step  402 . It is then determined whether an emergency condition is detected at a step  404 . A WLAN enabled controller of a telematics unit attempts to connect to a separate WLAN device within or near the vehicle at a step  406 . It is then determined whether the attempts to connect to the WLAN device failed a predetermined number of times at a step  408 . 
     If the attempts have not failed a predetermined number of times, the WLAN enabled controller continues to attempt to connect to a separate WLAN device at a step  406 . 
     However, if the attempts have failed a predetermined number of times, the WLAN enabled controller of the vehicle attempts to transfer location and/or emergency information to a separate WLAN enabled device at a step  410 . 
     That is, although a voice communication link might not be established, it is possible to “broadcast” location and/or emergency information to any device which may receive it. Such a broadcast of the information could be particularly significant in It the event that a separate WLAN enabled device in a vehicle which may be moving quickly past a disabled vehicle could receive the information, but not necessarily make a voice communication link with the vehicle. 
     Turning now to FIG. 5, a method for communicating location information according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown. A WLAN enabled controller, such as the WLAN enabled controller  104 , is provided in a vehicle at a step  502 . It is then determined whether an emergency condition is detected at a step  504 . If an emergency condition is detected, the WLAN enabled controller in the vehicle originates an emergency public access request over a WLAN link at a step  506 . Such an emergency public access request could be a certain standardized code known in the industry, or some other detectable message which could be received and deciphered by a separate WLAN device. 
     It is then determined whether a separate WLAN device is found at a step  508 . If a device is found, the WLAN device attempts to make an emergency voice call to a PSAP at a step  510 . It is then determined whether the call is successful at a step  512 . If the call is not successful, an attempt to find another WLAN device is attempted at a step  514 . If the call is successful, the call is then routed to the WLAN enabled controller in the vehicle at a step  516 . The call is preferably routed by a WLAN link between the terminating WLAN device and the WLAN enabled controller in the vehicle. Accordingly, a user of the vehicle can communicate with the PSAP by way of the WLAN enabled controller and hands free functionality of the telematics unit in the vehicle. 
     If the call is terminated early at a step  518 , the WLAN enabled controller in the vehicle attempts to make another emergency public access request over the WLAN link at a step  506 . However, the terminating WLAN device could also provide information regarding its location. Because WLAN coverage areas are generally small, the location of the terminating WLAN device could be helpful in providing location information of a disabled vehicle. If the call is not terminated it early, the WLAN enabled controller in the vehicle preferably transfers location and/or emergency information to the terminating WLAN device at a step  520 . The terminating WLAN device then transfers the location and/or emergency information to a PSAP and/or a call center at a step  522 . 
     Turning now to FIG. 6, a method for requesting voice access to communicate information according to the present invention is shown. If an emergency condition is detected, a WLAN enabled device, such as a WLAN enabled controller of a vehicle, initiates an emergency public access request to any other compatible WLAN device which is within range. The emergency public access request is preferably a standard message sent on a WLAN protocol. That is, the message could be one of a plurality of standard messages which could be understood by a variety of devices adapted to communicate on the WLAN protocol, and could indicate the type of access requested. The message, if received by a compatible WLAN device which is within range, would indicate that the WLAN enabled controller in the vehicle is attempting to acquire a communication link by way of another WLAN enabled device. 
     In particular, if an emergency event is detected, the WLAN enabled controller in the vehicle initiates an emergency public access request to any compatible WLAN device within range at a step  602 . For example, the compatible WLAN device could be a portable WLAN enabled device either inside or outside the vehicle, or some fixed WLAN node outside the vehicle. Once a compatible WLAN device comes within range, the WLAN device (i.e., a terminating WLAN device) and the WLAN enabled controller (i.e., the originating WLAN device) in the vehicle establish a WLAN connection at a step  604 . The WLAN enabled device in the vehicle will request an emergency voice access profile at a step  604 . The emergency voice access profile will preferably indicate parameters related to the service granted to the WLAN enabled controller. It is then determined if the emergency voice access is granted at a step  606 . If the access is not granted, a counter is incremented at a step  608 , and it is determined whether the counter exceeds a predetermined number at a step  610 . If the counter does not exceed a predetermined number, the WLAN enabled device in the vehicle will search for another compatible WLAN device at a step  612 . 
     If emergency voice access is granted at step  606 , a voice connection can be created according to one of two methods set forth in FIG.  7 . In particular, according to a Method A, once emergency voice access is granted, the WLAN enabled controller in the vehicle will optionally transfer emergency information, such as an air bag deployed, and location information, such as GPS coordinates, to the terminating WLAN device at a step  714 . The terminating WLAN device will then initiate an emergency call at a step  716 . The call could be to a standard emergency number, such as  911  in the U.S. or  112  in Europe. Alternatively, an emergency call number could be included with the information provided to the terminating WLAN device. 
     When the emergency call is established, the terminating WLAN can optionally transfer the emergency indication type and location information to a PSAP at a step  718 . The voice call would then be routed to the WLAN enabled controller at a step  720 . A user in the vehicle can communicate with the PSAP personnel in a standard voice call using the terminating WLAN device, which is in communication with the vehicle by a WLAN communication link, as a host for the voice call. 
     Alternatively, once the emergency voice access is granted according to a Method B, the terminating WLAN device will initiate an emergency call using the terminating WLAN device as a host at a step  730 . When the emergency call is established, the originating WLAN device will connect to the PSAP via the terminating WLAN device at a step  732 . The originating WLAN enabled device can optionally transfer the emergency indication type and location information to the PSAP at a step  734 , and a user of the vehicle can then communicate with the PSAP personnel in the standard voice call using the terminating WLAN device as a host for the call at a step  736 . 
     If emergency voice access is not granted and the counter has exceeded the predetermined number at step  610 , the WLAN enabled controller in the vehicle then attempts to establish an emergency data access as described in FIG.  8 . In particular, the WLAN enabled controller in the vehicle searches for a compatible WLAN device within range using the request for emergency data access profile at a step  802 . Similar to the emergency voice access profile, the emergency data access profile provides parameters related to the service which would be granted to the WLAN enabled controller by the compatible WLAN device. It is then determined if emergency data access is granted at a step  804 . If no access is granted, a counter is incremented at a step  806 . It is then determined whether the counter has exceeded a predetermined number at a step  808 . If the counter has not exceeded a predetermined number, the WLAN enabled controller within the vehicle continues to search for a compatible WLAN device within range at the step  802 . However, if the counter has exceeded a predetermined number at the step  808 , it is then determined whether the event is canceled by the user or time out has occurred at a step  810 . If the event is not canceled or no time out has occurred, the WLAN enabled controller continues to search for another compatible WLAN device at step  612  of FIG.  6 . 
     If the emergency data access is granted at the step  804 , the WLAN enabled controller in the vehicle transfers emergency information and/or location information to the terminating WLAN device at a step  812 . Once the information is successfully transferred, the initiating WLAN device will end the data call and optionally indicate to the user of the successful transfer at a step  814 . The terminating WLAN device will as soon as possible initiate an emergency call and transfer the emergency information and/or location information at step  816 . 
     When the emergency data call is established, the terminating WLAN will transfer the emergency information and/or location information at step  818 . The party receiving this information, such as a PSAP or call center, will be notified of the emergency condition and the location of the vehicle so that the appropriate emergency personnel can be sent to the location  820 . Once the information is successfully transferred, the terminating WLAN device will end the data call and optionally indicate to its user of the successful transfer at a step  722 . 
     Although the present disclosure specifically addresses telematics applications, there are numerous other applications for the method and system described. For example, a computer with a WLAN node could initiate an emergency call using any Bluetooth enabled cellular device or Bluetooth enabled fixed phone within its proximity. This would be useful for emergency situations where the user did not have access to a phone. The built-in microphone and speaker of the computer could be used for voice communications. Similarly, portable emergency phones could be used for convention centers, special events, shows, etc. Instead of having wired emergency phones or cellular emergency phones, low cost Bluetooth enabled devices with headsets could be deployed remotely. These devices would then try to access a few centralized Bluetooth node access points installed within the area. 
     It can therefore be appreciated that a new and novel method and system for coupling location information has been described. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that, given the teaching herein, numerous alternatives and equivalent will be seen to exist which incorporate the disclosed invention. As a result, the invention is not to be limited by the foregoing exemplary embodiments, but only by the following claims.