Abstract:
A system and method provides for autonomously driving a vehicle to a particular location during an emergency event. The method enables the vehicle to be driven autonomously. As a result of the emergency event, an input is provided to generate a request signal. Based on the request signal, the method 1) instructs the self-driving system to drive the vehicle to the particular location, and 2) sends, via an Internet connection, data to an entity remote from the vehicle.

Description:
FIELD 
     The invention relates to a system and method for self-driving vehicles and, more particularly, to a system and method that directs a vehicle to autonomously drive to a particular location in the event of theft of the vehicle or a medical emergency relating to the operator of the vehicle. 
     BACKGROUND 
     There are times when an operator of an autonomously driven vehicle may have a health problem while traveling in the vehicle, preventing the operator from properly instructing the vehicle to drive to a place for the operator to receive treatment. Also, when a self-driving vehicle is stolen, there is currently a way to determine where that vehicle is located, but simply locating the stolen vehicle is not efficient, since law enforcement must be given this information and then must travel to such location to retrieve the stolen vehicle. 
     Thus, there is a need to provide a system and method for a autonomously driven vehicle such that during an emergency health situation of an operator, the system will self-drive the vehicle to the nearest treatment center and if the vehicle is stolen, will self-drive the vehicle to a particular location, such as a police station. 
     SUMMARY 
     An objective of the invention is to fulfill the need referred to above. In accordance with the principles of an embodiment, this objective is obtained by providing a system for autonomously driving a vehicle to a particular location based on an emergency event. The system includes a self-driving system constructed and arranged to autonomously drive the vehicle. An input is constructed and arranged to generate a request signal. A response unit is constructed and arranged, based on the request signal, to instruct the self-driving system to drive the vehicle to the particular location. A transceiver is associated with the response unit. Based on the request signal, the transceiver is constructed and arranged to send, via an Internet connection, data to an entity remote from the vehicle. 
     In accordance with another aspect of an embodiment, a method provides for autonomously driving a vehicle to a particular location during an emergency event. The method enables the vehicle to be driven autonomously. As a result of the emergency event, an input is provided to generate a request signal. Based on the request signal, the method 1) instructs the self-driving system to drive the vehicle to the particular location, and 2) sends, via an Internet connection, data to an entity remote from the vehicle. 
     Other objects, features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as the methods of operation and the functions of the related elements of the structure, the combination of parts and economics of manufacture will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is schematic illustration of a vehicle having a system in accordance with an embodiment for self-driving the vehicle to a nearest treatment center during a medical emergency event. 
         FIG. 2  is schematic illustration of a vehicle having a system in accordance with another embodiment for self-driving the vehicle to a particular location in the event that the vehicle is stolen. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , an autonomously (self) driven vehicle  10  includes a system, generally indicated at  12 , for autonomously operating (e.g., driving) the vehicle to move to a particular location due to the occurrence of an emergency event. The vehicle  10  is preferably always operated as an autonomously operated vehicle. An example of a suitable autonomous drive system for the vehicle  10  is disclosed in Patent Publication No. US 2010256836 A1, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification, although other known autonomous drive systems can be used. 
     In the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , the system  12  is constructed and arranged to self-drive the vehicle  10  such as an automobile to the nearest medical treatment center (e.g., hospital) in the event of a medical emergency that prevents the operator (driver) from controlling the vehicle  10 . The system  12  includes an input  14  such a manually actuated button located in the vehicle such as on the dashboard, or a sensor that senses driver incapacity such as whether the driver is slumped over in the driver&#39;s seat. Thus, the input  14  is initiated during a medical emergency event occurring in the vehicle  10 . A request signal  16  from the input  14  is received by an emergency system response unit  18  in the vehicle  10 . The response unit  18  includes a processor  20  and memory  45  and is constructed and arranged, based on receiving the request signal  16 , to request the treatment center located nearest to the vehicle  10  by sending a current vehicle position signal  22  to an information server  24 . The response unit  18  is preferably part of the electronic control unit of the vehicle  10 . Alternatively, the location of the treatment center can be preset and stored in memory  45 . Thus, the server  24  need not be provided. 
     The server  24  is preferably located remotely from the vehicle  10  at service provider and is in wireless communication with the response unit  18  such as by a transceiver  32  associated with the response unit  18 . Transceiver  32  is preferably a conventional Cellular Internet Access device using a subscriber identification module (SIM) card or can employ any available Internet access technology such as, for example, a virtual SIM card or Code-Division Multiple Access (CDMA). Based on the current position of the vehicle  10 , the server  24 , via signal  26 , returns the data, regarding the treatment center nearest to the vehicle and contact information of the treatment center, to the response unit  18 . The data is stored in memory  45  of the response unit  18 . 
     Based on signal  26 , the response unit  18  sends a signal  28  to a communication sub-system  30  of the vehicle  10 . The sub-system  30  then communicates with the treatment center to warn the treatment center that an emergency event is occurring and the treatment center is given the estimated time of arrival of the vehicle  10  at the treatment center as calculated by processor  20 . This information sent to the treatment center is transmitted via the transceiver  32  preferably as a web page. 
     Also based on signal  26 , the response unit  18  sends a signal  34  to a conventional self-driving system  36  of the vehicle  10  to instruct the system  36  to drive the vehicle to the nearest treatment center. The system  36  uses a Global Positioning System (GPS)  38  and other known inputs to autonomously drive the vehicle  10  in a conventional manner. The sub-system  30  with the transceiver  32  is shown separate from the response unit  18 , but can be considered to be part of the response unit  18 . 
     Thus, the system  12  of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  advantageously directs the vehicle  10  to the nearest treatment center which may be much closer than if the driver selected a preset place to go, reducing the time needed to travel to the treatment center to receive assistance. The system  12  also communicates with the treatment center while the vehicle is en route so that personnel at the center are ready to receive and treat the operator of the vehicle. 
       FIG. 2  shows another embodiment of the system, generally indicated at  12 ′, for self-driving the vehicle  10  to a particular location due to an occurrence of an emergency event. In this embodiment, the emergency event is theft or unauthorized use of the vehicle  10 . If the owner of the vehicle  10  realizes that the vehicle has been stolen, he will request, remotely from the vehicle  10 , to retrieve the vehicle by initiating a user request or input  14 ′. The input  14 ′ is preferably a cell phone communication (e.g., phone call, mobile application, web page) sent to a vehicle notification system  40 . A communication signal  42  is received by the notification system  40 . Based on signal  42 , the notification system  40  sends, via a wireless signal  44 , information to the vehicle  10  commanding the vehicle  10  to autonomously drive to a location for safely recovering the vehicle such as a police station, as preset by the owner. For example, the preset location can be entered and stored in memory  45  of the response unit  18 . A transceiver  32  associated with the response unit  18  receives the signal  44 , via Cellular Internet Access using a SIM card or from any available Internet access technology. The response unit  18  determines the location of the vehicle  10  from the GPS  36  and the Internet connection (e.g., via SIM card). Based on the signal  44 , the response unit  18  sends a signal  28  to the communication sub-system  30  of the vehicle  10 . The sub-system  30  then communicates, using the transceiver  32 , with the owner of the vehicle by employing the SIM card to send data, preferably in the form of a web page, text message, or mobile application to the owner indicating the status of the vehicle&#39;s retrieval. The owner&#39;s contact information can be preset into memory  45 , with the processor  20  generating the text message, web page or mobile application data. The sub-system  30  with the transceiver  32  is shown separate from the response unit  18 , but can be considered to be part of the response unit  18 . 
     Also based on signal  44 , the response unit  18  sends a signal  34  to the self-driving system  36  of the vehicle  10  instructing the system  36  to drive the vehicle  10  to the preset safe location (e.g., police station). The system  36  uses a Global Positioning System (GPS)  38  and other conventional inputs to autonomously drive the vehicle  10  in the conventional manner. Alternatively, since the preset safe location, e.g., police station, location may be far from where the stolen vehicle  10  is currently located, instead of using a preset police station location, the response unit  18  can optionally be in communication with a server  24 ′, so as to locate the safe location (police station) nearest to the vehicle  10 , similar to the server  24  in  FIG. 1 . 
     The system  12 ′ of  FIG. 2  uses a readily available mobile cell phone for the owner to communicate with a notification system in order to retrieve a stolen vehicle. Advantageously, the owner need not use a computer to initiate the retrieval request since computers are not readily available at site where a vehicle is stolen. Also, there is no need for the police to locate and retrieve the stolen vehicle, since the system  12 ′ automatically delivers the vehicle to the police station without police input. 
     The foregoing preferred embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the structural and functional principles of the present invention, as well as illustrating the methods of employing the preferred embodiments and are subject to change without departing from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit of the following claims.