Patent Publication Number: US-11657701-B2

Title: Systems and methods for emergency alert and call regarding driver condition

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present application generally relates to driver monitoring and, more particularly, providing an emergency alert for help based upon the monitoring of driver biometric data. 
     BACKGROUND 
     When drivers face an emergency, they need assistance immediately. Current vehicle assistance options may trigger an immediate call for assistance in certain events, such as a vehicle crash. Moreover, a vehicle can detect a crash in the form of vehicle damage and automatically initiate a timely call without driver input. However, the driver might not be able to think fast and initiate a timely call for assistance in other types of situations where vehicle damage does not trigger an automatic emergency call, such as if a heart attack is being experienced. Additionally, it is important to prevent automated systems from mistakenly reporting suspected events, which can provide an inconvenience to the driver and distract emergency responder resources from actual emergencies elsewhere. 
     Accordingly, a need exists to improve the accuracy of detecting emergency events experienced by drivers. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment, a method for measuring biometric data of a user at a monitoring device includes outputting, at the monitoring device, an alert to a vehicle computing device within a vehicle based upon detection of a biometric event, such that a party outside of the vehicle is notified. The method further includes analyzing and storing, within an application residing on the monitoring device, the biometric data within the application and outputting, within the application, a predetermined timeframe of the biometric data to the party. 
     In another embodiment, a system for a vehicle computing device within a vehicle includes a monitoring device, comprising a processor and memory. The processor and memory are configured to measure biometric data of a user and output an alert to the vehicle computing device based upon detection of a biometric event, such that a party outside of the vehicle is notified. The processor and memory are further configured to analyze and store the biometric data within the application and output a predetermined timeframe of the biometric data to the party. 
     In yet another embodiment, a vehicle computing device within a vehicle, located within a vehicle, comprises a processor and memory. The vehicle computing device is configured to receive biometric data, corresponding to a predetermined timeframe, from a monitoring device. The vehicle computing device is also configured to receive an alert from an external device pertaining to the biometric data. The vehicle computing device is further configured to output an assistance inquiry to the user. The vehicle computing device is additionally configured to receive assistance confirmation from the user. The vehicle computing device is still further configured to output, to a party outside of the vehicle, an assistance request and the biometric data corresponding to a predetermined timeframe. 
     These and additional features provided by the embodiments described herein will be more fully understood in view of the following detailed description, in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The embodiments set forth in the drawings are illustrative and exemplary in nature and not intended to limit the subject matter defined by the claims. The following detailed description of the illustrative embodiments can be understood when read in conjunction with the following drawings, where like structure is indicated with like reference numerals and in which: 
         FIG.  1    schematically illustrates a computing environment having a vehicle computing device alert a responder based upon biometric data and alert communications received in combination from the cloud, a smartphone app, and a smartwatch worn by the user, according to one or more embodiments described and illustrated herein; 
         FIG.  2 A  illustrates a user having their biometric data measured by their smartwatch, according to one or more embodiments described and illustrated herein; 
         FIG.  2 B  continues with the scenario of  FIG.  2 A  by illustrating a vehicle computing device displaying a warning based upon the biometric data, according to one or more embodiments described and illustrated herein; 
         FIG.  2 C  continues with the scenario of  FIG.  2 B  by illustrating the vehicle computing device requesting permission to notify a responder, according to one or more embodiments described and illustrated herein; 
         FIG.  2 D  continues with the scenario of  FIG.  2 C  by illustrating the user&#39;s vehicle computing device contacting a responder, according to one or more embodiments described and illustrated herein; 
         FIG.  3 A  illustrates a vehicle computing device prompting a user to take a break based upon biometric data received from the user, according to one or more embodiments described and illustrated herein; 
         FIG.  3 B  continues with the scenario of  FIG.  3 A  by illustrating the user&#39;s vehicle computing device displaying a rest area notification, according to one or more embodiments described and illustrated herein; 
         FIG.  3 C  continues with the scenario of  FIG.  3 B  by illustrating the user at the rest area wearing his smartwatch and stretching, according to one or more embodiments described and illustrated herein; 
         FIG.  3 D  continues with the scenario of  FIG.  3 C  by illustrating the user back in his vehicle refreshed from the rest area, according to one or more embodiments described and illustrated herein; 
         FIG.  4    illustrates a flowchart for a vehicle computing system notifying a responder of an emergency based upon user confirmation, an alert, and biometric data received from the user, according to one or more embodiments described and illustrated herein; and 
         FIG.  5    is a block diagram illustrating computing hardware utilized in one or more devices for implementing various processes and systems, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to measuring driver biometric data. More specifically, coordinating the on-going monitoring of biometric data of a driver via a monitoring and/or wearable device with the vehicle&#39;s computing device can provide a crucial, real-world benefit to the driver in instances where their biometric data indicates that they may need assistance. This may be particularly important when symptoms of a serious health event, such as a heart attack, may not be noticed or understood by the driver, but are detected by their smartwatch. An application, which may reside on another device such as the driver&#39;s smartphone, can coordinate an alert strategy by sending an alert notice to a provider in the cloud, while protecting the driver&#39;s medical privacy by withholding the biometric data from the provider and only providing the driver&#39;s biometric data to the vehicle computing device. In this way, the provider in the cloud can forward on the alert to the vehicle computing device, which can then prompt the driver for permission to call a responder for help. If the driver agrees, the vehicle computing device can then contact a responder and provide them at least a portion of the biometric data, which may be helpful to the responder before and at the response scene. Various embodiments of driver biometric data alerts are described in detail below. 
     Referring now to  FIG.  1   , example components of one embodiment of an environment  100  are schematically depicted. The environment  100  includes a user  102  (e.g., a vehicle driver, an operator, an occupant, or any other person) having a wearable or non-wearable monitoring device capable of measuring or otherwise capturing biometric data of the user  102 . In this embodiment, the monitoring device is a smartwatch  104 . However, in other examples, the monitoring device may comprise any suitable type of device including wearable devices, such as an arm band, headband, hat, footwear, glasses, contact lens, clothing, implantable devices, or non-wearable devices capable of measuring or otherwise capturing the biometric data of the user  102 . Biometric data may be any type of data collectible by a smartwatch  104  or other device, such as, by way of non-limiting example, vital signs data (e.g., heart rate, resting heart rate, walking heart rate average, heart rate variability, oxygen saturation, body temperature, diastolic blood pressure, respiratory rate, systolic blood pressure, sleeping pattern, stress level, electrocardiogram (ECG), core temperature, or eating habits), activity data (e.g., step count, distance walking/running, distance cycling, push count, distance wheelchair, swimming distance, swimming stroke count, downhill snow sports distance, basal energy burned, active energy burned, flights of stairs climbed, stand time, or exercise time), and the like. 
     In this embodiment, the smartwatch  104  may provide the biometric data to an application  106  residing on another device, such as a smartphone  105 , although any device capable of receiving data from the smartwatch  104  and/or hosting the application  106  may be utilized. In other embodiments, the application  106  may reside within the smartwatch  104  and directly receive the biometric data of the user  102  from within the smartwatch  104 . Any suitable type of application  106 , software, program, and the like may be utilized. 
     As described in more detail with respect to  FIG.  4   , the application  106  may assess the biometric data to determine whether to proceed with sending an alert to a provider  108  and/or sending at least some of the biometric data to a vehicle computing device  110 . The provider  108  may be any device, service, company, or other type of entity capable of remotely receiving an alert from the application  106 , such as via the cloud, a server, or any other suitable remote communication protocol. The vehicle computing device  110  may be any type of device/system capable of communicating with a person in a vehicle, such as an entertainment console or other in-vehicle audio/visual system that may employ one or more displays, touchscreens, speakers, buttons, media players, and the like. 
     In this embodiment, a single application  106  may collect and assess the biometric data, and send the alert to the provider  108 . In another embodiment, a plurality of applications  106  may each separately collect the biometric data, assess the biometric data, send the alert to the provider  108 , and/or provide the biometric data to the vehicle computing device  110 . Some/all of the multiple applications  106  may reside on one or more different devices, such as multiple smartphones  105  and/or other suitable devices. 
     In this embodiment, the application  106  may provide the biometric data to the vehicle computing device  110  but not the provider  108  in order to, for example, protect the data/medical privacy of the user  102 . In some embodiments, the provider  108  may receive general information, such as an indication that the user  102  is having a heart attack or other general description of the issue without being provided the specifics from the biometric data. In other embodiments, some (but not all) biometric data may be sent to the provider  108 . Therefore, an alert without the biometric data may be sent to the provider  108 , which may identify the user  102  or keep the identity anonymous or pseudo-anonymous (such as creating a temporary ID based upon the vehicle). In this embodiment, after the application  106  provides an alert to the provider  108 , the provider  108  may directly send the alert to the vehicle computing device  110 , or first assess the alert for criteria such as severity or urgency of the alert. The alert that the provider  108  sends to the vehicle computing device  110  may be the same as the alert received from the application  106 , or the provider  108  may add and/or remove information with respect to the alert that it sends to the vehicle computing device  110 . 
     Once it receives the alert, the vehicle computing device  110  may perform an assistance inquiry with the user  102 . For example, the vehicle computing device  110  may provide audio and/or visual cues, or any other suitable way to get the attention of the user  102 , to explain the nature of the alert. In another embodiment, the assistance inquiry may be sent to the user  102  without regard to whether the biometric data has yet been received at the vehicle computing device  110 . 
     In this embodiment, the user  102  may provide confirmation that assistance is desired, or decline the assistance. The biometric data may be provided to the user  102 , such as having the vehicle computing device  110  visually display the user&#39;s live or recorded heart rate, or verbally explaining their heart rate and/or the reason for concern to the user, by way of non-limiting example. In another embodiment, confirmation from the user  102  may not be needed, such that the assistance request and biometric data may be directly sent to a responder  112 . 
     The responder  112  may be any person, service, agency, company, robot, or anything capable of rendering or summoning aid for a user  102 . For example, the responder  112  may be emergency medical services (EMS), a call center representative, an emergency medical technician (EMT) or other medical personnel, law enforcement, fire department, and the like. In another embodiment, the responder  112  may be an employee of or affiliated with the provider  108 . 
     In this embodiment, the vehicle computing device  110  may await user permission or confirmation before taking further action. In another embodiment, the vehicle computing device  110  may wait for a period of time for a response from the user  102 , after which time the vehicle computing device  110  may automatically take further action to notify a responder  112 , which could presume that the user  102  may have become unconscious or otherwise unable to respond. In this embodiment, if the user  102  indicates that they desire assistance, then the vehicle computing device  110  may contact the responder  112 . The vehicle computing device  110  may put the user  102  in video and/or audio communication with the responder  112  (such as a video or phone call) and/or may provide the relevant information (e.g., assistance request confirmed by the user  102  and/or at least some of the biometric data) to the responder  112 . 
     Turning to  FIG.  2 A , an illustration  200 A depicts the user  102  having their biometric data measured by their smartwatch  104 , which detects a cardiac issue that the user  102  does not know is occurring. The smartwatch  104  has sent the biometric data to the application  106  on the user&#39;s smartphone  105 , such that application  106  has in turn sent an alert to the provider  108 , and has also sent the biometric data to the vehicle computing device  110 . 
     Turning to  FIG.  2 B , an illustration  200 B continuing from  FIG.  2 A  depicts the vehicle computing device  110  displaying a visual warning to the user  102  based upon the biometric data. 
     Turning to  FIG.  2 C , an illustration  200 C continuing from  FIG.  2 B  depicts the vehicle computing device  110  requesting permission from the user  102  to notify the responder  112 . The user  102  provides verbal approval to notify a responder  112 . 
     Turning to  FIG.  2 D , an illustration  200 D continuing from  FIG.  2 C  depicts the user&#39;s vehicle computing device  110  contacting the responder  112  who is now in contact with the user  102 . 
     Turning to  FIG.  3 A , an illustration  300 A depicts another embodiment in which the vehicle computing device  110  prompts the user  102  to take a break based upon biometric data received from the user  102 . In this example, the smartwatch  104  detects user fatigue based upon the biometric data. The smartwatch  104  has sent the biometric data to the application  106  on the user&#39;s smartphone  105 , such that application  106  has sent an alert to the provider  108 , and has similarly sent a corresponding alert to the vehicle computing device  110 . In another embodiment, the alert may be directly sent from the smartphone  105  to the vehicle computing device  110 . 
     Turning to  FIG.  3 B , an illustration  300 B continuing from  FIG.  3 A  depicts the user&#39;s vehicle computing device  110  displaying a rest area notification, based upon the vehicle computing device  110  utilizing mapping software to find a suitable rest area ahead. Any suitable mapping/navigation software may be utilized. 
     Turning to  FIG.  3 C , an illustration  300 C continuing from  FIG.  3 B  depicts the user  102  at the rest area wearing his smartwatch  104  and stretching to get refreshed from his tiredness. 
     Turning to  FIG.  3 D , an illustration  300 D continuing from  FIG.  3 C  depicts the user  102  back in his vehicle, now refreshed from stretching at the rest area. In some embodiments, the user&#39;s smartwatch  104  may continue monitoring the user  102  and provide the biometric data to the user&#39;s smartphone  105  to verify that the user  102  is no longer fatigued before they drive again. 
     In other embodiments, feedback may be provided to the user  102  with regard to their step count (i.e., suggestion to walk more) or to take a break, which may be determined based on the amount of time the user  102  has been driving. Other data that may be collected and utilized in embodiments includes user sleep data, user seat belt data (i.e., whether the user  102  is wearing their seatbelt), key-on data with regards to when the vehicle has started and stopped, and user sleep data, any of which may be utilized to prompt the user  102 . In another embodiment, the user&#39;s workout data may be collected by the smartwatch  104  in order to allow the vehicle computing device  110  to create/suggest/modify the user&#39;s workout scheduling, such as based upon established patterns. 
     Turning to  FIG.  4   , a flowchart is shown illustrating a method that may be performed by a vehicle computing system to notify a responder of an emergency based upon user confirmation, an alert, and biometric data received from the user, according to one embodiment. At block  400 , a local device (e.g., the smartphone  105 ) receives a user&#39;s biometric data (e.g., heartrate) from a wearable and/or monitoring device (e.g., the smartwatch  104 ). 
     At block  402 , a determination is made (e.g., by the smartphone  105  and/or the application  106 ) as to whether the biometric data value exceeds a predetermined threshold, such as whether a user&#39;s heart rate is higher than a threshold level. If not (“NO” at block  402 ), then the method returns to block  400 . If, however, the biometric data (e.g., the user&#39;s heart rate) exceeds the threshold (“YES” at block  402 ), then the method proceeds to block  404 , where a determination is made as to whether the biometric data has been exceeding the threshold at block  402  for longer than a predetermined threshold timeframe. 
     If not (“NO” at block  404 ), for example the rapid heart rate has not been occurring for longer than a threshold period of time, then the flowchart returns to block  402  to continue monitoring the biometric data (e.g., the user&#39;s heart rate). If, however, the heartrate has been occurring above the threshold value for longer than the threshold period of time (“YES” at block  404 ), then at block  406 , the application  106  on the smartphone  105  may send an alert to a remote device, such as one utilized by the provider  108 . At block  408 , the remote device may then send a corresponding alert to the vehicle computing device  110  (or vehicle device). 
     At block  410 , the vehicle computing device  110  outputs a cue to the user  102  asking whether the user  102  wants assistance. At block  412 , the vehicle computing device  110  determines whether the user  102  requests or otherwise wants assistance. If not (“NO” at block  412 ), then the flowchart returns to block  400  to continue monitoring the user&#39;s biometric data. If, however, the user does request assistance (“YES” at block  412 ), then at block  414 , the vehicle computing device  110  receives a lookback window (e.g., a predetermined timeframe) of the biometric data, which may be of a customizable duration in some embodiments. 
     Continuing with this example, the application  106  may provide to the vehicle computing device  110  the last 5 minutes of biometric data, such as cardiac activity, that operates as a rolling window of the most recent 5 minutes. At block  416 , the vehicle computing device  110  may send a request for assistance to the responder  112  (such as EMS) with the user&#39;s biometric data according to the predetermined timeframe. The predetermined timeframe may be used to keep track of various types of data within the predetermined timeframe, such as a continuously-updated 5 minute heart rate average that can be provided to the responder  112  while they are en route. While the above described example uses 5 minutes as the duration of the lookback window, it should be understood that in other examples, the lookback window may be longer or shorter than 5 minutes. 
     Turning now to  FIG.  5   , a block diagram illustrates an exemplary computing device  500 , through which embodiments of the disclosure can be implemented. The computing device  500  described herein is but one example of a suitable computing device and does not suggest any limitation on the scope of any embodiments presented. The computing device  500  in some embodiments may also be utilized to implement the smartwatch  104 , the smartphone  105 , the provider  108  that may be cloud-based or otherwise remote, the vehicle computing device  110 , and/or any combination thereof. Nothing illustrated or described with respect to the computing device  500  should be interpreted as being required or as creating any type of dependency with respect to any element or plurality of elements. In various embodiments, the computing device  500  may include, but need not be limited to, a desktop, laptop, server, client, tablet, smartphone, or any other type of device that can utilize data. In an embodiment, the computing device  500  includes at least one processor  502  and memory comprising non-volatile memory  508  and/or volatile memory  510 . The computing device  500  can include one or more displays and/or output devices  504  such as, for example, monitors, speakers, headphones, projectors, wearable-displays, holographic displays, and/or printers. Output devices  504  may further include, for example, a display and/or speakers of the smartwatch  104 , the smartphone  105 , a remote/cloud device of the provider  108 , the vehicle computing device  110 , devices that emit energy (radio, microwave, infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, x-ray and gamma ray), electronic output devices (Wi-Fi, radar, laser, etc.), audio (of any frequency), and the like. 
     The computing device  500  may further include one or more input devices  506  which can include, by way of example, any type of mouse, keyboard, disk/media drive, memory stick/thumb-drive, memory card, pen, touch-input device, biometric scanner, voice/auditory input device, motion-detector, camera, scale, and the like. Input devices  506  may further include sensors, cameras, sensing components of the smartwatch  104 , the smartphone  105 , a remote device within the cloud utilized by the provider  108 , the vehicle computing device  110 , (e.g., a touch screen, buttons, an accelerometer, a light sensor, etc.), and any device capable of measuring data such as motion data (e.g., an accelerometer, GPS, a magnetometer, a gyroscope, etc.), biometric data (e.g., blood pressure, pulse, heart rate, perspiration, temperature, voice, facial-recognition, motion/gesture tracking, gaze tracking, iris or other types of eye recognition, hand geometry, oxygen saturation, glucose level, fingerprint, DNA, dental records, weight, or any other suitable type of biometric data, etc.), video/still images, and audio (including human-audible and human-inaudible ultrasonic sound waves). Input devices  506  may include cameras (with or without audio recording), such as digital and/or analog cameras, still cameras, video cameras, thermal imaging cameras, infrared cameras, cameras with a charge-couple display, night-vision cameras, three-dimensional cameras, webcams, audio recorders, and the like. 
     The computing device  500  typically includes non-volatile memory  508  (e.g., ROM, flash memory, etc.), volatile memory  510  (e.g., RAM, etc.), or a combination thereof. A network interface  512  can facilitate communications over a network  514  with other data source such as a database  518  via wires, a wide area network, a local area network, a personal area network, a cellular network, a satellite network, and the like. Suitable local area networks may include wired Ethernet and/or wireless technologies such as, for example, wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi). Suitable personal area networks may include wireless technologies such as, for example, IrDA, Bluetooth, Wireless USB, Z-Wave, ZigBee, and/or other near field communication protocols. Suitable personal area networks may similarly include wired computer buses such as, for example, USB and FireWire. Suitable cellular networks may include, but are not limited to, technologies such as LTE, WiMAX, UMTS, CDMA, and GSM. Network interface  512  can be communicatively coupled to any device capable of transmitting and/or receiving data via one or more network(s)  514 . Accordingly, the network interface  512  can include a communication transceiver for sending and/or receiving any wired or wireless communication. For example, the network interface  512  may include an antenna, a modem, LAN port, Wi-Fi card, WiMax card, mobile communications hardware, near-field communication hardware, satellite communication hardware and/or any wired or wireless hardware for communicating with other networks and/or devices. 
     A computer-readable medium  516  may comprise a plurality of computer readable mediums, each of which may be either a computer readable storage medium or a computer readable signal medium. A computer readable storage medium may reside, for example, within an input device  506 , non-volatile memory  508 , volatile memory  510 , or any combination thereof. A computer readable storage medium can include tangible media that is able to store instructions associated with, or used by, a device or system. A computer readable storage medium includes, by way of example: RAM, ROM, cache, fiber optics, EPROM/Flash memory, CD/DVD/BD-ROM, hard disk drives, solid-state storage, optical or magnetic storage devices, diskettes, electrical connections having a wire, or any combination thereof. A computer readable storage medium may also include, for example, a system or device that is of a magnetic, optical, semiconductor, or electronic type. Computer readable storage media and computer readable signal media are mutually exclusive. 
     A computer readable signal medium can include any type of computer readable medium that is not a computer readable storage medium and may include, for example, propagated signals taking any number of forms such as optical, electromagnetic, or a combination thereof. A computer readable signal medium may include propagated data signals containing computer readable code, for example, within a carrier wave. Computer readable storage media and computer readable signal media are mutually exclusive. 
     The computing device  500  may include one or more network interfaces  512  to facilitate communication with one or more remote devices, which may include, for example, client and/or server devices. This is depicted, for example, as the cloud implementation for the provider  108  in  FIG.  1   , although any suitable network configuration may be utilized. The network interface  512  may also be described as a communications module, as these terms may be used interchangeably. The database  518  is depicted as being accessible over the network  514  and may reside within a server, the cloud, or any other configuration to support being able to remotely access data and store data in the database  518 . 
     Accordingly, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to methods and systems that facilitate biometrically-based alerts to remote providers while keeping a user&#39;s biometric data local with respect to the vehicle computing device. 
     It is noted that recitations herein of a component of the present disclosure being “configured” or “programmed” in a particular way, to embody a particular property, or to function in a particular manner, are structural recitations, as opposed to recitations of intended use. More specifically, the references herein to the manner in which a component is “configured” or “programmed” denotes an existing physical condition of the component and, as such, is to be taken as a definite recitation of the structural characteristics of the component. 
     The order of execution or performance of the operations in examples of the disclosure illustrated and described herein is not essential, unless otherwise specified. That is, the operations may be performed in any order, unless otherwise specified, and examples of the disclosure may include additional or fewer operations than those disclosed herein. For example, it is contemplated that executing or performing a particular operation before, contemporaneously with, or after another operation is within the scope of aspects of the disclosure. 
     It is noted that the terms “substantially” and “about” and “approximately” may be utilized herein to represent the inherent degree of uncertainty that may be attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation. These terms are also utilized herein to represent the degree by which a quantitative representation may vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter at issue. 
     While particular embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it should be understood that various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, although various aspects of the claimed subject matter have been described herein, such aspects need not be utilized in combination. It is therefore intended that the appended claims cover all such changes and modifications that are within the scope of the claimed subject matter.