Patent Publication Number: US-2021164791-A1

Title: Device, system and method for transporting occupants of vehicles to a location for assistance

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In emergency situations, when human life is at risk, every second counts. When an occupant of a vehicle and/or an autonomous vehicle requires assistance, such as medical assistance, quickly transporting to a location for assistance can be important in ensuring that the occupant receives timely attention and/or treatment. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated in and form part of the specification, and serve to further illustrate embodiments of concepts that include the claimed invention, and explain various principles and advantages of those embodiments. 
         FIG. 1  depicts a system for transporting occupants of vehicles to a location for assistance in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 2  depicts an example computing device in according with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a flowchart of a method for transporting occupants of vehicles to a location for assistance in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 4  depicts a device determining meeting places that a vehicle may meet different rescue vehicles to transport to a location for assistance in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 5  depicts the device selecting one of meeting places and a corresponding rescue vehicle and transmitting navigation instructions to the meeting place in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 6  depicts the device dynamically updating the meeting place and transmitting navigation instructions to the updated meeting place in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 7  depicts a scenario where a selected meeting place is in a direction opposite a direction to location for assistance in accordance with some embodiments. 
         FIG. 8  depicts a scenario where a selected meeting place is in a direction opposite a direction of travel of a vehicle in accordance with some embodiments. 
     
    
    
     Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention. 
     The apparatus and method components have been represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the description herein. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     An aspect of the specification provides a device comprising: a communications unit configured to communicate with a vehicle and a plurality of rescue vehicles; and a controller communicatively coupled to the communications unit, the controller having access to map data, the controller configured to: receive, from the vehicle, via the communications unit, a request to assist at least one occupant of the vehicle; determine, from the map data, a combination of a meeting place and a corresponding rescue vehicle, selected from the plurality of rescue vehicles, which minimizes a total travel time of the vehicle from a current location to the meeting place, and the corresponding rescue vehicle from the meeting place to a location for assisting the at least one occupant; and transmit, using the communications unit, to each of the vehicle and the corresponding rescue vehicle, respective navigation instructions to the meeting place. 
     Another aspect of the specification provides a method comprising: receiving, at a controller, via a communications unit, from a vehicle, a request to assist at least one occupant of the vehicle; determining, at the controller, from map data accessible by the controller, a combination of a meeting place and a corresponding rescue vehicle, selected from a plurality of rescue vehicles, which minimizes a total travel time of the vehicle from a current location to the meeting place, and the corresponding rescue vehicle from the meeting place to a location for assisting the at least one occupant; and transmit, from the controller, using the communications unit, to each of the vehicle and the corresponding rescue vehicle, respective navigation instructions to the meeting place. 
     Attention is directed to  FIG. 1 , which depicts a system  100  for transporting occupants of vehicles to a location for assistance. The system  100  comprises a computing device  101 , at least one vehicle  103 , that includes at least one occupant  105 , a communication network  107 , and a plurality of rescue vehicles  109 - 1 ,  109 - 2 ,  109 - 3  each of which may include an emergency services vehicle and/or public safety vehicle and the like, such as an ambulance, a fire truck a helicopter and the like, though any type of vehicle that may be used as a rescue vehicle and/or an emergency service vehicle is within the scope of the present specification. As described below, in some examples the computing device  101  may comprise a cloud-based device, while in other examples the computing device  101  may be a component of the at least one vehicle  103 . In yet further examples, functionality of the computing device  101  may be distributed between components of the system  100  including, but not limited to, a cloud-based device and the at least one vehicle  103 . 
     The system  100  optionally comprises a map server  111 , and the like, storing map data  113 ; alternatively, the map data  113  may be stored at a memory of the computing device  101 . Regardless, the computing device  101  has access to the map data  113 . As depicted, the system  100  optionally comprises a traffic server  115 , and the like, storing and/or maintaining traffic data  117 ; and/or the system  100  optionally comprises a weather server  119 , and the like, storing and/or maintaining weather data  121 . Alternatively, one or more of the traffic data  117  and the weather data  121  when present, may be stored and/or maintained at a memory of the computing device  101 . 
     The computing device  101  is interchangeably referred to hereafter as the device  101 , the at least one occupant  105  is interchangeably referred to hereafter as the occupant  105 , the communication network  107  is interchangeably referred to hereafter as the network  107 , and the plurality of rescue vehicles  109 - 1 ,  109 - 2 ,  109 - 3  are interchangeably referred to hereafter, collectively, as the rescue vehicles  109  and, generically, as a rescue vehicle  109 . 
     The device  101  is generally configured to communicate with each of the vehicle  103 , the rescue vehicles  109  and, when present, the map server  111  and/or the traffic server  115  and/or the weather server  119 , via the network  107  using respective wired and/or wireless communication links depicted in system  100  as arrows between the components of the system  100  and the network  107 . 
     The device  101  may comprise one or more cloud computing devices and/or servers, and may be operated by a public service and/or emergency service entity, such as a police service entity, a fire service entity, an emergency medical service entity, and the like. However, the device  101  may be operated by another type of entity including, but not limited to, a commercial and/or business entity. Indeed, the device  101  may generally provide a service for automatically deploying a rescue vehicle  109  to a meeting place to meet the vehicle  103  in order to transfer the occupant  105  requiring assistance to the rescue vehicle  109 , for transport to a location for assisting the occupant  105 . For example, the occupant  105  of the vehicle  103  may sign up and/or register for such a service, for example using a communication device and the like, and provide permission to the device  101  to access a current location of the vehicle  103 . Alternatively, such a service may be offered to employees of an emergency service (e.g. the vehicle  103  may comprise an emergency service vehicle such as a police car and the like). Alternatively, such a service may be offered to customers and/or employees of a commercial and/or business entity. 
     Furthermore, each of the vehicle  103  and the rescue vehicles  109  are configured to communicate with the device  101 , and further configured to provide and/or implement navigation instructions to navigate to a location, such as a meeting place, as described in more detail below. Furthermore, the device  101  is generally configured to determine a current location of the vehicle  103  and each of the rescue vehicles  109 ; for example, the vehicle  103  and each of the rescue vehicles  109  may periodically report their current location to the device  101  and/or the device  101  may communicate with network infrastructure to determine the current location of the vehicle  103  and each of the rescue vehicles  109  (for example using triangulation techniques, street-deployed cameras, and/or other types of network infrastructure, and the like). 
     The vehicle  103  may comprise any vehicle configured to transport the occupant  105  and navigate to a location based on navigation instructions. While not depicted, the vehicle  103  may generally comprise a computing and/or communication device, for example for implementing processes of the vehicle  103  and communicating with the device  101  as described hereafter. In general, the vehicle  103  is further configured to determine when the occupant  105  may require assistance, such as medical assistance. In some examples the sensors of the vehicle may detect specific conditions and/or medical conditions of the occupant  105 , such as when the occupant  105  one or more of: is injured; is unconscious and/or has fainted; is having a heart attack; not breathing; is experiencing an abnormal heart rate; is hemorrhaging; is experiencing an abnormal temperature; has a head trauma; and the like. Indeed, the vehicle  103  may be configured to automatically transmit, to the device  101 , a request to assist the at least one occupant  105  of the vehicle  103  when the sensors detect a given condition and/or medical condition of the occupant  105 . 
     In yet further examples, the vehicle  103  may comprise a user interface, such as a physical button and/or a virtual button provided at a graphic user interface of a display screen of the vehicle  103 , which, when actuated, causes the vehicle  103  to transmit, to the device  101 , a request to assist the at least one occupant  105  of the vehicle  103 . Alternatively, a command to initiate a request to assist the at least one occupant  105  of the vehicle  103  may be received at a microphone of the vehicle  103  which, when received, causes the vehicle  103  to transmit, to the device  101 , a request to assist the at least one occupant  105  of the vehicle  103 . 
     In yet further examples, the sensors of the vehicle  103  may be configured to determine one or more of a state of the vehicle  103 , a condition of the at least one occupant  105  (as described above), and a number of occupants  105  needing assistance, and include such information in the request for assistance. A state of the vehicle  103  may include one or more: a current direction of travel of the vehicle  103 ; a current maximum available speed of the vehicle  103  (e.g. which may be based on damage to the vehicle  103  and/or battery and/or fuels levels); whether or not the vehicle  103  is operational, and/or damaged and/or able to drive and/or able to drive safely; battery and/or fuel levels; tire pressure; and the like. The state of the vehicle  103  may further indicate whether the vehicle  103  was in an accident and hence may further indicate whether an injury and/or condition of the occupant  105  is due to an accident. 
     In some examples, the vehicle  103  comprises an autonomous vehicle configured to automatically navigate to a location, including, but not limited to, a meeting place with a rescue vehicle  109 , based on navigation instructions received, for example from the device  101  in response to transmitting the request for assistance. Hence, for example, when the occupant  105  is a sole occupant of the vehicle  103  and is rendered unconscious and/or has fainted, and the like, for example due to a medical condition, while the vehicle  103  is in motion (e.g. driving), the vehicle  103  may automatically detect that the occupant  105  requires assistance and transmit a request for assistance to the device  101 . In response, as described below, the vehicle  103  may receive navigation instructions to a meeting place for meeting a rescue vehicle  109  for transport to a location for assisting the occupant  105 , such as a hospital, a clinic, a police station, a fire station, and an emergency medical services station, and the like. However, any suitable location for assisting the occupant  105  is within the scope of the present specification including, but not limited, to commercially operated locations and/or locations associated with a business entity, and the like. 
     However, in other examples, such as when the vehicle  103  comprises a user interface which, when actuated, transmits the request for assistance, the vehicle  103  may not be an autonomous vehicle and the received navigation instructions (e.g. to a meeting place with a rescue vehicle  109 ) are provided at an output device of the vehicle  103 , such as a display screen and/or a speaker. In such examples, a person of skill in the art understands that an occupant  105  of the vehicle  103  may manually drive the vehicle to the meeting place based on the provided navigation instructions. 
     While only one vehicle  103  is depicted in  FIG. 1 , the system  100  may comprise a plurality of vehicles carrying one or more respective occupants, and the device  101  may determine navigation instructions to a respective meeting place for any of the plurality of vehicles that requests assistance for a respective occupant. 
     Furthermore, while the vehicle  103  is depicted as a land-based vehicle, such as a car, a truck, a van, and the like, the vehicle  103  may, in some examples, comprise a water-based vehicle, such as a boat, and the like, and/or, in other examples, comprise an air-based vehicle such as a plane, a helicopter, and the like. 
     Each of the rescue vehicles  109  comprises a respective vehicle configured to navigate to a meeting place to meet with the vehicle  103 , and transport the occupant  105  needing assistance to a location for assisting the occupant  105 . While not depicted, each of the rescue vehicles  109  may generally comprise a computing and/or communication device, for example for implementing processes and communicating with the device  101  as described hereafter. While three rescue vehicles  109  are depicted, the system  100  may comprise as few as two rescue vehicles  109  and more than three rescue vehicles  109 . Furthermore, as depicted, the rescue vehicles  109  include an ambulance (rescue vehicle  109 - 1 ), a fire truck (rescue vehicle  109 - 2 ) and a helicopter (rescue vehicle  109 - 3 ), however other types of rescue vehicles are within the scope of the present specification, including, but not limited to, a police vehicle, and the like. Furthermore, while the rescue vehicles  109  include two land-based rescue vehicles (e.g. the ambulance and the fire truck), and an air-based rescue vehicle (e.g. the helicopter), the rescue vehicles  109  may include one or more water-based rescue vehicles, such as a boat, and the like. Indeed, the rescue vehicles  109  may include any suitable combination of two or more rescue vehicles. Furthermore, one or more of the rescue vehicles may include autonomous rescue vehicles, however in examples where an autonomous rescue vehicle is unmanned, the unmanned autonomous rescue vehicle may be adapted to transfer the occupant  105  to the autonomous rescue vehicle at the meeting place for transport to a location for assisting the occupant  105 ; however, in examples where there are two occupants  105  of the vehicle  103 , and only one occupant  105  requires assistance, the other occupant  105  may transfer the occupant  105  requiring assistance to the unmanned autonomous rescue vehicle. Indeed, any suitable rescue vehicle is within the scope of the present specification. 
     Also depicted in  FIG. 1  is an example of the map data  113  which includes features  130  such as roads and the like, as well as a location  131  for assisting the occupant  105 , as depicted, a hospital. However, the location  131  may alternatively include a clinic, a police station, a fire station, and an emergency medical services station, and the like. For clarity, the map data  113  also includes a current location  133  of the vehicle  103 , as well as current respective locations  139 - 1 ,  139 - 2 ,  139 - 3  of each of the rescue vehicles  109 - 1 ,  109 - 2 ,  109 - 3 . Hence, the depiction of the map data  113  in  FIG. 1  may represent the map data  113  after the device  101  has located the vehicle  103  and the rescue vehicles  109  at the map data  113 . The locations  139 - 1 ,  139 - 2 ,  139 - 3  are interchangeably referred to hereafter, collectively, as the locations  139  and, generically, as a location  139 . Furthermore, one or more of the locations  139  may be different from the other locations and/or the one or more of the locations  139  may be the same. 
     The map data  113  may further include, but is not limited to: landform/terrain information (e.g. whether a road is bumpy or not): information about open spaces without overhead power lines and/or overhead obstructions (e.g. trees), available for landings (e.g. for air-based vehicles and/or rescue vehicles); information regarding landing spots (e.g. for air-based vehicles and/or rescue vehicles) which may be in close proximity to a road and/or connected to a road by a footpath and/or with an open space between a road and the landing spot and/or where there are no barriers (such as fences and the like) between a road and the landing spot; and the like. Indeed, the map data  113  may include any data for determining a meeting place to which the vehicle  103  and a rescue vehicle  109  may each navigate to transfer the occupant  105  requiring assistance from the vehicle  103  to the rescue vehicle  109 . 
     Furthermore, the map data  113  and/or the traffic data  117  and/or the weather data  121  may include, but is not limited to: speed limits of roads; current and/or historical information about roads; passability of roads (including whether blocked by snow, mud, and the like); whether the roads are open, closed and/or blocked due to traffic; current and/or historic and/or predicted traffic conditions of the roads due to business, schools and the like (e.g. when shifts end in a factory and/or when school starts or ends); current weather information which may include weather conditions such as strong wind, snow, rain and the like (e.g. which may prevent the landing of an air-based vehicle); forecast of weather changes and/or traffic changes within a given time period; and the like. Indeed, the traffic data  117  and/or the weather data  121  may enable the device  101  to predict traffic conditions and/or weather conditions to better determine a meeting place for the vehicle  103  and a rescue vehicle  109 . 
     Attention is next directed to  FIG. 2  which sets forth a schematic diagram that illustrates an example of a computing device  201 , interchangeably referred to hereafter as the device  201  and/or the example device  201 . The device  101  may have a configuration similar to the example device  201 . Furthermore, computing devices at one or more of the vehicle  103  and the rescue vehicles  109  may have a configuration similar to the example device  201 . However, the configuration of the example device  201  may be adapted for a particular respective configuration of the device  101  and/or the vehicle  103  and/or the rescue vehicles  109 . For example, the device  101  may not include input devices and/or output devices (such as a display screen, speakers, microphones, keyboards and the like), and vehicle  103  and/or the rescue vehicles  109  may include components for navigating and/or autonomous vehicle navigation system and the like; furthermore, the vehicle  103  may include sensors for determining a condition of the occupant  105  and/or whether the occupant  105  is in need of assistance and/or sensors for determining a state of the vehicle  103  and/or sensors for determining a number of occupants  105 . 
     As depicted in  FIG. 2 , the example device  201  generally includes a communications unit  202 , a processing unit  203 , a Random Access Memory (RAM)  204 , a display screen  205 , an input device  206 , one or more wireless transceivers  208 , one or more wired and/or wireless input/output (I/O) interfaces  209 , a combined modulator/demodulator  210 , a code Read Only Memory (ROM)  212 , a common data and address bus  217 , a controller  220 , a static memory  222  storing one or more applications  223  (which may include one or more machine learning algorithms) a speaker  228 , an imaging device  232 , a microphone  233  and a GPS unit  234 . The one or more applications  223  will be interchangeably referred to hereafter as the application  223 , though different applications  223  may be used for different modes of the device  201 , as described in further detail below. 
     However, while the device  201  is described with respect to including certain components, it is understood that the device  201  may be configured according to the functionality of a specific device, for example the device  101  and/or computing devices of the vehicle  103  and/or the rescue vehicles  109 . 
     The example device  201  is described hereafter in further detail. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the device  201  includes the communications unit  202  coupled to the common data and address bus  217  of the processing unit  203 . The device  201  may also include the one or more input devices  206  (e.g., keypad, pointing device, touch-sensitive surface, etc.) and the display screen  205  (which, in some examples, may be a touch screen and thus also act as an input device  206 ), each coupled to be in communication with the processing unit  203 . 
     The speaker  228  may be present for reproducing audio that is decoded from voice or audio streams of calls received via the communications unit  202  for example to provide navigation instructions. 
     The imaging device  232  may provide video (still or moving images) of an area in a field of view of the device  201  for further processing by the processing unit  203  and/or for further transmission by the communications unit  202 . 
     The microphone  233  may be present for capturing audio from a user and/or other environmental or background audio that is further processed by the processing unit  203  and/or is transmitted as voice or audio stream data, or as acoustical environment indications, by the communications unit  202 . Indeed, when the device  201  comprises a computing device of the vehicle  103 , the microphone  233  may be one of the sensors for detecting a condition of the occupant  105  and/or for receiving commands to initiate a request to assist the at least one occupant  105  of the vehicle  103 . 
     The processing unit  203  may include the code Read Only Memory (ROM)  212  coupled to the common data and address bus  217  for storing data for initializing system components. The processing unit  203  may further include the controller  220  coupled, by the common data and address bus  217 , to the Random-Access Memory (RAM)  204  and a static memory  222 . 
     The communications unit  202  may include one or more wired and/or wireless input/output (I/O) interfaces  209  that are configurable to communicate with other devices, such as the vehicle  103 , the rescue vehicles  109  (and/or the device  101  when the device  201  is at the vehicle  103  or the rescue vehicles  109 ). 
     For example, the communications unit  202  may include one or more wireless transceivers  208 , such as a digital mobile radio (DMR) transceiver, a Project 25 (P25) transceiver, a terrestrial trunked radio (TETRA) transceiver, a Bluetooth transceiver, a Wi-Fi transceiver, for example operating in accordance with an IEEE 802.11 standard (e.g., 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g), an LTE transceiver, a Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) transceiver, for example operating in accordance with an IEEE 802.16 standard, and/or another similar type of wireless transceiver configurable to communicate via a wireless radio network. 
     The communications unit  202  may additionally or alternatively include one or more wireline transceivers  208 , such as an Ethernet transceiver, a USB transceiver, or similar transceiver configurable to communicate via a twisted pair wire, a coaxial cable, a fiber-optic link, or a similar physical connection to a wireline network. The transceiver  208  is also coupled to a combined modulator/demodulator  210 . When the device  201  comprises the device  101 , the communications unit  202  is generally configured to communicate with the vehicle  103  and the plurality of rescue vehicles  109 . 
     The controller  220  may include ports (e.g. hardware ports) for coupling to the display screen  205 , the input device  206 , the imaging device  232 , the speaker  228  and/or the microphone  233 . 
     The controller  220  includes one or more logic circuits, one or more processors, one or more microprocessors, one or more ASIC (application-specific integrated circuits) and one or more FPGA (field-programmable gate arrays), and/or another electronic device. In some examples, for example when the device  201  includes functionality of the device  101 , the controller  220  and/or the device  201  is not a generic controller and/or a generic device, but a device specifically configured to implement functionality for transporting occupants of vehicles to a location for assistance. For example, in some examples, the device  201  and/or the controller  220  specifically comprises a computer executable engine configured to implement specific functionality for transporting occupants of vehicles to a location for assistance. 
     When the device  201  includes functionality of the device  101 , the controller  220  is generally communicatively coupled to the communications unit  202 , and the controller  220  generally has access to the map data  113 , for example as stored at the memory  222  and/or at the map server  111  via the communications unit  202 . 
     The static memory  222  is a machine readable medium that stores machine readable instructions to implement one or more programs or applications. Example machine readable media include a non-volatile storage unit (e.g. Erasable Electronic Programmable Read Only Memory (“EEPROM”), Flash Memory) and/or a volatile storage unit (e.g. random-access memory (“RAM”)). In the example of  FIG. 2 , programming instructions (e.g., machine readable instructions) that implement the functional teachings of the device  201  as described herein are maintained, persistently, at the memory  222  and used by the controller  220  which makes appropriate utilization of volatile storage during the execution of such programming instructions. 
     In particular, for example when the device  201  includes functionality of the device  101 , the memory  222  stores instructions corresponding to the application  223  that, when executed by the controller  220 , enables the controller  220  to implement functionality for transporting occupants of vehicles to a location for assistance. In illustrated examples, when the controller  220  executes the application  223 , the controller  220  is enabled to: receive, from the vehicle  103 , via the communications unit  202 , a request to assist at least one occupant  105  of the vehicle  103 ; determine, from the map data  113 , a combination of a meeting place and a corresponding rescue vehicle  109 , selected from the plurality of rescue vehicles  109 , which minimizes a total travel time of the vehicle  103  from a current location  133  to the meeting place, and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  from the meeting place to the location  131  for assisting the at least one occupant; and transmit, using the communications unit  202 , to each of the vehicle  103  and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109 , respective navigation instructions to the meeting place. 
     The application  223  may include one or more machine learning algorithms which may include, but are not limited to: a generalized linear regression algorithm; a random forest algorithm; a support vector machine algorithm; a gradient boosting regression algorithm; a decision tree algorithm; a generalized additive model; neural network algorithms; deep learning algorithms; evolutionary programming algorithms; Bayesian inference algorithms, reinforcement learning algorithms, and the like. 
     However, generalized linear regression algorithms, random forest algorithms, support vector machine algorithms, gradient boosting regression algorithms, decision tree algorithms, generalized additive models, and the like may be preferred over neural network algorithms, deep learning algorithms, evolutionary programming algorithms, and the like, in some public safety environments. However, any suitable machine learning algorithm is within the scope of the present specification. 
     Indeed, the example device  201  may initially be operated in a learning mode to “teach” the machine learning algorithm(s) of the example device  201  to determine, from the map data  113 , a combination of a meeting place and a corresponding rescue vehicle  109 , selected from the plurality of rescue vehicles  109 , which minimizes a total travel time of the vehicle  103  from a current location  133  to the meeting place, and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  from the meeting place to the location  131  for assisting the at least one occupant; later, feedback from searching may be provided to the machine learning algorithm(s) of the example device  201  to improve determination, from the map data  113 , a combination of a meeting place and a corresponding rescue vehicle  109 , selected from the plurality of rescue vehicles  109 , which minimizes a total travel time of the vehicle  103  from a current location  133  to the meeting place, and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  from the meeting place to the location  131  for assisting the at least one occupant. In this manner, the machine learning algorithm(s) of the example device  201  are taught over time to determine successful outputs from given inputs. 
     Furthermore, different applications  223  may correspond to different machine learning algorithms, and/or different modes of the device  201 . For example, different combinations of one or more different machine learning algorithms may be executed depending on a preconfigured and/or selected mode of the device  201 . 
     Furthermore, the functionality of the system  100  and/or the device  201  may be distributed among a plurality of devices of the system  100  including, but not limited to, the vehicle  103  and the rescue vehicles  109  and/or any cloud based devices. 
     Attention is now directed to  FIG. 3  which depicts a flowchart representative of a method  300  for transporting occupants of vehicles to a location for assistance. The operations of the method  300  of  FIG. 3  correspond to machine readable instructions that are executed by, for example, the example computing device  201 , and specifically by the controller  220  of the example computing device  201 . In the illustrated example, the instructions represented by the blocks of  FIG. 3  are stored at the memory  222  for example, as the application  223 . The method  300  of  FIG. 3  is one way in which the controller  220  and/or the example computing device  201  and/or the system  100  is configured. Furthermore, the following discussion of the method  300  of  FIG. 3  will lead to a further understanding of the system  100 , and its various components. However, it is to be understood that the method  300  and/or the system  100  may be varied, and need not work exactly as discussed herein in conjunction with each other, and that such variations are within the scope of present examples. 
     The method  300  of  FIG. 3  need not be performed in the exact sequence as shown and likewise various blocks may be performed in parallel rather than in sequence. Accordingly, the elements of method  300  are referred to herein as “blocks” rather than “steps.” The method  300  of  FIG. 3  may be implemented on variations of the system  100  of  FIG. 1 , as well. 
     Furthermore, while it is understood by a person of skill in the art hereafter that the method  300  is performed at the device  201 , the method  300  may be performed at one or more of the devices of the system  100 , for example at a combination of one or more of the device  101 , the vehicle  103  and the rescue vehicles  109 . 
     At a block  302 , the controller  220  of the device  201  receives, from the vehicle  103 , via the communications unit  202 , a request to assist at least one occupant  105  of the vehicle  103 . The request may be transmitted by the vehicle  103  when sensors at the vehicle  103  detect that the occupant  105  requires medical assistance and/or when the sensors at the vehicle  103  detect a condition and/or medical condition of the occupant  105  and/or when the occupant actuates a button and the like at the vehicle  103  to initiate transmission of the request to assist at least one occupant  105  of the vehicle  103  to the device  101  (e.g. the device  201 ). 
     In some examples, the request to assist at least one occupant  105  of the vehicle  103  may further include one or more of a state of the vehicle  103 , a condition of the at least one occupant  105 , a current location of the vehicle  103 , and a number of occupants  105  needing assistance. 
     At a block  304 , the controller  220  of the device  201  determines, from the map data  113 , a combination of a meeting place and a corresponding rescue vehicle  109 , selected from the plurality of rescue vehicles  109 , which minimizes a total travel time of the vehicle  103  from a current location  133  to the meeting place, and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  from the meeting place to the location  131  for assisting the at least one occupant  105 . 
     Indeed, a person of skill in the art understands that the total travel time of the vehicle  103  from a current location  133  to the meeting place, and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  from the meeting place to the location  131  for assisting the at least one occupant comprises the time for transporting the occupant  105  requiring assistance from a current location  133  to a determined meeting place (e.g. using the vehicle  103 ), and from the determined meeting place to the location  131  (e.g. using a rescue vehicle  109 ). 
     In particular, the controller  220  implementing the block  304  is to determine a fastest time to transport the occupant  105  requiring assistance to the location  131 , using the vehicle  103  and the rescue vehicle  109 . 
     For example, the controller  220  may be configured to determine the combination of the meeting place and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  by: determining a respective meeting place for each of the plurality of rescue vehicles  109  that minimizes a respective total travel time of the vehicle  103  from the current location  133  to the respective meeting place, and of a respective corresponding rescue vehicle  109  from the respective meeting place to the location  131  for assisting the at least one occupant; selecting respective meeting places which are available to the vehicle  103 , and respective corresponding rescue vehicles  109 ; and selecting the combination of the meeting place and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  from the respective meeting places which are available to the vehicle  103 , and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109 , with a shortest total travel time. 
     Hence, for example, different respective meeting places may be selected for each of the rescue vehicles  109 , each of which minimizes the respective travel time of the occupant  105  from the current location  133  to the respective meeting place and then to the location  131 . One or more of the respective meeting places may be unavailable to the vehicle  103  and/or a rescue vehicle  109 , for example due to weather conditions, traffic conditions, a condition of the occupant  105 , a state of the vehicle  103  (e.g. given damage to the vehicle  103  may disqualify the vehicle  103  from travelling on certain roads, such as expressways), and the like. From the respective meeting places that are available, the combination of the meeting place and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  is selected, with a shortest total travel time of the occupant  105  to the location  131 . 
     Furthermore, in some examples, given rescue vehicles  109  may be excluded from the selection of the combination of a respective meeting place and rescue vehicle  109 . For example, a given rescue vehicle  109  may be unequipped to handle a given medical condition of an occupant  105 : in particular, the occupant  105  may be having a heart attack and hence only rescue vehicles  109  that include medical equipment for handling a heart attack (such as defibrillators, and the like) may be selected in the combination of a respective meeting place and rescue vehicle  109  at the block  304 . In yet further examples, when a condition of the occupant  105  is not life threatening, others of the rescue vehicle  109  may be excluded from the selection of the combination of a respective meeting place and rescue vehicle  109 ; for example, helicopters may be an expensive resource to deploy in these instances and hence they may be excluded from the selection of the combination of a respective meeting place and rescue vehicle  109  (e.g. based on a given condition of the occupant  105 ). Hence, in these examples, the device  201  has access to capabilities of the rescue vehicles  109  and/or one or more rankings of the rescue vehicles  109  by cost and the like. Such rankings may be stored at the memory  222  and/or one or more servers and/or cloud based devices for managing the rescue vehicles  109  and with which the device  201  (e.g. the device  101 ) is in communication. 
     Furthermore, the capabilities of the rescue vehicles  109  may include a maximum available speed for a rescue vehicle  109  which may also be used to determine the total travel time at the block  304 . 
     In further examples, the controller  220  has access to one or more of the traffic data  117  and weather data  121  (e.g. via the network  107 ), and the controller  220  may be further configured to: determine, from the map data  113 , the traffic data  117  and the weather data  121 , the combination of the meeting place and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  which minimizes the total travel time. For example, some roads may not be passable and/or the weather may not be suitable for using an air-based rescue vehicle  109  (e.g. due to winds, storms, snow and the like). 
     In some examples, the request to assist at least one occupant  105  of the vehicle  103  may further include one or more of a state of the vehicle  103 , a condition of the at least one occupant  105 , and a number of occupants  105  needing assistance, and the controller  220  may be further configured to: determine, from the map data  113 , and one or more of a state of the vehicle  103 , a condition of the at least one occupant  105 , and the number of occupants  105  needing assistance, the combination of the meeting place and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  which minimizes the total travel time. 
     For example, the state of the vehicle  103  may limit where a meeting place may be located (e.g. as the vehicle  103  may have a limited and/or reduced range of travel and/or may not be able to drive and/or may be travelling in a given direction and/or may or may not be able to turn around and travel in another direction). In another example, a condition of the at least one occupant  105  may indicate that the occupant  105  should not be transported over bumpy roads (e.g. due to a head injury). In yet a further example, when more than one occupant  105  requires assistance, more than one rescue vehicle  109  may be deployed to one or more meeting places and/or a rescue vehicle  109  may be selected which can accommodate the number of occupants  105  requiring assistance. 
     Furthermore, the total travel time as determined by the controller  220  may include one or more of: a transfer time period to transfer the at least one occupant  105  from the vehicle  103  to the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  at the meeting place; and a waiting time period of the vehicle  103  at the meeting place to wait for the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  to arrive at the meeting place. The transfer time period may be preconfigured and stored in the memory  222  and/or at the application  223  and/or estimated using machine learning algorithms, and the like. In yet further examples, for example when there is a distance at the meeting place between respective points where the vehicle  103  and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  can stop, the transfer time period may include a time to transfer the occupant  105  between the points, which may depend on weather conditions, geographic features, and the like, at the meeting place, as determined from the weather data  121  and the map data  113 . 
     The waiting time period of the vehicle  103  at the meeting place to wait for the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  to arrive at the meeting place may be determined when the travel time of the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  to the meeting place is longer than the travel time of the vehicle  103  to the meeting place. 
     Furthermore, the controller  220  may select the location  131  for assisting the at least one occupant  105  from the map data  113 . For example, while the map data  113  of  FIG. 1  depicts only one location  131  for assisting the at least one occupant  105 , the map data  113  may include more than one location for assisting the occupant  105 , and the location  131  may be selected based one or more on minimizing a total travel time to a location for assisting the occupant  105 , a condition of the occupant  105  (e.g. the occupant  105  having given minor injuries may be transported to a clinic, while the occupant  105  having given major injuries may be transported to a hospital). 
     At a block  306 , the controller  220  of the device  201  transmits, using the communications unit  202 , to each of the vehicle  103  and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109 , respective navigation instructions to the meeting place. In examples where the vehicle  103  and/or the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  are autonomous vehicles, the respective navigation instructions may comprise instructions for implementation by an autonomous vehicle navigation system. Alternatively, and/or in addition to the instructions for implementation by an autonomous vehicle navigation system, the respective navigation instructions may comprise instructions that may be provided at an output device (e.g. a speaker and/or a display screen) of the vehicle  103  and/or the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  for implementation by a respective occupant and/or driver of the vehicle  103  and/or the corresponding rescue vehicle  109 . Furthermore, the navigation instructions transmitted to the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  may further include navigation instructions from the meeting place to the location  131  for the corresponding rescue vehicle  109 . 
     As further depicted in  FIG. 3 , the controller  220  of the device  201  may again implement the blocks  304 ,  306 , for example when traffic data  117  and/or weather data  121  changes which results in an increase in the total travel time determined at the block  306 , based on a current position of each of the vehicle  103  and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109 . In these examples, controller  220  may be further configured to, after transmitting the respective navigation instructions (e.g. at the block  306 ): dynamically change the total travel time based on one or more of the traffic data  117  and the weather data  121 ; and, when respective total travel time for an updated meeting place is less than the total travel time: change the meeting place to the updated meeting place; and transmit, to each of the vehicle  103  and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109 , respective updated navigation instructions to the updated meeting place. Hence, in these examples the block  304  is implemented at least a second time to determine an updated meeting place using based on a respective current position of each of the vehicle  103  and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109 ; the block  306  is then implemented at least a second time to reroute the vehicle  103  and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  to the updated meeting place. Hence, in these examples, the total travel time for the initially selected meeting place increases and the meeting place is changed to the updated meeting place. In these examples, the block  304  is again implemented. The blocks  304 ,  306  may be repeated any number of times to continue to dynamically minimize the total travel time for transporting the occupant  105  to the location  131 . 
     In yet further examples, the controller  220  may continue to monitor total travel times for other meeting places (e.g. based on one or more of the traffic data  117  and the weather data  121 , and based on a current position of each of the vehicle  103  and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109 ) and change the meeting place to an updated meeting place when a respective total travel time for the updated meeting place is less than the total travel time for the initially selected meeting place, even when the total travel time for the initially selected meeting place doesn&#39;t change. For example, the controller  220  may be further configured to, after transmitting the respective navigation instructions (e.g. at the block  306 ): when a respective total travel time for an updated meeting place is shorter than the total travel time to the meeting place, as determined from one or more of the traffic data  117  and the weather data  121 : change the meeting place to the updated meeting place; and transmit, to each of the vehicle  103  and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109 , respective updated navigation instructions to the updated meeting place. Again, the blocks  304 ,  306  may be repeated any number of times to continue to dynamically minimize the total travel time for transporting the occupant  105  to the location  131 . 
     In yet further examples, the meeting place may be updated after transmission of the navigation instructions  539  based on one or more of an updated state of the vehicle  103 , and/or an updated condition of the occupant  105 ; in such examples, it is understood that the vehicle  103  may continue to transmit, the device  101 , a current updated state of the vehicle  103  and/or a current updated condition of the occupant  105 . Hence, if the state of the vehicle  103  changed (e.g. the vehicle breaks down and/or experiences further damage), and/or if a medical condition of the occupant  105  gets worse and/or changes, an updated meeting place can be selected. 
     Attention is next directed to  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6  which depicts an example of the method  300 . In particular, for simplicity  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6  each depict a subset of the components of the system  100  and in particular the device  101 , the vehicle  103  and the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  (e.g. the helicopter), as well as communication links therebetween. However, the other components of the system  100  are understood to be present. In  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , the device  101  is implementing the method  300 . 
     For example, with reference to  FIG. 4 , the device  101  is receiving (e.g. at the block  302  of the method  300 ), from the vehicle  103 , a request  401  to assist at least one occupant  105  of the vehicle  103 . 
     As also depicted in  FIG. 4 , the device  101  determines (e.g. at the block  304  of the method  300 ), from the map data  113 , a combination of a meeting place and a corresponding rescue vehicle  109 , selected from the plurality of rescue vehicles  109 , which minimizes a total travel time of the vehicle  103  from the current location  133  to the meeting place, and the corresponding rescue vehicle  109  from the meeting place to the location  131  for assisting the at least one occupant  105 . As in  FIG. 1 , the map data  113  further shows current positions  139  of the rescue vehicles  109 . 
     For example, as depicted in  FIG. 4 , the device  101  determines a respective meeting place  439 - 1 ,  439 - 2 ,  439 - 3  for each of the plurality of rescue vehicles  109 - 1 ,  109 - 2 ,  109 - 3 . The meeting places  439 - 1 ,  439 - 2 ,  439 - 3  are interchangeably referred to hereafter, collectively, as the meeting places  439  and, generically, as a meeting place  439 . 
     Each respective meeting place  439  is selected to minimize a respective total travel time for the vehicle  103  to a respective meeting place  439  and from a respective meeting place  439  to the location  131  for a corresponding respective rescue vehicle  109 . 
     Hence, for example, the meeting place  439 - 1  is selected to minimize a total travel time for the vehicle  103  to the meeting place  439 - 1 , and for the rescue vehicle  109 - 1  (e.g. the ambulance at the location  139 - 1 ) from the meeting place  439 - 1  to the location  131 ; indeed, the meeting place  439 - 1  may be selected from a plurality of meeting places that the vehicle  103  may meet the ambulance, with the meeting place  439 - 1  being the meeting place that results in the shortest travel time for an occupant  105  of the vehicle  103  requiring assistance to travel to the location  131  when transported by the ambulance.  FIG. 4  also shows a route  451 - 1  of the vehicle  103  to the meeting place  439 - 1  along roads, and a route  451 - 2  of the ambulance from the meeting place  439 - 1  to the location  131  along roads, as determined by the device  101 . The location of the meeting place  439 - 1  may also be determined by taking into account the travel time of the rescue vehicle  109 - 1  to the meeting place  439 - 1 ; in general, the meeting place  439 - 1  may be selected further based on minimizing a rescue vehicle travel time of the rescue vehicle  109 - 1  from the current location  139 - 1  to the meeting place  439 - 1 . 
     Similarly, the meeting place  439 - 2  is selected to minimize a total travel time for the vehicle  103  to the meeting place  439 - 2 , and for the rescue vehicle  109 - 2  (e.g. the fire truck at the location  139 - 2 ) from the meeting place  439 - 2  to the location  131 ; indeed, the meeting place  439 - 2  may be selected from a plurality of meeting places that the vehicle  103  may meet the fire truck, with the meeting place  439 - 2  being the meeting place that results in the shortest travel time for an occupant  105  of the vehicle  103  requiring assistance to travel to the location  131  when transported by the fire truck.  FIG. 4  also shows a route  452 - 1  of the vehicle  103  to the meeting place  439 - 2  along roads, and a route  452 - 2  of the fire truck from the meeting place  439 - 2  to the location  131  along roads, as determined by the device  101 . The location of the meeting place  439 - 2  may also be determined by taking into account the travel time of the rescue vehicle  109 - 2  to the meeting place  439 - 2 ; in general, the meeting place  439 - 2  may be selected further based on minimizing a rescue vehicle travel time of the rescue vehicle  109 - 2  from the current location  139 - 2  to the meeting place  439 - 2 . 
     Similarly, the meeting place  439 - 3  is selected to minimize a total travel time for the vehicle  103  to the meeting place  439 - 3 , and for the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  (e.g. the helicopter at the location  139 - 3 ) from the meeting place  439 - 3  to the location  131 ; indeed, the meeting place  439 - 3  may be selected from a plurality of meeting places that the vehicle  103  may meet the helicopter, with the meeting place  439 - 3  being the meeting place that results in the shortest travel time for an occupant  105  of the vehicle  103  requiring assistance to travel to the location  131  when transported by the helicopter. The location of the meeting place  439 - 3  may also be determined by taking into account the travel time of the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  to the meeting place  439 - 3 ; in general, the meeting place  439 - 3  may be selected further based on minimizing a rescue vehicle travel time of the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  from the current location  139 - 3  to the meeting place  439 - 3 . 
       FIG. 4  also shows a route  453 - 1  of the vehicle  103  to the meeting place  439 - 3 , and a route  453 - 2  of the helicopter from the meeting place  439 - 3  to the location  131 , as determined by the device  101 . In contrast to the routes  451 - 2 ,  452 - 2 , the route  453 - 2  is an air-based route that does not follow roads of the map data  113 . 
     The device  101  compares the respective total travel time for each of the routes  451 - 1 ,  451 - 2 , the routes  452 - 1 -  452 - 2 , and the routes  453 - 1 ,  453 - 2 , and selects the meeting place  439  and corresponding rescue vehicle  109  with the shortest total travel time represented by each of the routes  451 - 1 ,  451 - 2 , the routes  452 - 1 -  452 - 2 , and the routes  453 - 1 ,  453 - 2 . 
     For example, with reference to  FIG. 5 , the device  101  may determine that the combination of the meeting place  439 - 3  and the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  has the shortest total travel time, transmit (e.g. at the block  306 ), to the vehicle  103 , navigation instructions  539 - 1  for the vehicle  103  to navigate from the current location  133  to the meeting place  439 - 3 , and further transmit (e.g. at the block  306 ), to the rescue vehicle  109 - 3 , navigation instructions  539 - 2  for the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  to navigate from the current location  139 - 3  of the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  to the meeting place  439 - 3 , for example along a route  553 . The route  553  may be selected to minimize a travel time for the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  to navigate from a current location  139 - 3  of the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  to the meeting place  439 - 3 . The navigation instructions  539 - 2  may also include navigation instructions for the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  to navigate from the meeting place  439 - 3  to the location  131  along the route  453 - 2 . 
     Attention is next directed to  FIG. 6  which depicts the map data  113  updated with a current position  633  of the vehicle  103  and current position  639  of the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  each on route to the meeting place  439 - 3 . However, while the vehicle  103  and the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  are on route to the meeting place  439 - 3 , the device  101  may determine that an updated meeting place  649  presently has a shorter total travel time than a total travel time for the meeting place  439 - 3 . The shorter total travel time for the updated meeting place  649  may be due to changing traffic conditions and/or weather conditions and/or may be due to the meeting place  439 - 3  no longer being suitable for the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  and/or the vehicle  103  (e.g. due to weather conditions and/or traffic conditions). Indeed, when the block  304  was initially implemented the meeting place  649  may have been considered by the device  101 , but discarded in favor of the meeting place  439 - 3  as having a longer total travel time due to weather conditions and/or traffic conditions, and the like, when the vehicle  103  was at the location  133  and the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  was at the location  139 - 3 . 
     Hence, in  FIG. 6 , the device  101  determines a combined total travel time for the vehicle  103  to travel from the current position  633  along a route  653 - 1  to the updated meeting place  649 , and for the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  to travel from the updated meeting place  649  to the location  131  along a route  653 - 2 . The combined total travel time is compared to the current total travel time to the meeting place  439 - 3  and when the combined total travel time for the meeting place  649  is shorter than the current total travel time to the meeting place  439 - 3 , the meeting places for the vehicle  103  and the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  is changed to the updated meeting place  649 . 
     Hence, the device  101  transmits (e.g. at the block  306 ), to the vehicle  103 , navigation instructions  659 - 1  for the vehicle  103  to navigate from the current location  633  to the meeting place  649 , and further transmits, to the rescue vehicle  109 - 3 , navigation instructions  659 - 2  for the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  to navigate from the current location  639  of the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  to the meeting place  649 , for example along a route  654 . The route  654  may be selected to minimize a travel time for the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  to navigate from the current location  639  of the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  to the updated meeting place  649 . The navigation instructions  659 - 2  may also include navigation instructions for the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  to navigate from the meeting place  649  to the location  131  along the route  653 - 2 . 
     While the example in  FIG. 6  has been described with respect to updating a meeting place due to changes in travel time while the vehicle  103  and a rescue vehicle  109  are on-route to an initially selected meeting place, a meeting place may be updated based on other factors and/or at other times. For example, such factors may include, but are not limited to: an initially selected rescue vehicle  109  being replaced with another rescue vehicle  109 , for example due to damage, upon initial selection of a rescue vehicle  109 ; an initially selected rescue vehicle  109  being replaced with another rescue vehicle  109 , for example due to damage and/or an accident that occurs while the initially selected rescue vehicle  109  is on route to the initially selected meeting place; an initially selected rescue vehicle  109  being replaced with another rescue vehicle  109 , for example due to a route to the initially selected meeting place becoming impassable while the initially selected rescue vehicle  109  is on route to the initially selected meeting place; a route to the initially selected meeting place becoming impassable such that the initially selected rescue vehicle  109  and the vehicle  103  are both is rerouted to a new meeting place (e.g. similar to  FIG. 6 ); and the like. 
     Attention is next directed to  FIG. 7  which depicts a scenario that may occur when the method  300  is implemented at the device  101 , and the like.  FIG. 7  is a depiction of the vehicle  103  travelling along a road  704  through a forest; in this scenario, the vehicle  103  may comprise an autonomous vehicle. An occupant and/or a sole occupant of the vehicle  103  may lose consciousness; sensors at the vehicle  103  may detect that the occupant has lost consciousness and transmit a request for assistance to the device  101 ; while the device  101  is not depicted in  FIG. 7 , a person of skill in the art understands that the vehicle  103 , and rescue vehicles  109 , are in communication with the device  101 . The device  101  determines the location  131  to assist the occupant of the vehicle  103 , selects the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  (e.g. the helicopter) and a corresponding meeting place  749  as described above, and transmits navigation instructions (not depicted) to each of the vehicle  103  and the rescue vehicle  109 - 3  to the meeting place  749 . For example, the navigation instructions for the vehicle  103  may be along a route  753 - 1 , in an opposite direction of the location  131 , and the navigation instructions for the helicopter may be along a route  753 - 2 . In this scenario, the meeting place  749  is in an opposite direction of the location  131 , however the meeting place  749  is the location nearest to the vehicle  103  where the helicopter can safely land. Hence, selection of the meeting places  749  may be counter-intuitive without implementation of the method  300  at the device  101 , and the like. Indeed, without the device  101  implementing the method  300 , the vehicle  103  may navigate to a different meeting place that may be in a direction of the location  131 , but results in a longer total travel time for the occupant of the vehicle  103  to travel to the location  131  via the helicopter. 
     Attention is next directed to  FIG. 8  which depicts another scenario that may occur when the method  300  is implemented at the device  101 , and the like.  FIG. 8  is a depiction of the vehicle  103  travelling along a divided road  804  with the rescue vehicle  109 - 1  (e.g. the ambulance) travelling behind the vehicle  103  in the same direction along the divided road  804 ; in this scenario, the vehicle  103  may comprise an autonomous vehicle. An occupant and/or a sole occupant of the vehicle  103  may lose consciousness; sensors at the vehicle  103  may detect that the occupant has lost consciousness and transmit a request for assistance to the device  101 ; while the device  101  is not depicted in  FIG. 8 , a person of skill in the art understands that the vehicle  103 , and the rescue vehicles  109 , are in communication with the device  101 . The device  101  determines the location  131  (also not depicted in  FIG. 8  but nonetheless understood to be present) to assist the occupant of the vehicle  103 , selects the rescue vehicle  109 - 1  (e.g. the ambulance) and a corresponding meeting place  849  as described above, and transmits navigation instructions to each of the vehicle  103  and the rescue vehicle  109 - 1  to the meeting place  849 . For example, the navigation instructions for the vehicle  103  may be along a route  853 - 1 , in which the vehicle  103  changes direction, and the navigation instructions for the ambulance may be along a route  853 - 2 . In this scenario, the meeting place  849  is in an opposite direction of direction in which the vehicle  103  is travelling and the route  853 - 1  hence causes the vehicle to change direction using a nearest exit and/or crossover point  860  of the divided road  804  to travel in an opposite direction to another exit and/or another crossover point  861  back to the initial direction that the vehicle  103  was travelling and/or in a same direction that the ambulance is travelling along the route  853 - 2 . Hence, selection of the meeting places  849  may be counter-intuitive without implementation of the method  300  at the device  101 , and the like. Indeed, without the device  101  implementing the method  300 , the vehicle  103  may navigate to a different meeting place that may be in a direction that the vehicle  103  is currently travelling, but results in a longer total travel time for the occupant of the vehicle  103  to travel to the location  131  via the ambulance. 
     Provided herein is a device, system and method for transporting occupants of vehicles to a location for assistance. The device determines a combination of a meeting place and rescue vehicle which minimizes a total travel time of a vehicle from a current location to the meeting place, and the corresponding rescue vehicle from the meeting place to a location for assisting at least one occupant of the vehicle requiring assistance. As such, the provided device, system and method may select an optimal meeting point between a vehicle, including, but not limited to an autonomous vehicle, and an emergency services and/or rescue vehicle and coordinate their meeting at the meeting place to transfer the occupant of the vehicle to the rescue vehicle. Selection of the meeting place may occur using machine learning algorithms and may be based on a state of the vehicle and/or external conditions, such as traffic and/or weather, and other factors, to shorten transport of an occupant of the vehicle person to a hospital, for example. 
     In the foregoing specification, specific embodiments have been described. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present teachings. 
     The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. The invention is defined solely by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application and all equivalents of those claims as issued. 
     In this document, language of “at least one of X, Y, and Z” and “one or more of X, Y and Z” may be construed as X only, Y only, Z only, or any combination of two or more items X, Y, and Z (e.g., XYZ, XY, YZ, XZ, and the like). Similar logic may be applied for two or more items in any occurrence of “at least one . . . ” and “one or more . . . ” language. 
     Moreover, in this document, relational terms such as first and second, top and bottom, and the like may be used solely to distinguish one entity or action from another entity or action without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities or actions. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “has”, “having,” “includes”, “including,” “contains”, “containing” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “comprises . . . a”, “has . . . a”, “includes . . . a”, “contains . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises, has, includes, contains the element. The terms “a” and “an” are defined as one or more unless explicitly stated otherwise herein. The terms “substantially”, “essentially”, “approximately”, “about” or any other version thereof, are defined as being close to as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, and in one non-limiting embodiment the term is defined to be within 10%, in another embodiment within 5%, in another embodiment within 1% and in another embodiment within 0.5%. The term “coupled” as used herein is defined as connected, although not necessarily directly and not necessarily mechanically. A device or structure that is “configured” in a certain way is configured in at least that way, but may also be configured in ways that are not listed. 
     It will be appreciated that some embodiments may be comprised of one or more generic or specialized processors (or “processing devices”) such as microprocessors, digital signal processors, customized processors and field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and unique stored program instructions (including both software and firmware) that control the one or more processors to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits, some, most, or all of the functions of the method and/or apparatus described herein. Alternatively, some or all functions could be implemented by a state machine that has no stored program instructions, or in one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), in which each function or some combinations of certain of the functions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination of the two approaches could be used. 
     Moreover, an embodiment may be implemented as a computer-readable storage medium having computer readable code stored thereon for programming a computer (e.g., comprising a processor) to perform a method as described and claimed herein. Examples of such computer-readable storage mediums include, but are not limited to, a hard disk, a CD-ROM, an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, a ROM (Read Only Memory), a PROM (Programmable Read Only Memory), an EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory) and a Flash memory. Further, it is expected that one of ordinary skill, notwithstanding possibly significant effort and many design choices motivated by, for example, available time, current technology, and economic considerations, when guided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein will be readily capable of generating such software instructions and programs and ICs with minimal experimentation. 
     The Abstract of the Disclosure is provided to allow the reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, in the foregoing Detailed Description, it may be seen that various features are grouped together in various embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus, the following claims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separately claimed subject matter.