Patent Publication Number: US-2010130160-A1

Title: Vehicle emergency communication device and method for utilizing the vehicle emergency communication device

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     A system has been developed that sends a signal to a cellular phone when an air bag has been activated. The system, however, is not portable. Accordingly, the system cannot be easily removed from one vehicle and installed in another vehicle as desired. 
     Accordingly, the inventors herein have recognized a need for an improved vehicle emergency communication device and method that minimizes and/or eliminates the above-mentioned deficiencies. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A vehicle emergency communication device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is provided. The vehicle emergency communication device includes a portable housing having a first diagnostic link connector, a microprocessor, and an RF transmitter disposed therein. A portion of the first diagnostic link connector extends through the portable housing. The first diagnostic link connector is configured to be removably connected to a vehicle communication bus. The first diagnostic link connector is further configured to receive a signal indicating deployment of a vehicle airbag from the vehicle communication bus. The microprocessor is operably coupled to the first diagnostic link connector and to the RF transmitter. The microprocessor is configured to induce the RF transmitter to transmit an RF signal having an emergency call message therein in response to receiving the signal from the first diagnostic link connector. The emergency call message has data for inducing a cellular phone receiving the RF signal to further communicate with an emergency call center computer. 
     A method for utilizing a vehicle emergency communication device in accordance with another exemplary embodiment is provided. The method includes disposing a portable housing having a first diagnostic link connector, a microprocessor, and an RF transmitter disposed therein, inside of a vehicle. The method further includes physically coupling the first diagnostic link connector to a second diagnostic link connector coupled to a vehicle communication bus. The method further includes transmitting a signal indicating deployment of a vehicle airbag from a vehicle controller through the vehicle communication bus and the second diagnostic link connector and the first diagnostic link connector to the microprocessor. The method further includes inducing the RF transmitter to transmit an RF signal having an emergency call message therein, utilizing the microprocessor in response to the microprocessor receiving the signal. The emergency call message has data for inducing a cellular phone receiving the RF signal to further communicate with an emergency call center computer. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic of a vehicle emergency communication device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment; and 
         FIG. 2  is a flowchart of a method for utilizing the vehicle emergency communication device of  FIG. 1  in accordance with another exemplary embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a vehicle  10  and a vehicle emergency communication device  20  in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is provided. Further, a cellular phone  22 , a cellular tower  24 , and an emergency call center computer  26  are illustrated. An advantage of the vehicle emergency communication device  20  is that the device  20  is portable and can be moved between different vehicles if needed. Further, the device  20  can be easily coupled to a vehicle communication bus utilizing a diagnostic link connector. 
     The vehicle  10  is configured to transport passengers therein. The vehicle  10  includes a vehicle controller  30 , an airbag deployment sensor  32 , a vehicle communication bus  34 , and a diagnostic link connector  36 . The airbag deployment sensor  32  is configured to generate a first signal when an airbag module disposed in the vehicle  10  is activated. The vehicle controller  30  receives the first signal from the airbag deployment sensor  32 . In response to the first signal, the vehicle controller  30  sends a second signal through the vehicle communication bus  36  to the diagnostic link connector  36 , which is received by the vehicle emergency communication device  20 . 
     The vehicle emergency communication device  20  is configured to communicate with both the vehicle controller  30  and the cellular phone  22 . The device  20  includes a portable housing  48 , a diagnostic link connector  36 , a microprocessor  52 , a global positioning system (GPS) signal receiver  53 , an RF transmitter  54 , an input device  55 , and a memory device  56 . 
     The portable housing  48  is configured to hold the diagnostic link connector  36 , the microprocessor  52 , the GPS signal receiver  53 , the RF transmitter  54 , and the memory device  56  therein. Further, the input device  55  can comprise a keypad that is disposed on an outer surface of the portable housing  48 . 
     The diagnostic link connector  50  extends through an aperture in the portable housing  48  and is configured to be physically and electrically coupled to the diagnostic link connector  36 . 
     The microprocessor  52  is operably coupled to the diagnostic link connector  50 , the GPS signal receiver  53 , the RF transmitter  54 , the input device  55 , and the memory device  56 . The microprocessor receives GPS position data indicating a position of the vehicle  10  from the GPS receiver  53 . The GPS receiver  53  generates the GPS position data based on signals from at least three GPS satellites. Further, the microprocessor  52  receives the first signal from the vehicle controller  30  and induces the RF transmitter  54  to transmit an RF signal having an emergency call message to the cellular phone  22 . In one exemplary embodiment, the emergency call message has both (i) the GPS position data indicating a position of the vehicle  10 , and (ii) diagnostic codes or data indicating that an airbag has been deployed in the vehicle  10  that is indicative of a vehicle collision. The RF signal can have a Bluetooth communication protocol or other communication protocol known to those skilled in the art. In one exemplary embodiment, the input device  55  is a keypad that allows a user to input data, such as a “make”, a “model” and “year of manufacture” of the vehicle  10  that the microprocessor  52  can utilize to determine a communication protocol and data format utilized by the vehicle  10  for communicating over the vehicle communication bus  34 . Further, the microprocessor  52  can utilize the inputted vehicle data to be able to recognize numerical diagnostic codes or data in the emergency call message, utilizing a lookup table with corresponding diagnostic codes or data for example stored in the memory device  56 , indicating that airbag deployment in the vehicle  10  has occurred. 
     The cellular phone  22  is configured to receive the RF signal from the RF transmitter and to send the emergency call message, via another RF signal, to the cellular phone substation  22 . The cellular phone substation sends the emergency call message to the emergency call center computer  26 . The emergency call center computer  26  displays the emergency call message on the display device  60  so that an operator can contact emergency personnel to dispatch them to the vehicle  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , a flowchart of a method for utilizing the vehicle emergency communication device  20  in accordance with another exemplary embodiment is illustrated. 
     At step  70 , a person disposes the vehicle emergency communication device  20  inside of the vehicle  10 . The vehicle emergency communication device  20  has the housing  48  with the diagnostic link connector  50 , the microprocessor  52 , and the RF transmitter  54  disposed therein. 
     At step  72 , the person physically couples the diagnostic link connector  50  to the diagnostic link connector  36  coupled to the vehicle communication bus  34 . 
     At step  74 , the vehicle controller  30  transmits a signal indicating deployment of a vehicle airbag through the vehicle communication bus  34  and the diagnostic link connector  36  and the diagnostic link connector  50  to the microprocessor  52 . 
     At step  76 , the microprocessor  52  induces the RF transmitter  54  to transmit an RF signal having an emergency call message therein, in response to the microprocessor  52  receiving the signal. The emergency call message can include GPS position information from the GPS receiver  53  that indicates a position of the vehicle  10  and a diagnostic code indicating deployment of an airbag module. 
     At step  78 , the cellular phone  22  sends the emergency call message to the emergency call center computer  26 , in response to the cellular phone  22  receiving the RF signal, via the cellular phone substation  24 . 
     At step  80 , the emergency call center computer  26  displays data corresponding to the emergency call message on the display device  60 . 
     The vehicle emergency communication device and the method for utilizing the device provide a substantial advantage over other devices and methods. In particular, the vehicle emergency communication device and the method provide a technical effect of providing a portable housing that can be easily moved between vehicles and a diagnostic link connector that can be easily coupled to vehicle diagnostic link connectors. 
     While embodiments of the invention are described with reference to the exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to the teachings of the invention to adapt to a particular situation without departing from the scope thereof Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the embodiment disclosed for carrying out this invention, but that the invention includes all embodiments falling within the scope of the intended claims. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. does not denote any order of importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items.