JP2001357480A - Emergency call device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To enable an emergency call even in an area outside a communication area where a wireless base station of a mobile phone is not nearby. SOLUTION: Emergency notification devices mounted on a vehicle can communicate with each other by accumulation relay. When the emergency call communication means 1 cannot communicate with the wireless base station, it issues a relay request signal requesting another vehicle to relay the emergency call. The second emergency notification device that has received the relay request signal stores the emergency notification information and transmits the information when communication with the wireless base station becomes possible. As a result, even when a vehicle or the like making an emergency call is in a place where it cannot communicate with the wireless base station, it is possible to almost certainly make a report to the emergency call center by accumulation relay by another vehicle or the like.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an emergency notification device, and more particularly, to an emergency notification device mounted on a vehicle or the like and for making an emergency notification to a police or an emergency notification center in an emergency.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when an emergency such as a traffic accident or sudden illness occurs while a vehicle is on board, an emergency call system such as a police or an emergency call center is provided through an emergency call communication means such as a mobile phone mounted on the vehicle. 2. Description of the Related Art An emergency notification system for transmitting data such as current vehicle position information and a registered vehicle number to a responsible center is known. For example, JP
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. -057198 discloses an invention of a vehicle emergency notification device.

[0003] However, since a mobile phone is used as an emergency call communication means, an emergency call cannot be made in an area outside the communication area where a wireless base station of the mobile phone is not nearby. In order to avoid this, an emergency call system capable of relaying an emergency call from outside the communication area of a mobile phone and calling an emergency call center has been proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 11-270751 by the present applicant.

[0004] The "emergency notification system based on vehicle-to-vehicle cooperation" is a system for surely informing the center of emergency information even when the mobile phone of the emergency notification device is out of service area. As shown in FIG. 3, when an accident occurs outside the area of the vehicle-mounted mobile phone, the emergency notification data is transmitted to another vehicle by the transceiver unit. When the emergency report data of another vehicle is received by the transceiver unit outside the area of the vehicle-mounted mobile phone, the emergency report data of the other vehicle is transmitted to the other vehicle by the transceiver unit. If the transceiver unit receives emergency call data from another vehicle within the range of the vehicle-mounted mobile phone,
The emergency call data of the other vehicle is reported to the emergency report center using the vehicle-mounted mobile phone. Emergency information can be reliably notified to the emergency call center even outside the service area of the vehicle-mounted mobile phone.

[0005]

However, in the conventional emergency call system, there is a problem that if the signal cannot be relayed to a radio base station or another emergency call device, the call cannot reach the emergency call center.

The present invention solves such a conventional problem, and provides an emergency call device that can store emergency call information and notify the emergency call center later even if the emergency call cannot be relayed immediately. The purpose is to:

[0007]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the present invention, an emergency notification device is provided with an emergency notification device for performing wireless communication and relay of an emergency notification to another emergency notification device. Requesting relay request signal generating means, relay request signal receiving means for receiving the relay request signal, relay means for relaying the emergency notification in response to the relay request signal, storage means for storing emergency notification information, The system includes a means for transmitting emergency call information and an information transmitting means for notifying the user of various information.

[0008] With this configuration, even when a vehicle or the like making an emergency call is in a place where it cannot communicate with the radio base station, emergency call information can be accumulated and relayed by another vehicle or the like and reported to the emergency call center. .

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to FIGS.

(Embodiment) In an embodiment of the present invention, when communication with a radio base station is not possible, an emergency report relay request signal is transmitted, and when a relay request signal is received, emergency report information is transmitted to the radio base station. This is an emergency notification device that stores and relays messages to and from the office.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an emergency notification device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, an emergency call communication means 1 is a communication means using wireless communication such as a mobile phone. The impact sensor 2 is a sensor that detects a collision of a vehicle. The emergency call button 3 is a button for manually making an emergency call in an emergency. The relay means and central processing means 4 is a means for performing a relay process and controlling the entire apparatus. The vehicle position etc. detecting means 5 is a means for obtaining the current position of the vehicle using GPS or the like. Relay request signal generating means 6 is a means for generating a signal for making a relay request to another emergency notification device. The relay request signal receiving means 7 is a means for receiving a relay request from another emergency notification device.
The storage unit 8 is a unit for temporarily storing the received emergency call information. The information transmitting means 9 is a means for transmitting information to a user of the emergency notification device.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an emergency call system including an emergency call device and an emergency call center according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 2, the emergency call center 11
Is a center that controls the emergency call system. The wireless base station 12 is a base station for wireless communication such as a mobile phone.
The first emergency notification device 13 is an emergency notification device mounted on a vehicle that has transmitted an emergency notification. Second emergency call device 14
Is an emergency notification device mounted on a vehicle that relays an emergency notification.

The operation of the emergency notification device according to the embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described. This emergency notification device is used for requesting the police or fire department to dispatch an emergency in the event of a car accident or sudden illness. When a condition for issuing an emergency report such as a traffic accident occurs, an emergency report is made to the emergency report center 11 which controls the emergency report system using the emergency report communication means 1 using wireless communication such as a mobile phone.

Data such as the traveling direction and position of the vehicle is obtained from the vehicle position etc. detecting means 5 and transmitted to the emergency notification center 11 which controls the emergency notification system. The central processing unit 4 monitors the impact sensor 2 mounted on the vehicle and the manual pressing of the emergency call button 3, and if it is determined that a condition that satisfies the condition for issuing the emergency call has occurred, the emergency call is transmitted through the emergency call communication unit 1. Try to communicate with center 11.

If communication with the emergency call center 11 is established, information such as the traveling direction and position of the vehicle and the conditions under which the emergency call has occurred is sent to the emergency call center 11, and the emergency call is completed. Up to this point, it is the same as the conventional emergency notification device.

Next, a case where communication with the emergency call center 11 cannot be performed will be described. For example, emergency call notification means 1
In this case, a mobile phone is used for communication, and communication cannot be performed because the mobile phone is too far from the wireless base station 12. If communication with the emergency call center 11 is not possible, the relay request signal generating means 6 sends the second emergency call device 14 via the emergency call notification device 1 to the second emergency call device 14, for example, an emergency call device mounted on another nearby vehicle. An emergency call relay request signal is issued. If there is a response from the second emergency call device 14, the emergency call information
Is transmitted to the emergency call device 14.

A second emergency notification device mounted on another vehicle
At 14, when the relay request signal receiving means 7 recognizes the relay request signal, it responds to the first emergency notification device 13 and receives emergency notification information. If the second emergency call device 14 can communicate with the emergency call center 11, the first
The emergency call information from the emergency call device 13 is relayed and transmitted, and the emergency call is completed. Further, if the second emergency notification device 14 that has received the relay request cannot communicate with the emergency notification center 11, the third emergency notification device can be requested to relay.

A second emergency call communication means may be provided exclusively for relaying the emergency call information. When the first emergency notification device is specialized for communication with a fixed station, communication between the emergency notification devices can be performed using the second emergency notification device.

If communication with the third emergency notification device is not possible because there is no other vehicle nearby, the second emergency notification device 14 stores the emergency information from the first emergency notification device 13 in the storage means 8. Store report information. In particular, if the emergency notification information is compressed and stored, more information can be stored in the same memory capacity. Further, redundant portions of the emergency call information may be thinned out and stored.

When the emergency reporting device receives a request for relaying an emergency report at a location where it cannot communicate with the wireless base station, the emergency reporting device transmits the accumulated emergency report information to the location where it can communicate with the wireless base station as the vehicle moves. Notify the center via the base station.
Alternatively, when it becomes possible to communicate with the third emergency notification device, a relay is requested to the third emergency notification device.

[0021] Even if the relay request signal is received, control can be performed so that the emergency call is not relayed. When a plurality of emergency notification devices that have received the relay request signal perform relaying, the communication channel may be squeezed. Therefore, relaying is restricted to prevent this. Conditions for not relaying can be set freely. It is possible to freely set the conditions under which the relay is performed and flexibly cope with the case where the relay request signal is received.

For example, whether relay is possible or not is determined based on the distance from the transmission source to the current position. By not relaying the emergency notification device close to the transmission source, unnecessary communication can be limited. In addition, determination is made based on the positional relationship between the transmission source position, the current position, and the wireless base station, and unnecessary communication is avoided. By including the location information of the transmission source in the relay request signal, the emergency notification device that has received the relay request signal can recognize the position of the transmission source. If the position of the transmission source, the position of the own device, and the position information of the wireless base station incorporated in the emergency notification device are integrated and it is determined that relaying is useless, relaying is not performed.

If the electric field strength of the received radio wave is equal to or higher than a certain value, it is determined that relaying is unnecessary, and unnecessary communication is avoided.
In addition, the current position is classified into an urban area, a mountain area, an expressway, and the like, and it is determined whether or not to perform the relay according to the current position. Fine-grained relay control is performed by ascertaining the configuration of roads around the current position from map information around the current position. More advanced relay control can be performed by judging these plural conditions collectively.

[0024] Information including unique ID information is added to each emergency call device, and the emergency call information is relayed. By adding the ID information, the relay route of the emergency notification information can be grasped. If it detects that the relay of the emergency call has looped, it does not relay. According to the relay information included in the emergency call information, if the information has been relayed by the own device before, the relay is not performed and the relay is prevented from falling into an infinite loop.

If the directivity of the antenna is controlled by, for example, changing the direction of the antenna of the emergency call communication means, communication can be performed over a longer distance.

When the relay request signal is received, the emergency call information is transmitted to another emergency call device, the emergency call information reaches the center, or the emergency call information is stored, the respective statuses are set. LED, lamp, LCD,
The information is transmitted to the user by information transmission means 9 such as a voice and a warning sound. Indicators such as LEDs and display means such as LCDs are provided on an in-dash panel on which instruments such as a speedometer are mounted.

As described above, in the embodiment of the present invention,
If the emergency call device cannot communicate with the wireless base station,
When a relay request signal for an emergency call is transmitted and a relay request signal is received, the emergency call information is stored and relayed to the wireless base station. Therefore, even if the emergency call information cannot be relayed immediately, it is stored and relayed by another vehicle. To the emergency call center.

[0028]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the emergency report device is provided with an emergency report communication means for performing wireless communication, and a relay request for requesting another emergency report device to relay an emergency report. Signal generating means, relay request signal receiving means for receiving a relay request signal, relay means for relaying an emergency call in response to the relay request signal, storage means for storing emergency call information, and storing the stored emergency call information Means for transmitting;
The system is equipped with an information transmission means for notifying the user of various types of information, so if the emergency call device cannot directly communicate with the emergency call center, even if it is not possible to relay immediately, the storage relay will almost certainly ensure emergency The effect of being able to report to the reporting center is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an emergency notification device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an emergency call system including the emergency call device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram of a conventional emergency call system.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Emergency call notification means 2 Impact sensor 3 Emergency call button 4 Relay means and central processing means 5 Vehicle position etc. detection means 6 Relay request signal generation means 7 Relay request signal reception means 8 Storage means 9 Information transmission means 11 Emergency call center 12 Radio base station 13 First emergency call device (emergency call vehicle) 14 Second emergency call device (relay vehicle)

Continued on front page F term (reference) 5C087 AA02 AA23 AA33 AA37 BB21 BB74 DD05 DD13 EE08 EE17 FF01 FF03 FF04 FF23 GG18 GG22 GG66 GG70 GG83 5K067 AA21 BB03 DD17 DD51 EE02 EE06 FF10 FF23 FF10 FF10 NN21 RR12

Claims (21)

[Claims] An emergency call notification means for performing wireless communication,
Relay request signal generating means for requesting another emergency notification device to relay an emergency notification, relay request signal receiving means for receiving a relay request signal from another emergency notification device, Relay means for relaying a report, storage means for storing emergency report information, means for transmitting the stored emergency report information, and information transmission means for reporting various kinds of information to a user. Emergency call device. 2. The emergency notification device according to claim 1, wherein said relay means includes means for relaying the received emergency notification information to another emergency notification device. 3. The emergency notification device according to claim 1, wherein said storage means includes means for compressing or thinning out the emergency notification information and storing it. 4. The emergency notification device according to claim 1, further comprising a second emergency notification device for relaying emergency notification information. 5. The emergency notification device according to claim 1, further comprising means for transmitting to the user that the information transmission means has received the relay request signal of the emergency notification. 6. The emergency communication system according to claim 1, further comprising means for transmitting to the user that said information transmission means has relayed the emergency notification information to another emergency notification device. Notification device. 7. The system according to claim 1, further comprising means for transmitting to the user that the emergency notification information relayed to another emergency notification device by said information transmission means has arrived at an emergency notification center. The emergency call device according to any of the above. 8. The emergency notification device according to claim 1, further comprising means for transmitting to the user that emergency information has been stored by said information transmission means. 9. The emergency notification device according to claim 1, wherein said information transmitting means includes means for turning on or off an indicator such as a lamp or an LED. 10. The emergency notification device according to claim 1, wherein the information transmission means includes a display means such as an LCD. 11. The emergency notification device according to claim 9, wherein the indicator is provided on an in-dash panel on which instruments such as a speedometer are mounted. 12. The emergency notification device according to claim 10, wherein the display means is provided on an in-dash panel on which instruments such as a speedometer are mounted. 13. The emergency notification device according to claim 1, wherein said information transmission means is provided with a means for informing by a warning sound such as a voice or a beep sound. 14. A relay determining means for determining whether or not to relay according to a condition when a relay request signal is received, and means for controlling relay of an emergency call according to the determination. The emergency notification device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein: 15. The emergency call device according to claim 14, wherein said relay means is provided with means for setting a relay condition. 16. The relay determining means includes: a distance from a transmission source to a current position; a positional relationship between the position of the transmission source, the current position and the wireless base station; a classification of the current position; And at least one of the map information around the current position.
15. The emergency notification device according to claim 14, further comprising means for determining the emergency notification device based on the information. 17. The emergency notification device according to claim 1, further comprising means for adding information including ID information unique to each emergency notification device and relaying the emergency notification information. . 18. The relay means includes means for detecting that the relay of the emergency call has looped based on the ID information, and means for controlling not to relay when the loop has occurred. The emergency notification device according to claim 17. 19. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for changing a directivity of an antenna of said emergency call notification means.
4. The emergency notification device according to any one of 4. 20. The emergency notification device according to claim 1, wherein the emergency notification device is mounted on a vehicle. 21. An emergency call system comprising: the emergency call device according to claim 1; and an emergency call center for receiving an emergency call.