DE102021107974A1 - Method and backend server for coordinating an emergency trip of an emergency vehicle with other motor vehicles and a motor vehicle equipped for this purpose - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for coordinating an emergency trip of an emergency vehicle (12) with motor vehicles (11) traveling along a respective individual route (37). The invention provides that a backend server (16) uses mission data (18) that describe the current location of the mission vehicle (12) and/or a previously known part of a mission route (25) of the mission trip, and whereabouts data (21) that describes a respective describe the current vehicle position and/or a travel direction (30) and/or the respective travel route (37) of the motor vehicles (11), are determined and those motor vehicles (11) are selected from the motor vehicles (11) for which the whereabouts data (21) of the respective motor vehicle (11) meet a predetermined server-side relevance criterion (22) in relation to the deployment data (18), and control data (23) for triggering at least one coordination measure (24) are sent to each selected motor vehicle (11).

Description

The invention relates to a method for coordinating an emergency trip of an emergency vehicle with other motor vehicles traveling along a respective route. The invention also includes a backend server that initiates this coordination or carries it out completely, and a motor vehicle that can coordinate with the emergency vehicle during a trip.

On the road, there are often situations in which ambulances are recognized too late because the blue light disappears, buildings block the view or the siren is not heard because the radio is on, for example. If the ambulance then has to pass as quickly as possible, valuable seconds can be lost before a motor vehicle clears the way. Ambulances lose valuable time and there can be an increased risk of accidents.

The pamphlet JP 2001 249 673 A describes a control circuit for a siren of an emergency vehicle in order to reduce the generated siren sound when there is little traffic. If necessary, an amplifier circuit can increase the volume of the siren sound again. Thus, the range in which the emergency vehicle can be heard can be varied. However, the radius within which other road users are warned is limited to the range of the acoustic sound.

The acoustic warning has the additional disadvantage that a driver who hears the siren must first find out visually whether the warning sound is relevant to him at all or whether the emergency vehicle can move without his support.

The pamphlet DE 10 2008 010 413 A1 describes a radio-based warning system that, starting from a source of danger, uses a transmitter with a limited range to warn nearby vehicles, which in turn pass on the warning with their own radio transmitters. This means that the warning remains locally limited to those vehicles that are close to the source of the hazard. However, shadowing or reflection of the radio signals can lead to a misinterpretation of the danger situation.

The pamphlet DE 3 011 756 A1 describes a warning system for an emergency vehicle to warn vehicles within a radius of 200 meters. The warning can be acoustic or optical, which means that the shielding and reflection effects described can also occur here.

The pamphlet NL 1 035 175 C1 describes an emergency vehicle that sends a radio signal directly to another motor vehicle, in which a receiver receives the radio signal and then issues a warning to the driver on a screen. The system relies on an undisturbed radio connection being able to be set up directly from the emergency vehicle to the motor vehicle, which leads to a limited range, particularly in cities due to shadowing and reflection. Accordingly, the driver must be able to react quickly to the approaching emergency vehicle.

It is an object of the invention to warn motor vehicles traveling on a road network sufficiently in advance of an approaching emergency vehicle so that a preparatory coordination measure can be initiated in the motor vehicle to help the emergency vehicle pass.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent patent claims. Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent patent claims, the description and the figures.

As a solution to the problem, the invention includes a method for coordinating an emergency trip of an emergency vehicle with other motor vehicles traveling along a respective route. A backend server is used to store both deployment data, which describe the current location of the deployment vehicle and/or a previously known part of a deployment route of the deployment trip, and location data, which describe a current vehicle position and/or a direction of travel and/or the respective planned route of the motor vehicles. determined. A motor vehicle or several motor vehicles are selected from the motor vehicles if the whereabouts data of the respective motor vehicle meet a predetermined server-side relevance criterion in relation to the deployment data. Control data for triggering at least one coordination measure are sent to the at least one selected motor vehicle.

The backend server can be a computer or a computer network that can be operated on the Internet, for example. The backend server can operate a communication connection with a control circuit of the emergency vehicle and/or with a respective control circuit of the respective motor vehicle, for example based on an Internet connection (for example an IP connection, IP - Internet protocol) and/or based on a radio connection using Wifi technology and /or cellular technology (e.g. 5G). If such a backend server is used, the method is independent of the need for a line of sight between the emergency vehicle and the respective motor vehicle and/or such a short distance between the emergency vehicle and the respective motor vehicle that a siren is within earshot. Rather, by matching or comparing the deployment data on the one hand and the location data of the respective motor vehicle on the other hand, it can be determined which spatial relationship between the emergency vehicle on the one hand and the respective motor vehicle on the other hand exists or will exist in the future in order to decide for which motor vehicle the control data are relevant for the coordination measure. Thus, the warning of motor vehicles can be limited to those for which only the relevance criterion checked by the backend server (relevance criterion on the server) is fulfilled. At the same time, the range goes beyond the acoustic and/or visual range, ie motor vehicles outside of this respective range can also be supplied with control data. Nevertheless, control data is not sent to any motor vehicle if it is not relevant to it. Rather, by interposing or checking the relevance criterion on the server side, it can be ensured that control data is only sent to relevant motor vehicles.

Said deployment data can describe the route of the deployment vehicle in whole or in part (that is, to the extent that it is known). This route is referred to here as the "deployment route of the deployment trip" for better differentiation. If route planning data for the deployment route is available because, for example, a navigation device supports the deployment trip, this planned deployment route can be part of the deployment data. Alternatively, an estimate of the deployment route can be made, as will be explained. On the other hand, the location data can also be used to describe the direction of travel (so-called heading, for example in relation to the compass direction) or a planned route for each motor vehicle, as planned or signaled by a navigation device of the respective motor vehicle and/or a navigation plan in the backend server can. Shadowing effects and/or reflections, as can be the case with sound and/or radio, can be avoided by geometrically checking the relevance using the deployment data and the location data.

The invention can be further developed to obtain further advantages.

A further development provides that the server-side relevance criterion includes that the respective motor vehicle is selected if, according to the deployment data and the whereabouts data, its current vehicle position and/or its planned route are or will be at a spatial distance from the previously known part of the deployment route that is smaller than a predetermined limit. If the deployment data and the whereabouts data contain information for determining a spatial distance, the relevance criterion can limit the selection to those motor vehicles that are closer to the deployment route than the limit value indicates. This can be independent of the point in time of the approach, that is to say there can only be a geometric check of the geometric profiles of the deployment route and the travel route, even if the deployment vehicle and the respective motor vehicle reach the point of closest approach at different times. This is a robust calculation in that changes or variations in travel speed may be disregarded. Alternatively, the spatial distance can be determined over time, so that even if the deployment route and the travel route intersect, the distance is still greater than 0 if the deployment vehicle and the respective motor vehicle are not the point of closest approach or the crossing point happen at the same time, but at different times. This has the advantage that motor vehicles can be excluded from the selection as irrelevant if it is recognized from the temporal consideration that the spatial distance always remains greater than the limit value, even if the courses of the travel route and the deployment route are geometrically smaller should approach or even cross the limit. The limit can be in a range from 0 m to 1 km.

A further development provides that the server-side relevance criterion includes that the respective motor vehicle is selected if, according to the deployment data and the whereabouts data, a current vehicle position is closer to the current location of the emergency vehicle than a predetermined radius around the emergency vehicle or in a predetermined sector of a circle (so-called Cake segment) in the direction of travel in front of the emergency vehicle. This results in the advantage that only motor vehicles within the radius or even only in a sector of a circle or pie segment ahead in the direction of travel in front of the emergency vehicle receive control data or are classified as relevant. Thus, a motor vehicle is only relevant if it is “close enough” or can meet the emergency vehicle within a predetermined time interval. Beyond the radius or the sector of a circle, i.e. if a longer waiting time for the motor vehicle is to be expected ten, because the distance to the emergency vehicle is correspondingly greater than the radius or the radius of the sector of the circle, the motor vehicle is not relevant (relevance criterion not met) and is therefore not part of the selection. The value of the radius can range from 10 m to 5 km.

A further development provides that the server-side relevance criterion includes that the respective motor vehicle is selected if, according to the deployment data and the whereabouts data for the respective motor vehicle and the emergency vehicle, it is predicted that they will be in a predetermined road segment of the road network traffic route network at the same time according to a predetermined route prediction will stop. The route prediction can be used to estimate or predict a respective geoposition of the emergency vehicle and the motor vehicle for a future time period or a future time interval, for example by simulating the journey of the emergency vehicle and/or the motor vehicle. In this case, for example, a standard speed profile and/or a speed profile previously achieved by the emergency vehicle and/or the motor vehicle can be taken as a basis. Current traffic data can be taken into account here. The traffic route network or road network can be divided into segments, as is known from road maps, for example. If, according to the route prediction, the emergency vehicle and the respective motor vehicle are in a road segment at the same time, then this motor vehicle can be evaluated as relevant in terms of the relevance criterion. This also results in the additional time coordination described, which stipulates that the respective motor vehicle should trigger the at least one coordination measure for the time of encounter or when or before the road segment is reached.

A further development provides that the deployment data are determined by receiving route data, which describe a route plan for the deployment route, from the deployment vehicle and/or an operations center. In the manner described, the deployment data can come from a navigation plan, which can be described by route data that can be received from the deployment vehicle itself, i.e. an onboard navigation system, or from an operations center, i.e. a station that plans or coordinates the deployment trip , for which a navigation system can also be provided in the operations center. By using the route data, the course of movement or the deployment route of the deployment trip is known in advance, at least in the planned version as it is to be followed by the deployment vehicle.

In the event that the route data of the emergency vehicle are not available and/or in the event that a deviation from the route data must be taken into account, a further development provides that the operational data are determined by the emergency vehicle and/or the operations center current whereabouts of the motor vehicle and its destination are received and the deployment route is estimated at least for a predetermined part ahead of the deployment vehicle in its direction of travel by selecting the available roads that lead to the destination. Based on the current location of the emergency vehicle and based on its current direction of travel for those streets that lead to the destination, it can be ensured that motor vehicles located there are classified as relevant in terms of the relevance criterion. The destination can be specified, for example: the place of action (for example an accident site or a fire site) or a hospital to which a patient has to be taken, or the vehicle station of the emergency vehicle on a return journey. Based on the current whereabouts of the emergency vehicle and, for example, the direction in which the destination is located, the relevant possible or available road can be determined using map data of the road network.

A further development provides that the control data, which are sent to the respective selected motor vehicle, contain or describe at least part of the deployment data, and the received control data in the respective selected motor vehicle are checked by a vehicle-side control circuit to determine whether they meet a vehicle-side relevance criterion , and the at least one coordination measure is triggered only when the vehicle-side relevance criterion is met. There is a first check by the server-side relevance criterion and then a second check by the vehicle-side relevance criterion in each selected motor vehicle. By means of the control data, the current location of the emergency vehicle and/or its direction of travel and/or its operational route can be communicated in the respective selected motor vehicle by providing the deployment data or describing the deployment data, so that a decision can be made locally in the motor vehicle using a vehicle-related relevance criterion as to whether the The emergency vehicle must be taken into account and the coordination measure should be triggered. This relieves the backend server or reduces the computing load on the backend server, so that the backend server does not have a current or planned driving situation for each motor vehicle, for example which driving track is to be used and/or whether a break is planned must be taken into account.

By providing a server-side and a vehicle-side relevance criterion, a spatial overlap can be checked on the server side in the manner described in order to select relevant motor vehicles or at least one relevant motor vehicle. In the respective selected motor vehicle, it can then be decided on the basis of the control data whether there is a particular special situation of the motor vehicle, as a result of which the motor vehicle then proves to be irrelevant and/or at least one coordination measure proves to be unnecessary or not. For this purpose, the selected motor vehicles are informed of the deployment route and/or the direction of travel and/or the current location of the deployment vehicle by means of the control data. It can thus be decided locally in the respective motor vehicle whether the at least one coordination measure is necessary.

A further development provides that the server-side relevance criterion or the vehicle-side relevance criterion includes that a current and/or a planned future direction of travel of the respective motor vehicle points in the direction of the deployment route and/or that the emergency vehicle and the respective motor vehicle will share a common lane and /or that a section of the travel route of the motor vehicle and the deployment route in the same direction is recognized, where the vehicles do not meet. If this information is known in the backend server, it can carry out the check as part of the server-side relevance criterion. If a vehicle-side relevance criterion is to be checked, the described check can be carried out as part of this vehicle-side relevance criterion. The section of the travel route of the motor vehicle and the deployment route of the emergency vehicle in the same direction indicates that the respective motor vehicle and the emergency vehicle are not meeting each other, but rather the emergency vehicle has to overtake the motor vehicle.

A further development provides that the at least one coordination measure includes an indication that the emergency vehicle is approaching and/or an estimated encounter time with the emergency vehicle is output to a respective driver of the motor vehicle. The estimated encounter time can be estimated, for example, by the route prediction described, ie a simulation of the respective movement of the emergency vehicle and/or the motor vehicle. The information can be given acoustically, for example, for example as an announcement for the driver of the motor vehicle. A visual indication can also be provided as an indication, for example on a screen in the motor vehicle. The information can be supported by a haptic signal, for example a vibration of a steering wheel or a steering handle in general.

A development provides that the at least one coordination measure includes triggering a takeover request to take over the driving task in order to end an automated driving mode. As a result of the takeover request, the automated driving mode is therefore restricted to a less automated driving mode or even the automated driving is ended entirely. Since motor vehicles can also be warned via the backend server outside the acoustic range of a siren and/or the visual range of the emergency vehicle, there is more time for the driver to take over the driving task.

A development provides that the at least one coordination measure includes the motor vehicle being automatically maneuvered out of a lane and/or stopped. This supports or simplifies an overtaking maneuver by the emergency vehicle by clearing the lane for the emergency vehicle. When all vehicles on the road clear the same lane, the emergency vehicle has a free passage or transit.

A further development provides that the at least one coordination measure includes a replanning of the travel route of the motor vehicle with the condition that roads included in the deployment route are to be bypassed. As a result, an encounter between the motor vehicle and the emergency vehicle is completely avoided in an advantageous manner. This may provide more evasive maneuver space for other motor vehicles already close to the deployment route. An indication of the cause of the replanning can be displayed to the driver of the motor vehicle (for example: "Change of route due to the use of an emergency vehicle"). This prevents a driver who would prefer the shorter route, for example because of his local knowledge, from disrupting or destroying the replanning by driving.

A development provides that the at least one coordination measure includes that in the respective motor vehicle a playback volume of a media playback is limited to a predetermined volume level (music quieter), and/or an ongoing telephone call is interrupted, and/or a screen is switched off or blocked becomes. This results in a coordinate nation to the effect that the driver or vehicle occupant in the respective motor vehicle is supported in directing his attention to the traffic in the area. For example, a lower volume level makes a siren in the motor vehicle more audible than with the original volume level. By darkening a screen and/or locking it is avoided that a vehicle occupant in the motor vehicle is distracted by screen content.

A further aspect of the inventors is the backend server for coordinating an emergency trip of an emergency vehicle with motor vehicles traveling along a respective route. The backend server has a processor circuit that is set up to carry out the method steps that relate to the backend server in accordance with an embodiment of the method according to the invention. In the manner described, the backend server can be provided as a computer or computer network, in particular as an Internet server. The processor circuit can have software or program instructions which, when executed by at least one microprocessor of the backend server, cause the processor circuit to carry out the method steps. The software can be stored in a data memory that can be part of the processor circuit.

A further aspect of the inventors is a control circuit for a motor vehicle for coordinating an emergency trip of an emergency vehicle with a journey of the motor vehicle along a respective route. The control circuit is set up to receive control data relating to the mission trip from the backend server and to carry out those method steps which relate to the control circuit in accordance with an embodiment of the method according to the invention. The control circuit can be designed as a control device or as a central computer of the motor vehicle. To receive the control data, the control circuit can be coupled to a WiFi radio module or mobile radio module of the motor vehicle, via which the control data can be received by means of a radio link. The control circuit can have a processor circuit which, by means of at least one microprocessor, executes software or program instructions which, when executed, cause the control circuit to carry out the said method steps of the control circuit. The program instructions can be stored in a data memory of the control circuit.

Motor vehicle with an embodiment of the control circuit according to the invention. Such a motor vehicle can be designed as a passenger car or a truck or a passenger bus or a motorcycle.

Further features of the invention result from the claims, the figures and the description of the figures. The features and combinations of features mentioned above in the description and the features and combinations of features mentioned below in the description of the figures and/or shown alone in the figures can be used not only in the combination specified in each case, but also in other combinations or on their own.

• 1 eine schematische Draufsicht auf ein Straßennetz;
• 2 eine Skizze zur Veranschaulichung einer Ausführungsform des Verfahrens, bei welcher alle Fahrzeuge entlang einer Einsatzroute gewarnt werden;
• 3 Eine Skizze zur Veranschaulichung einer Ausführungsform des Verfahrens, bei welcher Kraftfahrzeuge innerhalb eines vorbestimmten Radius vor dem Einsatzfahrzeug gewarnt werden;
• 4 Eine Skizze zu einer Ausführungsform des Verfahrens, bei welcher Fahrzeuge zusätzlich umgeleitet oder umgeroutet oder eine Umplanung einer Route vorgenommen wird;
• 5 Eine Skizze zur Veranschaulichung eines Ergebnisses der Ausführungsform von 4.

The invention will now be explained in more detail using a preferred exemplary embodiment and with reference to the drawings. Show it:

• 1 a schematic plan view of a road network;
• 2 a sketch to illustrate an embodiment of the method, in which all vehicles are warned along a deployment route;
• 3 A sketch to illustrate an embodiment of the method, in which motor vehicles are warned within a predetermined radius of the emergency vehicle;
• 4 A sketch of an embodiment of the method in which vehicles are additionally diverted or rerouted or a route is replanned;
• 5 A sketch illustrating a result of the embodiment of FIG 4 .

1 shows a network of traffic routes or roads 10, as may be present in an urban area, for example. In the road network 10, motor vehicles 11 can be on a journey, ie they can make a journey to a respective destination. For the sake of clarity, only some motor vehicles are provided with a reference number. The term journey indicates here that the respective motor vehicle does not necessarily have to be moving at the moment, ie it has to be on a journey. The motor vehicle may be running or currently standing still or pausing. It is merely assumed that the motor vehicle is on a journey, ie on the way to a vehicle-specific destination. It is also shown how an emergency vehicle 12 can be on an emergency trip in the road network 10, for example on a trip to a hospital 13, that is to say a patient can be transported by the emergency vehicle 12, for example. A motor vehicle can be provided as an emergency vehicle that can drive the emergency vehicle with a special driving license performs. Such a special driving license can, for example, provide the authorization to use a siren and/or a blue light or a yellow warning light. Examples of such an emergency vehicle are an ambulance, a police car, a fire brigade vehicle, a vehicle belonging to the Federal Border Police, disaster control, or the technical relief organization.

The mission trip is in 1 correspondingly symbolized by the use of a blue light 14 and by the generation of a sound signal 15 of a siren. The emergency vehicle 12 can be an ambulance, for example. Due to the blue light 14 and the siren with the sound signal 15, the drivers of some of the motor vehicles 11 can be warned optically or visually and acoustically. Those motor vehicles 11 that can be warned by means of the blue light 14 and/or the sound signal 15 are in 1 marked by an exclamation mark "!". Drivers of motor vehicles 11 who have neither visual nor acoustic contact with the emergency vehicle 12 and are therefore not warned are in 1 marked with a question mark "?". In the other figures, too, an exclamation mark symbolizes a warned motor vehicle 11 (i.e. a driver and/or a driving function for automated driving are informed about emergency vehicle 12) and a question mark symbolizes a motor vehicle in which there is no warning of emergency vehicle 12. In order to warn motor vehicles of the emergency vehicle 12 independently of the blue light 14 and the sound signal 15, i.e. to trigger a coordination of the driving behavior of these motor vehicles with the emergency journey of the emergency vehicle 12, a backend server 16 can be provided, which is operated, for example, as a server of the Internet 17 can be. Operational data 18 can be transmitted to the backend server 16 by a vehicle station or an operations control center or by the operation vehicle 12 itself. 1 shows an example of the embodiment in which the deployment data 18 can be transmitted to the backend server 16 via a wireless communication link 19, ie a radio link, and/or an Internet link 20, for example.

The motor vehicles 11 can be members or part of a vehicle fleet F that can be supported by the backend server 16 . The backend server 16 thus represents a backend or a data platform for the vehicle fleet F or the motor vehicles 11. In the backend server 16, whereabouts data 21 can be available for each of the motor vehicles 11, for example via a respective communication connection (in 1 not shown for the sake of clarity) from each of the motor vehicles 11 can be received. A current geoposition and/or direction of travel and/or the deployment route of the emergency vehicle 12 or the route of the respective motor vehicle 11 can thus be known in the backend server 16 for the emergency vehicle 12 and/or each or some of the motor vehicles 11 . Using the deployment data 18 and the whereabouts data 21, the backend server 16 can check for each of the motor vehicles 11 whether a predetermined server-side relevance criterion 22 applies to the respective motor vehicle 11 or is fulfilled by it. In this case, it can then be provided for each motor vehicle 11 selected in this way, for which the relevance criterion 22 is met, that control data 23 for triggering or at least for signaling at least one coordination measure 24 is transmitted to the respective selected motor vehicle 11, for example via the communication link described. In each motor vehicle 11 that receives or receives control data 23, the encounter with the emergency vehicle 12 can then be checked for vehicle-related relevance and/or the motor vehicle 11 can be prepared for the encounter with the emergency vehicle 12.

2 shows a case in which a deployment route 25 of the emergency vehicle 12 is known in the backend server 16 because it was transmitted or described, for example, by a navigation system of the emergency vehicle 12 to the backend server 16 using the deployment data 18 . Corresponding route data 26 can be contained in the deployment data 18 for this purpose. All motor vehicles 11 along deployment route 25 can now be warned whose own route, which can be planned by a respective navigation system of motor vehicle 11 and is described by location data 21 , crosses deployment route 25 .

2 illustrates as a further case that two motor vehicles 27 can still be warned by visual contact with the emergency vehicle 12 (exclamation mark). Motor vehicles 28 that do not meet the server-side relevance criterion 22 do not receive any control data 23 (in 2 shown hatched). For illustration is in 2 a respective direction of travel 30 of the motor vehicles is illustrated ( 2 assumes, for example, traffic driving on the right), from which it can result that the server-side relevance criterion 22 is not met.

3 illustrates how the server-side relevance criterion 22 can also be based on a current radius 31 around the current location of the emergency vehicle 12 as a limitation, so that only motor vehicles within the radius 31 receive current control data 23 (vehicles without hatching and with an exclamation mark), although other motor vehicles may lie along the deployment route 25, but which are still outside the radius 31, which is why they do not receive any control data 23 (vehicles without hatching and with question marks). Motor vehicles that are already excluded due to their route are as in 2 shown hatched. Instead of a circle around the emergency vehicle 12 with the radius 31, the current direction of travel 32 of the emergency vehicle and/or the alignment of the emergency route 25 can also be taken as a basis in order to define a circular segment 33 within which motor vehicles 11 are classified as relevant according to the relevance criterion 22 . This can prevent motor vehicles 34 from receiving control data which, although crossing the deployment route 25, will do so at a time when the emergency vehicle 12 will not yet be at the respective crossing point or at the respective crossing point or will have already driven past it, so that no encounter with the emergency vehicle 12 for the motor vehicles 34 is to be expected.

4 illustrates how a replanning 36 of the travel route can be undertaken for motor vehicles 35 so that the rescheduled travel route 37 of the motor vehicles 35 no longer has a crossing point or crossing point with the deployment route 25 . The replanning 36 can be carried out by the backend server 16 and/or a local, on-board navigation system of the respective motor vehicle 35 . 4 shows a point in time T0 of the traffic situation. The hatching and the exclamation marks and question marks have the following meaning. A motor vehicle with hatching means that it is evaluated as irrelevant because it is not along the deployment route 25 and therefore does not receive any control data 23 . In the case of a hatched motor vehicle, an exclamation mark indicates that it is nevertheless within sight or hearing of the emergency vehicle 12 and is therefore aware of the emergency vehicle 12 . A question mark indicates that the emergency vehicle 12 is not known. A motor vehicle without hatching means that it can be assessed as relevant insofar as it lies along deployment route 25. An exclamation mark indicates that the motor vehicle also receives control data 23 because it was actually rated as relevant. A question mark indicates that the motor vehicle still does not receive any control data because, for example, a point in time at which the motor vehicle will cross deployment route 25 at an intersection differs from the point in time at which emergency vehicle 12 will be at this intersection and a Time interval between these events is greater than a predetermined minimum value, which is why the motor vehicle is ultimately rated as irrelevant.

5 12 shows a later point in time T1 after point in time T0, after emergency vehicle 12 has moved on. It can be seen that motor vehicles 35 do not require any further warnings or any further control data 23 . In addition, a motor vehicle can recognize by means of a local or vehicle-side relevance criterion 39 that, although it was in radius 31 shortly before time t1, it moved away from deployment route 25 due to its route 40, it does not have to carry out a coordination measure, but its journey can continue. 5 illustrates as possible coordination measures 41 that can be triggered in the motor vehicles 11 based on the control data 23 that a motor vehicle 11 clears, for example, a lane 42 that is intended for the deployment route 25 by stopping or stopping the motor vehicle. This can be achieved by a request to the driver or, in the case of an automated driving function, by appropriate trajectory planning.

Ambulances and/or their control center can thus send their planned routes to a central fleet backend, which can thereby warn all other fleet participants who cross the planned route.

Which vehicles are warned can be based on various criteria. One possibility would be to warn all vehicles on the route. Another possibility would be to warn all vehicles on the route within a certain radius. The third option would be to warn all vehicles within a certain radius that, according to the route forecast, are passing through a route segment at the same time as the ambulance. In the best case, unnecessary warnings should be avoided without the effort becoming too great and too many vehicles being left out.

In addition, one could not only warn vehicles in advance, but also adjust their planned route if necessary in order to avoid overlapping with the route of the ambulance.

• - Schnellere Reaktion auf Rettungswägen;
• - Vermeidung von Stresssituationen bei überraschendem Auftauchen von Rettungswagen und dadurch reduziertes Unfallrisiko;
• - Zuverlässigere ETAs (Estimated Time of Arrival - Geschätzte Ankunftszeit) für Rettungswagen wegen weniger Hindernissen;
• - Längere zusammenhängende automatisierte Fahrstrecken und Reaktionszeiten für die Übergabe der Fahraufgabe an den Fahrer für den Standard SAE J3016-Level 3+ Fahrzeuge (Level 3 und größer gemäß SAE J3016).

The advantages are:

• - Faster response to ambulances;
• - Avoiding stressful situations when an ambulance turns up unexpectedly, thereby reducing the risk of accidents;
• - More reliable ETAs (Estimated Time of Arrival) for ambulances due to fewer obstacles;
• - Longer connected automated driving routes and reaction times for handing over the driving task to the driver for the Standard SAE J3016-Level 3+ vehicles (Level 3 and above according to SAE J3016).

The examples show how fleet-based route communication can be used with ambulances.

Reference List

10

road network

11

motor vehicle

12

emergency vehicle

13

hospital

14

blue light

15

sound signal

16

backend server

17

Internet

18

deployment data

19

communication link

20

internet connection

21

dates of stay

22

relevance criterion

23

tax data

24

coordination measure

25

deployment route

26

route data

27

motor vehicle

28

motor vehicle

30

driving direction

31

radius

32

driving direction

33

circle section

34

motor vehicle

35

motor vehicle

36

rescheduling

37

route

39

Vehicle-side relevance criterion

40

route

41

coordination measure

42

lane

f

vehicle fleet

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• JP2001249673A [0003]
• DE 102008010413 A1 [0005]
• DE 3011756 A1 [0006]
• NL 1035175 C1 [0007]

Claims (10)

Method for coordinating an emergency trip of an emergency vehicle (12) with motor vehicles (11) traveling along a respective individual route (37), characterized in that a backend server (16) - deployment data (18) that a current location of the emergency vehicle ( 12) and/or describe a previously known part of a deployment route (25) of the deployment trip, and - whereabouts data (21) which show a current vehicle position and/or a direction of travel (30) and/or the respective route (37) of the motor vehicles (11 ) describe, are determined and - at least one motor vehicle (11) is selected from the motor vehicles (11) in which the whereabouts data (21) of the respective motor vehicle (11) has a predetermined server-side relevance criterion (22) in relation to the deployment data (18) and - control data (23) for triggering at least one coordination measure (24) are sent to the at least one selected motor vehicle (11). in. procedure after claim 1 , wherein the server-side relevance criterion includes that the respective motor vehicle (11) is selected if, according to the deployment data (18) and the whereabouts data (21): - its current vehicle position and/or its planned route (37) is a spatial distance from the previously known one has a part of the deployment route (25) that is smaller than a predetermined limit value, and/or - a current vehicle position a) is closer to the current location of the deployment vehicle (12) than a predetermined radius (31) or b) in a predetermined sector of a circle ( 33) is in front of the emergency vehicle (12) in the direction of travel (30), and/or - it is predicted for the respective motor vehicle (11) and the emergency vehicle (12) that they will be in a predetermined road segment of the road network ( 10) will be stopped. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the application data (18) are determined by - Route data (26) describing a route planning of the deployment route (25) are received from the deployment vehicle (12) and/or an operations center or - the current location of the motor vehicle (11) and its destination are received from the emergency vehicle (12) and/or the operations center and the deployment route (25) is determined at least for a part ahead of the emergency vehicle (12) by selecting the available roads leading to the Lead destination is estimated. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control data (23) contain or describe at least part of the deployment data (18) and wherein in the respective selected motor vehicle (11) the received control data (23) are checked by a vehicle-side control circuit to determine whether they meet a vehicle-side relevance criterion (39), and the at least one coordination measure (24) is only triggered if the vehicle-side relevance criterion (39) is met. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the server-side relevance criterion (22) or the vehicle-side relevance criterion (39) includes that a current and/or a planned future driving direction of the respective motor vehicle (11) points in the direction of the deployment route (25) and/ or that the emergency vehicle (12) and the respective motor vehicle (11) will share a common lane (42) and/or that a section of the route (37) of the motor vehicle (11) and the emergency route (25) in the same direction is recognized. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one coordination measure (24) comprises at least one of the following: - An indication of the approach of the emergency vehicle (12) and/or an estimated time of encounter with the emergency vehicle (12) is output to a respective driver of the motor vehicle (11), - a takeover request to take over the driving task is triggered in order to end an automated driving mode, - the motor vehicle (11) is automatically maneuvered out of a lane (42) and/or stopped, - A replanning (36) of the travel route of the motor vehicle (11) with a boundary condition that the deployment route (25) included roads are to be avoided. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one coordination measure (24) comprises that in the respective motor vehicle (11) - a playback volume of a media playback is limited to a predetermined volume level, and/or - an ongoing telephone call is interrupted, and/or - a screen goes blank or is locked. Backend server (16) for coordinating an emergency trip of an emergency vehicle (12) with motor vehicles (11) traveling along a respective route (37), characterized in that the backend server (16) has a processor circuit which is set up to implement a method according to one of the Claims 1 until 3 or 5 to perform. Control circuit for a motor vehicle (11) for coordinating an emergency trip of an emergency vehicle (12) with a journey of the motor vehicle (11) along a respective route (37), characterized in that the control circuit is set up from a backend server (16) according to claim 8 To receive control data (23) relating to the mission trip and a method with the steps of Claims 4 until 7 to perform. Motor vehicle (11) with a control circuit claim 9 .

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