DE102020214672A1 - Procedure for bringing an emergency vehicle to an emergency site - Google Patents

Abstract

The method for driving an emergency vehicle (1) to a location (2) includes cloud-based services (3), the fastest route between the emergency vehicle (1) and the location (2) being determined and this route to the emergency vehicle (1) and other road users (5) who are along this route and traffic control systems (6) and through communication and instructions on how to behave between those involved in the procedure, which may be implemented autonomously, a faster and safer approach to the scene (2) by the emergency vehicle (1) provided.

Description

The invention relates to a method for bringing an emergency vehicle to an emergency location.

Emergency vehicles are vehicles of authorities and organizations with security tasks, such as the police and rescue services. The approach to the scene includes the task of making a route available to the emergency vehicle and at the same time influencing the traffic on this route to the effect that the emergency vehicle reaches the scene faster and more safely.

This object is solved by a method according to patent claim 1. The dependent claims explain advantageous extensions of this method.

The method for bringing an emergency vehicle to a site includes cloud-based services, whereby the fastest route between the emergency vehicle and the site is determined and this route is communicated to the emergency vehicle, other road users who are along this route, and traffic control systems and through communication and instructions on how to behave between the participants in the procedure, which may be implemented autonomously, are provided with a faster and safer approach to the scene of the emergency by the emergency vehicle.

The route determined in the cloud is sent to the emergency vehicle and, for example, read directly into an existing navigation system in order to provide route guidance as quickly as possible. During the journey, this route can be continuously changed by adjustments through the cloud, e.g. due to changing traffic conditions. In addition to the emergency vehicle, other road users who are on the route to the place of action and traffic control systems receive information about the planned emergency trip and/or requests to adjust their driving behavior.

Advantageously, the surroundings of the site are recorded in order to optimize the approach and/or parking of the emergency vehicle to the site and to develop a rescue strategy until the site is reached, with the site being detected by the vehicle sensors of the road users and the site by the sensors of the surrounding infrastructure is recorded and a real-time transmission of the data recorded from the scene to the emergency vehicle is provided in order to strategically and tactically develop the rescue strategy while driving to the scene and continuously adapt it to the changing situation.

The vehicle sensors provide, for example, camera, radar, lidar and/or microphone systems in order to record the area around the vehicle and thus the location. Furthermore, the vehicle sensor system uses temperature or gas sensors to detect particular sources of danger, such as fires or escaping hazardous substances, at the place of use. In addition to the vehicles of the road users, a comparable sensor system also has the surrounding infrastructure, such as traffic control systems, air measurement or weather stations, which are also used to record the location. In addition, the smartphones of people who are on site also provide sensors. With the help of the sensor data, an image of the site and the damage situation is created and transmitted in real time via the cloud to the emergency vehicle. This allows the crew of the emergency vehicle to work out a rescue strategy before arriving at the scene. The real-time data also allow the rescue strategy to be adjusted in real time if the damage situation at the scene changes. The damage situation at the site of use is assessed directly by an expert using the transmitted data. A description of the place of use by a layperson can be omitted.

The participants in the process advantageously have a communication channel to the cloud, so that a communication option is provided between the participants in the process.

The cloud enables the parties involved in the proceedings to communicate with each other, e.g. through message forwarding. One of the participants in the procedure is the emergency vehicle that carries out the emergency trip. Other participants in the procedure are relevant road users who are located along the planned route of the emergency vehicle. This includes all those road users who could come into conflict with the emergency vehicle or whose behavior could influence the emergency vehicle's journey. The traffic control systems are also involved. These include, for example, traffic monitoring systems, which allow traffic to be recorded using sensors and/or traffic lights to influence traffic. In addition, an operations control center is involved, which can receive an emergency call from natural persons and forwards the location to the cloud. The operations control center can also monitor the procedure.

A road user and traffic control systems preferably share their information, e.g. about the traffic situation, with the cloud.

As a result, the cloud bundles as much information as possible that is relevant for route finding. This also makes it possible for the cloud to react quickly and appropriately to a changing traffic situation.

Advantageously, the cloud determines a quickest route based on the reported traffic situation, communicates this to the emergency vehicle and, if necessary, adjusts it during the emergency trip.

After the cloud has been informed of the location and has received the current traffic situation, it calculates the quickest route between the emergency vehicle and the location. This determined route is transmitted directly to the emergency vehicle and implemented as directly as possible in the emergency vehicle's navigation system. The traffic situation can change during the mission trip. Therefore, the cloud ideally monitors the traffic situation during the mission trip and adapts the route to changing traffic conditions.

For example, the cloud informs road users along the route about the emergency trip, which allows them to react according to the emergency vehicle's right of way.

Information about the emergency trip is communicated to road users via their vehicle or mobile phone, for example. As a result, road users can react early to the emergency drive and not only when they hear or see the special signals of the emergency vehicle. In addition, road users can be encouraged to behave in a certain way, such as forming a rescue lane.

Advantageously, autonomous vehicles adapt their driving style when an emergency trip in their area is reported to them.

Since the driving behavior of autonomous vehicles is based on algorithms, these vehicles can incorporate information about an emergency trip directly into these algorithms. As a result, autonomous vehicles automatically form a rescue lane if necessary, for example, or refrain from entering an intersection. In particular, the cloud can also send direct driving instructions to the autonomous vehicles, which they then implement autonomously.

Advantageously, autonomous vehicles communicate with each other in order to coordinate their driving behavior.

In order to form an emergency lane as quickly and safely as possible or to clear a blocked intersection for an emergency vehicle, it is advantageous if the drivers of the individual vehicles cooperate with one another. In order to make this cooperation possible for autonomous vehicles as well, they can communicate with each other and, for example, coordinate their planned driving maneuvers with each other. Communication can take place directly, e.g. via radio, between the vehicles. Alternatively, the cloud provides a communication channel between the vehicles. Direct communication between the vehicles ensures a fallback level if communication via the cloud fails.

For example, the cloud monitors the behavior of road users and checks whether they react appropriately to the reported emergency trip or instructions on how to behave and contacts the road users again if necessary.

The monitoring determines whether a road user who has been asked, for example, to form a rescue lane, complies with this request. If the request to drive in a certain way is not responded to within a reasonable amount of time, further requests may be made, possibly with increased intensity. An increased intensity can be implemented, for example, by increasing the volume of an acoustic warning.

Advantageously, the cloud reports the route and the location of the emergency vehicle to the traffic control systems, in particular traffic lights, so that the traffic control systems enable the emergency vehicle to travel as freely as possible to the location.

Since the planned route of the emergency vehicle is known to the cloud, it can influence the traffic control systems along this route in such a way that they enable the emergency vehicle to travel as quickly as possible. This is done, for example, by providing a green wave for the emergency vehicle through traffic lights. In addition, the traffic control systems can clear intersections in advance and keep them free to enable the emergency vehicle to pass through the intersections quickly and safely.

Configurations and features of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to exemplary embodiments and figures.

• 1 schematisch die verschiedenen am Verfahren beteiligten Klassen und deren Kommunikation untereinander,
• 2 zeigt schematisch den Ablauf des Verfahrens vom Eintritt eines Schadensereignisses 8 bis zur Ankunft des Einsatzfahrzeugs 1 an dem Einsatzort 2.

It shows:

• 1 schematic of the various classes involved in the process and their communication with each other,
• 2 shows schematically the course of the process from the occurrence of a damaging event 8 to the arrival of the emergency vehicle 1 at the scene 2.

1 shows an emergency vehicle 1, for example an ambulance, which is on the way to a scene 2, for example an accident site. A central component of the process is a cloud 3, which enables communication between all instances involved in the process and also provides computing capacity for solving certain tasks and outputs these solutions to those involved in the process. Such a task is, for example, a route calculation. Furthermore, an operations control center 4 is involved, for example the control center of the rescue service, which monitors the course of the procedure and communicates primarily with natural persons involved in the procedure. These can represent, for example, accident victims, accident observers and/or the crew of emergency vehicle 1 . In addition, the usual road users 5 are also involved in the process if they have to communicate with the emergency vehicle 1 or with one another while it is approaching. In addition, traffic control systems 6, for example traffic lights, are also involved in the method, which make it possible to prompt the traffic to behave in a certain way by means of clear signals.

The parties involved in the process communicate via communication channels 7, for example via radio. In 1 the most important types of communication channels are shown schematically. For a better overview, the communication channels 7 are shown for each type of process participant. Each participant in the process is preferably connected to the other participants in the process via at least one communication channel 7 . Cloud 3 is a central point here, since all those involved in the procedure can use it to communicate with each other. Optionally, those involved in the process can also communicate directly with each other.

The process for bringing emergency vehicles to a scene is triggered by a damage event 8 . A hazardous area resulting from a damaging event 8 poses a risk to people, animals and/or property and requires rapid intervention by an emergency vehicle 1 to avert the hazard. Such a damage event is e.g. a traffic accident.

In the 2 The method steps 8 - 17 shown ensure that the emergency vehicle 1 reaches the scene 2 as quickly and safely as possible.

In step 9 of the method, the place of use 2 and the type of use are first transferred to the cloud 3 . This can be done via the vehicles of road users 5, which are connected to the cloud via a direct communication channel 7. Furthermore, traffic control systems 6, which have a camera system, for example, can also report a damage event 8 to the cloud 3. In addition, a location 2 can also be transmitted to the cloud via the operations control center 4 . This takes place, for example, in the case of emergency calls from natural persons, for example by telephone, which are not automatically recorded. In addition to the location 2, the current traffic situation can also be transmitted to the cloud 3 by the above-mentioned participants in the process.

In a further method step 10, the cloud 3 determines the quickest route between a suitable emergency vehicle 1 and the emergency location 2 from the location 2 reported to it and the traffic situation. The suitability of an emergency vehicle 1 depends in particular on its location, its equipment and its operational readiness. The emergency vehicles 1 share their location and their status, in particular with regard to operational readiness, with the cloud 3 via a communication channel.

After process step 10, the process is divided into three process branches A, B and C, which run in parallel. If the fastest route changes during the course of the process, the individual process branches are executed repeatedly, similar to a loop. Process branch A relates in particular to the communication and collaboration of the cloud 3 with the emergency vehicle 1. Process branch B relates in particular to the communication and collaboration of the cloud 3 with the road users 5. Process branch C relates in particular to the communication and collaboration of the cloud 3 with the traffic control systems 6.

Process branch A begins with a process step 11, with the cloud transmitting the previously determined route to the appropriate emergency vehicle 1. Ideally, the route is automatically transferred to the navigation system of emergency vehicle 1 and route guidance is started. In the case of emergency vehicles 1 driving autonomously, an autonomous emergency journey can be started as soon as the crew in the emergency vehicle is ready to depart.

In a further method step 12, the cloud 3 adjusts the route during the mission trip, if necessary, should a faster route result due to changing traffic conditions. The adjusted route is displayed during the Ein automatically transferred from the cloud 3 to the emergency vehicle 1.

Method branch B begins with method step 13, the current route being transmitted from cloud 5 to other road users 5 who are along this route.

As a result, the other road users 5 can preventively adapt their driving behavior in method step 14, so that the right of way of the emergency vehicle 1 can be complied with as quickly as possible. For example, the road users 5 can form an emergency lane even before the emergency vehicle 1 is visually and/or acoustically perceived. In the case of autonomous vehicles, the formation of the emergency lane can be triggered directly by Cloud 3 and carried out independently by the vehicle. In the case of classically controlled vehicles, the behavior of the road users 5 can be monitored by the cloud 3 . If the instructions from Cloud 3 are not implemented by the road users, further requests can be made with increased intensity. In addition, positive feedback can also be given if the driver is driving correctly.

Process branch C begins with process step 15, the route being transmitted from cloud 3 to traffic control systems 6.

In a further method step 16, the traffic control systems, in particular traffic lights, adapt the traffic routing to the emergency drive. Since the whereabouts and the destination of the emergency vehicle 1 are known to the cloud 3, it is possible to generate an individual green wave or trouble-free traffic for the emergency vehicle 1. This accelerates the progress of the emergency vehicle 1. In addition, use-related sources of danger, for example crossing intersections during the red phase, are avoided.

If the route is adjusted in method step 12 and thus changed, method steps 13 and 15 are carried out again so that the updated route is also taken into account in these steps.

The method is concluded with method step 17 in which emergency vehicle 1 reaches location 2 . This status is transmitted to the cloud 3 by the emergency vehicle 1 or its crew.

Reference List

1

emergency vehicle

2

location

3

cloud

4

operations control center

5

road users

6

traffic control systems

7

communication channels

8-17

process steps

A - C

procedural branches

Claims (10)

Method for bringing an emergency vehicle (1) to a site (2) using cloud-based services (3), wherein - the quickest route between the emergency vehicle (1) and the place of action (2) is determined and - This route is communicated to the emergency vehicle (1), other road users (5) who are along this route, and traffic control systems (6) and - A faster and safer approach to the scene (2) by the emergency vehicle (1) is provided through communication and/or instructions on how to behave between those involved in the process, which may be implemented autonomously. procedure after claim 1 , characterized in that the surroundings of the site (2) are recorded in order to optimize the approach and/or parking of the emergency vehicle (1) at the site (2) and to work out a rescue strategy until the site (2) is reached, - the location (2) is detected by the vehicle sensors of the surrounding road users (5), - the location is detected by the sensors of the surrounding infrastructure and - a real-time transmission of the data recorded from the location (2) to the emergency vehicle (1) is provided in order to strategically and tactically work out the rescue strategy during the journey to the site (2) and to continuously adapt it to the changing operational situation. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the parties involved in the method have a communication channel (7) to the cloud (3), so that the parties involved in the method can communicate. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a Road users (5) and traffic control systems (6) share their information, for example about the traffic situation, with the cloud (3). Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cloud (3) determines a quickest route on the basis of the reported traffic situation and communicates this to the emergency vehicle (1) and adjusts it if necessary during the emergency trip. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cloud (3) informs the road users (5) along the route about the mission trip and requests them to behave in a certain way. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that autonomous vehicles automatically adapt their driving style when an emergency trip in their area is reported to them. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that autonomous vehicles communicate with one another and coordinate their driving behavior with one another. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cloud (3) monitors the behavior of the road users (5) and checks whether they react appropriately to the reported emergency trip or instructions on how to behave and, if necessary, contacts the road users (5) again. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cloud (3) reports the route and the location of the emergency vehicle (1) to the traffic control systems (6), in particular traffic lights, so that the emergency vehicle (1) can travel as freely as possible to the emergency location (2) enable.

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