FR2790157A1 - Emergency information vehicle transmission transfer technique having first vehicle transmitter passing emergency information/type and second vehicle receiving/passing second vehicle driver - Google Patents

Abstract

The alarm transmission system has a transmitter (5) on a first vehicle which transmits an emergency situation to a second vehicle with a receiver which passes the information to the second vehicle driver. The transmission has information on the emergency type (8-12) which is processed by the receiver and passed to the second vehicle driver.

Description

Method and device for transmitting alarms between vehicles La

  present invention relates to the technical field of

  transmission of information between vehicles.

  More specifically, it relates to a method of transmitting alarms between a first vehicle equipped with a transmitter transmitting information, during an emergency situation, to a second vehicle, equipped with a receiver, which returns the information accessible by the driver of the

second vehicle.

  In an emergency situation, such as an accident or a sharp slowdown for example, the transmission of alarms between vehicles is an essential factor in improving safety. Conventionally, such a transmission of alarms can be carried out by sending, by the vehicle involved in the emergency situation, a certain amount of information.

  vehicles, likely to receive it, located in the surroundings.

  By publication ZA9505263, a device for transmitting alarms between vehicles is known in which a transmitter and a receiver equipping the same vehicle, adapted to establish this

  transmission, are used for the transmission of alarms between vehicles.

  According to this publication, an accelerometer, installed in the transmitting vehicle, is used to detect the emergency situation. Only one criterion for triggering the alarm is mentioned: crossing an acceleration threshold. If this threshold is high, the system reacts only in the event of an accident, if the threshold is lower, the system will always react in the event of an accident, but also in the event of strong deceleration. As a result, the driver of the vehicle receiving the alarm signal cannot be informed about the precise nature of the emergency situation, for example a collision, a sudden slowdown in traffic ... If this publication describes a -2- transmission of alarms between vehicles, it does not make it possible to distinguish different

emergency situations.

  The publication FR9712702 describes an emergency call device and method. An alarm can be issued by a vehicle, destined for an emergency center, grouping and processing calls. The triggering of this alarm occurs when certain criteria are met. If this publication describes a device capable of determining different emergency situations, it only concerns the transmission of the alarm to an emergency center and does not envisage the direct use of this information

by other vehicles.

  The present invention aims to optimize the transmission of alarms between vehicles and to facilitate the distinction between different emergency situations. To this end, it proposes an alarm transmission method in which the sending device identifies an emergency situation, among several possible emergency situations, on the basis of different specific criteria, and prepares information representative of this situation. emergency, and, in which the receiving device processes this information

  received and returns it, at least in part, to the driver of the receiving vehicle.

  The receiver fitted to the second vehicle can be a simple

  door lock remote control receiver.

  However, according to another embodiment of the invention, this same receiver can retransmit the information. In addition, the information issued

  by the transmitter may also contain the number of vehicles already informed.

  In this case, the receiver can retransmit the information according to the

  number of vehicles already informed and the speed of the receiving vehicle.

  -3 - A feature of the invention is that the transmission of information is carried out using radio frequencies with a

  limited spectrum occupancy.

  According to a variant of the present invention, certain information can be initialized by a fixed infrastructure. According to another variant of the present invention, the receiver, equipping the second vehicle, can locate the relative position of the first vehicle, equipped with the transmitter having transmitted the information, relative to the

second vehicle.

  The invention also provides a device for transmitting alarms, during an emergency situation, comprising a central unit connected to sensors, to a man-machine interface, and to a communication module, itself connected to the less an antenna, characterized in that the central unit generates, from the signals emitted by the sensors, a signal representative of the emergency situation, which it emits by means of the communication module, and in that the central unit, upon reception by the communication module, of a signal representative of an emergency situation, processes this signal, in order to make it, at least in part, accessible

  to the driver via the man-machine interface.

  Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent on

  reading of the description which will follow of an embodiment, given as

  non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 represents the device according to the invention, where only

  represented the means which can participate in the emission of an alarm signal.

  FIG. 2 represents a general diagram of the device according to the invention, where only the means able to participate in the

receiving an alarm signal.

  -4- Figures 1 and 2 show that certain elements can participate in both the transmission and reception of an alarm signal. Thus, the transmission device can comprise a central unit 2, connected to a memory 3, and to a communication module 4, which is generally a radio transmitter / receiver. The communication module 4, is itself connected to one or more

  several transmitting / receiving antennas 5.

  The transmission device can be, under normal conditions

  operating, powered by the general vehicle power supply 7.

  However, during abnormal operating conditions, a power supply

  emergency 6, can replace the general vehicle power supply.

  Figure I particularly highlights the means that can

  intervene to determine an emergency situation.

  The central unit 2 of the transmission device continuously analyzes the state of several sensors 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 which can, for example

example, to be:

  - a vehicle speed sensor 8, - a trigger sensor for the anti-lock system 9 on the wheels, or, for example, the trajectory control system or the brake assist system if the vehicle is equipped with such systems, - shock sensors 10, associated, for example, with the airbag, or with the fuel circuit, - a sensor detecting an activation of the wipers at high speed 1 1,

  - a sensor 12 detecting whether the hazard warning lights are on.

  The central unit 2 may possibly be connected to a navigation or road information system (not shown), which is capable of indicating to it whether the vehicle, emitting the alarm signal, is on

the highway or on a highway.

  Figure 2 highlights, in particular, the means

  can intervene when an alarm signal is received.

  The central unit 2 of the transmission device is connected to a vehicle speed sensor 8, and to a man-machine interface 13,

  generally installed in the vehicle dashboard.

  This interface can be constituted by a system of speech synthesis type 14, or else by a display (specific to the reception or multifunction device) 15. It can be reduced to a simple sound transmitter 16

or a single diode.

  The central unit 2 of the transmission device I can also be

  capable of controlling the hazard warning lights 17 of the vehicle.

  In order to automatically identify the emergency situation in order to better inform nearby vehicles, the central unit 2 of the transmission device 1 consults the various sensors represented in FIG. 1. Most of these sensors are generally already present in the vehicles

currently produced.

  The trigger criteria and the associated emergency situations can be as follows: - the hazard warning light sensor 12 indicates that the hazard warning lights are on and the speed sensor 8 indicates zero speed: the central unit 2 concludes that the vehicle is stopped, - the hazard warning light sensor 12 indicates that the hazard warning lights are engaged and the speed sensor 8 indicates a deceleration: the central unit 2 concludes that the vehicle is in a deceleration or a plug, -6- - the anti-blocking system 9 trigger sensor is positive or else the speed sensor 8 indicates a significant variation in speed of the central unit 2 concludes to disturbed traffic, - the shock sensors 10 indicate, for example, that the airbag has deployed or that the fuel circuit cut-off system in the event of an impact has triggered: the central unit 2 concludes that the vehicle has crashed, - a sensor for tecting an activation of the wipers at high speed 1 1: the central unit 2 concludes at the beginning of a heavy rain, - the speed sensor 8 indicates that the vehicle speed is low, and a 'navigation or information indicates that the vehicle is on the motorway or a fast lane: the central unit 2

  concludes that the vehicle is a slow vehicle.

  It is possible to envisage that certain information of a type

  particular, come from a fixed infrastructure, rather than a vehicle.

  The information could, in certain cases, be emitted by signs, by

  example indicating works, or approaching toll gates.

  The transmission of information is preferably carried out between vehicles each equipped with transmission devices according to the invention. However, in order for a maximum number of vehicles to be able to use the information transmitted by a vehicle equipped with a transmission device according to the invention, it is possible to envisage vehicles equipped with a single reception system. Such vehicles may

  only receive alarm signals, but will not be able to transmit them.

  For such vehicles, the reception means, similar to those shown in Figure 2, can be minimized. In such a case, the role of the communication module 4 of the transmission device 1 can be fulfilled by the same receiver as that used by the remote control -7- for closing the doors of the vehicle. The man machine interface 13 can then consist only of a sound transmitter 16, or a simple diode located

on the dashboard.

  In the case of a man-machine interface reduced to a minimum, emergency situations can be differentiated by a signal appearing at the man-machine interface 13 of specific duration, frequency or intensity. This aspect of the invention is particularly advantageous insofar as it allows installation of reception means on a low cost vehicle, with few additions of additional parts. It thus makes it possible to considerably and simply increase the number of vehicles

  capable of receiving emergency signals.

  The preferred embodiment of the invention remains that in which each vehicle participating in the alarm transmission is equipped with a device for

  transmission of alarms according to the present invention.

  According to a variant of the invention, the transmission device is capable of re-emitting an alarm signal that it has received and made accessible

to the driver of the vehicle.

  According to another variant of the invention, the information sent by the transmission device 1 can relate, in addition to the emergency situation, to the number of vehicles informed, that is to say the number of retransmissions already carried out. The number of vehicles informed is an integer equal to zero, when the alarm comes from the vehicle which has effectively detected the emergency situation. In this variant, the transmission device has the possibility of retransmitting, in turn, a received message, by modifying only the number of retransmission already carried out. With each retransmission, the

  number of vehicles informed is increased by 1.

  The central unit 2 of the transmission device may also be able to control the hazard warning lights 17 of the vehicle in the event of an alarm being received. They can be activated for a certain period of time which may depend on the nature of the emergency situation. This duration is reset each time a new signal is received, so that as long as a vehicle sends a signal, the hazard warning lights of the vehicle receiving this signal remain on. However, the driver may have the possibility, via the conventional button for switching on the hazard warning lights, to stop this

activation of lights.

  Finally, the central unit 2 can, for example, decide, as a function of the speed of the vehicle receiving a signal indicated by the vehicle speed sensor 8, and of the number of retransmissions already carried out, to retransmit

  or not the alarm to other vehicles.

  The higher the speed, the greater the number of authorized retransmissions. A vehicle traveling at low speed has a short braking distance, so it is not necessarily advantageous to transmit the alarm at a significant distance from the vehicle having encountered an emergency situation. A vehicle on a fast lane takes much longer to stop. It is in this last case interesting to send the information well in

upstream.

  A variant of the invention consists in equipping the vehicle with several reception antennas. This arrangement makes it possible to detect, by comparison of the levels of the signals received, the source of the alarm signal. Similarly, if the two vehicles are both equipped with satellite positioning systems, the receiving vehicle will be able to determine the source of the alarm signal. A warning signal coming from the rear will be ignored, and on the contrary, a signal coming from a

  vehicle located just upstream will be considered more serious.

  -9- Information is transmitted through the use of a radio frequency channel. However, since a single frequency is used for all vehicles capable of emitting an alarm signal, it is therefore

  necessary to limit spectrum occupancy.

  The amount of information transmitted remains very low (a few bytes), it is possible to adjust the frequency of emission of alarm signals (i.e. the number of alarm signals sent per second)

  to obtain a spectrum occupancy rate of less than 2%.

  In conclusion, the present invention improves the safety of the occupants of a vehicle. It can be used on all types of roads, and provides precise information on emergency situations that

  may have encountered other vehicles.

- 10 -

Claims (9)

  1. Method for transmitting alarms between a first vehicle, equipped with a transmitter transmitting information during an emergency situation, to a second vehicle, equipped with a receiver, which makes the information accessible to the driver of the second vehicle, characterized in that the transmitter identifies this emergency situation, from among several recognizable emergency situations, on the basis of different specific criteria, and develops information representative of this emergency situation, and that the receiver processes this information received and returns it, at least in part, to the driver of the second vehicle.   2. Method of transmitting alarms according to claim 1, characterized in that the receiver equipping the second vehicle is a receiver of   door closing remote control.   3. Method of transmitting alarms according to claim 1, characterized in   what the receiver can retransmit the received information.   4. Method of transmitting alarms according to any one of   Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the information transmitted by   the transmitter also contains the number of retransmissions of information already done.   5. Method of transmitting alarms according to any one of   claims 1, 3 or 4, characterized in that the receiver retransmits   information received based on the number of retransmissions of   the information already carried out and the speed of the second vehicle.   6. Method of transmitting alarms according to any one of   Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the transmission of   the information is carried out using radio frequencies with   limited spectrum occupancy. - 11 -   7. Method of transmitting alarms according to any one of   Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that certain information is   initialized by a fixed infrastructure.   8. Method of transmitting alarms according to any one of   Claims 1, 3 to 7, characterized in that the receiver can locate the   relative position of the first vehicle relative to the second vehicle.   9. Device for transmitting alarms, during an emergency situation, comprising a central unit (2) connected to sensors (8,9,10,11,12), to a man-machine interface (13), and a communication module (4), itself connected to at least one antenna (5), characterized in that the central unit (2) develops, from the signals emitted by the sensors (8,9,10 , 11,21), a signal representative of the emergency situation, which it transmits via the communication module (4), and in that the central unit (2), on reception by the module communication (4), of a signal representative of an emergency situation, processes this signal, in order to make it, at least in part, accessible to the driver by means of the man-machine interface (13).   1o. Alarm transmission device according to claim 9, characterized in that the central unit (2) triggers the hazard lights (17) of the   vehicle upon receipt of a signal representative of an emergency situation.