FR3074345A1 - DEVICE FOR SIGNALING AN ACCIDENTOGENOUS SITUATION OF A MOTOR VEHICLE - Google Patents

Abstract

A signaling device (1) of an accident situation of a motor vehicle comprises a drone (2) and a control module (4) configured to calculate and transmit an operating instruction of said drone. The drone is configured to be put into service based on information relating to a broken or broken vehicle (6) so as to fly over an area corresponding to said accident situation. The drone comprises lighting means (18) configured to illuminate said zone.

Description

DEVICE FOR SIGNALING AN ACCIDENTAL SITUATION

OF A MOTOR VEHICLE

The invention relates to the field of road safety, and it relates more particularly to devices making it possible to report an accident-causing situation in an area around a motor vehicle which has suffered a breakdown or an accident.

Various signaling devices for broken down or accidented vehicles are known, in particular for warning other road users of the presence of this broken down or damaged vehicle and of the risk that they may run. For example, a broken down or injured vehicle must have hazard warning lights which can be manually operated by the driver of the broken down or injured vehicle or automatically in the event of an impact. This type of light signaling is useful when the vehicle is involved in an accident on a busy traffic lane, in particular to prevent other vehicles from striking the vehicle which has broken down or was originally damaged.

Several problems arise with the use of such signaling devices. In particular, the emergency services can only be prevented by the use of an additional device. Furthermore, these devices are ineffective or almost inoperative when the vehicle is accidented on an isolated road, or when the vehicle is in a ravine following an impact on the taxiway.

However, it is important that the emergency services are on site in the accident zone as soon as possible to provide assistance to the occupants potentially injured in the broken down or injured vehicle.

In this context, the present invention aims to propose a device for signaling an accident-causing situation which in particular enables rescue personnel not to encounter difficulties in locating the zone corresponding to the accident-causing situation when it takes place on roads. isolated and / or rarely visited.

The invention more particularly relates to a device for signaling an accident-causing situation of a motor vehicle, comprising a drone and a control module configured to calculate and transmit an operating instruction of said drone. According to the invention, the drone is configured to be put into service according to information relating to a broken down or accident vehicle so as to fly over an area corresponding to said accident-causing situation, and the drone comprises lighting means configured to illuminate said area.

By zone corresponding to the accident-causing situation, it is understood that said zone can be a zone identified as the zone of the beginning of the accident, or else as the zone of end of the accident, in the case where the vehicle has broken down or has an accident. moved between the beginning and the end of the accident-causing situation.

We understand that by drone, we mean any type of flying robot configured to fly over an area corresponding to an accident-causing situation.

Furthermore, it is understood that, by a flight of the drone over the broken down or accidented vehicle, it is intended to protect both a position directly above or more generally a position in a circle around the plumb of the object.

The deployment of a drone over a broken down or injured vehicle and the implementation of lighting means for this broken down or damaged vehicle and / or an area corresponding to the accident suffered by this vehicle make it possible to optimize the identification of the broken down or accidented vehicle and therefore either to accelerate the arrival of emergency services in the accident area, or to avoid a dangerous situation by the arrival of third-party vehicles arriving in this area and being able to strike the broken down or accidented vehicle.

According to different characteristics of the invention, taken alone or in combination, it can be provided that:

the drone operating instruction generated by the control module comprises at least one element from an instruction for putting the drone into service, a definition of an overflight area above the broken down or accidented vehicle, and conditions overview of this area;

- the drone is configured to fly over the zone corresponding to the accidentogenic situation in hovering;

- the drone is configured to move laterally relative to the zone corresponding to the accident-causing situation; in particular one can provide such lateral movement to obtain good reception of the communications network; this lateral displacement can be generated as a function of preliminary information or detection in real time; the drone can in particular be moved by pre-programmed movement sequences;

- the drone control module is installed on the broken down or accidented vehicle, or on an element of infrastructure near the area corresponding to the accident-causing situation;

- The drone is configured to be placed in an initial state in a housing, said housing comprising means for ejecting the drone to put it into service according to said information relating to a broken down or damaged vehicle;

- the means for ejecting the drone are actuated by means of the control module;

- The housing in which the drone is arranged in an initial state is provided in the structure of the broken down or damaged vehicle;

- the housing in which the automaton is placed in an initial state is provided in the structure of an infrastructure element;

- the control module is on board the drone; in this way, the drone is completely autonomous to fulfill the different stages of its task, including triggering, takeoff, flight, lighting ...; thus, the drone is not dependent on the integrity of a module that may be damaged in the accident vehicle and / or nearby infrastructure;

- the control module is configured to control the flight altitude of the drone according to the environment of the area corresponding to the accident-causing situation;

- the drone includes means for analyzing the environment of the area corresponding to the accident-causing situation;

- the drone is configured to communicate data obtained by the environmental analysis means to at least one infrastructure; as nonlimiting examples, the drone can be configured to communicate to an infrastructure data relating to traffic near the object, an automatic alert to be transmitted to the navigation systems on board vehicles or mobile devices communicating nearby , or even information when the incident is over ...

- the control module is configured to control the flight altitude of the drone according to information received before the accident-causing situation;

- the information relating to a broken down or accidented vehicle includes a parameter emitted during the accident-causing situation and / or a parameter resulting from a pre-analysis of an unavoidable accident situation;

- The signaling device comprises means for detecting the position of the vehicle that has broken down or crashed by the drone; it is particularly useful to detect the position of the broken down or accidented vehicle if it moves after the impact, under the effect of the initial speed of the vehicle at the time of the impact, for example; these detection means can take the form of means of communication between the drone and the broken down or injured vehicle, or else of sensors;

- the drone comprises at least one light source and an associated light device configured for the projection of the rays emitted by the at least one light source;

- the drone includes image acquisition means; one can thus obtain proofs of the accidentogenic situation, and form a black box;

- the drone has a memory module, in particular for storing and using geolocation information before the ejection of the drone;

- the drone includes means of communication with the network, in particular to prevent rescue; the drone can in particular relay information, by receiving information from the vehicle and transmitting it via the network, for example the state of health of the occupants.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly on reading the detailed description of the embodiments of the invention, given below by way of illustrative and nonlimiting example and based on the attached figures. , among :

- Figure 1 illustrates a first case of using a drone controlled by a control module for lighting an area corresponding to an accident-causing situation, the drone being here configured to project a pictogram remotely from the broken down vehicle or injured;

- Figure 2 illustrates a second case of using a drone controlled by a control module for lighting an area corresponding to an accident-causing situation, the drone being here configured to deposit a road sign remotely from the vehicle broken down or damaged; and

- Figure 3 illustrates a third case of using a drone controlled by a control module for the lighting of an area corresponding to an accident-causing situation in which the vehicle is accidentally damaged at the bottom of a ravine.

It should first be noted that if the figures show the invention in detail for its implementation, they can of course be used to better define the invention if necessary. Similarly, it is recalled that, for all of the figures, the same elements are designated by the same references. It will also be understood that the embodiments of the invention illustrated by the figures are given by way of non-limiting example.

Figures 1 to 3 illustrate different cases of use of the signaling device 1 of an accident-causing situation according to the invention. It will be understood that the description which follows of these use cases is not exhaustive and that the signaling device according to the invention could be used to perform functions other than those which will be detailed in the following. , as soon as they have the effect of warning the rescue service or other road users of an accident-causing situation following a breakdown or an accident suffered by a vehicle, in order to improve the care of the occupants of the vehicle broken down or injured or to ensure the safety of other road users who may encounter this accident-causing situation.

For the implementation of these examples of signaling of an accident-causing situation, the signaling device 1 according to the invention notably comprises a flying automaton, and more particularly here a drone, 2 and a control module 4 configured to calculate and transmit a operating instruction of said drone.

The control module can be integrated into the drone, or be arranged remotely from the latter.

Furthermore, the drone 2 and the control module 4 can be carried on the same object before the drone is put into service, or else be carried on different objects. We will be able to detail several possible combinations in the description which follows without, however, these combinations being limiting.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the drone 2 and the control module 4 are on board the vehicle which has suffered the breakdown or the accident causing the accident-causing situation, that is to say the broken down or damaged vehicle 6.

The drone operating instruction generated by the control module 4 thus comprises one or more instructions for putting the drone 2 into service, the definition of an overflight area 8 above the broken down or damaged vehicle 6, and the conditions of overflight of this area, that is to say of the operations to be carried out by the drone during this overflight.

This drone operating instruction is calculated by the control module 4 as a function of information relating to the broken down or damaged vehicle 6 and in particular relating to an area corresponding to the accident-causing situation generated by the broken down or damaged vehicle.

The definition of the overflight zone 8 consists of an instruction relating to the extent of authorized movements of the drone 2. The overflight zone can thus consist of a position strictly perpendicular to the broken down or accidented vehicle or else of a set of positions included in a circle, as illustrated in FIG. 3, arranged around this position strictly perpendicular to the object.

The instruction generated by the control module 4 for the definition of the overflight area 8 may in particular take the form of geolocation coordinates by satellite which define a two or three-dimensional extent of the overflight area. It can also take the form of an authorized displacement value on either side, in one or more directions, from the drone's ejection point. Regarding the flight altitude of the drone, the operating instruction can include a precise and unique value, or a range of values within which the drone is authorized to fly.

Furthermore, the definition of the overflight zone 8 depends on the zone corresponding to the accident-causing situation, which may correspond to the zone at the start of the accident, or else to the zone at the end of the accident, in the case where the broken down or injured vehicle moved between the start and the end of the accident-causing situation. To this end, the drone comprises means 10 for detecting the position of the broken down or damaged vehicle in order to adapt, if necessary, the zone corresponding to the accident-causing situation. These detection means can consist of cameras and image processing means, or alternatively communicating means between the drone and the broken down or accidented vehicle, for example forming a transmitter / detector assembly.

In the case illustrated in FIG. 3, where the drone 2 is shown in overflight above a broken down or injured vehicle 6, the area corresponding to the accident-causing situation is an area identified as the end area of the accident. It is particularly interesting that the drone's operating instruction requires it to fly over the broken down or damaged vehicle directly above it in order to facilitate its identification by the emergency services, and for example to find the trace of the broken down vehicle. or crashed 6 when that fell to the bottom of a ravine 7, as illustrated diagrammatically in FIG. 3.

When the overflight zone 8 consists of a set of positions included in a circle disposed around this position strictly in line with the object, the drone can be configured to be in this zone while hovering. The position of the hover is then fixed by the control module as a function of the environment of the zone corresponding to the accident-causing situation, and as a function of the position of the broken down or accidented vehicle in this zone. By way of non-limiting example, provision could be made to control the altitude of the drone 2 by the control module 4, as a function of the environment of the zone corresponding to the accident-causing situation. In particular, the control module will determine a sufficient flight height for the emission, whether light or radio, of the drone to be received by a rescue station or a mobile rescue unit coming to the area. In a particular embodiment, the control module receives geolocation information in real time when it is embarked on the vehicle which will subsequently be accidented. And the control module 4 is configured to adapt its operating instruction to the drone to control the flight altitude of the drone as a function of this geolocation information received before the accident suffered by the vehicle.

As a variant of the above, the drone can be configured to move laterally inside this overflight zone corresponding to the accident-causing situation, either via a programmed movement, which may be part of one or more sequences preprogrammed displacement and implemented when the drone is put into service, or via a punctual displacement, piloted in real time and according to specific conditions of the environment of the broken down or accidented vehicle. Such lateral movement can in particular be useful for ensuring good reception of the communications network by the appropriate communication means on board the drone and it can be produced and dimensioned in real time as a function of the quality of reception. 'a signal by the drone.

In each of the cases described above, and as illustrated, the drone may in particular include means for analyzing the environment 12 of the zone corresponding to the accident-causing situation, and means for communicating the analysis data of the environment to the control module, which is then configured to adapt either the definition of the overflight area in its extent, or the flight altitude of the drone.

Furthermore, the drone may include, in an on-board control module in particular, means for processing environmental analysis data which generate the creation of a drone instruction aiming to improve the scene of the accident, and for example regulating traffic, instructing vehicles to line up on the right to let the ambulance pass, etc.

The drone can also include means of direct communication with an infrastructure close to the object, in particular for transmitting data obtained by means of environmental analysis. These data may relate to traffic near the object, or to actual or forecast end-of-incident information, and they may also consist of an automatic alert to be transmitted to the navigation systems on board vehicles or devices. mobiles communicating nearby.

The drone may further comprise a memory module 14, configured to store and use geolocation information originating for example from a navigation system on board the vehicle and received immediately before the ejection of the drone.

The drone commissioning instruction or instructions consist in particular in activating the drone's on-board motorization so that it begins a flight session, and in particular a flight over session of the zone corresponding to the accident-causing situation. The activation of the drone motorization can in particular be combined with the activation of drone ejection means, and / or with the opening of a housing 16 in which the drone is likely to be housed before it is put into operation. service.

It is understood that the drone is intended to be inactive in an initial state, static in a housing dimensioned for this purpose, and to be made active when flying over the zone corresponding to the accident-causing situation after the drone is put into service via the module. control.

In the preferred embodiment, in which the drone is mounted on the vehicle, the housing can be provided in the trunk, as illustrated in FIG. 2, or in the roof pavilion. This housing includes a drone receiving cavity and a housing cover hood. As has been specified before, the instructions for putting the drone into service may include a command to open the hood so as to allow passage to the drone, or else may only include a command to the ejection means, for example pyrotechnic means. .

The instructions for implementing the drone are sent to the drone 2 as soon as the control module 4 recovers information relating to the accident-causing situation. This information can in particular come from a parameter detected at the time of the breakdown or accident situation, and for example a significant deceleration revealing an impact, or information revealing a rollover of the vehicle. This information can also come from a parameter resulting from a pre-analysis of an inevitable accident situation, and for example a deviation decreasing at very high speed with the previous vehicle or one with an obstacle on the road scene.

Furthermore, the accident can be detected on the basis of image analysis or other information coming from the vehicle such as the triggering of the airbags, the absence of certain signals normally in operation, or the detection of health information. passengers.

As it could have been specified previously, the control module 4 is configured to generate instructions relating to the overflight conditions of this area, that is to say the operations to be carried out by the drone during this overflight.

In particular, according to a characteristic of the invention, the drone includes lighting means 18 configured to light the area corresponding to said accident-causing situation and the control module 4 is able to calculate and transmit an instruction for implementing the means of 'lighting.

The lighting means may in particular comprise one or more light sources, which may in particular have the form of light-emitting diodes, and an associated light device configured for the projection of the rays emitted by the at least one light source.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 3, a light beam 20 is projected around the broken down or damaged vehicle 6, so as to illuminate the immediate surroundings of the vehicle and make visible, if necessary, the occupants of the vehicle ejected from it during of the accident. The drone 2 may include image acquisition means for analyzing the area around the vehicle and verifying by image processing means that the vehicle is correctly lit.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 1, the light device is configured to form a pixelated projection system, so that the lighting means are capable of projecting onto the zone corresponding to the accident-causing situation, at least one pictogram 22. By way of nonlimiting example, the light device can comprise a DMD type system (for “Digital Micro mirror Device”), in which a plurality of micromirrors makes it possible to ensure or block pixel by pixel the transmission of the rays emitted by the or light sources to form the appropriate image for the situation.

Provision may be made to associate with the lighting means 18 the memory module 14 mentioned above and in which pictograms are prerecorded, the control module 4 being configured to specify in its drone operation instruction which type of pictogram and to which place in the zone corresponding to the accident-causing situation, the pictogram should be projected.

In the case illustrated in FIG. 1, the projected pictogram is an arrow making it possible to divert traffic from a distance from the broken down or accidented vehicle. It is particularly advantageous to provide such an implementation mode when the broken down or accidented vehicle is stopped on a traffic lane so as to prevent a third vehicle from striking the broken down or accidented vehicle. It will be understood that in the case illustrated in FIG. 3, the use of a pictogram is not necessary and that it is especially advisable to light the vehicle.

In one case or the other, the use of means of lighting 18 of the road scene or of the broken down or injured vehicle is particularly advantageous under night conditions, where the identification of the broken down or damaged vehicle 6 is more difficult for emergency services or for third-party vehicles.

Furthermore, the control module can generate instructions relating to the overflight conditions distinct from the lighting conditions of the area, depending in particular on the equipment of the drone piloted by the control module.

By way of nonlimiting examples, the drone 2 may include additional systems distinct from the lighting means, and in particular from image acquisition means 24 or communication means 26.

The image acquisition means 24 can consist of a camera or photographic device, the operation of which can make it possible to obtain evidence of the accident-causing situation, and thus form a black box.

The communication means 26 carried by the drone 2 can be configured to send information through a communication network towards a rescue station or an infrastructure terminal 28, as illustrated in FIG. 3, relaying the call to the aid station. The information contains the elements necessary to be most useful for the rapid deployment of assistance. Such information may include precise data on the location of the broken down or accidented vehicle, data on the state of damage to the vehicle, or data relating to the state of health of the occupants. The drone can thus form an information relay between the vehicle and the first aid station, in particular if the vehicle finds itself after the accident in a boxed area, the position in height of the drone allowing this communication relay and the transfer data to the aid station.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the drone 2 can also comprise gripping means 30 which can be controlled to transport and deposit, on the road scene on which the vehicle is involved, a warning triangle 32 to warn other drivers of the existence of the accident. The operating instructions in this case include data for positioning the drone at a prescribed distance, for example 100 meters, set back from the vehicle and for storing this triangle stably on the road. The drone can be controlled to project a light in the vicinity of this panel, and for example in the form of arrow pictograms, to encourage drivers to change lanes, or to project a light illuminating the passengers standing behind the railing of security.

As has been specified above, the drone 2 and the control module 4 can advantageously be carried on the vehicle which is at the origin of the accident-causing situation, that is to say the vehicle broken down or damaged 6. In an alternative embodiment, one and / or the other of the drone and of the control module can be arranged in an infrastructure element such as a terminal disposed on one side of the road. It is understood that in this case, the housing in which the automaton is arranged in an initial state is provided in the structure of this infrastructure element.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 3, the infrastructure terminal 28 includes radiocommunication elements 34 capable of exchanging with the radiocommunication means on board the drone.

The foregoing description clearly explains how the invention makes it possible to achieve the objectives which it has set for itself and to propose a device for signaling an accident-causing situation which in particular makes it possible to easily identify the position of the broken down or accidented vehicle. , in order to speed up the handling of passengers in this vehicle, for example, and which makes it possible to quickly notify the emergency services of the existence of this accident.

The invention cannot be limited to the embodiments specifically given in this document by way of nonlimiting examples, and extends in particular to all equivalent means and to any technically operative combination of these means.

Claims (15)

1. Signaling device (1) of an accident-causing situation of a motor vehicle, comprising a drone (2) and a control module (4) configured to calculate and transmit an operating instruction of said drone, characterized in that the drone is configured to be put into service according to information relating to a broken down or accidented vehicle (6) so as to fly over an area corresponding to said accident-causing situation, and in that the drone comprises lighting means (18) configured to illuminate said area. 2. Signaling device according to claim 1, characterized in that the operating instruction of the drone (2) generated by the control module (4) comprises at least one element from an instruction to commission the drone, a definition an overflight area above the broken down or damaged vehicle, and overflight conditions for this area. 3. Signaling device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the drone (2) is configured to fly over the area corresponding to the accident-causing situation in hovering flight. 4. Signaling device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the drone (2) is configured to move laterally relative to the zone corresponding to the accident-causing situation. 5. Signaling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control module (4) associated with the drone (2) is carried on the broken down or damaged vehicle (6), or on an element of infrastructure (28) near the area corresponding to the accident-causing situation. 6. Signaling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drone (2) is configured to be disposed in an initial state in a housing (16), said housing comprising means for ejecting the drone for the put into service according to said information relating to a broken down or damaged vehicle (6). 7. Signaling device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the drone ejection means are actuated by means of the control module (4). 8. Signaling device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the housing (16) in which is arranged the drone (2) in an initial state is formed in the structure of the broken down or damaged vehicle (6). 9. Signaling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control module (4) is configured to control the flight altitude of the drone (2) according to the environment of the area corresponding to the accident-causing situation. 10. Signaling device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the drone (2) comprises means for analyzing the environment (12) of the area corresponding to the accident-causing situation. 11. Signaling device according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the control module (4) is configured to control the flight altitude of the drone as a function of information received before the accident-causing situation. 12. Signaling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the information relating to a broken down or accidented vehicle comprises a parameter emitted during the accident-causing situation and / or a parameter resulting from a pre-analysis of 'an inevitable accident situation. 13. Signaling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises means for detecting (10) the position of the broken down or damaged vehicle (6) by the drone (2). 14. Signaling device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lighting means (18) of the drone (2) comprises at least one light source and an associated light device configured for the projection of the rays emitted by the '' at least one light source. 15. Signaling device according to one of the preceding claims, 5 characterized in that the drone (2) comprises image acquisition means (24).