JP2017195460A - Device and system for emergency call - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable the communication of a vehicle emergency state to the outside, if communication with an emergency call center is disabled due to a damage or a trouble of an emergency call device.SOLUTION: An emergency call device 10, which reports emergency information from a vehicle 1 to an emergency call center 2 in vehicle emergency, includes: a radio communication unit 15 which performs radio communication with the emergency call center 2; a control unit 11 which controls the radio communication unit 15 to perform radio communication with the emergency call center 2 in the vehicle emergency; and a short-range communication unit 17 which communicates with a mobile terminal 40 located in the vehicle 1. In a radio communication disabled state in which radio communication with the emergency call center 2 through the radio communication unit 15 is not possible in the vehicle emergency, the control unit 11 communicates with the mobile terminal 40 through the short-range communication unit 17 so that emergency information b is transmitted from the mobile terminal 40 to the emergency call center 2.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to an emergency call device and an emergency call system, and more particularly to an emergency call device and an emergency call system for reporting emergency information from a vehicle to an emergency call center outside the vehicle in the event of a vehicle emergency.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an emergency call device for reporting emergency information from a vehicle to a predetermined emergency call center in the event of an emergency such as a vehicle collision or a poor physical condition of an occupant is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Such an emergency call device establishes a communication line with the emergency call center in the event of an emergency, communicates current location information, etc. to the emergency call center, and allows calls between passengers and operators of the emergency call center And

JP 2009-290789 A

  However, when the antenna or communication circuit of the emergency call device is damaged or malfunctioned due to a vehicle collision or the like, there is a problem that communication with the emergency call center becomes impossible.

  The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and even when communication with the emergency call center becomes impossible due to breakage or malfunction of the emergency call device, the vehicle is in an emergency state. It is an object to provide an emergency call device and an emergency call system that can communicate with each other.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is an emergency call device for reporting emergency information from a vehicle to an emergency call center outside the vehicle in the event of a vehicle emergency, and performs wireless communication with the emergency call center A wireless communication unit for controlling the wireless communication unit so as to perform wireless communication between the emergency call center and a vehicle communication unit for performing communication between communication terminals in the vehicle The control unit causes the emergency information to be transmitted from the communication terminal to the emergency call center when wireless communication is not possible with the emergency call center via the radio communication unit during a vehicle emergency. Moreover, it is configured to communicate with a communication terminal via a vehicle communication unit.

  According to the present invention configured as described above, even when emergency information cannot be sent to the emergency call center via the radio communication unit of the emergency call device during a vehicle emergency, the emergency call device By communicating with the in-vehicle communication terminal via the in-vehicle communication unit, the emergency information can be transmitted from the communication terminal to the emergency call center. Thereby, in this invention, even if communication between an emergency call device and an emergency call center is impossible, by notifying emergency information to an emergency call center via a communication terminal, the vehicle concerned to an emergency call center Can be notified that the vehicle is in an emergency state.

Preferably, in the present invention, the communication terminal is at least one of a portable terminal that can be carried by an occupant and a communication device that is mounted on a vehicle and capable of wireless communication. In order to cause the communication terminal to transmit emergency information to the reporting center, an emergency information transmission command signal is transmitted to the communication terminal via the in-vehicle communication unit.
According to the present invention configured as described above, at least one of a portable terminal carried by an occupant or a communication device mounted on a vehicle even if the emergency call device itself cannot communicate emergency information due to a wireless communication disabled state. Since emergency information can be communicated from the outside to the outside, it is possible to greatly improve the feasibility of emergency notification in the event of a vehicle emergency.

Preferably, in the present invention, the emergency call center tries to communicate with the emergency call device in response to the reception of the emergency information, and when this communication is impossible, the emergency call center communicates with the communication terminal that sent the emergency information. Maintain a wireless communication link.
According to the present invention configured as described above, when the emergency call center receives the emergency information transmitted from the vehicle side via the communication terminal, regular communication to the emergency call device of the vehicle in order to cope with the vehicle emergency state Communication with the communication terminal is performed only when communication on the regular communication route is unsuccessful. That is, the emergency call is mainly performed between the vehicle emergency call device and the emergency call center, and it is necessary to eliminate erroneous reports from other communication devices. For this reason, the present invention is configured to exceptionally allow communication by the communication terminal only when the regular communication route of the emergency call device is confirmed to be malfunctioning.

  Specifically, the emergency information includes vehicle identification information that identifies the vehicle, and the emergency call center has a related table in which the communication address of the emergency call device is associated with the vehicle identification information of the vehicle. In response to receiving the emergency information, the communication address of the emergency call device associated with the vehicle identification information included in the emergency information is identified with reference to this related table, and the communication address of the identified emergency call device is used. Attempt to communicate with an emergency call device.

In the present invention, preferably, the information processing apparatus further includes a storage unit that stores device information for specifying one or more communication terminals as registered communication terminals, and the control unit is a communication terminal that exists in the vehicle via the in-vehicle communication unit. Device information of a certain in-vehicle communication terminal is acquired, and based on the device information stored in the storage unit, it is determined whether or not the in-vehicle communication terminal that has communicated is a registered communication terminal, and the in-vehicle communication terminal that has communicated is registered communication terminal If it is, emergency information is transmitted from the in-vehicle communication terminal.
According to the present invention configured as described above, when the emergency call device is in communication with the registered communication terminal registered in the storage unit via the in-vehicle communication unit, emergency information is transmitted via the registered communication terminal. Can be sent to the outside.

Preferably, in the present invention, the control unit determines whether or not the communication unit is in communication with the registered communication terminal via the in-vehicle communication unit when the wireless communication is disabled, and the registered communication in the communication state. When the terminal exists, the emergency information is transmitted from the registered communication terminal.
According to the present invention configured as described above, when there is a registered communication terminal that is in a communication state via the in-vehicle communication unit in a wireless communication disabled state, emergency information is immediately transmitted from the registered communication terminal. It becomes possible.

Preferably, in the present invention, the control unit determines whether or not the communication unit is in communication with the registered communication terminal via the in-vehicle communication unit when the wireless communication is disabled, and the registered communication in the communication state. When the terminal does not exist, a vehicle communication link is established with the registered communication terminal via the in-vehicle communication unit, and the emergency information is transmitted from the registered communication terminal.
According to the present invention configured as described above, in the wireless communication disabled state, even when there is no registered communication terminal in communication via the in-vehicle communication unit, the vehicle communication link between the registered communication terminal and the vehicle Is newly established, emergency information can be transmitted from the registered communication terminal.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an emergency call system including an emergency call device for reporting emergency information from a vehicle in a vehicle emergency, a communication terminal, and an emergency call center outside the vehicle. The emergency call device includes a wireless communication unit for performing wireless communication with the emergency call center, and a control unit for controlling the wireless communication unit to perform wireless communication with the emergency call center in the event of a vehicle emergency. And an in-vehicle communication unit for performing communication with a communication terminal in the vehicle, and the control unit cannot perform wireless communication with the emergency call center via the wireless communication unit in the event of a vehicle emergency. When the communication terminal is in an impossible state, an emergency information transmission command signal is transmitted to the communication terminal via the vehicle communication unit so that the emergency information is transmitted from the communication terminal to the emergency call center. The emergency call center is configured to send emergency information to the emergency call center in response to receipt of the issue, and the emergency call center attempts to communicate with the emergency call device in response to receiving the emergency information. If it is not possible, a wireless communication link with the communication terminal is maintained.

  According to the emergency call device and the emergency call system of the present invention, it is possible to communicate to the outside that the vehicle is in an emergency state even when communication with the emergency call center becomes impossible due to damage or malfunction of the emergency call device. be able to.

It is explanatory drawing of the emergency call system of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the emergency call apparatus of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the structure of the communication apparatus of the emergency call center of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the process in the emergency call system of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the process at the time of vehicle emergency in the emergency call system of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the process at the time of vehicle emergency in the emergency call system of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the signal output timing between units at the time of vehicle battery voltage interruption | blocking at the time of vehicle emergency in the emergency notification system of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the signal output timing between units at the time of vehicle battery voltage interruption | blocking at the time of vehicle emergency in the emergency notification system of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the process in the emergency call system of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the process at the time of vehicle emergency in the emergency call system of 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the process at the time of vehicle emergency in the emergency call system of 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
First, with reference to FIGS. 1-3, the outline | summary of the emergency call system and emergency call apparatus of 1st Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an emergency call system, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of an emergency call device, and FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a communication device of an emergency call center.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle 1 equipped with an emergency call device 10 communicates with an emergency call center 2 via a base station 3 and a communication line network 4 in a vehicle emergency (for example, a vehicle collision or an occupant's sudden illness). The communication line can be established between the two. The vehicle 1 acquires the current position information of the own vehicle using the GPS satellite 5, and communicates the current position information, the vehicle identification information, and the like via the established communication line. The vehicle identification information is a serial number for identifying each vehicle 1, but the vehicle identification information may be a communication address of the emergency call device 10 as long as the vehicle 1 can be identified. In addition, a voice call can be made between the passenger and the operator of the emergency call center 2. Thereby, necessary measures such as arrangement of an ambulance can be quickly performed via the emergency call center 2.

As shown in FIG. 2, the emergency call device 10 includes a control unit 11, an I / O unit 12, a sound processing unit 13, a positioning unit 14, a wireless communication unit 15, a storage unit 16, and a short-range communication. A unit 17 and a manual notification switch 18 are provided.
The control unit 11 is configured by, for example, a CPU or the like, and executes an emergency notification process described below in response to the reception of the vehicle emergency signals a1 and a2 (that is, during a vehicle emergency).

The I / O unit 12 is a communication interface for performing in-vehicle communication with another unit (control device or the like) of the vehicle 1 via the in-vehicle LAN.
The sound processing unit 13 is connected to a microphone 13a and a speaker 13b disposed in the vehicle, and performs conversion processing between a voice signal and an electric signal when a passenger talks with an operator of the emergency call center 2. It is configured.

The positioning unit 14 receives a GPS signal from the GPS satellite 5 and acquires current position information.
The wireless communication unit 15 performs wireless communication (data communication and voice communication) with the emergency call center 2 via the base station 3 and the communication line network 4.
The storage unit 16 includes vehicle information for identifying the vehicle 1 (vehicle identification information, communication address of the emergency call device 10, etc.), and device information (device identification information, communication destination of the emergency call center 2 and a plurality of registered communication terminals). Name, communication address (telephone number, e-mail address, etc.) are stored. The registered communication terminal is, for example, one or a plurality of portable terminals owned by the portable terminal 40 of the owner of the vehicle 1 and members of the family of the owner of the vehicle 1.

The short-range communication unit 17 communicates with other communication devices via a communication link (hereinafter referred to as “vehicle communication link”) established with another communication device of the vehicle 1 by short-range wireless communication and wired communication. Communicate. The short-range wireless communication is, for example, Bluetooth (registered trademark) or wireless LAN (Wi-Fi (registered trademark)). Wired communication is communication via a cable, for example.
The manual notification switch 18 is configured to be able to output the vehicle emergency signal a2 to the control unit 11 when operated by the occupant when it is necessary to report to the emergency notification center 2 due to an urgent illness of the occupant. .
The emergency notification device 10 is connected to the vehicle battery 50 and is configured to be powered by the vehicle battery 50. Further, the I / O unit 12 and the short-range communication unit 17 correspond to an in-vehicle communication unit for communicating with communication devices in the vehicle 1.

The airbag ECU 51 includes a vehicle collision detection sensor that detects a collision of the vehicle 1 using an acceleration sensor or the like (not shown), and is configured to deploy the airbag in a predetermined manner when a vehicle collision is detected. . At this time, the airbag ECU 51 transmits a collision detection signal, which is a vehicle emergency signal a1, via the in-vehicle LAN. The emergency call device 10 can read the collision detection signal on the in-vehicle LAN as the vehicle emergency signal a1.
In the present embodiment, the vehicle emergency signal is generated by detection of a vehicle collision, but is not limited to this, and is generated by detection of a specific vehicle failure or detection of illness of an occupant by a monitor camera. There may be.

  In addition, the audio control device 30 is connected to the emergency call device 10 so as to be communicable via the in-vehicle LAN. The audio control device 30 outputs audio signals of TV, radio, music media, navigation system, etc. to a speaker drive unit (not shown). The speaker driving unit amplifies the received audio signal and drives an in-vehicle speaker (not shown) to output audio from the in-vehicle speaker.

As shown in FIG. 2, the audio control device 30 includes a control unit 31, an I / O unit 32, a storage unit 36, and a short-range communication unit 37. The control part 31 acquires an audio | voice signal from the outside, and operates a speaker drive unit as mentioned above. Moreover, the control part 31 performs the process mentioned later, when the emergency call apparatus 10 performs an emergency call process.
The I / O unit 32 is a communication interface for performing in-vehicle communication with other units (such as a control device) including the emergency call device 10 via the in-vehicle LAN.
The storage unit 36 stores various audio related information and the like.
The short-range communication unit 37 communicates with other communication devices by the above-described short-range wireless communication and wired communication.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the mobile terminal 40 is, for example, an occupant's mobile phone or smartphone, and is brought into the vehicle 1 by the occupant. The portable terminal 40 includes a control unit 41, a wireless communication unit 45, a storage unit 46, and a short-range communication unit 47.
The control unit 41 performs communication processing as a mobile phone, execution processing of an internal application, and the like.
The wireless communication unit 45 performs wireless communication (data communication and voice communication) with another communication device (for example, a family mobile terminal) via the base station 3 and the communication line network 4.
The storage unit 46 stores various applications and music information.
The short-range communication unit 47 communicates with the emergency notification device 10 and the audio control device 30 which are communication devices by the above-described short-range wireless communication and wired communication.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the emergency call center 2 is provided with a communication device 20 configured by a server computer or the like. The communication device 20 is connected to a control unit 21 having a processor and a communication line network 4. A communication unit 25 that communicates with the outside, a storage unit 26 that stores various programs and data, and other input / output devices and display devices (not shown).

  In the storage unit 26, the vehicle information (vehicle identification information, the communication address of the emergency call device 10, etc.) of each vehicle 1 is registered in association with the device information (including communication addresses, etc.) of one or more communication terminals. Stores related tables. Therefore, the communication address of the emergency call device 10 can be specified from the vehicle identification information by referring to the related table, and the communication terminal is registered for which vehicle identification information from the device information of the communication terminal. Can be specified. In this embodiment, the vehicle identification information of the vehicle 1, the communication address of the emergency call device 10, the portable terminal 40 of the owner of the vehicle 1, and the portable terminal of the family are associated with each other and registered in the related table.

  Next, the operation of the emergency call system according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of processing in the emergency call system, and FIGS. 5a and 5b are flowcharts of processing in the event of a vehicle emergency in the emergency call system.

  In the situation shown in FIG. 4, a communication link by short-range wireless communication or wired communication can be established between the occupant's mobile terminal 40, the audio control device 30, and the emergency call device 10. The control unit 41 of the portable terminal 40 transmits the music information stored in the storage unit 46 to the audio control device 30 via the short-range communication unit 47. The control unit 31 of the audio control device 30 outputs the music information received via the short-range communication unit 37 to the speaker drive unit, and outputs it as an audio output from the in-vehicle speaker.

  In this situation, when the vehicle emergency signal a1 (collision detection signal) is output from the airbag ECU 51 or the vehicle emergency signal a2 is output from the manual notification switch 18 by the operation of the occupant (step S10 in FIG. 5a), the emergency The reporting device 10 receives the vehicle emergency signal a1 or a2 (step S11). In response to the reception of these signals, various processes in the event of a vehicle emergency are executed.

  When the vehicle emergency signal a1 or a2 is received, the emergency call device 10 executes an emergency call process. First, in the emergency call device 10, the control unit 11 determines whether or not normal wireless communication can be performed with the emergency call center 2 by a wireless communication link for a predetermined period or longer (step S12). Specifically, the control unit 11 determines that the voltage of the vehicle battery 50 itself and the voltage of the power supply line to the emergency call device 10 are each equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold voltage, and the radio communication unit 15 ( When the wireless communication function (including the communication antenna) is normal, it is determined that the wireless communication can be normally performed.

  When wireless communication is possible normally (step S12; Yes), the control unit 11 of the emergency call device 10 controls the wireless communication unit 15 using the communication address of the emergency call center 2 stored in the storage unit 16. Then, a wireless communication link is established with the communication device 20 of the emergency call center 2, and the emergency information b is transmitted to the emergency call center 2 (step S13). The emergency information b includes information indicating that the vehicle is in an emergency (identifying one of the vehicle collision and the manual notification switch 18), current position information, vehicle identification information, and the like. Further, the emergency information b may include other vehicle information (such as the communication address of the emergency call device 10). Further, the emergency call device 10 and the emergency call center 2 can continue to carry out voice calls using a wireless communication link.

  In the communication device 20 of the emergency call center 2, when the emergency information b is received via the communication unit 25, the control unit 21 is based on the vehicle identification information included in the emergency information b and the communication destination address accompanying the emergency information b. Then, the vehicle 1 is identified from the vehicle information stored in the storage unit 26, the vehicle information of the vehicle 1 is displayed on the display device, and the wireless communication link with the emergency call device 10 of the vehicle 1 is performed. Voice communication (voice call) processing is performed via (step S14). Thereby, the passenger of the vehicle 1 can make a call with the operator of the emergency call center 2 using the emergency call device 10.

  However, due to a vehicle collision, power supply from the vehicle battery 50 is interrupted (due to damage to the vehicle battery 50 itself, power supply line disconnection, etc.), damage to the emergency call device 10 (damage to the communication antenna or the wireless communication unit 15, etc.) Or the like) may occur, the wireless communication between the emergency call device 10 and the emergency call center 2 cannot be normally performed. In this embodiment, in such a wireless communication disabled state, the emergency information b is notified to the emergency call center 2 via another communication device. Specifically, as will be described below, the emergency call device 10 controls the mobile terminal 40 so that the emergency information b is reported from the mobile terminal 40 in the vehicle to the emergency call center 2.

  That is, when the wireless communication is not normally performed (step S12; No), the emergency call device 10 determines whether a vehicle communication link is established with the registered communication terminal at that time. (Step S15). Specifically, the control unit 11 determines whether or not a communication link has been established with any of a plurality of registered communication terminals stored in the storage unit 16 (the mobile terminal 40 in FIG. 4). For this reason, the control unit 11 acquires the device information (device identification information) of the communication terminal that is communicating via the vehicle communication link, and the acquired device information is stored in the storage unit 16 of the registered communication terminal device. If it matches one of the information, it is determined that the communicating communication terminal is a registered communication terminal.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the vehicle communication link has been established between the emergency call device 10 and the registered communication terminal (portable terminal 40) (step S15; Yes), the emergency call device 10 sends an emergency information transmission command. The signal c is transmitted to the portable terminal 40 (step S16). The emergency information transmission command signal c is a signal for transmitting the emergency information b described above from the registered communication terminal (mobile terminal 40) to the emergency call center 2, and includes the emergency information b and the communication address of the emergency call center 2.

  The portable terminal 40 is programmed to execute an emergency information transmission process in response to the received emergency information transmission command signal c. In this emergency information transmission process, the emergency notification center included in the emergency information transmission command signal c Using the communication address 2, the emergency information b similar to the above is transmitted including the device information of the portable terminal 40 (step S <b> 17). This transmission may be data communication such as electronic mail, or may be voice communication using an automatic speech synthesis function.

  Further, the emergency information transmission command signal c may not include the communication address of the emergency call center 2, and in this case, the mobile terminal 40 stores the communication address of the emergency call center 2 in advance, and the emergency information transmission command signal In response to the reception of c, the emergency information b or the like can be transmitted to the communication address of the emergency call center 2 stored in advance.

  On the other hand, when the vehicle communication link has not been established between the emergency call device 10 and the registered communication terminal (step S15; No), the emergency call device 10 can establish a vehicle communication link with the registered communication terminal. Is determined (step S18). For example, the emergency call device 10 transmits an inquiry signal to surrounding communication devices based on a predetermined communication specification, and authenticates that the response (including device information) is from a registered communication terminal. Judge that it is possible. When the vehicle communication link can be established between the emergency call device 10 and the registered communication terminal (step S18; Yes), the emergency call device 10 can be connected to the registered communication terminal (for example, the portable terminal 40) in the vehicle. A vehicle communication link is established between them (step S19), and the same processing as in steps S16 and S17 is subsequently executed.

  In addition, for example, when a vehicle communication link cannot be established between the emergency call device 10 and the registered communication terminal due to a failure of the short-range communication unit 17 of the emergency call device 10 or the like (step S18; No), an emergency call is made. The device 10 determines whether communication via the in-vehicle LAN between the emergency call device 10 and the audio control device 30 is normal (step S20). For example, the emergency call device 10 determines that the in-vehicle LAN communication is normal if the in-vehicle LAN line is not disconnected and, as a result, the I / O unit 12 can receive some communication data via the in-vehicle LAN.

In this case, as will be described below with reference to FIG. 7, even if the power supply from the vehicle battery 50 is interrupted due to a vehicle collision, the emergency notification device 10 and the audio control device 30 The emergency call device 10 does not determine the voltage of the vehicle battery 50 or the like because in-vehicle LAN communication is possible for a predetermined short period of time.
In Step S20, when the emergency call device 10 transmits a signal for confirming the connection to the audio control device 30 via the in-vehicle LAN and receives a response from the audio control device 30, the in-vehicle LAN communication is normal. You may comprise so that it may be judged.

  When the in-vehicle LAN communication between the emergency call device 10 and the audio control device 30 is not normal (step S20; No), the emergency call from the vehicle 1 to the emergency call center 2 becomes impossible (step S24).

  On the other hand, when the in-vehicle LAN communication between the emergency call device 10 and the audio control device 30 is normal (step S20; Yes), the emergency call device 10 further includes a vehicle between the audio control device 30 and the registered communication terminal. It is determined whether a communication link has been established (step S21). For example, the emergency call device 10 includes the presence / absence of a communication terminal with which the vehicle communication link is established with the audio control device 30 and, when the vehicle communication link is established, the device information of the communication terminal as audio. The control device 30 is inquired, the device information acquired from the audio control device 30 is compared with the device information of the registered communication terminal registered in the storage unit 16, and if there is a match, the audio control device 30 and the registered communication terminal It is determined that a vehicle communication link is established between

  When the vehicle communication link is established between the audio control device 30 and the registered communication terminal (for example, the portable terminal 40) (step S21; Yes), the emergency call device 10 sends the above-described emergency control to the audio control device 30. An information transmission command signal c is transmitted (step S22). When receiving the emergency information transmission command signal c, the audio control device 30 is configured to transfer the emergency information transmission command signal c to the registered communication terminal (portable terminal 40) with which the vehicle communication link is established (step S23). The mobile terminal 40 that has received the emergency information transmission command signal c from the audio control device 30 executes the same process as in step S17.

  In the first embodiment, the communication address of the emergency call center 2 may be stored in the storage unit 36 of the audio control device 30 in addition to the storage unit 16 of the emergency call device 10. In this case, the emergency information transmission command signal c received by the audio control device 30 from the emergency notification device 10 need not include the communication address of the emergency notification center 2. Then, the audio control device 30 that has received the emergency information transmission command signal c generates an emergency information transmission command signal c including the communication address of the emergency call center 2 stored in the storage unit 36, and sends this signal to the portable terminal 40. Can be sent.

  When the vehicle communication link is not established between the audio control device 30 and the registered communication terminal (step S21; No), the emergency call device 10 causes the audio control device 30 to connect the registered communication terminal and the vehicle communication link. It is determined whether it can be established (step S25). For example, the emergency call device 10 can query the audio control device 30 about device information of a communication terminal that can establish a vehicle communication link, and can establish a vehicle communication link based on the device information acquired from the audio control device 30. It is determined whether the correct communication terminal is a registered communication terminal.

  For example, when the audio control device 30 cannot establish a vehicle communication link with the registered communication terminal because the mobile terminal 40 is not present in the vehicle (step S25; No), the vehicle 1 sends the emergency call center 2 to the emergency call center 2. An emergency call is impossible (step S27).

  On the other hand, when the audio control device 30 can establish a vehicle communication link with the registered communication terminal (for example, the portable terminal 40) (step S25; Yes), the emergency call device 10 sends the audio control device 30 to the audio control device 30. A vehicle communication link establishment request signal d is transmitted so as to establish a vehicle communication link with the registered communication terminal. When receiving the vehicle communication link establishment request signal d, the audio control device 30 establishes a vehicle communication link with the registered communication terminal (portable terminal 40) in the vehicle (step S26), and continues to steps S22, S23, Processing similar to S17 is executed.

  Furthermore, if the portable terminal 40 transmits the emergency information b including the device information of the portable terminal 40 to the emergency call center 2 in step S17, the controller 21 of the communication device 20 in the emergency call center 2 sets the emergency information b to the emergency information b. Based on the vehicle identification information included, the communication address of the emergency call device 10 of the vehicle 1 stored in the storage unit 26 is specified (or when the communication address of the emergency call device 10 is included in the emergency information b). The communication address is used to establish a wireless communication link for communication with the emergency call device 10 of the vehicle 1 (step S28).

  In step S <b> 28, the control unit 21 of the communication device 20 refers to the related table to determine whether the vehicle identification information included in the received emergency information b and the device information of the portable terminal 40 are associated with each other. It may be determined whether or not. When the vehicle identification information and the device information of the mobile terminal 40 are not in the registration relationship associated with each other in the association table, the control unit 21 can ignore the transmission of the emergency information b from the mobile terminal 40.

  That is, the emergency call center 2 is originally intended to communicate only with the emergency call device 10 of the vehicle 1, and the response to the emergency information b having a high vehicle emergency level is urgently required. Therefore, when information which is not emergency information is erroneously transmitted to the emergency call center 2 from an arbitrary communication device and received by the emergency call center 2, the received information and the related table are collated as described above. Therefore, it can be determined that the received information is not emergency information and can be ignored.

  Next, for example, when the temporary malfunction of the wireless communication line is recovered and a wireless communication link can be established with the emergency call device 10 of the vehicle 1 (step S28; Yes), the control unit 21 The communication link is maintained as a voice communication line between the operator of the emergency call center 2 and the passenger of the vehicle 1 (step S29). Thereby, the passenger of the vehicle 1 can make a voice call with the operator of the emergency call center 2 using the emergency call device 10.

  On the other hand, for example, when the wireless communication link cannot be established with the emergency call device 10 of the vehicle 1 due to damage of the communication circuit of the vehicle 1 (step S28; No), the control unit 21 of the communication device 20 An attempt is made to establish a wireless communication link for communication with the communication terminal specified by the device information (communication address) of the registered communication terminal included in the emergency information b (step S30).

  When the wireless communication link with the registered communication terminal (for example, the portable terminal 40) is established (step S30; Yes), the control unit 21 uses the wireless communication link as the operator of the emergency call center 2 and the occupant of the vehicle 1 (Step S31). Thereby, the passenger | crew of the vehicle 1 can perform a voice call with the operator of the emergency call center 2 using a registration communication terminal (portable terminal 40).

  In addition, you may perform transmission to the emergency call center 2 from the portable terminal 40 in step S17 by automatic voice communication. In this case, when the wireless communication link between the emergency call center 2 and the emergency call device 10 cannot be established in step S28 (step S28; No), a new emergency call center 2 and a registered communication terminal (portable terminal 40) are established. The wireless communication link may be maintained continuously from the process of step S17, instead of establishing a new wireless communication link with ().

Next, with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, the signal output timing between the units when the vehicle battery voltage is cut off in the event of a vehicle emergency will be described. 6 and 7 are explanatory diagrams of signal output timing between units when the vehicle battery voltage is interrupted in the emergency notification system in the event of a vehicle emergency.
FIG. 6 shows the supply voltage to each unit and the signal output timing from each unit in a situation where the power supply from the vehicle battery 50 to the other units (airbag ECU 51, emergency notification device 10) is cut off due to a vehicle collision. ing. Here, the airbag ECU 51 and the emergency notification device 10 are operated by the DC voltage Vbat supplied from the vehicle battery 50, and the portable terminal 40 is operated by the DC voltage Vm supplied by the internal battery.

  Assume that a vehicle collision occurs at time t1, and that the voltage Vbat supplied from the vehicle battery 50 drops to 0 V at the same time (see FIG. 6A). For this reason, at time t1, the voltage of the power supply line to the airbag ECU 51 and the emergency notification device 10 is reduced to 0V. However, the airbag ECU 51 and the emergency notification device 10 each have an internal capacitor, and even if the supply voltage from the vehicle battery 50 is lost, the operation can be continued for a predetermined short time by receiving power supply from the internal capacitor. It is possible to do. That is, the airbag ECU 51 and the emergency notification device 10 can be operated until time t2 and t3 when the supply voltage from the internal capacitor reaches the minimum operable voltage (see FIGS. 6B and 6C).

  Therefore, the airbag ECU 51 can output the vehicle emergency signal a1 between the time when the vehicle collision is detected and the time t2 (step S10 in FIG. 5a). And the emergency notification apparatus 10 can output the emergency information transmission command signal c to the portable terminal 40 by time t3 after receiving the vehicle emergency signal a1 (refer step S16 of FIG. 5a). Therefore, the portable terminal 40 can receive the emergency information transmission command signal c between the vehicle collision and the time t3 and transmit the emergency information b to the emergency call center 2 (steps S17 and 6 in FIG. 5a). (See (D)).

  FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram similar to FIG. 6, but shows a case where an audio control device 30 is added as a related unit. Here again, the audio control device 30 is assumed to operate with the DC voltage Vbat supplied from the vehicle battery 50. Further, the audio control device 30 also has an internal capacitor, and even if the supply voltage from the vehicle battery 50 is lost, it is possible to continue the operation for a predetermined short time by receiving power supply from the internal capacitor. ing. That is, the audio control device 30 can be operated until time t4 when the supply voltage from the internal capacitor reaches the minimum operable voltage (see FIG. 7D).

  Since FIGS. 7A to 7C are the same as FIGS. 6A to 6C, description thereof is omitted. However, in FIG.7 (C), the emergency notification apparatus 10 outputs the emergency information transmission command signal c to the audio control apparatus 30 between vehicle collision and the time t3 (refer step S22 of FIG. 5a). Then, the audio control device 30 outputs the emergency information transmission command signal c to the portable terminal 40 between the vehicle collision and the time t4 (see step S23 in FIG. 5a). Therefore, the portable terminal 40 receives the emergency information transmission command signal c between the vehicle collision and the time t4, and transmits the emergency information b to the emergency call center 2 (step S17 in FIG. 5a, FIG. 7E). reference).

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, when the voltage of the vehicle battery 50 is reduced to 0V due to a vehicle collision, the voltage of the power supply line to each unit is also reduced to 0V. The device 10 does not determine that wireless communication is normally possible. Nevertheless, since the emergency call device 10, the airbag ECU 51, and the audio control device 30 can operate for a predetermined short time, the processing of FIG. 5a (and FIG. 9a) can be executed during this short time. It is.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 8, 9a, and 9b. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of processing in the emergency call system, and FIGS. 9a and 9b are flowcharts of processing in the event of a vehicle emergency in the emergency call system.
In the second embodiment, the audio control device 30 includes a wireless communication unit 35, a sound processing unit 33, a microphone 33a, and a speaker 33b (shown by broken lines in FIG. 2), and functions as a communication device or a communication terminal. This is different from the embodiment. Similar to the emergency notification device 10, the audio control device 30 includes a sound processing unit 33, a microphone 33a, and a speaker 33b, and is configured so that an occupant can make a hands-free call using these in the event of a vehicle emergency. In the present embodiment, the audio control device 30 is configured to function as an in-vehicle communication device. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other in-vehicle devices (for example, a navigation device) are allowed to function as the in-vehicle communication device. You may comprise.

  In 2nd Embodiment, the apparatus information of the audio control apparatus 30 as a registration communication terminal similar to the portable terminal 40 grade | etc., Can be registered into the memory | storage part 16 of the emergency call apparatus 10. FIG. The storage unit 26 of the communication device 20 of the emergency call center 2 also stores device information (including a communication address) of the audio control device 30 as a communication terminal in association with the vehicle identification information of each vehicle 1. Below, the part which is mainly different from 1st Embodiment is demonstrated, and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the situation shown in FIG. 8, a vehicle communication link by short-range wireless communication or wired communication is established between the emergency call device 10 and the occupant's portable terminal 40 and between the audio control device 30 and the portable terminal 40. Is possible. Further, the emergency call device 10 and the audio control device 30 can communicate via the in-vehicle LAN.

Regarding the processing flow of each unit in the event of a vehicle emergency, steps S110 to S120 and S124 in FIG. 9a are the same as steps S10 to S20 and S24 in FIG. 5a. Further, the processing after step S117 is the same as steps S28 to S32 in FIG. 5b.
In step S120, when the in-vehicle LAN communication between the emergency call device 10 and the audio control device 30 is normal (step S120; Yes), the emergency call device 10 sends emergency information similar to the above to the audio control device 30. A transmission command signal c is transmitted (step S122).

  In the audio control device 30, when the emergency information transmission command signal c is received, the control unit 31 determines whether or not the wireless communication is normally possible for a predetermined period or more with the emergency call center 2 by a wireless communication link. (Step S125). Specifically, the control unit 31 is configured such that the voltage of the vehicle battery 50 itself and the voltage of the power supply line to the audio control device 30 are each equal to or higher than a predetermined threshold voltage, and the wireless communication unit 35 ( When the wireless communication function (including the communication antenna) is normal, it is determined that the wireless communication can be normally performed.

When the wireless communication is not normally performed (step S125; No), emergency notification from the vehicle 1 to the emergency notification center 2 is disabled (step S127).
On the other hand, when normal wireless communication is possible (step S125; Yes), the control unit 31 of the audio control device 30 executes an emergency information transmission process. That is, in the second embodiment, when receiving the emergency information transmission command signal c, the audio control device 30 is configured to execute an emergency information transmission process in response to the received emergency information transmission command signal c. Therefore, in this emergency information transmission process, the audio control device 30 includes the device information of the audio control device 30 in the emergency information b similar to the above to the communication address of the emergency call center 2 included in the emergency information transmission command signal c. (Step S126). This transmission may also be data communication such as e-mail, or may be voice communication using an automatic speech synthesis function.

  In the second embodiment, the communication address of the emergency call center 2 may be stored in the storage unit 36 of the audio control device 30. In this case, the emergency information transmission command signal c received by the audio control device 30 from the emergency notification device 10 need not include the communication address of the emergency notification center 2. The audio control device 30 that has received the emergency information transmission command signal c that does not include the communication address of the emergency call center 2 can transmit the emergency information b to the communication address of the emergency call center 2 stored in the storage unit 36.

  Also in the second embodiment, the transmission signal timing from each unit when the vehicle battery 50 is shut off is as described with reference to FIGS. However, in FIG. 7D, when the emergency information transmission command signal c is received from the emergency call device 10, the audio control device 30 transfers the emergency information transmission command signal c to the portable terminal 40 until time t4. Instead, the emergency information b is transmitted to the emergency call center 2.

  In step S126, when the audio control device 30 transmits the emergency information b and the device information of the audio control device 30 to the emergency call center 2, the emergency call center 2 performs the same processing as in step S28 (see FIG. 5b). The control unit 21 of the communication device 20 attempts to establish a wireless communication link for communication with the emergency call device 10 of the vehicle 1 (step S128).

  For example, when the temporary malfunction of the wireless communication line is recovered and a wireless communication link can be established with the emergency call device 10 of the vehicle 1 (step S128; Yes), similarly to step S29 (see FIG. 5b). The control unit 21 maintains this wireless communication link as a voice communication line between the operator of the emergency call center 2 and the passenger of the vehicle 1 (step S129). Thereby, the passenger of the vehicle 1 can make a voice call with the operator of the emergency call center 2 using the emergency call device 10.

  On the other hand, for example, when the wireless communication link cannot be established with the emergency call device 10 of the vehicle 1 due to damage of the communication circuit of the vehicle 1 (step S128; No), the control unit 21 of the communication device 20 An attempt is made to establish a wireless communication link for communication with the communication terminal (audio control device 30) specified by the device information of the registered communication terminal included in the emergency information b (step S130).

  When the wireless communication link with the registered communication terminal (audio control device 30) is established (step S130; Yes), the control unit 21 connects the wireless communication link with the operator of the emergency call center 2 and the occupant of the vehicle 1. As a voice call line between them (step S131). Thereby, the passenger | crew of the vehicle 1 can perform a voice call with the operator of the emergency call center 2 using a registration communication terminal (audio control apparatus 30).

  Note that the transmission from the audio control device 30 to the emergency call center 2 in step S126 may be executed by automatic voice communication. In this case, when the wireless communication link between the emergency call center 2 and the emergency call device 10 cannot be established in step S128 (step S128; No), the emergency call center 2 and the registered communication terminal (audio control device) are newly established. 30), the wireless communication link may be maintained continuously from the process of step S126, instead of establishing a new wireless communication link with (30) (step S130).

Next, the operation of the emergency call device according to this embodiment will be described.
The present invention is an emergency call device for reporting emergency information from a vehicle to an emergency call center outside the vehicle in the event of a vehicle emergency, a wireless communication unit for performing wireless communication with the emergency call center, and a vehicle emergency A control unit that controls the wireless communication unit to perform wireless communication with the emergency call center sometimes, and a vehicle communication unit for performing communication with a communication terminal in the vehicle, the control unit, Communicating via the vehicle communication unit so that emergency information can be transmitted from the communication terminal to the emergency call center when wireless communication is not possible with the emergency call center via the wireless communication unit during a vehicle emergency It is configured to communicate with a terminal.

  In the present embodiment, the emergency call device 10 is in a state where wireless communication is not possible and the emergency information b cannot be sent to the emergency call center 2 via the wireless communication unit 15 of the emergency call device 10 in a vehicle emergency. The emergency information b is transmitted from the portable terminal 40 or the audio control device 30 to the emergency call center 2 by communicating with the portable terminal 40 or the audio control device 30 in the vehicle via the short-range communication unit 17 or the I / O unit 12. Can be sent. Thereby, in this embodiment, even if communication between the emergency call device 10 and the emergency call center 2 is impossible, the emergency information b is sent to the emergency call center 2 via the portable terminal 40 or the audio control device 30. By notifying, it becomes possible to notify the emergency call center 2 that the vehicle 1 is in a vehicle emergency state.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the control part 11 of the emergency call apparatus 10 transmits the emergency information b to the emergency call center 2 to the portable terminal 40 and the vehicle 1 that can be carried by the passenger when wireless communication is disabled. An emergency information transmission command signal c is transmitted to these communication terminals via the short-range communication unit 17 and the I / O unit 12 to be executed by the mounted audio control device 30 capable of wireless communication. Thereby, in this embodiment, even if the emergency notification device 10 itself cannot communicate the emergency information b due to the wireless communication disabled state, at least the portable terminal 40 carried by the occupant or the audio control device 30 mounted on the vehicle. Since the emergency information b can be communicated from one side to the outside, it is possible to greatly improve the feasibility of making an emergency call in the event of a vehicle emergency.

  In the present embodiment, the emergency call center 2 tries to communicate with the emergency call device 10 in response to the reception of the emergency information b from the mobile terminal 40 or the audio control device 30, and this communication is impossible. In addition, a wireless communication link between the mobile terminal 40 or the audio control device 30 that has transmitted the emergency information b can be maintained. Thereby, in this embodiment, when the emergency call center 2 receives the emergency information b transmitted from the vehicle 1 side via the portable terminal 40 or the audio control device 30, the emergency call center of the vehicle is dealt with in order to deal with the vehicle emergency state. The communication with the mobile terminal 40 or the audio control device 30 is performed only when communication on the regular communication route to the device 10 is attempted and communication on the regular communication route is not successful. That is, the emergency call is made mainly between the emergency call device 10 of the vehicle 1 and the emergency call center 2, and it is necessary to eliminate erroneous reports from other communication devices. For this reason, in the present embodiment, the communication by the portable terminal 40 or the audio control device 30 is exceptionally permitted only when the regular communication route of the emergency call device 10 is confirmed to be malfunctioning.

  In the present invention, the emergency information b includes vehicle identification information that identifies the vehicle, and the emergency call center 2 associates the communication address of the emergency call device 10 with the vehicle identification information of the vehicle 1. The communication address of the emergency call device 10 associated with the vehicle identification information included in the emergency information b with reference to the related table in response to the reception of the emergency information b, and the identified emergency call device Communication with the emergency call device 10 can be attempted using 10 communication addresses.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the emergency call apparatus 10 is further provided with the memory | storage part 16 which memorize | stores the apparatus information which specifies the 1 or several portable terminal 40 or the audio control apparatus 30 as a registered communication terminal, The device information of the in-vehicle communication terminal which is a communication terminal existing in the vehicle is acquired via the short-range communication unit 17, and the in-vehicle communication terminal (for example, the mobile terminal 40) communicated based on the device information stored in the storage unit 16. ) Is a registered communication terminal, and the emergency information b can be transmitted from the in-vehicle communication terminal when the communicated in-vehicle communication terminal is the registered communication terminal. Thereby, in this embodiment, when the emergency call device 10 is in communication with the registered communication terminal registered in the storage unit 16 via the short-range communication unit 17 or the I / O unit 12, the registered communication terminal The emergency information b can be transmitted to the outside via the (mobile terminal 40, audio control device 30).

  In the present embodiment, the control unit 11 of the emergency call device 10 is in communication with the registered communication terminal via the short-range communication unit 17 or the I / O unit 12 when the wireless communication is not possible. If there is a registered communication terminal in a communication state, the emergency information b can be transmitted from the registered communication terminal. Thereby, in this embodiment, when there is a registered communication terminal (for example, the mobile terminal 40 or the audio control device 30) in the communication state in the wireless communication disabled state, the emergency information b is immediately transmitted from the registered communication terminal. Can be transmitted.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the control unit 11 of the emergency call device 10 determines whether or not it is in communication with the registered communication terminal via the short-range communication unit 17 when wireless communication is disabled. When there is no registered communication terminal in the communication state, a vehicle communication link can be established with the registered communication terminal via the short-range communication unit 17, and the emergency information b can be transmitted from the registered communication terminal. Thereby, in this embodiment, even when there is no registered communication terminal that is in a communication state via the short-range communication unit 17 in the wireless communication disabled state, the registered communication terminal (for example, the mobile terminal 40) is not connected. By newly establishing a vehicle communication link between them, the emergency information b can be transmitted from the registered communication terminal.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle 2 Emergency call center 3 Base station 4 Communication network 5 GPS satellite 10 Emergency call device 20 Communication device 30 Audio control device 40 Portable terminal 50 Vehicle battery a1, a2 Vehicle emergency signal b Emergency information c Emergency information transmission command signal d Vehicle Communication link establishment request signal

Claims (8)

An emergency call device for reporting emergency information from a vehicle to an emergency call center outside the vehicle in the event of a vehicle emergency,
A wireless communication unit for performing wireless communication with the emergency call center;
A control unit that controls the wireless communication unit to perform wireless communication with the emergency call center in the event of a vehicle emergency;
A vehicle communication unit for communicating with the communication terminal in the vehicle,
The control unit causes the emergency information to be transmitted from the communication terminal to the emergency call center when wireless communication is not possible with the emergency call center via the wireless communication unit during a vehicle emergency. In addition, the emergency call device is configured to communicate with the communication terminal via the vehicle communication unit. The communication terminal is at least one of a portable terminal that can be carried by an occupant and a communication device that is mounted on the vehicle and capable of wireless communication.
The control unit transmits emergency information to the communication terminal via the in-vehicle communication unit to cause the communication terminal to transmit the emergency information to the emergency call center when the wireless communication is disabled. The emergency call device according to claim 1, wherein a command signal is transmitted.   In response to receiving the emergency information from the communication terminal, the emergency call center tries to communicate with the emergency call device, and when the communication is impossible, the communication terminal that has transmitted the emergency information and The emergency call device according to claim 1 or 2, which holds a wireless communication link between the two. The emergency information includes vehicle identification information that identifies the vehicle,
The emergency call center has a related table in which a communication address of the emergency call device is associated with vehicle identification information of the vehicle, and in response to receiving the emergency information from the communication terminal, A communication address of the emergency call device associated with the vehicle identification information included in the emergency information is identified with reference to a table, and communication with the emergency call device is performed using the identified communication address of the emergency call device. The emergency call device according to claim 1 or 2, which is tried. A storage unit that stores device information for specifying one or more communication terminals as registered communication terminals;
The said control part acquires the apparatus information of the in-vehicle communication terminal which is a communication terminal which exists in a vehicle via the said vehicle communication part, Based on the said apparatus information memorize | stored in the said memory | storage part, the said in-vehicle communication terminal which communicated The emergency information is transmitted from the in-vehicle communication terminal when the in-vehicle communication terminal that communicated with the in-vehicle communication terminal is the registered communication terminal. The emergency call device according to any one of -4.   When the control unit is in a wireless communication disabled state, the control unit determines whether it is in communication with the registered communication terminal via the vehicle communication unit, and there is the registered communication terminal in communication state. The emergency notification device according to claim 5, wherein the emergency information is transmitted from the registered communication terminal.   When the control unit is in a wireless communication disabled state, the control unit determines whether it is in communication with the registered communication terminal via the vehicle communication unit, and there is the registered communication terminal in communication state. If not, an in-vehicle communication link is established with the registered communication terminal via the vehicle communication unit, and the emergency information is transmitted from the registered communication terminal. Emergency call device. An emergency call system including an emergency call device for reporting emergency information from a vehicle in a vehicle emergency, a communication terminal, and an emergency call center outside the vehicle,
The emergency call device
A wireless communication unit for performing wireless communication with the emergency call center;
A control unit that controls the wireless communication unit to perform wireless communication with the emergency call center in the event of a vehicle emergency;
An in-vehicle communication unit for performing communication with the communication terminal in the vehicle,
The control unit causes the emergency information to be transmitted from the communication terminal to the emergency call center when wireless communication is not possible with the emergency call center via the wireless communication unit during a vehicle emergency. In addition, an emergency information transmission command signal is transmitted to the communication terminal via the vehicle communication unit,
The communication terminal is configured to transmit emergency information to the emergency call center in response to receiving the emergency information transmission command signal,
The emergency call center tries to communicate with the emergency call device in response to receiving the emergency information, and maintains a wireless communication link with the communication terminal when the communication is impossible. Emergency call system characterized by.

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