JP3130005B2 - Vehicle emergency call system and vehicle emergency call device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle emergency report system for automatically reporting the position of a vehicle from an accident vehicle to a center by radio, and a vehicle emergency report device for executing the report. Even if it is interrupted, it is possible to grasp the location of the accident vehicle at the center.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, there has been a movement in Japan to standardize a vehicle emergency notification system in order to cope with frequent traffic accidents. In the event of a vehicle collision or accident, this system automatically reports vehicle emergency information to the center from an emergency notification device mounted on the vehicle, shortens the time it takes for the emergency vehicle to arrive at the accident site, Rescue more quickly,
This system has already been implemented in Germany.

The following functions are required for an emergency notification device mounted on a vehicle. (1) Communication function (communication with the center) It has a communication function similar to that of a mobile phone, and enables automatic switching between 9600 bps data communication and voice communication. (2) Position detection function (position detection of own vehicle) As vehicle position detection data, own vehicle position data such as GPS and gyro is recorded. (3) Emergency detection function (emergency detection of own vehicle) It has a collision sensor and a rollover sensor and detects what kind of accident has occurred. (4) Vehicle emergency information notification function (emergency notification to center) Emergency notification is started by detection of a collision sensor or rollover sensor, and recorded vehicle position data is automatically transmitted. Manual notification by pressing the vehicle emergency information notification button is also enabled. (5) Power management function (controls the power supply of the emergency notification device) When an accident is detected, automatic switching to the auxiliary battery is performed to secure the power supply during the emergency notification.

[0004] Therefore, when a vehicle encounters an accident, the vehicle position data recorded in the emergency notification device of the accident vehicle is automatically transmitted to the center, and the center confirms the position of the accident vehicle based on this data. Request an emergency vehicle to be dispatched.

[0005] Conventionally, a navigation device for displaying a traveling position of a vehicle has been provided with a navigation device similar to the emergency notification device.
It has been proposed to provide a location reporting function when an accident occurs. For example, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 5-5626 discloses an apparatus shown in FIG. 5 as this kind of navigation apparatus. This device includes a location device 70 for obtaining the position of the vehicle of the vehicle, an acceleration sensor 80 as an accident occurrence detecting means, a control device 76 for storing the own vehicle position data obtained by the location device 70 and outputting it when an accident occurs. ,
A communication device 79 as data transmission means is provided.A location device 70 includes a direction sensor 71 for detecting a traveling direction of the vehicle, and a distance sensor 72 for detecting a traveling distance of the vehicle.
And absolute position determination sensor 73 that receives GPS data
And a CDR that stores map data and contact phone numbers
An OM 74 and a CPU 75 for obtaining the position of the vehicle from information of each sensor and displaying the position on a display device (not shown) are provided.

[0006] The control device 76 stores an own vehicle position data taken from the location device 70.
An FIFO memory 78 and a main CPU 77 that determines the occurrence of an accident based on the detection output of the acceleration sensor 80 and controls the transmission of data stored in the FIFO memory 78 are provided.

In this device, the location device 70
U75 compares the signals of the direction sensor 71, the distance sensor 72, and the absolute position determination sensor 73 with the road network data stored in the CDROM 74 to estimate the position of the vehicle, and displays it on the display device. The vehicle position data and the emergency contact data (for example, the telephone number of the police in charge) corresponding to the position are transmitted to the control device 76 at predetermined time intervals or at predetermined traveling distances. These data are sequentially stored in the FIFO memory 78 of the control device 76.

On the other hand, the acceleration sensor 80 detects, for example, the acceleration of the vehicle in the front-rear direction and sends it to the control device 76.

The main CPU 77 of the control device 76
When it is determined that an accident has occurred based on a change in the signal of the acceleration sensor 80, updating of the own vehicle position data and the emergency contact data in the FIFO memory 78 is prohibited, and the latest emergency contact data is sent to the communication device 79. The transmission is commanded, and the vehicle position data stored in the FIFO memory 78 is transferred to the emergency contact.

Thus, when an accident occurs, data indicating the locus of the vehicle to the accident point is transferred to the emergency contact.

[0011]

However, in a vehicle emergency notification system, unlike a navigation device having a notification function, a database such as map data is stored and managed on the center side, and an accident is performed using this database. The center detects the location of the accident vehicle on the basis of the data sent from the vehicle.

In this case, the location of the accident at the center must be promptly and accurately performed in order to rescue the injured person as soon as possible. The data transmission time from the accident vehicle to the center is substantially on the order of 30 seconds excluding the time spent for network connection, and during this time, data enabling the location of the accident to be transmitted to the center.

In particular, in a vehicle immediately after the occurrence of an accident, the transmission function becomes unstable due to the impact of the accident, and data transmission may be stopped halfway. In such a case, it is necessary to be able to identify the location of the accident at the center.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention addresses such a problem, and provides a vehicle emergency notification system capable of promptly and accurately determining an accident location at a center based on data transmitted from an accident vehicle. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a vehicle emergency notification device that performs the following.

[0015]

Therefore, in the vehicle emergency notification system of the present invention, a running vehicle cyclically records data relating to the vehicle position at predetermined time intervals or at predetermined travel distances, and an accident occurs. When this occurs, the recorded data is transmitted to the center in order of data having the latest recording time.

In the vehicle emergency notification device according to the present invention, the data storage means for cyclically recording data relating to the vehicle position while the vehicle is running, and the data stored in the data storage means when an accident occurs, are read out. There are provided data reading means for sequentially outputting data having the newest recording timing, and transmitting means for transmitting data output from the data reading means to the center.

Therefore, even if data transmission from the accident vehicle to the center is interrupted on the way, the center can obtain at least the accident position and data in the vicinity thereof. Can be specified accurately.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention according to claim 1 of the present invention relates to a vehicle emergency system in which data for specifying a vehicle position is automatically transmitted from an accident vehicle to a center via a wireless line when an accident occurs. In the notification system, the vehicle, while traveling, cyclically records data on the vehicle position,
When an accident occurs, part or all of the recorded data is transmitted to the center in the order of the latest recording time, and the center determines the position of the accident vehicle based on the received data. Even if data transmission to the center is interrupted on the way, the center can identify the accident location using the received data.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the data to be transmitted includes reproduced GPS data, vector data indicating the movement of the vehicle, and position data indicating the start position and the end position. And at the center,
Map matching is performed using the starting position, and the accident position can be quickly specified. Further, even when the vector data and the position data cannot be decoded due to a difference in processing method from the emergency notification device, the accident position can be obtained using the GPS data.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the center, when the received data includes position data indicating a starting position, map matching is started from the starting position and the final position is determined. The location of the accident can be quickly obtained.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, when the center does not include the position data indicating the start position in the received data, the vector data is traced back from the last position to the start position. , And the final position is obtained by starting the map matching from the initial position. Even when the data transmission is stopped halfway, the final position can be obtained by the map matching.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vehicle emergency notification device which is mounted on a vehicle and automatically transmits data for specifying a vehicle position to a center via a radio line when an accident occurs. Data storage means for cyclically recording data relating to a position; data reading means for reading out part or all of the data recorded in the data storage means in the event of an accident and sequentially outputting the latest data; and data reading means Transmission means for transmitting the data output from the center to the center.In the event of an accident, data is transmitted to the center in order from the latest data, so even if the transmission is interrupted halfway, the center Accident location can be specified.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the data storage means records the reproduced GPS data, vector data representing the movement of the vehicle, and position data calculated from the GPS data and the vector data, and reads the data. Means for reading GPS data, vector data, position data indicating a start position, and position data indicating a final position from data recorded in the data storage means, Enables quick detection of accident location at the center.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

In the vehicle emergency notification system of the present invention, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle emergency notification device 41 including various sensors and communication means is mounted on a vehicle.
To the center 81, a wireless line 89 and a telephone line (ISD
N) Data is transmitted via 88.

The emergency notification device 41 includes an angle sensor 47 such as a gyro for detecting the traveling direction of the vehicle, and a GPS antenna 65.
GPS to determine the position of the vehicle from the GPS data received at
A receiver 48, a rollover sensor 49 for detecting the rollover of the vehicle, a RAM 50 for recording data on the position of the vehicle while traveling, a flash ROM 51 for permanently storing data necessary for elucidating the cause of the accident, and an emergency Speed sensor connected to the notification device 41
54, a reverse 55, a crash sensor 56, a CPU 46 that detects the occurrence of an accident based on information from the rollover sensor 49 and information from the brake 57 and controls the operation of an automatic notification,
A modem 45 for modulating and demodulating data to be transmitted and received, and a control switching unit 44 for controlling switching to data transmission or voice communication,
A data / voice switching unit 43 for switching an input / output destination of data or voice to be transmitted / received, a mobile phone 42 performing a communication operation through an antenna 64, and a built-in battery 52 for supplying normal power to each unit of the emergency notification device 41. In addition, an external battery 53 that supplies power to a necessary portion of the emergency notification device 41 instead of the built-in battery 52 when an accident occurs, a speaker 62 and a microphone 63 that enable hands-free voice communication,
It is connected to an emergency button 60 for enabling a manual emergency call, an LED 59 for displaying an operation state of the emergency call device 41, and the like.

On the other hand, the center 81 includes a telephone 82 for performing a communication operation, a modem 83 for modulating and demodulating data to be transmitted and received,
It has map data 85 stored in a database, a CPU 84 for judging an accident position and controlling each unit, an operation unit 87 operated by an operator, and a display unit 86 for displaying the accident position on the map. ing.

In this system, the running vehicle sequentially records its own vehicle position data in the RAM 50 of the emergency notification device 41,
When an accident occurs, the host vehicle transmits its own vehicle position data indicating the recorded traveling history to the center 81. In Center 81,
Map matching is performed using the received data to specify the location of the accident.

FIG. 1 shows functional blocks of the emergency notification device 41 for performing this operation. This emergency call device is GP
A GPS processing unit 11 that processes a received signal from the S satellite to reproduce GPS data (G), and a vector generation unit 12 that calculates a vehicle motion vector (V) from gyro data indicating an azimuth and a vehicle speed pulse indicating a vehicle speed. And the GPS processing unit 11
Data (G) output from the GPS and vector generation unit
A position calculating means 19 for obtaining a current position (P) using the vector data (V) output from 12, and a ring buffer 13 for storing GPS data (G), vector data (V) and current position data (P). A transmission data reading unit 16 for reading data to be transmitted from the ring buffer 13 when an accident occurs, a transmission data area 20 used as a temporary storage area for the read transmission data, and an antenna 18 for reading the read data. A transmission unit 17 for transmitting to the center via the GPS, an accident detection unit 15 for detecting the occurrence of an accident, and a GPS
The control unit 14 controls the operations of the processing unit 11, the vector generation unit 12, the position calculation unit 19, and the transmission data reading unit 16.

In this vehicle, radio waves from GPS satellites are received during normal traveling, and the GPS processing unit 11 of the emergency notification device is used.
Processes the received signal, reproduces GPS data such as time and orbital elements sent from GPS satellites at regular intervals, and outputs the data to the ring buffer 13 and the position calculating means 19.

The vector generation unit 12 of the emergency call device
During traveling, a vector representing the moving direction and speed of the vehicle is calculated at regular intervals from data indicating the direction input from the gyro device and the vehicle speed obtained from the vehicle speed pulse, and the ring buffer 13 and the position calculating means 19 are calculated. Output to

The position calculating means 19 sends the G
When the PS data is input, the latitude / longitude of the current position is calculated using the data, and when the vector data is input from the vector generation unit 12, the latitude / longitude of the current position located at the tip of the vector is calculated, Output to the ring buffer 13.

Data to be input is sequentially and cyclically written to the ring buffer 13, and when data writing completes one cycle, newly input data is overwritten on data recorded one cycle before. For this reason, the ring buffer 13 always stores only the data that goes back a certain period from the current time.

In FIG. 1, the data recorded in the ring buffer 13 is represented by Gn, Vn, ‥, G1, V1, G0, V0 and P
2n, P2n-1, ‥, and P0. G0, G
1, ‥, Gn (G0 is the oldest, Gn is the newest) is GP
The GPS data output from the S processing unit 11, V0,
V1, ‥, and Vn (V0 is the oldest and Vn is the newest) are vector data output from the vector generation unit 12,
P2n, P2n-1,..., P0 (P0 is the oldest and P2n is the newest) are the current position data output from the position calculating means 19. Here, vector data and GPS data are output alternately from the GPS processing unit 11 and the vector generation unit 12, and the current position data is output from the position calculation unit 19 at each output time of the vector data and the GPS data. FIG. If the measurement time interval between vector data and GPS data is different, the number of V data and G data held in the ring buffer 13 will be different.

When an accident occurs in the vehicle, an accident detection unit 15 including a collision sensor and a rollover sensor detects the accident based on the impact applied to the vehicle, the inclination of the vehicle body, and the like, and transmits the detection to the control unit 14. In response to this, the control unit 14
The processing unit 11, the vector generation unit 12, and the position calculation unit 19 stop outputting data to the ring buffer 13, and instruct the transmission data reading unit 16 to read data from the ring buffer 13. .

The transmission data reading section 16 includes a ring buffer 13
Out of the data held in the latest current position data (P2n), the oldest current position data (P0), and
All the GPS data and vector data are read out to the transmission data area 20, and these data are output to the transmission unit 17 in the following order.

First, the latest current position data, and then
The GPS data and vector data are recorded in the order from the latest recording time, and finally the oldest current position data. That is, the order is P2n, Gn, Vn, ‥, G1, V1, G0, V0, P0. The transmitting unit 17 transmits this data to the center via the antenna 18 in that order.

By transmitting data in this order, even if the transmission is interrupted in the middle of data transmission, the center keeps the latest data of the own vehicle position (that is, the data of the accident position) and the nearby running data. The data indicating the history will arrive.

FIG. 2A schematically shows data transmitted from the emergency notification device to the center. From the emergency notification device to the center, the current position data P of the last point 24
2n, Gn, Vn, Gn-1, Vn-1, ‥, Gk, Vk ‥, G1,
Data is transmitted in the order of V1, G0, V0, and the current position data P0 of the point 22. In the middle of this transmission, even if the transmission is stopped immediately after transmitting Vk, as shown in FIG. 2 (b), at the center, the current position data P2n, G
Data of n, Vn, Gn-1, Vn-1, ‥, Gk, Vk can be obtained.

When the center receives the data indicating the travel locus from the emergency notification device, the center performs map matching with the map data to determine the final point 24.

If the data transmission from the emergency notification device is performed without interruption, the center executes map matching using the point 22 in FIG. 2A represented by the current position data P0 as the initial position. I do.

Several methods are known for map matching. The point is that the correspondence between the map data and the measured own vehicle position data is examined in series, and the final position is determined on the map data. This is the processing to be performed.

For example, as shown in FIG. 3, a road (thick line) which is within a circle of a fixed radius from the point 22 represented by the position data P0 on the map database is obtained, and a motion vector V0 Select a road that extends in the same direction, specify the adjacent positions 33, 34, 35 from point 22 on the road, and distance (difference) from those points 33, 34, 35 to point 22
Weight according to.

Next, the difference between the position moved from each of the positions 33, 34 and 35 by the motion vector V0 and the position on the road (the second closest position) adjacent to the position is calculated, and the weight corresponding to the difference is calculated. Is cumulatively added for each road. Next, a difference between a position moved by the motion vector V1 from the second proximity position on each road and a position on each road (third proximity position) adjacent thereto is calculated, and a weight corresponding to the difference is calculated. Is cumulatively added for each road. By repeating such operations, the position corresponding to the final point 24 is specified on the road having the highest cumulative value of the weights.

In the course of this operation, when the position on the road deviates from the error range of the positioning position calculated using the GPS data, the road is excluded from the object of the matching, thereby improving the efficiency of the processing. , Matching accuracy can be improved.

When the data transmission from the emergency notification device is stopped halfway, the center returns the vector V from the final point 24 in FIG. 2B represented by the current position data P2n.
The point 23 is determined by tracing n, Vn-1, .SIGMA., and Vk in reverse, and map matching is performed with the point 23 as a starting position, and a position on the road corresponding to the final point 24 is specified.

Therefore, even when the data transmission from the emergency notification device is stopped halfway, the center can find the final point 24 by map matching.

As described above, in this vehicle emergency notification system, the vehicle position data indicating the traveling locus is transmitted to the center in order from the newest one, so that even if the transmission is stopped halfway, the center can detect the accident position. can do.

Also, since the data transmitted from the emergency notification device to the center includes the data of the last point and the start point calculated by the emergency notification device, the center uses the data of the first point. , Map matching can be started immediately. Further, even when the transmission is stopped halfway, the starting point of the map matching can be easily obtained by tracing the vector in reverse from the last point. Therefore, the position of the accident can be detected more quickly than in the case where the first point is determined from the transmitted GPS data or the like.

Also, since the reproduced GPS data (data of the time and orbital elements sent from the GPS satellites) is included as it is in the data transmitted from the emergency notification device to the center, Even when the center or the current position data processed by the emergency notification device cannot be decoded at the center due to a difference in method, the accident position can be obtained from the GPS data.

In this embodiment, a case has been described in which a running vehicle generates vector data and reproduces GPS data at regular time intervals.
The test is performed every time the vehicle travels a certain distance, or a threshold of the vehicle speed is set. When the vehicle speed exceeds the threshold, the test is performed every fixed time. You may make it implement each time you drive.

[0052]

As is apparent from the above description, the vehicle emergency notification system according to the present invention can quickly and accurately specify the accident location at the center. In addition, even when data transmission from the accident vehicle to the center is interrupted, the accident position can be specified at the center and rescue of an injured person at the accident site and accident processing can be performed quickly.

Further, the vehicle emergency notification device of the present invention can transmit the accident location and data in the vicinity thereof to the center even if the transmission is interrupted halfway.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle emergency notification device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a data transmission order in the vehicle emergency notification system according to the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining map matching;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle emergency notification system according to the embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a conventional navigation device having a notification function.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 GPS processing unit 12 Vector generation unit 13 Ring buffer 14 Control unit 15 Accident detection unit 16 Transmission data readout unit 17 Transmission unit 18 Antenna 19 Position calculation means 22 Start point 23 Start point due to transmission interruption 24 End point 32 Vector based on own vehicle position data 33 , 34,35 Location on the road 41 Emergency call device 42 Cell phone 43 Data / voice switching unit 44 Control switching unit 45 Modem 46 CPU 47 Angle sensor 48 GPS receiver 49 Rollover sensor 50 RAM 51 Flash ROM 52 Built-in battery 53 External battery 54 Speed sensor 55 Reverse 56 Crash sensor 57 Brake 59 LED 60 Emergency button 62 Speaker 63 Microphone 64 Antenna 65 GPS antenna 70 Location device 71 Direction sensor 72 Distance sensor 73 Absolute position determination sensor 74 CDROM 75 CPU 76 Control device 77 Main CPU 78 FIFO Memory 79 Communication device 80 Acceleration Sensor 81 Center 82 phone 83 modem 84 CPU 85 map data 86 display unit 88 telephone lines (ISDN) 89 radio channel

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Kenji Matsumoto 4-1, Tsunashimahigashi 4-chome, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. No.3-1 Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Hiroyuki Maeda 4-3-1 Tsunashima Higashi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takumi Yasushima Kohoku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture (3-1) Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masahiro Onuki 4-3-9 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo Daimler-Benz Interservice Telematic Japan Co., Ltd. (72) Invention Masakazu Kutani 4-3-9 Toranomon, Minato-ku, Tokyo Daimler-Benz Interservice Telemati (56) References JP-A-11-167693 (JP, A) JP-A-8-287386 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G08B 23/00-31/00

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A vehicle emergency notification system in which data for specifying a vehicle position is automatically transmitted from an accident vehicle to a center via a wireless line when an accident occurs. Data is recorded cyclically, and when an accident occurs, part or all of the recorded data is transmitted to the center in the newest recording time order, and the center determines the position of the accident vehicle based on the received data. An emergency call system, characterized in that: 2. A reproduced GP is included in the data to be transmitted.
The vehicle emergency notification system according to claim 1, further comprising S data, vector data representing the movement of the vehicle, and position data indicating a start position and a final position. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein, when the received data includes position data indicating the starting position, the center starts map matching from the starting position to obtain a final position. The vehicle emergency notification system according to claim 2. 4. When the center does not include position data indicating the start position in the received data, the center obtains the start position by tracing vector data in reverse from the final position. The vehicle emergency notification system according to claim 2, wherein map matching is started from a starting position to obtain a final position. 5. A vehicle emergency notification device mounted on a vehicle and automatically transmitting data for specifying a vehicle position to a center via a wireless line when an accident occurs, wherein data relating to the vehicle position is cyclically transmitted while the vehicle is running. Data storage means for recording, data reading means for reading out part or all of the data recorded in the data storage means when an accident occurs, and sequentially outputting the latest data, and data output from the data reading means Transmitting means for transmitting the information to the center. 6. The reproduced GP is stored in the data storage means.
S data, vector data representing the movement of the vehicle, and position data calculated from the GPS data and the vector data are recorded, and the data reading means reads the data from the data recorded in the data storage means. The vehicle emergency notification device according to claim 5, wherein GPS data, the vector data, position data indicating a starting position, and position data indicating a final position are read.