WO2009024581A1

WO2009024581A1 - Method for activating and transmitting an emergency call

Info

Publication number: WO2009024581A1
Application number: PCT/EP2008/060882
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ulrich STÄHLIN; Peter Rieth; Andreas Schirling; Thomas GRÖNING
Original assignee: Continental Teves Ag & Co. Ohg
Priority date: 2007-08-20
Filing date: 2008-08-20
Publication date: 2009-02-26
Also published as: DE102008038492A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for activating and transmitting an emergency call from a vehicle, wherein the vehicle has means for the detection of the cause of activation of the emergency call, a controller connected to the said means for detection analyzes the cause of the activation as whether predetermined accident criteria have been met, and if the said criteria have been met, transmits an emergency call to an external receiving station by means of means connected to the controller, wherein the information representative of the cause of activation of the emergency call, and the predetermined criteria are transmitted to the receiving station via communication means, wherein the information to the transmitted are converted via a media conversion into a form that can be analyzed for a receiving station, and that further meta information are detected, stored, and directly transmitted to the receiving station via the means for the detection of the cause of activation during the transmission of the representative information and the predetermined criteria, wherein after receiving and analyzing the cause of activation of the information representative of the emergency call and of the predetermined criteria the receiving station queries further representative information from the means for the detection of the cause of activation.

Description

Method for triggering and transmitting an emergency call

The invention relates to a method for triggering and transmitting an emergency call from a vehicle, in particular for a motor vehicle, according to the patent claim 1.

Vehicle emergency call systems have been known for a long time. Beispielswei ^¬ se is known from DE 43 21 416 Al a vehicle emergency call system, which is based on the vehicle emergency call system of the Demonstrationspro ^¬ jekts ARTHUR from the year 1989th A locational ^¬ humor of the vehicle involved in an accident regardless of the radio-technical conditions, for example, harmful exhaust schattungseffekte in tunnels to enable the accident, is provided,

a) that the position determining means during the (whole) phase of operation of the vehicle continuously, preferably at predetermined time intervals automatically determines the current position of the vehicle and the determined Positi ^¬ onsdaten over to the emergency transmitter and

b) that the position data in the emergency call transmitter until the receipt of new position data from the position-determining device stay saved.

In the event of an accident, the crash sensor (eg the airbag sensor) connected to a control unit (which is connected to a position-determining device and an emergency transmitter, eg in the form of a suitably modified car telephone) checks whether an emergency call signal is to be transmitted on the basis of predetermined accident criteria or not. If the criteria are met, the crash sensor gives an enable signal via the control unit to the emergency transmitter, which then transmits via the second antenna by radio an emergency call signal together with the currently stored position data of the vehicle. Furthermore, it is possible that upon fulfillment of the accident criteria, the crash sensor causes a re-determination of the vehicle position by the position determination device and that these position data are transmitted together with the emergency call signal from the emergency radio transmitter. Finally, it is possible to use a travel pilot instead of a GPS (Global Positioning System) for location.

An emergency reporting device which can recognize a plurality of signal formats so that they can generally be installed in vehicles or models with different signal formats for the signals from an airbag device is known from DE 101 37 670 Al. The airbag device is connected to a control unit and is activated via a LAN signal line when a vehicle LAN bus line is used, or via a direct line that is not a LAN signal line when it is a vehicle without a vehicle - LAN is acting. The air bag device outputs a status signal to identify whether it is a LAN connection or a direct line connection. The control unit provides the following functions:

1) detecting an emergency call request based on an operation signal from an emergency alarm button, a menstoss or an accident of the airbag apparatus issued in a together airbag development signal or an automatic emergency ^¬ event notification signal based on a Kraftstoffunterbre- monitoring signal.

2) Start the emergency notification process by reading position information and other data from a storage unit.

3) reading the stored in the storage unit phone number of the headquarters such as the police or a rescue ^¬ central, which monitors the emergency reporting system.

4) Request a telephone call to the emergency reporting unit using this telephone number.

5) detecting the transition to the conversational state when a response signal from the partner corresponding to the telephone number or a conversation-state-passing signal such as wa ^¬ wa a dial tone is received.

6) sending position information and history data that have been stopped by the position information acquisition / processing unit he ^¬, and the central call signal via the base station ^¬ the communication device to the emergency notification unit.

Furthermore, from DE 299 11 590 Ul a triggering by airbag and sensors, permanently installed in a car Vorrich ^¬ device known. The device consists of a single emergency - A -

fe programmed digital handsfree telephone in a housing which is structurally suitable for installation in the interior trim of the car roof, and control lines to the external power switches, such as airbags or sensors. The emergency call is automatic if one of the airbags or sensors in the car or the emergency call is triggered manually with a button or by other sensors installed in the vehicle. Preferably, the device is centrally located between the front and rear seats under the roof of the car.

A further emergency call device for vehicles, which emits an emergency call message to a rescue coordination center in the case of an accident determined by sensors in the vehicle, wherein the emergency call message for the initiation of auxiliary measures contains suitable information is known from DE 199 17 207 C2. In order to ensure that an emergency call message is sent to a rescue coordination center, even if the vehicle's on-board electronics are destroyed by the accident, it is provided that the emergency call device, even before an actual accident has occurred, is detected by the sensors. sends out a first message containing the geographical vehicle position. If the critical driving situation subsequently does not lead to an accident, then the rescue coordination center is informed with a second message, which is sent after the expiry of a predetermined period of time after the first message, that the first message has lapsed. The sensors can detect translational accelerations and / or rotational angular accelerations of the vehicle and / or changes in shape of the vehicle body and / or braking processes and / or steering movements. An evaluation unit derives from the sensor signals by threshold value decisions as to whether a critical driving situation exists and whether an accident has arisen from a critical vehicle situation. The second Message then contains information about the vehicle registration number and / or the vehicle type and / or the severity of the accident and / or the number of vehicle occupants and / or acute illnesses of vehicle occupants. After the second message at least one further message can be sent, which contains further information about the accident and / or the situation of the affected vehicle occupants.

A similar emergency call system with a present in the motor vehicle transmitter / mobile phone for automatically transmitting an emergency call to an external receiving station and at least one signal generator, wherein the transmitter and the signal transmitter are connected to a computing unit that activates the emergency call in the presence of a corresponding signal of the signal generator is known from DE 199 22 730 Al. The emergency call system includes means for determining a likelihood of an imminent accident with the signals of the signaler and the emergency call (together with the position determined by GPS navigation or dead reckoning or by lanes at the edge of the lane) can be activated if a limit for the degree of probability is exceeded. In particular, the emergency call system as a signal generator with the arithmetic unit connected to measuring means for determining the relative speed and the distance of the vehicle to another vehicle or obstacle (radar system, infrared system), wherein in the arithmetic unit, a comparison of the determined relative to the radar system relative speed with a maximum allowable value the relative velocity at the measured distance is feasible. The emergency call is thus already activated before the accident when exceeding the maximum permissible relative speeds at a given distance. It is possible to store several value pairs of a distance and an associated maximum permissible relative speed in a memory and For example, by interpolation to determine the maximum permissible relative speed, also depending on the road condition (optical sensors). In order to prevent false alarms, the arithmetic unit is connected to at least one sensor for detecting an accident, in particular an acceleration sensor of the airbag or a temperature sensor. The emergency call system also includes a timer connected to the arithmetic unit, which is started when the emergency call is activated. If there is no collision-signaling signal from the sensor at the time the timer expires, the emergency call via the mobile phone or the transmitter is automatically revoked.

In order to be able to safely make an emergency call even in the event of a strong impact or collision of a vehicle with a radiotelephone, it is known from WO 03/042943 A2 to arrange a self-standing emergency call unit on a protected in the vehicle especially from damage by collision or impact , The emergency call unit is equipped for this purpose with its own battery, with a GSM transceiver and with a transmitting and receiving unit to establish a short radio link to the radiotelephone and when triggering an emergency call, the emergency unit sends an emergency call over the short radio link to the radiotelephone, which transmits the emergency call Send radio to an emergency call center. Because the emergency call unit is not connected to the radio telephone via cables - electrical or optical fibers - but via a radio link, it can not be the case that in the event of a collision the cables are destroyed and it is therefore impossible to make an emergency call. The radio transmission of an emergency call from the emergency call unit to the radiotelephone is made in accordance with the Bluetooth standard. An emergency call can z. B. as in known emergency call devices are triggered by the trigger signal of an airbag. Furthermore, in the emergency call unit, a sensor can be arranged, which detects a collision and immediately causes the discontinuation of an emergency call. It may be provided as a sensor, a gyro which causes not by means of electrical signals, but by mechanical means, the triggering of an emergency call from the emergency call device to the radio telephone. Because the gyroscope is already reacting at the beginning of a collision, an emergency call is placed even before damage or destruction of the radiotelephone. The short time between the detection of a collision by the gyroscope and a possible damage or destruction of the radiotelephone by an impact is sufficient in order to be able to transmit all data relevant for the accident via the Blueooth connection. In the event that this time is no longer sufficient for issuing an emergency call, the GSM transceiver sends an emergency call to the emergency call device.

Furthermore, the user by pressing a button activatable, portable emergency callers have long been known. In order to place an emergency call within a few seconds without pressing keys by means of a portable mobile telephone or an emergency call transmitter built into a wristwatch, brooch or bracelet, it is known from DE 198 49 846 A1 that it has a voice recognition program that at least one Emergency telephone number is permanently stored and that when entering / detecting a particular word, the emergency number is dialed automatically. Furthermore, the mobile phone / emergency call transmitter may be equipped with a pulse generator for aiming the current position.

Similarly, a mobile telephone / emergency call transmitter known from EP 1 372 324 A2 is designed. In one embodiment described therein - in the silent alarm mode - various previously stored keywords are evaluated and when recognizing one of the keywords, an emergency message is sent to a rescue center / police station via the mobile network.

Finally, US Pat. No. 6,573,831 B2 discloses a monitoring device in the vehicle in which noises in the area of the vehicle are continuously recorded and stored by means of a microphone in order to be able to evaluate them after a possible accident. However, the sounds detected by means of the microphone itself do not serve to trigger an emergency call in the vehicle.

As the foregoing assessment of the prior art shows, differently designed vehicle emergency call systems with or without location determination or determination of a probability level for an imminent accident are known. As a rule, it is necessary to integrate the mobile telephone into the vehicle electronics or to couple them via interfaces or, as in the subject matter of WO 03/042943 A2, two radio telephones are required.

For an automated emergency call (ECaIl), it is generally required that an emergency call be automatically issued in the event of an emergency. On the other hand, no false triggering should occur.

These conflicting requirements lead to problems in tuning the detection sensitivity of such a system. Especially with retrofit solutions this coordination is difficult, since often no ideal installation position of the sensors for crash detection is subsequently possible. Furthermore, extensive precautions must be taken against unintentional tripping procedures for an emergency call. The triggering by means of stored keywords in a user-carried mobile phone / emergency transmitter fails if the road user after an accident itself is no longer able to do so. Therefore, in practice, a vehicle emergency call system is missing which can be used universally regardless of other technical conditions and which automatically triggers an emergency call in the event of an accident.

The invention is compared to the known emergency call systems and methods for triggering and transmission of an emergency call from a vehicle based on the object to easily trigger an emergency call and the relevant data, or metadata about the accident, even if the user after an accident itself is no longer able to transmit.

The object is solved by the features of claim 1. Further advantageous embodiments are specified in the dependent claims.

An embodiment of the system for triggering and transmitting an emergency call from a vehicle, wherein the system identifies means for detecting the triggering cause for the emergency call, a controller connected to these means for detection evaluates the triggering cause to whether predetermined accident criteria are met, and if these criteria are satisfied to communicate with the control means connected to the communication an emergency call to an external receiving station, characterized in that the representative of the triggering cause of the emergency call information and predetermined criteria are transmitted via the means for communication to the receiving station, wherein the transmitting information be converted by means of a media conversion in a form evaluable for a receiving station and that during the transmission of the representative information and predeterminable criteria further meta information about the means for detecting the trigger cause determined stored and transmitted directly to the receiving station, the receiving station after the reception and the Evaluation of representative of the triggering cause of the emergency call information and specifiable criteria of the means of detection of the trigger cause further representative information requests and the means of communication and the means of detection are configured as a modular retrofit kit for a vehicle.

A particularly advantageous embodiment of the system is characterized in that the control unit is a driver assistance system and / or a vehicle safety system and that the receiver can make a selection on receipt of an emergency call by means of a human-machine interface arranged on the receiving side, further meta-information of the vehicle Inmates are determined via the means for detection and / or received as voice information in speech and / or textual form and / or audiovisual form.

Driver control and vehicle safety systems according to the invention are advantageously used as the control unit.

Vehicle safety systems can be described as Electronic Break System (EBS), Engine Management System (EMS), Antilock Braking System (ABS), Traction Control (ASR), Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Electronic Differential Lock (EDS), Traction Control System (TCS), Electronic brake force distribution (EBV) and / or engine drag torque control (MSR).

Driver assistance systems are implemented as electronic ancillary devices in vehicles to assist the driver in certain driving situations. Here are often safety aspects, but especially the increase in ride comfort in the foreground. These systems partially or autonomously intervene in drive, control (e.g., throttle, brake) or signaling devices of the vehicle, or warn the driver of the driver just before or during critical situations through appropriate man-machine interfaces. Such driver assistance systems are, for example, parking aid (sensor arrays for obstacle and distance detection), brake assist (BAS), cruise control, adaptive cruise control or proximity control (ACC), distance warning, turn assistant, traffic jam assistant, lane detection system, lane departure warning / lane assistant (lane departure warning (lane departure warning) Lane change support), lane change assistance, lane change support, Intelligent Speed Adaptation (ISA), adaptive cornering light, tire pressure monitoring system, driver condition detection, traffic sign recognition, platooning, automatic emergency braking (ANB), Up and dimming assistant for the driving lights, night vision system.

In a further particularly advantageous embodiment of the system, when receiving an emergency call, the receiver automatically makes a callback if the occupants do not report within a predetermined period of time, in which case appropriate rescue measures are initiated. A further embodiment of the system according to the invention is characterized in that when receiving an emergency call, the receiver automatically makes a call when the vehicle occupants do not report within a predetermined period of time and before the transmission of the emergency call an intention of the system to settle the emergency call to the vehicle occupants a - Kustisch and / or haptic and / or visually output, wherein after a period of time (eg 5 sec) of the intention of the system to cancel the emergency call by the vehicle occupants is not contradicted, the emergency call is sent and that the vehicle occupants by an actuation of a Push buttons in the door panel can cancel the discontinuation of the emergency call.

In a further advantageous embodiment, as meta-information, visual information is transmitted via at least one camera and audio information via at least one microphone located in the passenger compartment, and the media conversion takes place by means of a speech synthesis.

A further advantageous embodiment is characterized in that a film is attached to the seam of an airbag as a means for detecting the cause of the trip.

A further advantageous embodiment is characterized in that as the means for detecting the cause of the trip, a thin, easily severable wire bar is attached to the airbag.

A further advantageous embodiment is characterized in that at least one pressure sensor which is mounted on the steering wheel and an acceleration sensor in the vehicle serves as the means for detecting the cause of the trip. In a further advantageous embodiment, a microphone is used as the means for detecting the cause of the trip, which is located in the vehicle, wherein the microphone is integrated either in a mobile terminal or as part of a Freisspre- cheinrichtung.

In a further embodiment of the invention, at least one gas sensor for detecting No2 and / or NOx and / or CO serves as the means for detecting the triggering cause, and the gas sensor is designed as an ion-sensitive field effect transporter.

It is particularly advantageous that speech recognition is used as the means for detecting the triggering cause.

The invention will be described with reference to the following embodiment. An injured vehicle has means for detecting the cause of the trip and means for communicating. The means for detection are designed, for example, as an additional and subsequently installable accident monitoring unit, which is designed as an electronics box and has its own voltage source in the form of a battery. It is envisaged that the independent voltage source, or the battery, the Elekronikbox can be loaded via the vehicle electrical system. The accident monitoring unit is on the input side with the means for detecting the cause of the trip, which are configured in the form of one of his sensors, in conjunction, which indirectly detect the accident event. In the event of an accident, for example, with the triggering of the airbag, it is possible to metrologically record several additional variables that are directly related to the accident. By considering one or more of these parameters, a reliable detection of an emergency is possible. For detection, in the method according to the invention ren example, the sizes of the acceleration of the impact, the acoustic bang of the airbag deployment, the pressure wave from the ignition of the airbag and the increased gas concentration in the interior used by airbag ignition, which are installed together with installable as a retrofit kit accident monitoring units in the vehicle and are wired with the accident monitoring unit and / or by means of a mobile post-range communication such as Bluetooth. In the case of wired communication, communication is provided via the vehicle communication bus (CAN bus) as well as its own self-sufficient communication bus.

As possible embodiments of the means for detecting the trigger cause acceleration sensors are provided, for example, which measure the intensity of the impact and / or a microphone with the bang of the airbag ignition is detected, and / or a pressure sensor which detects the pressure wave of the airbag ignition and / or various No2, NOx and CO sensors that detect whether an airbag ignition has occurred.

At least one measured variable can be used to detect an emergency. According to the invention, it is envisaged to use at least two different measured variables in order to more reliably carry out a determination of the emergency. For example, the detection of explosive gas and the sound and pressure waves as well as the fusion of two signals are used for reliable emergency detection. Thus, advantageously, a plausibility check is carried out as to whether an emergency situation exists.

A further detection according to the invention, whether an emergency exists, takes place in that the triggering of an airbag by a mobile terminal is used as a means of detecting the triggering cause for the emergency call. In many mobile devices ration, voice recognition modules are integrated to control them. These speech recognition modules now receive the identification of the pop-up of the airbag deployment, in order to recognize them and build on this an automated emergency call. By using a voice recognition for detecting the airbag deployment no additional hardware or software is necessary to implement a retrofit solution according to the invention for a system for triggering and transmitting an emergency call (retrofittable ECaIl modules).

In a further embodiment, the airbag deployment is recognized as a reason for an automated emergency call. In the case of retrofitted ECaIl modules retrofitted, the activation is detected without jeopardizing the operating license of the vehicle. By changing a conventional airbag, a sheet attached to the seam of the airbag is provided as a means for detecting the cause of the emergency call. The tearing of this film detects when the airbag has exploded. Instead of a film, according to the invention it is intended to use a wire loop. This wire loop is mounted so that it is normally energized and is interrupted only when the airbag is triggered. The cracking results in a changed electrical characteristic, such as e.g. the resistance, the capacitance, the frequency response, the inductance, the arrangement of foil or wire loop and airbag being detected.

Furthermore, it is envisaged to detect the distance to the storage location of the airbag via a sensor. If this distance changes abruptly, the airbag has opened. In order to avoid errors (eg objects in the measuring beam), it is envisaged that several distances are measured. As another means to Detection of the cause of the trip, it is inventively contemplated when the airbag is supported after its release on the steering wheel or at least exerts pressure on this, then to detect the release of the airbag by means of several mounted on the steering wheel pressure sensors. Advantageously, more than 3 pressure sensors are used and distributed evenly on the steering wheel and retrofitted as a retrofit kit so that no detection of hands + thighs takes place during normal driving maneuvers.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention is characterized in that detected by means of an odor sensor, the typical smell of a triggered airbag and thus clearly detects its triggering. This odor is measured in advance in the laboratory and eliminates a complex calibration in the vehicle. Since such an odor sensor or gas sensor requires no connection to the vehicle bus, it can be used particularly advantageously as a retrofit solution.

In order to increase the quality of trigger detection, it is, as already mentioned according to the invention, to combine several methods of detection and thus to minimize misrecognition. Examples of further detection possibilities are:

• acceleration sensors

• Detection of the sound of the airbag deployment

• Detection of collision noise

The odor sensor recognizes only the smell of the triggered airbag, as this "smell" does not resemble any other odor in the vehicle and is thus clearly identifiable In principle, no connection to the vehicle bus is necessary and thus the solution is ideally suited for retrofit solutions. Sole acoustic detections have the disadvantage that a clear separation between airbag deployment and other sounds is not always possible and thus there is a risk of false triggering when only an acoustic detection is used.

A particularly advantageous embodiment for triggering an automated emergency call (all) is the combination of odor sensor and acoustic sensor, since there is a microphone for voice transmission in the vehicle for the emergency call. According to the invention, this microphone is used at the same time for detecting the airbag deployment. The use of an odor sensor for detecting the deployment of the airbag and the combination with the already mentioned means for detecting the detection of an airbag deployment thus increase the reliability of detection.

On the output side, the accident monitoring unit receives the relevant information about the accident from the means for communication, which can be implemented as a mobile radio unit, in order to transmit an emergency call wirelessly via a mobile network to an emergency call center. The mobile radio unit can also be part of the accident monitoring unit. The accident monitoring unit in the vehicle includes electronic means for establishing the emergency call after detection of an accident. The text form of the emergency call is provided with a special record identifier. This record identifier, for example, corresponds to the registration number of the vehicle and is used for record identification. In this embodiment, the official identifier is a letter and number sequence with the omission of spaces and special characters the emergency call prefixed. In this case, the country code (D) - for example, for Germany - of the vehicle 1 is taken into account, which indicates in which country the vehicle 1 is approved. This record identifier is prefixed to the textual emergency call prefix.

The emergency call is sent in this embodiment by SMS via the mobile network to the emergency call center. The emergency call center is executed in this embodiment as a computer. On this is a text-to-speech application installed. This serves to convert the emergency call into a voice information. Subsequently, the indicator of the vehicle 1-containing emergency call is transmitted by voice channel to a competent rescue center. The Rescue Coordination Center then coordinates the use of ambulances to provide assistance at the scene of the accident. The emergency call center can also be part of the rescue center.

In a further embodiment, when an emergency is detected, such as e.g. by an acceleration sensor, the intention acoustically, visually, haptically, displayed an emergency call. If this intention is not contradicted within a short time T (e.g., 5 seconds) by the driver (e.g., by a keystroke on the mobile unit), the emergency call is terminated. If it is a misrecognition, the driver contradicts and the emergency call is not canceled. By this possibility of contradiction by the driver, the detection threshold for the automated emergency call can be chosen smaller and thus an emergency can be detected safer.

Due to the possibility of contradicting an automatic emergency call, the detection threshold can advantageously be selected lower, without the number of unnecessarily remote ones Increase emergency calls. If it really is an emergency, the triggering will only be delayed by a few seconds.

The indication of the intention to make an automatic emergency call is e.g. acoustically, visually, acoustically, wherein waiting a short time in which the driver is e.g. by pressing a button or voice recognition by saying the phrase "Emergency Stop" can contradict this intention.

Normally, during an emergency call (Ecall), a set of data is transmitted once at the beginning of the emergency call and then switched to the voice mode in which the emergency call is then completed. According to the invention, the system according to the invention allows the operator to request data or so-called metadata via voice sequences again during the voice connection. These metadata are then sent by the vehicle and then switched back to the voice mode. During the data connection, the vehicle occupants can be signaled by optical display or signal or by synthetic speech output that data is transmitted and the emergency situation has been recognized by the rescue coordination center.

However, examples of such additional or additional data requirements are not limited to:

The car is still moving after the first transmission of the data (for example due to a slope) and the operator wants to get a new position information.

• The operator wants to know the temperature to determine if it is burning in or around the vehicle. • The operator wants to know the seat occupancy in order to determine whether persons have left the vehicle or have newly entered the vehicle (eg helper).

It is also envisaged according to the invention that the vehicle switches on data transmission again on its own if data from the original packet has changed greatly or data that was not previously transmitted has exceeded a limit value. Examples may be here, but are not limited to:

• The vehicle has moved after setting the position down.

• The temperature in or around the vehicle exceeds e.g. by fire or falls below e.g. strong cold in the accident region a certain threshold.

• Seat occupancy has changed as it may indicate the removal of a vehicle occupant or the arrival of a helper.

• Rainfall detected by a rain sensor.

• The battery voltage falls below a threshold value and the electrical system and thus the connection soon break down.

Subsequent or additional data transmission reacts to changing conditions. If text-to-speech is used, this function is independent of the performance of the emergency call center and only requires a normal telephone connection on the part of the emergency call center.

It is inventively contemplated that a data transmission is carried out by text-to-speech for this purpose, wherein an automatic switching back to voice transmission after the data Transmission takes place and a signaling of the data transmission to the vehicle occupants by optical signals or synthetic speech output is performed.

An automated emergency call (all) transmits data and voice. From this, the condition of the vehicle occupants can be derived. Using video data, an overview of the receiver (emergency call center) with video data is improved. If there is a camera in the vehicle, e.g. are provided for driver assistance systems or a Bluetooth-connected mobile devices, so its data are also transmitted when. It is also envisaged that a camera with the means of detection and the means of communication will be installed as a retrofit kit, which observes the passenger compartment. The camera basically serves as a means of detecting the cause of the trip.

The camera can transmit images from the passenger compartment, as well as images from the environment. Images from the passenger compartment serve to determine the severity of the injury and the general condition of the vehicle occupants and their number. Images from the environment help to be able to evaluate and determine the situation of the accident and possibly the position of the vehicle.

By transmitting video data, the emergency call center advantageously provides a better overview of the state of the persons involved. According to the invention, in the transmission it is envisaged that a secure transmission with error-correcting measures, such as error resilience or error concealment, is provided in the compression of the video data. It is envisaged that prior to the transmission of the video data, a bandwidth check to the transmitting mobile network takes place and a guaranteed bandwidth is requested by the system according to the invention. is that a transmission of the emergency call by mobile networks, such as GSM, GPRS, UMTS, 4G networks and WLAN and DSRC is possible.

By transmitting video data in an automated emergency call, video data is transmitted from the passenger compartment for better evaluation of the severity of the injury and the general condition of the vehicle occupants and the video data from the passenger compartment serve to determine the number of vehicle occupants. Video data from the vehicle environment are used to evaluate the situation of the accident and the more accurate determination of the position of the vehicle.

In a system according to the invention information about position, to the receiver, preferably a rescue center (PSAP), transmitted. Here it is considered that a pure SMS transmission is accomplished. If this is regulated via SMS, an assignment takes place between SMS and a voice connection

Here, at the beginning of the SMS is set a clear identifier, Advantageously, the number that is also represented on the license plate of the vehicle crashed. At the beginning of the voice message, this license plate may be transmitted by text-to-speech or in-band modem or similar techniques before the voice call is released. In addition to the number of the number plate, the SMS also transmits the position (GPS) in human-readable form or location, street and house number in the presence of a digital map in the vehicle. If necessary, further data is transmitted from the vehicle, as defined, for example, in the minimum set of data of the 112 eCalls. It is thus the number of the license plate in an SMS used as an assignment to a vehicle and there is Ü Üveraging the number of the license plate by text-to-speech or in-band modem or at the beginning of the voice connection and the representation of the position in the SMS in a human-readable form (GPS or location, street and house number).

If, for technical reasons, the voice connection can not be established, the SMS contains enough information to locate the location of the vehicle. Since the SMS is in human-readable form, no technical changes on the part of the recipient, the rescue center, made. The license plate number can be used to obtain further information, further data from databases about the vehicle and the vehicle occupants.

By using the license plate number a unique assignment to a vehicle is possible. The human-readable presentation of the information in the SMS makes it possible to use the SMS itself without additional infrastructure at the rescue center.

The solution according to the invention is not limited to the illustrations of the embodiments described above. On the contrary, modifications of this kind are also conceivable, which are included in the scope of protection of the following claims. For example, it is also possible for the accident coordinates to be converted directly into a cartographic accident position (address information) directly in the vehicle by using the vehicle navigation unit for this purpose. However, it must be ensured that this arithmetic operation is still carried out on board the vehicle despite the accident can. Furthermore, it is also conceivable to manually occupy the emergency call center and implement the incoming preferably SMS by emergency calls by an operator directly in the language for communication with the competent rescue center. This alternative makes it possible to flexibly include additional information in the emergency call.

Claims

Claims:

A system for initiating and transmitting an emergency call from a vehicle, the system comprising means for detecting the triggering cause of the emergency call, a controller connected to said means for detection evaluating the triggering cause as to whether predetermined accident criteria are met, and if meeting those criteria are connected to the control means, means for communicating an emergency call to an external receiving station, characterized in that the representative of the triggering cause of the emergency call information and predetermined criteria are transmitted via the means for communication to the receiving station, wherein the to be transmitted Information be converted by means of a media conversion in a form evaluable for a receiving station and that during the transmission of the representative information and predetermined criteria further meta information about the means for detecting the trigger cause he mitted, stored and transmitted directly to the receiving station, wherein the receiving station after receiving and evaluating representative of the triggering cause of the emergency call information and specifiable criteria from the means of detection of the triggering cause requests further representative information and the means for communication and the means designed for detection as a modular retrofit kit for a vehicle.

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that the control unit is a driver assistance system and / or a vehicle security system.

3. System according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that the receiver upon receipt of an emergency call by means of a receiving side arranged man-machine interface can make a selection, further meta information of in-vehicle occupants via the means for detection determined and / or as Voice information in voice and / or textual form and / or audiovisual form is received.

4. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that upon receipt of an emergency call, the receiver automatically makes a callback if the occupants do not report within a predetermined period of time, in which case appropriate rescue measures are initiated.

5. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that upon receipt of an emergency call, the receiver automatically makes a callback if the vehicle occupants do not report within a predetermined period of time.

6. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that prior to the transmission of the emergency call intention of the system to cancel the emergency call to the vehicle occupants a- kustisch and / or haptic and / or optical output, wherein if after expiration of a period of Intent of the system to settle the emergency call by the vehicle occupants is not contradicted, the emergency call is sent.

7. System according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the vehicle occupants can cancel the discontinuation of the emergency call by pressing a button in the door panel.

8. System according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that are transmitted as meta information visual information about at least one camera and audio information via at least one located in the passenger compartment microphone.

9. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that are transmitted as meta information visual information about at least one camera and auditory information about at least one microphone located in the passenger compartment.

10. System according to one of the preceding claims characterized - ZO Qo -

that the media conversion is done by means of a speech synthesis.

11. System according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that as a means for detecting the cause of the triggering a film is attached to the seam of an airbag.

12. System according to one of the preceding claims characterizes that as a means for detecting the cause of the trip a thin, easily severable wire loop to the airbag is attached.

14. System according to one of the preceding claims characterizes that as the means for detecting the cause of the trip at least one pressure sensor which is attached to the steering wheel, is used.

15. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that serves as the means for detecting the cause of the trip, a acceleration sensor in the vehicle.

16. System according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that as a means for detecting the cause of the trigger serves a microphone which is located in the vehicle, wherein the micro- fon is integrated either in a mobile device or as part of a handsfree device.

17. System according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that as the means for detecting the cause of the trip at least one gas sensors for detecting No2 and / or NOx and / or CO sensors is used and is designed as an ion-sensitive Feldef- fekttranssitor.

18. System according to one of the preceding claims characterizes that serves as the means for detecting the trigger cause a speech recognition.