Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • G07C5/00—Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
  • G07C5/008—Registering or indicating the working of vehicles communicating information to a remotely located station
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • G07C5/00—Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
  • G07C5/08—Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
  • G07C5/0841—Registering performance data
  • G07C5/085—Registering performance data using electronic data carriers
  • G07C5/0866—Registering performance data using electronic data carriers the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera

Definitions

• This invention relates, in general, to multifunction unit integrated in a vehicle's antenna.
• the invention relates to a device which integrates in the traditional antenna module positioned on the roof of any vehicle a combined system of antennas, such as, for example, GPS, GPRS, GSM, FM and digital FM, and, also, telephone and accident detection modules, communication modules, towards the outside and towards the inside of the vehicle, such as, for example, Wi-Fi, BT, BTLE, LORA, NB-loT, etc., video cameras for a 360° vision positioned outside and inside the vehicle and modules for recording and storing images in the case of an accident, in order to transform the traditional antenna module installed on the roof of a vehicle into a multifunctional and interactive unit.
• a combined system of antennas such as, for example, GPS, GPRS, GSM, FM and digital FM, and, also, telephone and accident detection modules, communication modules, towards the outside and towards the inside of the vehicle, such as, for example, Wi-Fi, BT, BTLE, LORA, NB-loT, etc.
• video cameras for vehicles equipped with an antenna for remotely sending signals, as are known video cameras designed to monitor the rear of the vehicle during parking; video cameras are also known which can be integrated inside the antenna positioned on the roof of the vehicle, which are equipped, or not, with a rotatable case, and/or complete covers for vehicles equipped with video cameras, antennas and emergency lights.
• the aim of this invention is to make a multifunction unit integrated in a vehicle's antenna which is able to resolve various problems concerning safety and/or support for the passengers, insurance of the vehicle in the case of accidents or theft and connection of the vehicle and its electronic systems with the Internet and relative infrastructures.
• Another aim of the invention is to provide a multifunction unit integrated in a vehicle's antenna, which is designed to replace the traditional antenna installed on the roof of the vehicle.
• a further aim of the invention is to provide a multifunction unit integrated in a vehicle's antenna, which is particularly reliable and efficient and which has various advantages for use compared with the prior art.
• the multifunction unit integrates in the antenna of a vehicle a combined system comprising various antennas, such as, for example, GPS, GPRS, GSM, FM and digital FM, a telephone module with a SIM for data transmission, a "black box" type module, which includes a series of sensors, such as, for example, inertial and/or gyroscopic sensors, for accident detection, pressure and/or volumetric sensors for detecting the opening of doors, and a module for connection with the various technologies available, such as, for example, Wi-Fi, BT, BTLE, LORA, NB-loT, etc., for communicating both with the outside of the vehicle and with the inside of the vehicle, a video camera with 360° vision outside the vehicle (which eliminates the use of several video cameras and allows an overall vision), a video camera with 360° vision inside the vehicle (which eliminates the use of several video cameras and allows an overall vision), which, integrated with "FACE motion" software, can detect the presence of passengers on board, even with the vehicle
• various technologies available such
• FIG. 1 shows a simplified diagram of the multifunction unit according to the invention
• FIG. 2 shows a first schematic side view of the multifunction unit installed on the vehicle according to the invention
• FIG. 3 shows a second schematic side view of the multifunction unit installed on the vehicle according to the invention
• FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of a portion of the multifunction unit installed on the outside of the vehicle and on the roof of the vehicle according to the invention
• FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a portion of the multifunction unit installed inside the vehicle according to the invention.
• the multifunction unit replaces the traditional antenna positioned on the roof of the vehicle and substantially comprises two portions 11 , 12, of which one positioned on the roof 10 of the vehicle and one positioned inside the vehicle itself.
• the main electronic components are located in the portion 12 of the unit positioned inside the vehicle, whilst the outer portion 11 of the unit only houses the antennas, the external 360° video camera and the acoustic and luminous signalling devices.
• the portion 11 positioned outside the vehicle integrates an external video camera 13 with 360° vision outside the vehicle, a series of antennas 14, such as, for example, GPS, GPRS, GSM, FM and digital FM, a luminous (flashing) and/or acoustic (siren) emergency signalling device 15 and a series of aerial localisation lights 27.
• a series of antennas 14 such as, for example, GPS, GPRS, GSM, FM and digital FM
• a luminous (flashing) and/or acoustic (siren) emergency signalling device 15 and a series of aerial localisation lights 27.
• the portion 12 positioned inside the vehicle includes a communication module 16, for example Wi-Fi, BT, BTLE, LORA, NB-loT, etc., a storage module (17), a theft and crash detection module 18 (of the "black box” type) equipped with inertial and/or pressure and/or volumetric sensors and at least one gyroscopic, a battery power supply module 19, a processing module or CPU 20 to which are connected the vehicle's connection and/or wiring lines, such as the power supply lines, the CAN- BUS line, the line connected to the navigator antenna, the line connected to the radio antenna, etc., a telephone module 21 of the GSM, GPRS or other phone technology type, a hands-free module 22 connected to a hands-free device 23, an emergency button 24, an internal emergency light 25 and an internal video camera 26 with 360° vision of the inside of the vehicle.
• a communication module 16 for example Wi-Fi, BT, BTLE, LORA, NB-loT, etc.
• the entire multifunction unit allows various problems to be resolved, such as safety and/or support for the passengers, handling insurance claims, such as in the case of accidents and/or thefts, and connection of the vehicle and its electronic systems with the Internet and relative external infrastructures.
• the multifunction unit allows, in the case of an accident, an automatic rescue call to be made (using the module 18) or a rescue call to be made by pressing the emergency button 24, with automatic communication (e-Call) using the hands-free module 22 and the hands-free device 23.
• the external video camera 13 may be used for detecting the presence of pedestrians close to the vehicle who are not facing/looking at the vehicle, so as to activate an acoustic warning/alarm; this is also advantageous if the vehicle is an electric vehicle, the presence of which is not indicated by the characteristic noise of the engine.
• the multifunction unit in question also comprises the possibility of activating an acoustic and/or luminous signal, using the external signalling device 15, both in the case of forgetting a passenger (for example, in the absence phone signal coverage or after a certain period of time from the sending of the rescue request which remains unanswered) and in the case of a serious emergency need (for example, in the case of an injured person on board or other serious condition), with possible exemption from the requirement to comply with prohibitions and limitations on the use of the acoustic signalling device (in accordance with Art. 156 of the Italian Highway Code).
• the main problem is that of being able to exactly reconstruct the dynamics of an incident, being able to analyse the accelerometer data synchronised and cross referenced with the images recoded and stored in the storage unit 17 following detection of the incident using the crash and/or anti-theft module 18; as the multifunction unit according to the invention is equipped with an internal video camera 26 and an internal video camera 13 it provides, above all, the external dynamics, with all the components involved, such as vehicles, road signs, traffic lights, etc.), and is therefore able to complete the reconstruction information also with the checking of the condition inside the vehicle, in particular regarding the type and number of passengers and the means of travel (seatbelts secured, improper use of mobile phone whilst driving, etc.).
• the internal emergency light 25 may also be activated in the case of an accident and damage to the main battery of the vehicle (thanks to the presence of the battery power supply module 19), in order to facilitate the disconnection operations, and in the case of theft, in order to illuminate the inside of the vehicle and allow the recording of images by the video camera 26.
• the multifunction unit according to the invention also allows the problem of the connection to and from the vehicle to be resolved; in fact, towards the inside, the communication module 16 is configured to communicate with the electronic systems of the vehicle (thanks to the OBD device of the vehicle) and/or with the smartphones of the vehicle's passengers (enabling the hot-spot and/or access-point function), whilst, towards the outside, the unit can communicate using the telephone module 21 and the antenna module 14 for mobile network connections and/or private local area networks or short-range networks (using the communication module 16).
• the unit also allows the vehicle on which the above-mentioned unit is installed to be uniquely identified; this solution can be used to carry out access control operations, toll payment operations, etc.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Alarm Systems (AREA)
• Details Of Aerials (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=57960590

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (2)

Cited By (2)

Citations (6)

• 2016
  • 2016-09-13 IT IT102016000092193A patent/IT201600092193A1/it unknown
• 2017
  • 2017-09-12 WO PCT/IT2017/000190 patent/WO2018051377A1/en active Application Filing

Patent Citations (6)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events