Method and System for Emergency Notification

Abstract

An apparatus for use within a vehicle to notify an emergency responder of a vehicle emergency, comprising an electrical interface configured to receive vehicle information from a vehicle data bus in communication with one or more vehicle modules. The apparatus also includes a wireless transceiver capable of establishing a wireless communication link with a mobile phone and capable of sending vehicle information to the mobile phone. The apparatus also includes an accelerometer capable of determining acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle. The apparatus also includes a processor configured to detect a vehicle emergency occurring at or near the vehicle based on the accelerometer, output a wireless signal to the mobile phone to instruct the mobile phone to dial an emergency responder and establish communication with the emergency responder upon detection of the vehicle emergency; and to communicate with a pre-defined emergency contact other than the emergency responder.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for use within a vehicle to notify an emergency responder of a vehicle emergency, comprising:
 an electrical interface configured to receive vehicle information from a vehicle data bus in communication with one or more vehicle modules;   a wireless transceiver capable of establishing a wireless communication link with a mobile phone and further capable of sending at least a portion of the vehicle information to the mobile phone;   an accelerometer capable of determining acceleration or deceleration of the vehicle; and   a processor configured to:
 detect a vehicle emergency occurring at or near the vehicle based at least in part on the accelerometer; 
 output a wireless signal to the mobile phone to instruct the mobile phone to:
 1) dial an emergency responder and establish communication with the emergency responder upon detection of the vehicle emergency; and 
 2) communicate with a pre-defined emergency contact other than the emergency responder. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to request the mobile phone to send emergency information to the emergency responder upon detection of the vehicle emergency. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the emergency information includes GPS data retrieved from the mobile phone. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to request the mobile phone to send emergency information to a web server. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to request the mobile phone to send emergency information to the pre-defined emergency contact upon detection of the vehicle emergency. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the emergency information includes information describing the vehicle emergency, location, or vehicle identification number. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the emergency information includes occupant information. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the occupant information indicates an owner of the mobile phone. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the emergency information includes occupant information and vehicle information. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the vehicle information includes data received from an accelerometer 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to request the mobile phone to communicate with the pre-defined emergency contact after the mobile phone dials the emergency responder. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to request the mobile phone to send emergency information to the emergency responder and the pre-defined emergency contact upon detection of the vehicle emergency. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the wireless transceiver is a Bluetooth transceiver. 
     
     
         14 . A vehicle emergency-notification apparatus, comprising:
 an interface for receiving vehicle-data from a vehicle data-bus;   a Bluetooth transceiver for sending the vehicle-data and connecting to a mobile-phone;   a processor configured to:
 detect an emergency occurring at or near the vehicle based on an accelerometer; 
 send instructions to the mobile-phone to:
 dial and establish communication with an emergency-responder upon detection of the emergency; 
 communicate emergency-information to a pre-defined emergency contact other than the emergency-responder. 
 
   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the emergency-information is hosted at a Web server. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to request the mobile phone to send emergency-information to the emergency-responder upon detection of the vehicle emergency. 
     
     
         17 . A method for notifying an emergency-responder of a vehicle emergency, comprising:
 receiving from a data-bus vehicle-data that includes vehicle-information and occupant-information;   sending the vehicle-data to a mobile-phone via a wireless-connection;   detecting an emergency occurring at or near the vehicle based on an accelerometer;   sending instructions upon detection of the emergency to the mobile-phone to:
 dial and establish communication with the emergency-responder; and 
 communicate emergency-information or occupant-information to a pre-defined emergency contact other than the emergency-responder. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the emergency-information is hosted at a Web server. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the wireless-connection is a Bluetooth-connection. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the occupant-information indicates an owner of the mobile phone.