Method and apparatus for gathering vehicle accident information

1. A gateway control apparatus for vehicles that enables data communication between electronic control units having different communication modes, the apparatus comprising:

a receiver configured to receive vehicle state information from the electronic control units of a vehicle and a vehicle-to-vehicle distance from an intelligent cruise control unit, the vehicle state information including a vehicle velocity or a vehicle acceleration;

a first memory configured to store the received vehicle state information;

a calculation unit configured to calculate a relative velocity and a relative acceleration based on the received vehicle state information and configured to calculate a collision index using the relative velocity, the relative acceleration, and the vehicle-to-vehicle distance;

a determination unit configured to determine whether the collision index exceeds a predetermined value; and

a vehicle information management unit configured to determine an accident occurrence time point when it is determined that the collision index exceeds the predetermined value and configured to store pre-accident vehicle state information and post-accident vehicle state information obtained with reference to the accident occurrence time point in the first memory.

2. The gateway control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle information management unit is configured to store the pre-accident vehicle state information and the post-accident vehicle state information from the first memory in a second non-volatile memory.

3. The gateway control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle information management unit receives and stores the post-accident vehicle state information in the first memory with the pre-accident vehicle state information already stored in the first memory.

4. The gateway control apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:

the collision index includes a first value and a second value, the first value being obtained by dividing the relative velocity by the vehicle-to-vehicle distance, the second value being obtained by dividing the relative acceleration by the vehicle-to-vehicle distance.

5. The gateway control apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle information management unit is configured to initiate and monitor a time count when it is determined that the collision index exceeds the predetermined value.

6. The gateway control apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the vehicle information management unit is configured to store the pre-accident vehicle state information and the post-accident vehicle state information in the first memory when the time count does not exceed a pre-selected time value.

7. The gateway control apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the vehicle information unit is configured to read the pre-accident vehicle state information and the post-accident vehicle state information from the first memory and to store the vehicle state information in a second memory when the time count exceeds the pre-selected time value.

8. A travel information recording method of a gateway control apparatus for vehicles, comprising:

receiving vehicle state information from electronic control units of a vehicle, the vehicle state information including a vehicle velocity or a vehicle acceleration;

receiving a vehicle-to-vehicle distance measured by an intelligent cruise control unit;

storing the vehicle state information and the vehicle-to-vehicle distance in a first memory;

calculating a relative velocity and a relative acceleration based on the received vehicle state information;

calculating a collision index using the relative velocity, the relative acceleration, and the vehicle-to-vehicle distance;

determining whether the collision index exceeds a predetermined value;

determining an accident occurrence time point when it is determined that the collision index exceeds the predetermined value; and

storing, in the first memory, pre-accident vehicle state information and post-accident vehicle state information obtained with reference to the accident occurrence time point.

9. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

reading the pre-accident vehicle state information and the post-accident vehicle state information from the first memory; and

storing the pre-accident vehicle state information and the post-accident vehicle state information in a second non-volatile memory.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the storing pre-accident vehicle state information and post-accident vehicle state information in the first memory comprises:

initiating a time count when the collision index exceeds a predetermined value;

determining whether the time count exceeds a preset time;

receiving the post-accident vehicle state information, when it is determined that the time count does not exceed the preset time; and

storing the post-accident vehicle state information with the pre-accident vehicle state information in the first memory, when the time count reaches the preset time.

11. A gateway control apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive vehicle state information from electronic control units of a vehicle, the vehicle state information including a vehicle-to-object distance, a vehicle velocity, and a vehicle acceleration;

a first memory configured to store the received vehicle state information;

a calculation unit configured to calculate a relative velocity and a relative acceleration based on the received vehicle state information and configured to calculate a collision index using the relative velocity, the relative acceleration, and the vehicle-to-object distance;

a determination unit configured to determine whether the collision index exceeds a predetermined value;

a vehicle information management unit configured to determine an accident occurrence time point when it is determined that the collision index exceeds the predetermined value and configured to store pre-accident vehicle state information and post-accident vehicle state information obtained with reference to the accident occurrence time point in the first memory.

12. The gateway control apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the vehicle-to-object distance is a distance from the vehicle to another vehicle.

13. The gateway control apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the vehicle is traveling on a road and the vehicle-to-object distance is a distance from the vehicle to an obstacle on or adjacent the road.

14. The gateway control apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the vehicle information management unit is further configured to perform a time count that starts at the accident occurrence time point and stops after expiration of a preselected time.

15. The gateway control apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the vehicle information management unit stores the post-accident vehicle state information in the first memory until the time count stops.

16. The gateway control apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the vehicle information management unit is further configured to store the pre-accident vehicle state information and the post-accident vehicle state information in a second memory after the time count stops.