Qualifying Automatic Vehicle Crash Emergency Calls to Public Safety Answering Points
The present application provides methods for in-vehicle emergency telematics devices and systems to automatically qualify vehicle crash events before directly placing a 3-digit emergency call from an in-vehicle TCU to a local PSAP operator. The qualification is performed in two stages. The first stage produces a qualified crash detection decision wherein a preliminary crash detection based on impact sensors is qualified by crash related non-impact sensors and vehicle telemetry data. The second stage uses an injury severity prediction algorithm to score the detected crash and produces a decision as to whether the crash warrants an emergency call to the PSAP operator.
1 . A method comprising:
receiving and processing accelerometer data and at least one crash related parameter to determine that a motor vehicle may have crashed;
identifying the at least one crash related parameter as being associated with the motor vehicle's status after the identified crash;
calculating a probability of serious injury to any occupants of the motor vehicle associated with the crash based on the at least one crash related parameter; and
determining whether to initiate a call to emergency services based on the calculated probability of serious injury.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
initiating the emergency services call if the calculated probability exceeds a predetermined probability threshold without attempting to communicate with the motor vehicle occupants.
3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining that the calculated probability is less than the predetermined probability threshold;
comparing the calculated probability to another predetermined probability threshold that is less than the predetermined probability threshold; and
determining that the calculated probability is greater than the another predetermined probability threshold.
4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
transmitting a communication signal to the motor vehicle inquiring as to whether any of the occupants associated with the crash have been injured if the calculated probability is greater than the another predetermined probability threshold; and
receiving at least one of a message from at least one occupant associated with the crash responsive to the transmitted communication signal and no message.
5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
if the message is received, then determining whether the message indicated that a call to emergency services is requested;
if a request to call emergency services is included in the message, then calling emergency services; and
if a request not to call emergency services is included in the message then no call to emergency services is performed and additional monitoring operations are performed based on the at least one crash related parameter comprising telemetry and sensor data associated with the motor vehicle.
6 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
if no message is received for a predetermined amount of time, then placing a call to emergency services after the predetermined amount of time.
7 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
receiving at least one of a voice sample from at least one occupant of the motor vehicle associated with the crash responsive to the transmitted communication signal and a simple manual response in the form of a push button switch or a horn press; and
processing the at least one of the voice sample and the simple manual response via an automated interactive voice response application and identifying whether the at least one occupant desires to call emergency services based on the processed voice sample.
8 . An apparatus comprising:
a receiver configured to receive accelerometer data and at least one crash related parameter; and
a processor configured to
process the accelerometer data and the at least one crash related parameter to determine that a motor vehicle may have crashed,
identify the least one crash related parameter as being associated with the motor vehicle's status after the identified crash,
calculate a probability of serious injury to any occupants of the motor vehicle associated with the crash based on the at least one crash related parameter, and
determine whether to initiate a call to emergency services based on the calculated probability of serious injury.
9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to initiate the emergency services call if the calculated probability exceeds a predetermined probability threshold without attempting to communicate with the motor vehicle occupants.
10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further configured to
determine that the calculated probability is less than the predetermined probability threshold,
compare the calculated probability to another predetermined probability threshold that is less than the predetermined probability threshold, and
determine that the calculated probability is greater than the another predetermined probability threshold.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising:
a transmitter configured to transmit a communication signal to the motor vehicle inquiring as to whether any of the occupants associated with the crash have been injured if the calculated probability is greater than the another predetermined probability threshold, and
wherein the receiver is further configured to receive at least one of a message from at least one occupant associated with the crash responsive to the transmitted communication signal and no message.
12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to
if the message is received, then determine whether the message indicated that a call to emergency services is requested;
if a request to call emergency services is included in the message, then call emergency services; and
if a request not to call emergency services is included in the message then no call to emergency services is performed and additional monitoring operations are performed based on the at least one crash related parameter comprising telemetry and sensor data associated with the motor vehicle.
13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein if no message is received for a predetermined amount of time, then the processor is configured to place a call to emergency services after the predetermined amount of time.
14 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the receiver is further configured to receive at least one of a voice sample and a simple manual response from at least one occupant of the motor vehicle associated with the crash responsive to the transmitted communication signal, and the processor is further configured to process at least one of the voice sample and a simple manual response in the form of a push button switch or a horn press via an automated interactive voice response application and identifying whether the at least one occupant desires to call emergency services based on the processed voice sample.
15 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium configured to store instructions that when executed cause a processor to perform:
receiving and processing accelerometer data and at least one crash related parameter to determine that a motor vehicle may have crashed;
identifying the least one crash related parameter as being associated with the motor vehicle's status after the identified crash;
calculating a probability of serious injury to any occupants of the motor vehicle associated with the crash based on the at least one crash related parameter; and
determining whether to initiate a call to emergency services based on the calculated probability of serious injury.
16 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:
initiating the emergency services call if the calculated probability exceeds a predetermined probability threshold without attempting to communicate with the motor vehicle occupants.
17 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:
determining that the calculated probability is less than the predetermined probability threshold;
comparing the calculated probability to another predetermined probability threshold that is less than the predetermined probability threshold; and
determining that the calculated probability is greater than the another predetermined probability threshold.
18 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:
transmitting a communication signal to the motor vehicle inquiring as to whether any of the occupants associated with the crash have been injured if the calculated probability is greater than the another predetermined probability threshold; and
receiving at least one of a message from at least one occupant associated with the crash responsive to the transmitted communication signal and no message.
19 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:
if the message is received, then determining whether the message indicated that a call to emergency services is requested;
if a request to call emergency services is included in the message, then calling emergency services; and
if a request not to call emergency services is included in the message then no call to emergency services is performed and additional monitoring operations are performed based on the at least one crash related parameter comprising telemetry and sensor data associated with the motor vehicle.
20 . The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the processor is further configured to perform:
if no message is received for a predetermined amount of time, then placing a call to emergency services after the predetermined amount of time;
receiving at least one of a voice sample and a simple manual response from at least one occupant of the motor vehicle associated with the crash responsive to the transmitted communication signal; and
processing the at least one of the voice sample and a simple manual response via an automated interactive voice response application and identifying whether the at least one occupant desires to call emergency services based on the processed voice sample.