Crash event detection, response and reporting apparatus and method
A crash detection system with a mobile communications device configured for periodically interrogating (a) a motion signal to determine whether a change in motion (acceleration or angular rotation) exceeds a predetermined motion threshold and (b) a sound signal to determine whether a sequence of sensed sound signals within a predetermined period matches crash sound indicators of (i) glass breakage and (ii) metal folding, displaying selectable options upon detection of a crash incident, and upon a failure to select within a predetermined period, communicating an identifier and crash incident information dispatch center for dispatching a response servicer.
1. A motor vehicle crash detection system, comprising:
a tracking and dispatch center having a computer processor configured with an electronic memory device that maintains driver information of driver name, address, insurance company and policy number for a plurality of drivers and maintains vehicle crash information of motor vehicle, crash location data, date and time, and optionally one or more sequences of sounds from a crash location, one or more images thereof, for a plurality of crashed motor vehicles;
a plurality of mobile communications devices, each associated with a respective one of the plurality of drivers and configured with a sensor that generates a motion signal responsive to motion of the mobile communications device and a sound receiver for receiving a sound signal of sound proximate the mobile communications device;
the mobile communications device configured with software instructions that upon execution monitors for an occurrence of a crash event by periodically interrogating (a) the motion signal to determine whether a change in motion exceeds a predetermined motion threshold or (b) the sound signal to determine whether a sequence of sensed sound signals within a predetermined period matches crash sound indicators of (i) glass breakage and (ii) metal folding;
each mobile communications device comprising a display that upon determining the occurrence of the crash incident displays a possible event window for selection of one of (a) to return the mobile communications device to monitoring for the occurrence of the crash incident and (b) to confirm the crash incident;
the mobile communications device, upon (a) confirmation of the crash incident or (b) a failure of selection of one of the selectable options within a predetermined period, communicating by a communications network an identifier associated with the mobile communications device and crash incident information of a location data, date and time to the tracking and dispatch center;
at least one response servicer for dispatching by the tracking and dispatch center to a site of the crash incident based on the location data, the response servicer providing an imaging device and a communications device, whereby images received by the imaging device communicate by the communications device through the network to the tracking and dispatch center; and
a claims servicer that receives from the tracking and dispatch center notice of the identifier and crash event information, the claims service center configured for servicing an insurance claim arising from the crash event using information communicated to the tracking and dispatch center.
2. The motor vehicle crash detection system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the response servicer further provides a vehicle transporter, whereby the crashed motor vehicle may be transported from the crash location, said response servicer communicating transport information to the tracking and dispatch center.
3. The motor vehicle crash detection system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the imaging device is operable for video.
4. The motor vehicle crash detection system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the imaging device is operable for single frame images.
5. The motor vehicle crash detection system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising an electronic data storage device installed for communication with the imaging device for recording of images prior to communicating the recorded images to the tracking and dispatch center.
6. The motor vehicle crash detection system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer that generates an acceleration signal as indicative of the motion of the mobile communications device.
7. The motor vehicle crash detection system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises a gyroscope that generates an angular rotation signal as indicative of the motion of the mobile communications device.
8. The motor vehicle crash detection system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the electronic memory device of the tracking and dispatch center maintains contact information of one or more persons having an interest in the status of a person using the mobile communications device, said tracking and dispatch center communicating crash event information to said one or more persons upon receiving the crash incident information.
9. The motor vehicle crash detection system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising an electronic memory device configured for receiving and storing crash incident information accessible to the tracking and dispatch center.
10. The motor vehicle crash detection system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the mobile communications device further comprising a continuous recording database of the motion signal and the sound signals for maintaining a respective lead portion for a predetermined period preceding the possible crash event.
11. The motor vehicle crash detection system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the imaging device of the response servicer is wireless.
12. The motor vehicle crash detection system as recited in claim 10 , further comprising the continuous recording database maintaining a trailing portion for a second predetermined period after the possible crash event.
13. The motor vehicle crash detection as recited in claim 1 , wherein the mobile communications device is configured to interrogate both the motion signal and the sound signal in determining whether an occurrence of a possible crash event occurred based on the change in motion exceeding the predetermined motion threshold and the sound signal matches crash sound indicators of (i) glass breakage and (ii) metal folding.
14. The motor vehicle crash detection system as recited in claim 1 , the mobile communications device configured for generating video files imaging the crash event automatically upon the failure of the selection of one of the selectable options or selectively after confirmation of the crash event, said video files communicated to the tracking and dispatch center.
15. The motor vehicle crash detection system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the mobile communication devices further configured, upon failure to respond within the first predetermined period, for making a second alert with the mobile communications device for a response within a second predetermined period to (i) return to monitoring or (ii) to confirm the possible crash event.
16. The motor vehicle crash detection system as recited in claim 15 , wherein t the second alert comprises communicating an audible message as to the possible crash event and the response comprises a selectable voice option (i) to return monitoring or (ii) to confirm the possible crash event.
17. The motor vehicle crash detection system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the tracking and dispatch center providing the service provider with a geographical identification of the location of the crash incident.