Vehicle communication management systems and methods
Example vehicle communication management systems and methods are described. In one implementation, a communication management system determines whether a vehicle can communicate with an external system. If the vehicle is unable to communicate with the external system, the communication management system identifies a neighboring device that can communicate with the external system and communicates vehicle information to the neighboring device. The communication management system also requests the neighboring device to communicate the information, and other details from the neighboring device's perspective, to the external system.
1. A method comprising:
determining, by a communication management system, whether a vehicle can communicate with an external network;
responsive to determining that the vehicle cannot communicate with the external network:
identifying, by the communication management system, a neighboring device that can communicate with the external network;
communicating vehicle information to the neighboring device; and
requesting the neighboring device to communicate the vehicle information, and other details from the neighboring device's perspective, to the external network, wherein the other details from the neighboring device's perspective include an image of the vehicle captured by a camera of the neighboring device.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising communicating, by the communication management system, the vehicle information to the external network responsive to determining that the vehicle can communicate with the external network.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the external network is associated with an emergency service provider.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the external network includes a cloud-based server accessible via a data communication network.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising collecting the vehicle information from at least one vehicle sensor.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein communicating the vehicle information to the neighboring device includes communicating at least one of vehicle situation information, vehicle status information, vehicle location, reason for an emergency, severity of an accident, and occupant health information.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving data from the neighboring device that was received from the external network.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the neighboring device includes one of a nearby device, nearby system, or nearby vehicle.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising associating a case ID with the vehicle information communicated to the neighboring device.
10. A method comprising:
determining, by a communication management system in a vehicle, whether a vehicle can communicate with an external network
responsive to determining that the vehicle cannot communicate with the external network, performing:
identifying, by the communication management system, a neighboring device that is proximate the vehicle;
communicating, by the communication management system, vehicle information to the neighboring device;
requesting, by the communication management system, the neighboring device to capture an image of the vehicle by a camera of the neighboring device;
requesting, by the communication management system, the neighboring device to communicate the vehicle information and the image to the external network.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the external network is associated with an emergency service provider.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the external network includes a cloud-based server accessible via a data communication network.
13. An apparatus comprising:
a vehicle situation manager configured to determine a current situation of a vehicle and configured to determine whether the vehicle can communicate with an external network;
a processor coupled to the vehicle situation manager and configured to, in response to the vehicle situation manager determining that the vehicle cannot communicate with the external network:
identify a neighboring device that can communicate with the external network; and
request the neighboring device to communicate information associated with the current situation of the vehicle and communicate other details from the neighboring device's perspective to the external network, wherein the other details from the neighboring device's perspective include an image of the vehicle captured by a camera of the neighboring device.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a communication module in the vehicle configured to communicate with the external network and the neighboring device.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
a data management module configured to collect the information related to the current situation of the vehicle from at least one vehicle sensor; and
a communication module configured to communicate the information related to the current situation of the vehicle to the neighboring device for communication to the external network.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the information related to the current situation of the vehicle includes at least one of vehicle situation information, vehicle status information, details of an emergency situation, a severity of an accident, and vehicle occupant health information.
17. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising an occupant vital signs manager configured to identify vital signs associated with at least one occupant of the vehicle.