METHOD FOR A VEHICLE FOR DETERMINING AN INJURY INFORMATION AND VEHICLE ELECTRONIC CONTROL DEVICE FOR DETERMINING AN INJURY INFORMATION

Abstract

A vehicle and method for determining an injury information of a vehicle occupant after an accident of the vehicle based on sensing, by a vital sensor, at least one physiological signal of the occupant and providing a first output signal indicative of an internal trauma of the occupant to the vehicle electronic control device; providing to the vehicle electronic control device at least one second output signal from a vehicle internal sensor indicative of an external physical injury of the occupant; and determining, by the vehicle electronic control device, an emergency severity index indicative of a life-criticality status based on the first output signal and the second output signal.

Claims

1. A method of a vehicle determining an injury information of a vehicle occupant after an accident of the vehicle, the method comprising: sensing, by a vital sensor, at least one physiological signal of the occupant and providing a first output signal indicative of an internal trauma of the occupant to the vehicle electronic control device; providing to the vehicle electronic control device at least one second output signal from a vehicle internal sensor indicative of an external physical injury of the occupant; and determining, by the vehicle electronic control device, an emergency severity index indicative of a life-criticality status based on the first output signal and the second output signal.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one physiological signal is at least one of respiration rate, heartbeat, heart rate, pulse rate, body temperature, oxygen saturation or brain wave.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle internal sensor is designed as an optical sensor.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: sensing, by a crash sensor, at least one crash-related data and providing a third output signal indicative of a crash dynamic to the vehicle electronic control device; determining at least one of an impact location or a damage extend based on the third output signal and generating, by the vehicle electronic control device, a fourth output signal indicative of the impact location and/or the damage extend; and determining, by the vehicle electronic control device, the emergency severity index indicative of a life-criticality status based on the first output signal, the second output signal and the fourth output signal.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the at least one crash-related data is at least one of a vehicle acceleration, a collision velocity, a collision angle, or a pressure.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the determining of at least one of the impact location or the damage extend is further based on at least one of the following information: a seat position of the occupant, a status of an occupant restraint system, presence of a mobile object within the vehicle cabin, or a design of the vehicle cabin.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising: generating, by the vehicle electronic control device, a control signal for triggering a transmitting of an emergency call in response to the determined emergency severity index.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the emergency call comprises at least one of the following emergency calls: emergency call for immediate assistance from nearby vehicle, emergency call for automatic collision notification system, emergency call for emergency medical service personnel, or emergency call to a personal contact notification of the occupant.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the determined emergency severity index is provided with the emergency call.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein at least on of an occupant seat position or an occupant age is provided with the emergency call.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the emergency severity index is stored in a storage unit of the vehicle electronic control device.

12. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] The drawings described herein are used to provide a further understanding for the present application, and constitute a part of the present application. The exemplary embodiments and descriptions are used to explain the present application, and do not constitute an improper limitation to the present application. In the drawings:

[0046] FIG. 1 shows a flow chart of a method for determining an injury information of a vehicle occupant after an accident of the vehicle according to a preferred embodiment; and

[0047] FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of a method for determining the emergency severity index according to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] The following describes the present application in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and in combination with embodiments. It should be noted that, without conflicts, the embodiments and features in the embodiments may be combined with each other. Parts corresponding to each other are always provided with the same reference signs in all figures.

[0049] FIG. 1 shows a flow chart of a method 100 for determining an injury information of a vehicle occupant after an accident of the vehicle.

[0050] In step 110 crash-related data is sensed by a crash sensor whereas the crash or accident of the vehicle and a third output signal indicative of a crash dynamic is provided to a vehicle electronic control device which is designed as an airbag control device.

[0051] In step 112 an impact location and a damage extend are determined based on the third output signal and on a seat position of the occupant, wherein the seat position of the occupant was determined already in a phase before the crash or accident. A fourth output signal indicative of the impact location and the damage extend is then generated by the vehicle electronic control device.

[0052] In step 114, after occurring of the accident, several physiological signals of the occupant are sensed by different vital sensors, wherein these vital sensors are part of an occupant monitoring system, and a first output signal indicative of an internal trauma of the occupant is provided to the vehicle electronic control device.

[0053] In step 116 a second output signal from a vehicle internal sensor, designed as an interior camera, indicative of an external physical injury of the occupant like a bleeding is provided to the vehicle electronic control device.

[0054] In step 118 an emergency severity index indicative of a life-criticality status is determined by the vehicle electronic control device based on the first output signal, the second output signal and the fourth output signal.

[0055] In this way, an accurate and confident determination of a life-criticality status of the occupant can be achieved.

[0056] In case of an accident of the vehicle with more than one occupant within the vehicle, for each of the occupants an emergency severity index is determined by the described steps.

[0057] In step 120 a control signal for triggering a transmitting of an emergency call in response to the determined emergency severity index is generated by the vehicle electronic control device and the emergency call is transmitted to a respective recipient. With the emergency call the position of the vehicle, the number of occupants of the vehicle, the number of children or elderly among the occupants, the seat position of the occupant and the determined emergency severity index for the occupant is provided or transmitted. In this step the provided or transmitted information is also stored in a storage unit of the vehicle electronic control device.

[0058] In this way, a quick and efficient post-crash care of an injured occupant can be achieved based on the accurate and confident determination of the emergency severity index indicative of the life-criticality status of the occupant.

[0059] FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of a method 200 for determining the emergency severity index according to FIG. 1.

[0060] In step 210 it is determined if the occupant is alive. This determination is done based on the sensed physiological signals or the first output signal. If none vital can be sensed or detected, then the value 6 is assigned as the emergency severity index (ESI).

[0061] If at least one of the vitals is being sensed or detected, then in step 212 it is determined if the occupant is dying. This determination is done based on the sensed physiological signals respiration rate and heart rate or the respective first output signal. If these vitals fading, i.e. reach critical levels, then the value 5 is assigned as the emergency severity index (ESI).

[0062] If these vitals do not fade, i.e. do not reach critical levels, then in step 214 the criticality of the occupant vitals is determined. This determination is done based on the sensed physiological signals respiration rate, heart rate and oxygen saturation or the respective first output signal. If these vitals are below an acceptable predetermined vital threshold, then the value 4 is assigned as the emergency severity index (ESI).

[0063] If these vitals are not below the predetermined vital threshold, then in step 216 the neurological state of consciousness of the occupant is determined according to the known Glasgow Coma Scale based on the sensed physiological signals or the first output signal. If the determined Glasgow Coma Scale is below a predetermined limit value, then the value 3 is assigned as the emergency severity index (ESI).

[0064] If the determined Glasgow Coma Scale is above the predetermined limit value, then in step 218 an occupant injury score is determined based on the number of physical injuries and their severity provided by the second output signal. If the determined occupant injury score is above a predetermined injury threshold, then the value 2 is assigned as the emergency severity index (ESI).

[0065] If the determined occupant injury score is below the predetermined injury threshold, then in step 220 an occupant injury is estimated based on a probable impact analysis and an injury estimate which is based on the fourth output signal. If an injury to the occupant is assumed, then the value 1 is assigned as the emergency severity index (ESI).

[0066] If no injury to the occupant is assumed, then in step 222 it is ascertained that no medical assistance is needed and the value 0 is assigned as the emergency severity index (ESI).

[0067] In the event that all of the information, data or signals are not accessible, then the value 9 is assigned as the emergency severity index (ESI).