Communications: electrical – Land vehicle alarms or indicators
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-24
2001-07-17
Hofsass, Jeffery (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Land vehicle alarms or indicators
C340S426110, C340S990000, C340S539230, C379S404000, C379S442000, C379S201110
Reexamination Certificate
active
06262655
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an emergency reporting network system for vehicles such as automotive vehicles. This invention also relates to a terminal apparatus used in an emergency reporting network system.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional emergency communication apparatus for a vehicle is started when an emergency occurs in the vehicle. After the start, the conventional apparatus tries to connect with an emergency report receiving center (for example, a police station or a fire station) via a mobile telephone network. The conventional apparatus includes a memory. In a factory, fixed data representing the telephone number of the emergency report receiving center are written into the memory before the shipment of the conventional apparatus. In the event of an emergency, the fixed data are read out from the memory, and a call signal or a dial signal to connect with the emergency report receiving center is generated in response to the telephone number represented by the fixed data. It is difficult to update or rewrite the fixed data in the memory after the shipment of the conventional apparatus.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a first object of this invention to provide an improved emergency reporting network system.
It is a second object of this invention to provide an improved terminal apparatus in an emergency reporting network system.
A first aspect of this invention provides an emergency reporting apparatus for a vehicle. The emergency reporting apparatus comprises a memory storing information representing a telephone number of an emergency report receiving center; means for implementing connection with the emergency report receiving center in response to the telephone number represented by the information in the memory, and for reporting an emergency to the emergency report receiving center; and means for updating the information in the memory to change the telephone number represented thereby.
A second aspect of this invention is based on the first aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus wherein the information in the memory represents a registration number, and the updating means comprises means for updating the information in the memory to change the registration number represented thereby.
A third aspect of this invention is based on the first aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus wherein the information in the memory which is updatable by the updating means represents at least one of a telephone number of the emergency report receiving center exclusively for an emergency report, a telephone number of the emergency report receiving center exclusively for speech communication, a telephone number of the emergency report receiving center exclusively for a performance test, a registration number of the emergency reporting apparatus, a registration number of the vehicle, and an identification number of a user.
A fourth aspect of this invention is based on the first aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus wherein the updating means comprises an interface, an external device connected to the interface, and means connected between the memory and the interface for updating the information in response to operation of the external device.
A fifth aspect of this invention is based on the first aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus further comprising an external device for generating a confirmation requirement signal, and means for transmitting the information from the memory to the external device in response to the confirmation requirement signal generated by the external device.
A sixth aspect of this invention is based on the fifth aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus wherein the information transmitted from the memory to the external device represents at least one of a telephone number of the emergency report receiving center exclusively for an emergency report, a telephone number of the emergency report receiving center exclusively for speech communication, a telephone number of the emergency report receiving center exclusively for a performance test, a registration number of the emergency reporting apparatus, a registration number of the vehicle, and an identification number of a user.
A seventh aspect of this invention is based on the fifth aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus wherein the information transmitted from the memory to the external device represents the time of the occurrence of an emergency report, and a history of an emergency reporting process.
An eighth aspect of this invention provides an emergency reporting network system comprising an emergency report receiving center; a communication network; and emergency reporting apparatuses connectable with the emergency report receiving center via the communication network; wherein each of the emergency reporting apparatuses comprises the emergency reporting apparatus of one of the first to seventh aspects of this invention.
A ninth aspect of this invention provides an emergency reporting apparatus for a vehicle. The emergency reporting apparatus comprises a detachable external memory device storing data related to an emergency report; first means for reading out the data from the detachable external memory device; and second means for reporting an emergency to an emergency report receiving center in response to the data read out by the first means.
A tenth aspect of this invention is based on the ninth aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus further comprising third means for, in cases where the first means fails to read out the data from the detachable external memory device, informing a user of the failure.
An eleventh aspect of this invention is based on the ninth aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus further comprising third means for recording information of a history of an emergency report and a history of an abnormality of an emergency report on the detachable external memory device.
A twelfth aspect of this invention is based on the ninth aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus further comprising third means for detecting an abnormality, and fourth means for, when the third means detects an abnormality, recording information of the abnormality detected by the third means on the detachable external memory device.
A thirteenth aspect of this invention is based on the ninth aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus further comprising a main battery, an auxiliary battery, third means for detecting whether or not a voltage of the main battery drops below a reference level, fourth means for replacing the main battery with the auxiliary battery when the third means detects that the voltage of the main battery drops below the reference level, and fifth means for recording information of replacement of the main battery with the auxiliary battery on the detachable external memory device.
A fourteenth aspect of this invention is based on the ninth aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus further comprising third means for, in cases where the first means fails to read out the data from the detachable external memory device, generating substitute data, and fourth means for reporting an emergency to the emergency report receiving center in response to the substitute data generated by the third means.
A fifteenth aspect of this invention is based on the ninth aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus further comprising third means for transmitting the data, which is read out from the detachable external memory device by the first means, to the emergency report receiving center when the second means reports an emergency to the emergency report receiving center.
A sixteenth aspect of this invention is based on the ninth aspect thereof, and provides an emergency reporting apparatus further comprising third means for transmitting the data, which is read out from the detachable external memory d
Ichikawa Yukio
Kurosawa Arata
Yoshioka Kenji
Hofsass Jeffery
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
Nguyen Tai T.
Woo Louis
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