WO2025093637A1 - System and method for detecting an accident involving a freight transporter and for detecting damage to items of freight - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an emergency reporting system and to an emergency reporting method for detecting an accident involving a freight transporter and for detecting damage to at least one freight compartment of the freight transporter and the items of freight that have been loaded therein. At least one environmental condition capture unit has at least one environmental condition sensor for capturing environmental condition values and a transmitting unit for transmitting the environmental condition values as radio signals. A communication unit has at least one transmitter unit for receiving the radio signals from the at least one transmitting unit and for forwarding the radio signals to a central control unit. A power supply unit is used to supply power to the communication unit and to a central control unit. A storage unit is used to store the radio signals, a computing unit is used to process the radio signals and a mobile radio unit is used to establish a mobile radio connection between the central control unit and a decentralized and/or central emergency call system. The central control unit is configured such that it can be used to transmit an emergency call signal to the decentralized and/or central emergency call system and such that, in addition to the emergency call signal, the environmental condition values from the environmental condition capture units can be transmitted to the decentralized and/or central emergency call system.

Description

System and method for accident detection of a freight transporter and for damage detection of freight items

The invention relates to an emergency reporting system for accident detection of a freight transporter and for damage detection of at least one cargo compartment of the freight transporter and its loaded freight items, comprising:

- at least one environmental condition detection unit, which has at least one environmental condition sensor for detecting environmental condition values and at least one transmitting unit for transmitting the environmental condition values by means of radio signals,

- at least one communication unit, which has at least one transmitter unit for receiving the radio signals of the at least one transmitting unit and for forwarding the radio signals to a central control unit,

- at least one power supply unit for the electrical supply of the communication unit and the central control unit, wherein the central control unit comprises a storage unit for storing information transmitted by means of the radio signals, a computing unit for processing the information and a mobile radio unit for establishing a mobile radio connection between the central control unit and a decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system, wherein the central control unit is configured such that it can transmit an emergency call signal based on the ambient state values of the at least one ambient state detection unit to the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system and/or an emergency call signal based on a manually triggered emergency call trigger signal can be transmitted to the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system.

Furthermore, the invention also relates to an emergency call reporting method for accident detection of a freight transporter and for damage detection of at least one cargo hold of the freight transporter and its loaded freight items.

There is a decentralized and automated emergency call system, also known as the eCall system. This stands for "emergency call" or "emergency call system" and is a system for accident detection and reporting in certain motor vehicles. The eCall system primarily serves to shorten the response time of emergency services in the event of a serious traffic accident and thus potentially save lives. For example, in the member states of the European Union, eCall systems have been legally mandatory for all new type approvals in passenger cars (vehicle classes Ml, M2, and M3) and light commercial vehicles (vehicle class NI) since March 31, 2018, and are strongly promoted to increase road safety. The legal basis is the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on type-approval requirements for the introduction of the eCall in-vehicle system in vehicles and amending Directive 2007/46/EC.

However, to date there is no obligation to install an automated emergency call system in trucks of vehicle classes N2 (vehicles for the transport of goods with a permissible total mass of more than 3.5 tonnes up to 12 tonnes) and N3 (vehicles for the transport of goods with a permissible total mass of more than 12 tonnes), because the obligation to install eCall systems ends for vehicles of vehicle class NI (vehicles for the transport of goods with a permissible total mass of up to 3.5 tonnes).

The well-known eCall systems are triggered as soon as an accident situation is detected, for example, by the serial CAN bus (Controller Area Network) of the vehicle involved in the accident. For this purpose, the vehicle is equipped with various sensors that can react to sudden changes, such as a severe impact or airbag deployment. If such events are detected, the system assumes that an accident has occurred.

After detecting an accident, the eCall system automatically activates an emergency call. This emergency call is sent to a decentralized emergency call system, such as a regional emergency call center ("rescue control center") or a similar facility, using the Europe-wide emergency number 112.

These eCall systems transmit the Minimum Data Set (MDS) with important information to this emergency call center, such as vehicle type, vehicle identification number (VIN)), vehicle energy storage type, time of accident, vehicle position and direction of travel, two vehicle positions of the last 15 seconds and optionally the number of vehicle occupants and possibly other vehicle-relevant data (e.g. the number of rollovers, the battery temperature in electric vehicles or external reference to data sheets).

However, because this eCall system neither has nor access to the geodesic maps of the responsible control centers, it has no way of knowing which control center is specifically responsible for the location where the accident actually occurred. An eCall emergency call is therefore automatically routed as a 112 emergency number.

An emergency call center, which does not necessarily have to be the locally responsible regional emergency call center ("rescue control center"), receives this information via the mobile network and can thus quickly alert specific emergency units of the BOS (authorities and organizations with security responsibilities), such as the fire department, emergency physicians, rescue services, and the police. However, if the center receiving the emergency call is not locally responsible for the emergency call because the accident occurred in another, for example, neighboring district (county or neighboring federal state), this control center must attempt to manually forward the incoming emergency call to the control center that they believe to be responsible. Due to this not insignificant additional delay, there is a possibility that the emergency call is either lost or that the possibly injured caller has ended the call.

With the eCall systems used in cars, for example, the emergency call center can also try to contact the occupants of the The crashed vehicle can be contacted to obtain further information and take reassurance measures for potentially injured vehicle occupants. However, only voice communication is possible here. Beyond the legally required electronic signals, no further digital information can currently be transmitted during an emergency call via the eCall system.

However, emergency communication limited to verbal exchange is not very effective in the context of freight transport vehicles, especially those in vehicle classes N2 and N3. In cross-border freight transport, the proportion of non-resident vehicles in the context of cabotage operations on German territory is increasing significantly [Source: Federal Office for Goods Transport: Market Monitoring for Freight Transport, Annual Report 2021, p. 19 ff.]. The Federal Office for Goods Transport (BAG) names transport companies based in Poland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Slovakia. The European Statistical Office EUROSTAT names Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Luxembourg, and Lithuania as countries with a particularly high proportion of cross-border road freight transport [Source: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics- explained/index.php?oldid = 333728#Stra.C3.9Feng.C3.BCterverkehr].

This has significant effects on the German transport network, which plays a significant role as a European transport hub: in many cases, communication between the dispatcher of a rescue control center and the driver of an accident-damaged truck will not be possible in German, as the proportion of non-resident vehicles on German roads is constantly growing and it cannot be assumed that these drivers are fluent in German. It should also be noted, however, that many of these non-resident trucks are driven by drivers from countries other than the countries in which the trucks are registered.

Even if the truck's registration country can be clearly identified from the license plate, this does not necessarily indicate the language the driver understands and speaks. Considering this specific phenomenon of road freight transport, the verbal communication between an emergency control center and an injured truck driver appears unsuitable in the context of this invention.

In the context of transport in public spaces, dangerous goods are substances, preparations (mixtures, batches, solutions) and objects which contain substances which, due to their nature, their physical or chemical properties or their condition during transport, may pose certain risks to public safety or order, in particular to the general public, important common goods and the life and health of people, animals and objects and which are to be classified as dangerous goods due to legal regulations.

There are numerous transport-specific regulations and agreements governing the transport of dangerous goods by road, rail, air, and water, for example, with regard to packaging, load securing, labeling, and transport. The purpose of these numerous regulations is to ensure the safe handling of dangerous goods transport with the aim of preventing accidents and providing accurate and rapid information to rescue services (especially the fire service) so that, in the event of an accident, an incident can be classified as a dangerous goods accident. recognized and the right measures can be taken as quickly as possible.

Transnational regulations governing the transport of dangerous goods exist, to which most countries have adhered. These regulations are intended to ensure the safe transport of sensitive goods across national borders. The international regulations are supplemented by national regulations that define, among other things, responsibilities, obligations, and regulatory offenses. The regulations are continuously reviewed and further developed, taking into account scientific and technological findings.

The handling of dangerous goods is regularly revised and regulated by the United Nations (UN) in the Model Regulations (Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods). The Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) is one of the mode-specific regulations for road transport.

"Dangerous substances," on the other hand, unlike "dangerous goods," are substances that are not transported but are either stored or used. Hazardous substances are not subject to the ADR, but exclusively to hazardous substances legislation. Therefore, in the European Union, such substances are subject in particular to Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 (REACH Regulation).

In summary, it can be stated that an automated eCall emergency call is not possible for freight transport, especially with trucks. Furthermore, in the case of an accident involving Trucks loaded with dangerous goods provide important information for the tactical risk assessment of these dangerous goods. In particular, in many cases, it is not possible to clearly determine whether and which of the cargo items constitute dangerous goods, and in particular, it is not clear where these dangerous goods are loaded within the cargo space.

Currently, emergency services on the scene do not have access to any digital information about the potentially hazardous cargo on board a truck involved in an accident (e.g., if it contains dangerous goods), because this information is not currently available via the existing eCall system. For this purpose, emergency services initially rely solely on the information provided by the warning signs attached to the truck involved in the accident. If the cargo is general cargo with different classifications and ratings under dangerous goods law, several orange warning signs are attached to the truck, but they do not contain any markings and therefore do not allow any specific conclusions to be drawn about the type and quantity of the cargo.

Often, such warning signs are no longer legible because they have either become sooty and unreadable due to smoke exposure or because the warning signs have melted away despite the required 15-minute fire resistance.

Due to this lack of information, targeted securing or recovery, or in the event of a fire, extinguishing of the hazardous material by the fire department, is either impossible or very risky. In these cases, the fire departments are usually dependent on freight documents, which are carried in paper form in the driver's cab. Only on the basis of this information can the fire departments determine the type and Identify the quantity of the hazardous cargo and derive the necessary firefighting tactical measures from this, especially whether a burning cargo containing hazardous materials can be extinguished with water or foam. Failure to consider this aspect could lead to unpredictable reactions, such as explosions and substance releases.

The object of the present invention is to provide an emergency reporting system and an emergency reporting method of the type mentioned, which enables improved accident and damage reporting.

The object is achieved according to the invention by an emergency reporting system according to the independent claim, which is characterized in that the central control unit is set up in such a way that, in addition to the emergency call signal, the ambient state values of the at least one ambient state detection unit can be transmitted to the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system.

Advantageously, the at least one ambient condition sensor is designed as a temperature detection sensor for detecting temperature values or as a gas sensor for detecting gas composition values or as an acceleration sensor for detecting acceleration values.

Optionally, the environmental condition sensor can be arranged on the respective cargo item. Mounting the environmental condition sensors directly on the respective cargo item enables detailed recording of the cargo's condition. In order to be able to detect a fire occurring within the cargo hold(s) particularly quickly and reliably, an advantageous embodiment of the invention provides for the use of ambient condition sensors as temperature detection sensors and as gas sensors. By designing the ambient condition sensor as a gas sensor for smoke detection, a fire may not be detected until a late point in time, since fire detection would only occur due to smoke development. Depending on the design of the freight items, which may, for example, be designed as an enclosure or have a packaging sleeve, smoke development outside the enclosure or outside the packaging sleeve may not be detected until later, namely only when the enclosure or packaging sleeve is damaged or destroyed due to the fire, allowing smoke to escape and smoke detection to take place.

If the ambient condition detection units are also configured as temperature detection sensors, and the ambient condition detection unit is positioned at multiple locations within the cargo hold(s) and/or near the cargo items and/or attached to the cargo items, a fire can be detected more quickly due to the detected temperature increase than with a gas sensor. Fire detection does not require smoke to have first occurred, or damage or destruction to the enclosure or packaging of the cargo item, causing smoke to escape from the cargo. The acceleration sensors measured

Acceleration values include the change in linear

Speed of the acceleration sensor in different

Directions. When a vehicle is involved in an accident, there are typically sudden and sharp changes in speed, which can be detected by an accelerometer as either a positive or negative value. The acceleration values can be measured in three dimensions and provide information about the direction of the speed changes.

Preferably, an algorithm evaluates the continuously recorded acceleration values and analyzes the acceleration values for specific patterns that could indicate an accident. These include rapid and significant changes in the acceleration values in all directions. The continuously recorded acceleration values are advantageously temporarily stored in the storage unit and evaluated within a certain period of time before the detected accident and within a certain period of time after the detected accident in order to determine the course of the accident.

Advantageously, the mobile radio unit establishes a mobile radio connection between the central control unit and a decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system in order to transmit the ambient condition values to be transmitted in addition to the emergency call signal, for example as an e-mail, an SMS message, an MMS message, a WhatsApp message or a fax to the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system.

Furthermore, the invention provides that the mobile phone connection and the transmission of the Environmental status data is transmitted via a mobile data connection using a known mobile communications standard 2G, 3G, 4G or 5G or a wireless connection using WiFi, Bluetooth, Near Field Communication (NFC) or via a

Satellite communication connection is established.

Advantageously, it is optionally provided that the mobile radio connection and the data connection between the central control unit and the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system are established using LoRaWAN ("Long Range Wide Area Network"). LoRaWAN represents a so-called "low-power wireless network protocol", which enables a particularly energy-saving mobile radio connection and the data connection over a range of more than 10 km. Thus, depending on the mobile radio networks available at the accident site, a mobile radio connection and a data connection can be established using the radio standard available there.

The power supply unit advantageously comprises one or more rechargeable batteries integrated into the central control unit. Optionally or alternatively, the power supply unit can be configured as an external power supply unit located outside the central control unit and electrically connected to the central control unit. Alternatively, the central control unit can also be connected to the on-board power system of the cargo transporter, allowing a direct power supply to the central control unit.

Advantageously, the one or more accumulators are electrically connected to the The cargo transporter's on-board power system is used to charge the battery. This ensures continuous power supply to the central control unit in the event of a power outage or low voltage in the cargo transporter.

Advantageously, the ambient condition detection unit comprises one or more rechargeable batteries. This allows the ambient condition detection unit to be operated independently of a wired power supply. In particular, this makes it possible to arrange the multiple ambient condition detection units particularly flexibly within the cargo hold(s) of the cargo transporter or to position them at the desired location.

Advantageously, the

Environmental condition detection units are positioned near the cargo items loaded into the cargo hold(s) of the cargo transporter. It is also conceivable and advantageous to attach the environmental condition detection units directly and immediately to a cargo item, which is particularly well-suited thanks to the wireless power supply.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the emergency reporting system has a freight recording unit which is designed to record freight information of each individual freight item brought into the at least one freight compartment and to transmit it by means of radio signals to the memory unit of the control unit, wherein the freight information in particular contains a position of the freight items within the at least a cargo compartment, the dangerous goods classification, its packaging type, its cargo classification and/or an indication of the weight and/or quantity of the cargo item.

The cargo information is recorded for each cargo item, regardless of whether the cargo item is classified as dangerous goods or not. The cargo information is preferably stored in digital form in the control unit's memory.

Optionally, it can be provided that the radio signals from the transmitting unit can be received directly by a receiving unit outside the cargo hold. This allows on-site emergency personnel to directly electronically view the cargo hold and determine the location of the cargo items without having to establish a mobile phone connection, which may not be possible due to the terrain or weather. A wired embodiment is unsuitable for this use of the invention.

According to the invention, it is advantageously optionally provided that the environmental status information and cargo information are stored in different languages in the memory unit of the control unit. Thus, the corresponding information can be transmitted or retrieved in different languages.

The information regarding the dangerous goods classification of the package may, for example, include content and data that the product manufacturer may be required to provide as a safety data sheet under Article 31 and Annex II of the REACH Regulation. The safety data sheet is The central element of communication in the supply chain for hazardous substances and mixtures. It provides professional users of chemicals with important information on the identity of the product, potential hazards, safe handling, and preventive measures, as well as measures to be taken in the event of a hazard.

The REACH Regulation is an important piece of European legislation in the field of chemicals regulation. REACH stands for "Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals." This regulation was adopted by the European Union (EU) and entered into force on June 1, 2007. Its aim is to protect human health and the environment from the risks posed by chemical substances and to improve transparency and protection in the use of chemicals.

The REACH Regulation affects companies that manufacture, import, use, or incorporate chemicals into products sold in the EU. This supplementary information from safety data sheets can also provide information relevant to emergency situations, for example, for firefighters.

Prior to transport, relevant freight information must be recorded and made available. This information can be entered using a personal computer running a freight recording program and stored in a freight database. The dangerous goods-related freight information can also be recorded using the freight recording program and assigned to the freight items to be transported. A readable document can be generated from the freight information recorded and stored in the freight database, which can be printed, for example, in the form of a data sheet and attached to the freight item to be shipped. The freight information is advantageously converted into a QR code or other optoelectronic code (such as ID Retail, ID Industrial, 2D code, DPM code, OCR code, or DOT code) using the freight capture program.

Furthermore, it is possible and optionally provided that freight items are also recorded and registered which either do not constitute dangerous goods or do not constitute a hazardous substance and are therefore not subject to either the ADR or the REACH Regulation, in that these substances are either exempted from the definition of dangerous goods on the basis of relevant exemptions under the ADR (so-called "exemptions") or these substances are exempted from the registration requirement within the meaning of the REACH Regulation.

Since optoelectronic writings, such as QR codes, can be captured and read with a variety of reading devices and, in the simplest case, with a camera of a mobile phone and corresponding capture software, an advantageous implementation of the inventive concept provides that the freight information is designed as freight information that can be read contactlessly with the freight capture unit and is stored in a freight information carrier, which can be designed, for example, as a QR code.

For contactless recording of freight information, the invention can also advantageously optionally provide that the freight detection unit has at least one detection sensor with which the freight information of each individual freight item can be detected. A detection sensor can be designed, for example, as a near-field communication sensor or as an RFID tag. This allows for simple contactless data transmission between the detection sensor and the freight information carrier. In this case, the freight information carrier represents a so-called beacon, which is attached to the freight item to be shipped.

To achieve reliable capture of the cargo information even under unfavorable lighting conditions with camera-based capture of the cargo information carrier, an advantageous embodiment of the invention can provide for the capture sensor to be designed as an infrared camera. Infrared cameras can operate efficiently even in poor lighting conditions because they react to infrared radiation, which is not affected by visible light. This means that an infrared camera can reliably capture text or QR codes in dark environments or in low ambient light.

Infrared cameras can reduce or eliminate ambient light sources such as glare, reflections, or glare. This makes it easier to accurately scan the text or QR code without distracting visual elements compromising accuracy. Infrared cameras can capture text and QR codes in environments where visible light sources are either not permitted or impractical, such as in a cargo hold. In a simple case, the freight information carrier can be designed as a printed sheet of paper containing the freight information, for example in the form of a QR code.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the freight information is provided in an encrypted state. For this purpose, the freight information can be encrypted, for example, using the freight recording program and converted into a machine-readable code. The encrypted freight information can also be decrypted again using the freight recording program. Encrypting the freight information prevents unauthorized reading of the freight information by third parties.

In order to be able to store the freight information centrally with the emergency reporting system, according to an advantageous implementation of the inventive concept, it is provided that the freight recording unit is configured such that the freight information can be forwarded to the central control unit with the transmitter unit and can be stored in the storage unit.

Advantageously, the central control unit is configured such that, during a loading or unloading process, freight information for each individual piece of freight loaded or unloaded into the at least one cargo compartment is recorded and stored. The freight information can advantageously be transmitted contactlessly by embodying the freight information carrier as a beacon or RFID tag and the detection sensor as a near-field communication sensor. Freight information carriers designed in this way can be attached to the freight item in a particularly simple manner. During a loading process, the freight information of a freight item is recorded and entered into the memory unit of the central control unit. During the unloading process, the freight information of the freight item is correspondingly deleted. If a discrepancy is detected between the number of loaded freight items and the number of unloaded freight items, a loss of a freight item can be advantageously detected, and a notification can be stored in the memory unit of the central control unit.

Advantageously, the invention optionally provides that the central control unit is configured to transmit the cargo information, in addition to the emergency call signal and the ambient condition values, to the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system. Based on the cargo information, which includes not only the loading positions but also the additional hazardous goods-related data, emergency-relevant information for the fire department can be derived.

Furthermore, in a further advantageous embodiment of the emergency reporting system according to the invention, emergency medical information, such as the emergency medical data of the driver of the freight transporter, is stored in the memory unit of the central control unit. This optional emergency medical data of the driver includes, for example, information on COVID vaccinations, contagious diseases, as well as pre-existing medical conditions and intolerances of the driver. With such emergency medical data and information, the rescue services can prepare and provide targeted and efficient care for the accident-prone and possibly injured driver. The emergency notification system may be configured to allow the driver to permit or suppress the transmission of emergency medical information.

Furthermore, technical vehicle data, which includes information and details about the freight transporter, can advantageously also be stored in the memory unit of the central control unit. The technical vehicle data can, for example, contain information for identifying the vehicle, its classification, body and drive type, existing energy storage devices, its owner, as well as a reference to the respective rescue card. They can also contain information about the severity of the accident, which is derived from the sensor data of the freight transporter's sensors, for example, from the CAN bus system via the OBD-II diagnostic connector or an SAE J1936 connector, from the installed vehicle telematics, or from data read from another suitable access point. These more than 2,000 readable pieces of information and possible error messages, which not only relate to vehicle authentication information, such as the VIN, but also provide information on the system status (readiness code), the status of the Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL), and even the fuel used by the vehicle, can provide rescue personnel with important information about the situation they can expect at the scene and what tools or equipment they will need at the accident site. This allows emergency personnel to prepare accordingly and execute the recovery and securing of the cargo transporter with utmost efficiency and speed. In a further advantageous embodiment of the inventive concept, the emergency notification system comprises a cargo information query unit, and the central control unit is configured such that, upon a manually triggered control query signal, a mobile radio connection is established with the mobile radio unit to the cargo information query unit, and the cargo information and/or the environmental status values can be transmitted to the cargo information query unit. Thus, the cargo information and/or the environmental status values can be read out by means of a cargo information query unit in the immediate vicinity and surroundings of the freight transporter.

In a particularly advantageous manner, control bodies such as the police, customs or the Federal Office for Mobility and Logistics can read the freight information while the freight transporter is in transit.

Advantageously, the freight information retrieval unit according to the invention allows freight information to be read from outside the vehicle without having to inspect the cargo space. Freight information, such as the UN number, can be used to assess whether the freight items are hazardous goods and whether the vehicle is permitted to enter a particular tunnel (section). Based on the AVV number (Regulation on the European Waste Catalogue (Waste Catalogue Regulation - AW) of December 10, 2001), it can be assessed whether the goods are waste and whether they are hazardous or non-hazardous. Furthermore, certain sensitive goods can be detected based on additional cargo information. This classification can be used, for example, to monitor prohibitions and restrictions, particularly in the form of export bans. Using the Harmonized System (HS), a customs inspection body can verify whether the goods declared in a customs declaration match the goods loaded in the cargo hold.

Furthermore, it can optionally be provided that the freight information query unit is arranged at static receiving facilities, such as toll bridges or emergency call points, and when the freight transport approaches the static receiving facility, for example triggered by a GPS position signal, a mobile radio connection is established between the central control unit and the mobile radio unit arranged at the static receiving facility.

Cargo information query unit is manufactured.

Advantageously, the mobile radio unit establishes a mobile radio connection between the central control unit and the cargo information retrieval unit in order to transmit the cargo information and/or the environmental status values, for example, as an email, SMS message, MMS message, WhatsApp message, or fax to the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system. Alternatively, it is optionally provided that the mobile radio connection between the central control unit and the cargo information retrieval unit and the transmission of the environmental status data takes place via a mobile data connection with a known mobile radio standard 2G, 3G, 4G, or 5G, or a wireless connection via WiFi, Bluetooth, Near Field Communication (NFC), or via a Satellite communication connection is established. Advantageously, the invention optionally provides for the mobile radio connection and the data connection between the central control unit and the cargo information retrieval unit to be established using LoRaWAN ("Long Range Wide Area Network").

A conceivable design option also includes a variant in which the ambient condition sensor and the transmitting unit are arranged in a common housing or are connected to one another in such a way that the ambient condition sensor and the transmitting unit together form a

environmental condition detection unit, wherein the environmental condition detection unit is formed as a single component.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the inventive concept, it is provided that the ambient condition detection unit has at least one fastening device with which the ambient condition detection unit can be releasably fixed to an inner wall of the at least one cargo space or to an outer wall of the cargo item.

The fastening device can advantageously be designed for a screw connection. A detachable magnetic connection or a hook-and-loop fastener can advantageously be provided. Alternatively or additionally, a tab-and-eyelet connection or a pipe clamp connection can be provided. This allows for a particularly flexible connection that can be adapted to the shape and size of the cargo item or the interior wall of the cargo hold(s). In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the emergency notification system comprises at least one image capture unit with a camera and a transmission unit. The image capture unit can advantageously be arranged in or on an environmental condition detection unit. These are advantageously arranged spatially distributed within the cargo hold(s) or attached to the cargo items.

In the event of an accident or damage, in addition to the ambient condition values, such as temperature and/or gas composition values, a photo or video sequence can be recorded and transmitted to the central control unit via the transmitter unit. Such photo or video sequence recordings can provide emergency responders with additional information about the cause of the damage, the source of the hazard, and the location of the hazard, as well as information about the current state of the damage and its extent. Image capture units installed in the truck cab can also show emergency responders the situation in a potentially damaged cab, for example.

The object set out at the outset is also achieved by an emergency reporting method for accident detection of a freight transporter and for damage detection of at least one cargo compartment of the freight transporter and its loaded freight items, wherein ambient condition values are recorded and sent to a communication unit by means of radio signals, wherein the radio signals are forwarded to a central control unit and information transmitted by means of the radio signals is stored by means of a storage unit, wherein an emergency call signal is generated based on the ambient condition values and/or based on a manually triggered emergency call trigger signal is transmitted to a decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system, characterized in that in addition to the emergency call signal, the ambient condition values are transmitted to the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system.

In an advantageous implementation of the inventive concept, it is optionally provided that during a loading or unloading process, freight information of each individual freight item loaded or unloaded into or from the cargo hold or holds is recorded and stored.

Advantageously, the invention provides that in addition to the emergency call and in addition to the environmental status values, the cargo information is transmitted to the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system.

Optionally, the emergency notification system can be configured to include the cargo space of a semi-trailer and/or a trailer. The entire cargo space that can be detected by the emergency notification system therefore consists, in the case of an articulated truck, of the individual cargo spaces of the tractor unit and its trailer; in the case of a semi-trailer truck, of the cargo space or individual cargo spaces of the semi-trailer. The individual cargo spaces can be connected to each other via a communication channel to exchange cargo information.

The invention is explained below using exemplary schematic representations. They show:

Figure 1 is a schematic representation of the emergency reporting system according to the invention, Figure 2 is a schematic representation of the process of transmitting the emergency call signals to the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system and the decoding of the emergency call signals and

Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the emergency reporting method according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows an inventive emergency reporting system 1 for detecting accidents in a cargo transporter 2 and for detecting damage to cargo items 4 loaded into one or more cargo compartments 3 of the cargo transporter 2. The emergency reporting system 1 has a plurality of environmental condition detection units 5 with at least one environmental condition sensor 6 for detecting environmental condition values. The plurality of environmental condition detection units 5 each have a temperature detection sensor for detecting temperature values, a gas sensor for detecting a gas composition value, and an acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration value.

Based on the recorded temperature values and the recorded gas composition values, a fire can be detected particularly quickly and even before the actual smoke development. The acceleration values recorded with the acceleration sensor can be used to detect an accident, which typically involves high acceleration forces. The ambient condition detection units 5 each have a Fastening device 8 with which the environmental condition detection units 5 can be detachably attached to the individual freight items 4, as shown in Figure 1 with the upper three environmental condition detection units 5, or to an inner wall of the cargo space 3 or the cargo spaces 3, as shown in Figure 1 with the lower environmental condition detection unit 5.

This allows the environmental condition detection units 5 to be positioned at a particularly short distance from the individual cargo items 4 in order to detect fire or smoke development within a particularly short period of time. To enable the environmental condition detection units 5 to be positioned wirelessly and thus particularly easily and flexibly at various positions within the cargo hold 3 or the cargo holds 3, they advantageously have a power supply unit 9, which is configured as one or more rechargeable batteries.

Furthermore, the ambient condition detection units 5 have a transmitting unit 10 for transmitting the ambient condition values as radio signals 11 to a communication unit 12. The communication unit 12 is shown in Figure 1 as a single device and is arranged with the fastening device 8 on an interior wall of the cargo compartment 3 or the cargo compartments 3. The communication unit 12 has a power supply unit 9 configured as a rechargeable battery.

Alternatively, according to the invention, it can also be provided that the communication unit 12 is arranged outside the cargo space 3 or the cargo spaces 3, for example in a driver's cab 13 of the freight transporter 2. In a further In an embodiment according to the invention, it can also be provided that the communication unit 12 is integrated into a central control unit 14 of the emergency reporting system 1. The communication unit 12 has a transmitter unit 15 for receiving the radio signals 11 from the transmitting unit 10 and for forwarding the radio signals 11 to the central control unit 14.

The emergency notification system 1 also has a cargo recording unit 16, which is arranged within the cargo hold 3 or the cargo holds 3 of the cargo transporter 2. This is advantageously arranged in the region of the rear loading doors 17 of the cargo hold 3 or the cargo holds 3, so that when the cargo hold 3 or the cargo holds 3 are loaded, cargo information 18 of each individual piece of cargo 4 brought into the cargo hold 3 or the cargo holds 3 is recorded and can be stored in a memory unit 19 of a control unit 20.

The freight detection unit 16 has an infrared camera 21, with which the freight information carriers 22, which are applied, for example, as a QR code on the outside of the freight item 4 and in which the freight information 18 is contained in encrypted form, can be read. The freight detection unit 16 is configured such that the freight information 18 is sent to the communication unit 12 via the transmission unit 10 and can be forwarded to the central control unit 14 via the transmitter unit 15 and stored in the storage unit 19.

The central control unit 14 is arranged in Figure 1 outside the cargo space 3 or the cargo spaces 3 and inside the driver's cab 13 of the freight transporter 2 and has a storage unit 19 for Storage of the radio signals 11. The temperature values, the gas composition values, and the acceleration values are continuously stored in the storage unit 19.

In a computing unit 23 of the central control unit 14, the radio signals 11, consisting of the temperature values, the gas composition values, and the acceleration values, are continuously evaluated and assessed for the presence of a fire, a significant temperature increase, smoke development, and/or an accident. A mobile radio unit 24 establishes a mobile radio connection 25 between the central control unit 14 and a decentralized or centralized emergency call system 26.

The central control unit 14 is configured to send an emergency call signal 30 based on the evaluated environmental status values of the

The ambient condition detection units 5 are transmitted to the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system 26. The emergency reporting system 1 also has a manually operated emergency call transmitter 27, with which the emergency call trigger signal can be manually triggered by the driver, a first responder, or an emergency responder. The central control unit 14 is configured such that, in addition to the emergency call signal 30, the ambient condition values of the ambient condition detection units 5 are transmitted to the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system 26.

Figure 2 shows a schematic representation of the transmission of the emergency call signals 30 to the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system 26 and the decoding of the emergency call signals 30. In the case of an emergency call signal 30, the The freight information 18 stored in the storage unit 19 of the emergency reporting system 1, the driver's medical emergency information 28, and/or the vehicle data 29 of the freight transporter 2 are transmitted together with the emergency call signal 30 to the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system 26. The encryption of the freight information 18 prevents unauthorized reading of the freight information 18 by third parties.

On the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system side, the encrypted emergency call signals 30 are decrypted again, so that the emergency call signal 30, the cargo information 18, the driver's medical emergency information 28, and the vehicle data 29 of the cargo transporter 2 are decrypted and available in plain text. This allows emergency personnel to prepare particularly well and in advance for deployment at the accident scene and, if necessary, alert additional emergency personnel and their specific equipment early on.

Figure 3 shows a flowchart of the emergency reporting method according to the invention. When loading the cargo transporter 2, in a cargo information acquisition step 31, the cargo information 18 is first read in using the cargo acquisition unit 16 and stored in the storage unit 19.

Furthermore, in an additional information acquisition step 32, the medical emergency information 28 and the vehicle data 29 are stored in the storage unit 19. In an environmental condition acquisition step 33, the

Environmental condition values are continuously recorded by the environmental condition detection units 5. In a radio signal transmission step 34, the ambient condition values are sent as radio signals 11 to the communication unit 12, which forwards them to the central control unit 14 and stores them. In a continuously repeating signal evaluation step 35, the ambient condition values are continuously evaluated for the presence of a fire, a significant temperature increase, smoke development, and/or an accident.

As soon as a fire, a significant temperature increase, smoke development and/or an accident is detected, an emergency call signal 30 is transmitted to the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system 26 together with the ambient condition values 7, the cargo information 18, the medical emergency information 28 and the vehicle data 29 in an emergency call signal transmission step 36.

In the illustrations of Figures 1 to 3, only individual elements of several similar types are identified by way of example with a reference symbol.

List of reference symbols

1. Emergency reporting system

2. Cargo transporter

3. Cargo space

4. Freight item

5. Environmental condition detection unit

6. Environmental condition sensor

8. Fastening device

9. Power supply unit

10. Transmitter unit

11. Radio signal

12. Communication unit

13. Driver's cab

14. Central control unit

15. Transmitter unit

16. Freight registration unit

17. Loading door

18. Freight information

19. Storage unit

20. Control unit

21. Infrared camera

22. Freight information carrier

23. Computing unit

24. Mobile radio unit

25. Mobile connection

26. Decentralized or centralized emergency call system

27. Emergency alarm transmitter

28. Emergency Medical Information

29. Vehicle data 30. Emergency signal

31. Freight information entry step

32. Additional information entry step

33. Environmental condition detection step 34. Radio signal transmission step

35. Signal evaluation step

36. Emergency signal transmission step

Claims

Patent claims 1. Emergency reporting system (1) for accident detection of a freight transporter (2) and for damage detection of at least one cargo hold (3) of the freight transporter (2) and its loaded freight items (4), comprising: - at least one environmental condition detection unit (5) which has at least one environmental condition sensor (6) for detecting environmental condition values and at least one transmitting unit (10) for transmitting the environmental condition values by means of radio signals (11), - at least one communication unit (12) which has at least one transmitter unit (15) for receiving the radio signals (11) of the at least one transmitting unit (10) and for forwarding the radio signals (11) to a central control unit (14), - at least one power supply unit (9) for electrically supplying the communication unit (12) and the central control unit (14), wherein the central control unit (14) comprises a memory unit (19) for storing information transmitted by means of the radio signals (11), a computing unit (23) for processing the information and a mobile radio unit (24) for establishing a mobile radio connection (25) between the central control unit (14) and a decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system (26), wherein the central control unit (14) is configured such that it can transmit an emergency call signal (30) based on the ambient state values of the at least one ambient state detection unit (5) to the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system (26) and/or an emergency call signal (30) based on a manually triggered emergency call trigger signal to the decentralized and/or centralized Emergency call system (26), characterized in that the central control unit (14) is set up such that, in addition to the emergency call signal (30), the ambient state values of the at least one ambient state detection unit (5) can be transmitted to the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system (26). 2. Emergency reporting system (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the emergency reporting system (1) has a freight recording unit (16) which is set up to record freight information (18) of each individual freight item (4) brought into the at least one freight compartment (3) and to transmit it to the storage unit (19) of the control unit (20) by means of radio signals (11), wherein the freight information (18) comprises in particular a position of the freight items (4) within the at least one freight compartment (3), the dangerous goods classification, its packaging type, its freight classification and/or a weight and/or quantity indication of the freight item (4). 3. Emergency reporting system (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the freight information (18) is designed as freight information (18) that can be read in contactlessly with the freight detection unit (16) and is stored in a freight information carrier (22). 4. Emergency reporting system (1) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the cargo detection unit (16) has at least one detection sensor with which the cargo information (18) of each individual cargo item (4) can be detected. 5. Emergency reporting system (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the detection sensor is designed as an infrared camera (21). 6. Emergency reporting system (1) according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the freight detection unit (16) is set up so that the freight information (18) can be forwarded to the central control unit (14) by means of the transmitter unit (15) and can be stored in the storage unit (19). 7. Emergency reporting system (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the central control unit (14) is configured such that the cargo information (18) can be transmitted to the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system (26) in addition to the emergency call signal (30) and the environmental condition values (7). 8. Emergency reporting system (1) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the emergency reporting system (1) has a cargo information query unit and the central control unit (14) is set up such that, in the case of a manually triggered control query signal, a mobile radio connection to the cargo information query unit is established with the mobile radio unit (24) and the cargo information (18) and/or the ambient condition values can be transmitted to the cargo information query unit. 9. Emergency reporting system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the ambient condition sensor (6) and the transmitting unit (10) are arranged in a common housing or are connected to one another in such a way that the ambient condition sensor (6) and the Transmitter unit (10) together a environmental condition detection unit (5), wherein the environmental condition detection unit (5) is formed as a single component. 10. Emergency reporting system (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the environmental condition detection unit (5) has at least one fastening device (8) with which the environmental condition detection unit (5) can be releasably fixed to an inner wall of the at least one cargo space (3) or to an outer wall of the cargo item (4). 11. Emergency reporting system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the emergency reporting system (1) has at least one image capture unit with a camera and a transmitting unit (10). 12. Emergency reporting system (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the emergency reporting system comprises the cargo space (3) of a semi-trailer and/or a trailer. 13. Emergency reporting method for accident detection of a freight transporter (2) and for damage detection of at least one cargo hold (3) of the freight transporter (2) and its loaded freight items (4), wherein ambient condition values are recorded and sent by radio signals (11) to a communication unit (12), wherein the radio signals (11) are forwarded to a central control unit (14) and information transmitted by means of the radio signals (11) is stored by means of a storage unit (19), wherein an emergency call signal (30) is generated based on the ambient condition values and/or based on a manually triggered emergency call trigger signal is transmitted to a decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system (26), characterized in that in addition to the emergency call signal (30) the ambient state values (7) are transmitted to the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system (26). 14. Emergency reporting method according to claim 13, characterized in that during a loading process or an unloading process, freight information (18) of each individual freight item (4) loaded or unloaded into the at least one freight compartment (3) is recorded and stored. 15. Emergency reporting method according to claim 14, characterized in that in addition to the emergency call and in addition to the environmental condition values (7), the cargo information (18) is transmitted to the decentralized and/or centralized emergency call system (26).