# US 11,310,590 B2 · Emergency reporting device in a motor vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,310,590 B2 - Document ID: US11310590B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/052,253 - Filed: 2019-04-08 - Published: 2021-08-19 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2018-05-02 - Assignees: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft - Applicants: Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft - Inventors: Simon Bork - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11310590B2 ## CPC - H04R 1/32: for obtaining desired directional characteristic only {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/40)} - H04R 1/323: {for loudspeakers (H04R1/34 and H04R1/40 take precedence)} - G08B 25/016: {Personal emergency signalling and security systems (emergency non-personal manually actuated alarm activators G08B25/12)} - G08G 1/205: {Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental} - H04R 1/40: by combining a number of identical transducers {(specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/405)} - H04R 2499/13: Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) - G08B: SIGNALLING SYSTEMS, e.g. PERSONAL CALLING SYSTEMS; ORDER TELEGRAPHS; ALARM SYSTEMS - G08G: TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS (guiding railway traffic, ensuring the safety of railway traffic B61L; arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00; radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for traffic control G01S13/91, G01S15/88, G01S17/88; {radar or analogous systems, sonar systems, lidar systems specially adapted for anti-collision purposes G01S13/93, G01S15/93, G01S17/93}) ## Abstract An emergency reporting device in a motor vehicle for manually and/or automatically reporting an emergency to a report center is provided. A hands-free communication apparatus, consisting of at least one microphone and at least one loudspeaker, can be used to communicate with the report center. The microphone is arranged in a first vertical plane extending perpendicularly to a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, and the loudspeaker is arranged separate from the microphone in a second vertical plane extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle. Furthermore, the microphone and the loudspeaker are additionally arranged in a central region of the motor vehicle containing a vertical longitudinal center plane. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An emergency reporting device in a motor vehicle for one or more of manually and automatically reporting an emergency to a report center; wherein a hands-free communication apparatus comprising at least one microphone and at least one loudspeaker can be used to communicate with a report center; wherein the microphone is arranged in a first vertical plane extending perpendicularly to a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, and the loudspeaker is arranged separate from the microphone in a second vertical plane extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle; wherein the microphone and the loudspeaker are additionally arranged in a central region of the motor vehicle containing a vertical longitudinal center plane; wherein the first plane, viewed from the front end of the motor vehicle, is located in front of the second plane and in front of a vehicle driver, and the second plane, viewed from the front end of the motor vehicle, is arranged in behind the vehicle driver; wherein the loudspeaker is arranged in a region of the head of the vehicle driver. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The emergency reporting device of claim 1, wherein the second plane, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle, is arranged in the region of an A-pillar. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The emergency reporting device of claim 2, wherein the second plane, viewed counter to the direction of travel, is arranged in a rear region of the A-pillar. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The emergency reporting device of claim 3, wherein the loudspeaker is integrated into an illumination module which is arranged on a roof liner of the motor vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The emergency reporting device of claim 3, wherein the loudspeaker is arranged on a separating wall located behind the vehicle driver. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The emergency reporting device of claim 3, wherein the microphone has a directivity oriented towards the vehicle driver and a front-seat passenger, wherein the microphone and the loudspeaker are arranged within the central region on the vertical longitudinal center plane of the motor vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The emergency reporting device of claim 3, wherein the microphone has a cardioid characteristic, wherein two loudspeakers are present which are connected as a dipole such that a sound pressure level of the loudspeakers in the direction of the microphone is minimal. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The emergency reporting device of claim 2, wherein the loudspeaker is integrated into an illumination module which is arranged on a roof liner of the motor vehicle. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The emergency reporting device of claim 2, wherein the loudspeaker is arranged on a separating wall located behind the vehicle driver. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The emergency reporting device of claim 2, wherein the microphone has a directivity oriented towards the vehicle driver and a front-seat passenger, wherein the microphone and the loudspeaker are arranged within the central region on the vertical longitudinal center plane of the motor vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 2) The emergency reporting device of claim 2, wherein the microphone has a cardioid characteristic, wherein two loudspeakers are present which are connected as a dipole such that a sound pressure level of the loudspeakers in the direction of the microphone is minimal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The emergency reporting device of claim 1, wherein the loudspeaker is integrated into an illumination module which is arranged on a roof liner of the motor vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The emergency reporting device of claim 12, wherein the microphone has a directivity oriented towards the vehicle driver and a front-seat passenger, wherein the microphone and the loudspeaker are arranged within the central region on the vertical longitudinal center plane of the motor vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The emergency reporting device of claim 12, wherein the microphone has a cardioid characteristic, wherein two loudspeakers are present which are connected as a dipole such that a sound pressure level of the loudspeakers in the direction of the microphone is minimal. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The emergency reporting device of claim 1, wherein the loudspeaker is arranged on a separating wall located behind the vehicle driver. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The emergency reporting device of claim 15, wherein the microphone has a directivity oriented towards the vehicle driver and a front-seat passenger, wherein the microphone and the loudspeaker are arranged within the central region on the vertical longitudinal center plane of the motor vehicle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The emergency reporting device of claim 15, wherein the microphone has a cardioid characteristic, wherein two loudspeakers are present which are connected as a dipole such that a sound pressure level of the loudspeakers in the direction of the microphone is minimal. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The emergency reporting device of claim 1, wherein the microphone has a directivity oriented towards the vehicle driver and a front-seat passenger, wherein the microphone and the loudspeaker are arranged within the central region on the vertical longitudinal center plane of the motor vehicle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The emergency reporting device of claim 1, wherein the microphone has a cardioid characteristic, wherein two loudspeakers are present which are connected as a dipole such that a sound pressure level of the loudspeakers in the direction of the microphone is minimal. ### Claim 20 An emergency reporting device in a motor vehicle for one or more of manually and automatically reporting an emergency to a report center; wherein a hands-free communication apparatus comprising at least one microphone and at least one loudspeaker can be used to communicate with a report center; wherein the at least one microphone is arranged in a first vertical plane extending perpendicularly to a longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle and the at least one loudspeaker is arranged separate from the at least one microphone in a second vertical plane extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the motor vehicle; wherein the at least one microphone and the at least one loudspeaker are additionally arranged in a central region of the motor vehicle containing a vertical longitudinal center plane; wherein the first plane, viewed in a typical direction of travel of the motor vehicle, is located behind the second plane, and the second plane, viewed counter to the direction of travel, is arranged in a region of the head of a vehicle driver; wherein the at least one microphone has a cardioid characteristic, wherein at least two loudspeakers are present which are connected as a dipole such that a sound pressure level of the at least two loudspeakers in the direction of the microphone is minimal.