| CPC H04W 4/90 (2018.02) [B64C 39/024 (2013.01); H04L 67/12 (2013.01); H04W 4/029 (2018.02); H04W 4/70 (2018.02); H04W 76/50 (2018.02); B64U 2101/20 (2023.01)] | 15 Claims |
|
1. A method comprising:
determining, by a vehicle and/or a drone associated with the vehicle, that a triggering event has occurred, the triggering event including a loss of network connectivity of the vehicle and an emergency situation involving the vehicle and/or an occupant of the vehicle, the loss of connectivity including damage to a first antenna of the vehicle, the emergency situation including at least one of a health emergency of the occupant and a disablement of the vehicle, and the disablement of the vehicle associated with an accident involving the vehicle, a mechanical failure of the vehicle, or a loss of fuel of the vehicle;
creating, by the vehicle and/or the drone and based on the triggering event occurring, an emergency message indicative of the emergency situation;
automatically and autonomously launching, based on the triggering event occurring, the drone to navigate to a location where network connectivity exists and creating a network bridge for the vehicle, wherein the drone maintains a network bridge until emergency services arrive at a location of the vehicle;
transmitting, when a connection to a network is established by the drone, the emergency message to a service provider; and
determining network connectivity of the drone with another vehicle and transmitting the emergency message by the drone to the another vehicle, the another vehicle being a ground vehicle configured to relay the emergency message to one or more additional vehicles or to the service provider.
|