Wheeled vehicle event data recorder forensic recovery and preservation system

• US 10,403,058 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2017
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Tulsa
• Original Assignee: University of Tulsa
• Inventors: Daily, Jeremy, Johnson, James, Kongs, Andrew, Corcega, Jose
• Primary Examiner(s): Soofi, Yazan A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weeks, Martin A
• Application Number:
  US15/675,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20170365112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 753 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B

Abstract

A system and method to preserve the integrity of data being extracted from an electronic data recorder (“EDR”) of an electronic control module (“ECM”) makes use of a forensic link adapter (20) and, optionally, a sensor simulator (10) (when the ECM is out of the vehicle). The forensic link adapter (20) has one or more first microprocessors (23) and associated first software which prevent any message being sent by an external network from corrupting the previously recorded data measurements. The data measurements are then extracted, verified, and stored in a separate file. The sensor simulator (10) has one or more second microprocessors (23), associated second software, and a bank of resistors (21) that mimic sensors normally in communication with the ECM. The simulator “tricks” the ECM into thinking it is still in the vehicle by using the replicating vehicle system values the ECM normally sees when in the vehicle.

Claims

1. A wheeled vehicle event data recorder forensic recovery and preservation system, the system comprising:

a forensic link adapter (20) configured for use with an electronic control module of a motor vehicle, the forensic link adapter (20) including;

one or more first microprocessors (23); and

a first software means (30) in communication with the first microprocessor (23);

at least one of the first software means (30) and the first microprocessor (23) configured to;

prevent a message being sent by an external network to the electronic control module from corrupting the integrity of at least one data measurement previously recorded by an electronic data recorder of the electronic control module; and

extract the previously recorded data measurement from the electronic data recorder.

2. The system according to claim 1 further comprising means for storing the extracted previously recorded data measurement in a file independent of the electronic data recorder.

3. The system according to claim 1 wherein the first software means accomplishes the prevention by at least one of blocking, filtering, and omitting the message.

4. The system according to claim 1 further comprising cryptographic hashing means to maintain or verify integrity of the extracted previously recorded data measurement.

5. The system according to claim 1 further comprising a sensor simulator (10) in communication with the electronic control module and the forensic link adapter (20), the sensor simulator (10) including:

one or more second microprocessors (23);

one or more banks of resistors (21), each bank of resistors (21) having at least one resistor configured to mimic at least one sensor normally in communication with the electronic control module; and

a second software means (30) in communication with the second microprocessor (23);

the second software means (30) passing at least one vehicle system value from the electronic control module to the second microprocessor (23), the second microprocessor (23) adjusting the sensor simulator (10) to replicate the vehicle system value.

6. The system according to claim 5 further comprising the sensor simulator including means for powering the electronic control module.

7. The system according to claim 1 further comprising means for updating at least one of a time data and a location data when the system is in use.

8. A method of recovering and preserving forensic data from an electronic data recorder of an electronic control module, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) preventing a message being sent by an external network to the electronic control module from corrupting the integrity of at least one data measurement previously recorded by the electronic data recorder;

(ii) extracting the previously recorded data measurement from the electronic data recorder;

(iii) verifying the integrity of the extracted previously recorded data measurement; and

(iv) storing the verified extracted previously recorded data measurement in a file independent of the electronic data recorder.

9. The method according to claim 8 wherein the preventing step includes at least one of a blocking step, a filtering step, and an omitting step.

10. The method according to claim 8 wherein the verifying step includes a cryptographic hashing step.

11. The method according to claim 8 wherein said steps are executed using a forensic link adapter in communication with the electronic data recorder, the forensic link adapter including one or more first microprocessors and a first software means in communication with the first microprocessor.

12. The method according to claim 8 further comprising the step of simulating at least one vehicle system value.

13. The method according to claim 12 wherein the simulation step is executed using a sensor simulator in communication with the electronic control module and a forensic link adapter, the sensor simulator including:

one or more second microprocessors;

one or more banks of resistors, each bank of resistors having at least one resistor configured to mimic at least one sensor normally in communication with the electronic control module; and

a second software means in communication with the second microprocessor;

the second software means passing at least one vehicle system value from the electronic control module to the second microprocessor, the second microprocessor adjusting the sensor simulator to replicate the vehicle system value.