Operational condition recording apparatus and operating control system utilizing it

• US 20020035422A1
• Filed: 07/25/2001
• Published: 03/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Sasaki, Kazuyuki
• Granted Patent: US 6,574,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/35
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

An operational condition recording apparatus which can record vehicular operational condition information of a vehicle including at least one of running speed, rotational speed of wheels, engine revolving speed, position of a shift, handle steering angle, brake tread power, operational condition of ABS, result of peripheral monitoring and distance between another vehicle, the operational condition recording apparatus includes: a first mode as a recording mode in which the operational condition recording apparatus always records the vehicular operational condition information; and a second mode as the recording mode in which the operation condition recording apparatus records the vehicular operational condition information in more detail compared with that in the first mode, the first and second mode can be switched, wherein the recording mode is switched from the first mode to the second mode when a predetermined determination condition is met.

Claims

1. An operational condition recording apparatus which can record vehicular operational condition information of a vehicle including at least one of running speed, rotational speed of wheels, engine revolving speed, position of a shift, handle steering angle, brake tread power, operational condition of ABS, result of peripheral monitoring and distance between another vehicle, the operational condition recording apparatus comprising:

a first mode as a recording mode in which the operational condition recording apparatus always records the vehicular operational condition information; and

a second mode as the recording mode in which the operation condition recording apparatus records the vehicular operational condition information in more detail compared with that in the first mode, the first and second mode can be switched,

wherein the recording mode is switched from the first mode to the second mode when a predetermined determination condition is met.

2. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

in the second mode, the vehicular operational condition information is recorded at a shorter sampling interval compared with that in the first mode.

3. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

in the second recording mode, the vehicular operational condition information of a type which is not recorded in the first recording mode is recorded.

4. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

when a situation changes from a state in which the predetermined determination condition is met to a state of failure, the recording mode is restored from the second mode to the first mode.

5. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claims 1, wherein the predetermined determination condition is met when a risk detector determines that the vehicle is in a critical situation.

6. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the risk detector detects that the vehicle is in a dynamic critical condition.

7. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the dynamic critical condition is detected when the running speed is faster than legal speed by predetermined speed.

8. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the dynamic critical condition is detected when a driver of the vehicle suddenly treads a brake pedal.

9. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the dynamic critical condition of the vehicle is detected when ABS detects a locking of the wheels.

10. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the dynamic critical condition is detected when distance between the vehicle and a front traveling vehicle is predetermined distance or less.

11. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the dynamic critical condition is detected when a periphery monitoring device detects access to another vehicle.

12. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the dynamic critical condition is detected when the running speed exceeds predetermined speed and a handle steering angle exceeds a predetermined angle.

13. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the dynamic critical condition is detected when difference in the rotational speed between right and left wheels calculated based upon the handle steering angle and difference in the actual rotational speed detected by a wheel rotational speed sensor between the right and left wheels are not coincident.

14. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the dynamic critical condition is detected when difference is made between the rotational speed of a front wheel and the rotational speed of a rear wheel of the vehicle.

15. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the dynamic critical condition is detected when a traveling position detector which detects relative positional relation between a lane of a road on which the vehicle travels and the vehicle detects snaking or deviation from the lane of the vehicle.

16. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the dynamic critical condition is detected only in case the running speed exceeds preset speed.

17. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the preset speed can be individually set every type of the critical condition.

18. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the risk detector detects that the vehicle travels in a dangerous region.

19. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the vehicle traveling in the dangerous region is detected when the vehicle travels along a sharp curve.

20. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the vehicle traveling in the dangerous region is detected when the vehicle travels on a road during construction.

21. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the vehicle traveling in the dangerous region is detected when the vehicle travels on a road not open.

22. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the vehicle traveling in the dangerous region is detected when the vehicle travels in an intersection not open.

23. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the vehicle traveling in the dangerous region is detected when the vehicle travels on a road with a downward steep slope.

24. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the vehicle traveling in the dangerous region is detected when the vehicle travels on a road where many accidents occurred.

25. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the vehicle traveling in the dangerous region is detected when the vehicle travels on a road the surface of which is frozen.

26. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the vehicle traveling in the dangerous region is detected when the vehicle travels on a road while snow falls.

27. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the vehicle traveling in the dangerous region is detected when the vehicle travels on a road on which dense fog is caused.

28. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

recording of the vehicular operation condition information is finished immediately after a collision detector of the vehicle detects the collision of the vehicle.

30. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 29, wherein:

when a situation changes from a state in which the predetermined determination condition is met to a state of failure, the recording operation is stopped.

54. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 29, wherein

recording of the vehicular operation condition information is finished immediately after a collision detector of the vehicle detects the collision of the vehicle.

29. An operational condition recording apparatus which can record vehicular operational condition information of a vehicle including at least one of running speed, rotational speed of wheels, engine revolving speed, position of a shift, handle steering angle, brake tread power, operational condition of ABS, result of peripheral monitoring and distance between another vehicle, wherein:

when a predetermined determination condition is met, a recording operation of the vehicular operational condition information is started.

31. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claims 29, wherein the predetermined determination condition is met when a risk detector determines that the vehicle is in a critical situation.

32. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the risk detector detects that the vehicle is in a dynamic critical condition.

33. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the dynamic critical condition is detected when the running speed is faster than legal speed by predetermined speed.

34. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the dynamic critical condition is detected when a driver of the vehicle suddenly treads a brake pedal.

35. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the dynamic critical condition of the vehicle is detected when ABS detects a locking of the wheels.

36. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the dynamic critical condition is detected when distance between the vehicle and a front traveling vehicle is predetermined distance or less.

37. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the dynamic critical condition is detected when a periphery monitoring device detects access to another vehicle.

38. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the dynamic critical condition is detected when the running speed exceeds predetermined speed and a handle steering angle exceeds a predetermined angle.

39. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the dynamic critical condition is detected when difference in the rotational speed between right and left wheels calculated based upon the handle steering angle and difference in the actual rotational speed detected by a wheel rotational speed sensor between the right and left wheels are not coincident.

40. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the dynamic critical condition is detected when difference is made between the rotational speed of a front wheel and the rotational speed of a rear wheel of the vehicle.

41. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the dynamic critical condition is detected when a traveling position detector which detects relative positional relation between a lane of a road on which the vehicle travels and the vehicle detects the snaking of the vehicle and/or the deviation from the lane.

42. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the dynamic critical condition is detected only in case the running speed exceeds preset speed.

43. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 42, wherein the preset speed can be individually set every type of the critical condition.

44. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the risk detector detects that the vehicle travels in a dangerous region.

45. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the vehicle traveling in the dangerous region is detected when the vehicle travels along a sharp curve.

46. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the vehicle traveling in the dangerous region is detected when the vehicle travels on a road during construction.

47. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the vehicle traveling in the dangerous region is detected when the vehicle travels on a road not open.

48. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the vehicle traveling in the dangerous region is detected when the vehicle travels in an intersection not open.

49. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the vehicle traveling in the dangerous region is detected when the vehicle travels on a road with a downward steep slope.

50. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the vehicle traveling in the dangerous region is detected when the vehicle travels on a road where many accidents occurred.

51. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the vehicle traveling in the dangerous region is detected when the vehicle travels on a road the surface of which is frozen.

52. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the vehicle traveling in the dangerous region is detected when the vehicle travels on a road while snow falls.

53. The operational condition recording apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the vehicle traveling in the dangerous region is detected when the vehicle travels on a road on which dense fog is caused.

55. An operating control system utilizing an operational condition recording apparatus, comprising:

the operational condition recording apparatus which can record vehicular operational condition information of a vehicle including at least one of running speed, rotational speed of wheels, engine revolving speed, position of a shift, handle steering angle, brake tread power, operational condition of ABS, result of peripheral monitoring and distance between another vehicle, the operational condition recording apparatus including,

a first mode as a recording mode in which the operational condition recording apparatus always records the vehicular operational condition information, and

a second mode as the recording mode in which the operation condition recording apparatus records the vehicular operational condition information in more detail compared with that in the first mode, the first and second mode can be switched,

wherein the recording mode is switched from the first mode to the second mode when a predetermined determination condition is met; and

a communication device for communicating from the vehicle to an outside control center provided in the vehicle;

a risk detector, wherein the communication device is activated when the risk detector determines that the vehicle is in a critical situation.

56. The operating control system according to claim 55, wherein

the vehicle is provided with a collision detector,

when the collision detector detects a collision of the vehicle, contents recorded by the operational condition recording apparatus are sent to the control center via the communication device.

57. The operating control system according to claim 56, wherein the sent contents include at least the current position of the vehicle.

59. The operating control system according to claim 58, wherein

the vehicle is provided with collision detector,

when the collision detector detects a collision of the vehicle, contents recorded by the operational condition recording apparatus are sent to the control center via the communication device.

60. The operating control system according to claim 56, wherein the sent contents include at least the current position of the vehicle.

58. An operating control system utilizing an operational condition recording apparatus, comprising:

the operational condition recording apparatus which can record vehicular operational condition information of a vehicle including at least one of running speed, rotational speed of wheels, engine revolving speed, position of a shift, handle steering angle, brake tread power, operational condition of ABS, result of peripheral monitoring and distance between another vehicle, wherein a recording operation of the operational condition information is started when a predetermined determination condition is met; and

a communication device for communicating from the vehicle to an outside control center provided in the vehicle,

a risk detector, wherein the communication device is activated when the risk detector determines that the vehicle is in a critical situation.