Braking response and following distance monitoring and safety data accounting system for motor vehicles and other types of equipment

• US 20030128107A1
• Filed: 01/22/2003
• Published: 07/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William Jude Wilkerson
• Original Assignee: William Jude Wilkerson
• Inventors: Wilkerson, William Jude
• Granted Patent: US 6,788,207 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2220/02 Driver type; Driving style; Driver adaptive features
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour

Abstract

An improved brake response time and following distance monitoring and safety data accounting system for motor vehicles and other types of human-operated equipment is herein disclosed. The present invention measures and records events where preset parameters are exceeded. Specifically, the present invention measures and records, among others, parameters associated with instantaneous vehicular following distance, average vehicular following distance, instantaneous changes in following distance, and brake response time of an operator. The system is equipped with data processing and communication means allowing an employer, a parent, an insurance carrier, or any other interested person to verify that the vehicle in question is operated in an appropriate manner. The present invention records each vehicle braking cycle to determine if previously established safe operating parameters were maintained while noting the date, time of day, and location of the incident. The information retrieved is compiled in a data record and stored in a storage system for instantaneous use or retrieval when desired.

Claims

1. A brake response and following distance monitoring and safety data accounting system for a human-operated vehicle comprising:

following distance measurement means for generating a first signal when an object immediately in front of said vehicle is detected;

speed measurement means for generating a second signal when said vehicle is moving forward;

acceleration/deceleration indicating means for generating a third signal when acceleration or deceleration of said vehicle, in the direction of said X-axis, is detected;

acceleration/deceleration indicating means for generating a fourth signal when acceleration or deceleration of said vehicle, in the direction of said Y-axis, is detected;

acceleration/deceleration indicating means for generating a fifth signal when acceleration or deceleration of said vehicle, in the direction of said Z-axis, is detected;

processor means for receiving said first, second, third, fourth, and fifth signals and constructing a unified data record at a plurality of predetermined time intervals; and

storage means for compiling a plurality of said unified data records for immediate review or later retrieval;

wherein said unified data record comprises contemporaneous following distance, speed, and X-axis, Y-axis, and/or Z-axis acceleration/deceleration data providing a record of a human operator'"'"'s habits and performance with regard to the operation of said vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising time and date indicating means for generating a time/date data record;

wherein said processor means receives and incorporates said time/date data record into said unified data record.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising global positioning means for generating a position data record;

wherein said processor means receives and incorporates said position data record into said unified data record.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said acceleration/deceleration indicating means comprises a multi-axis accelerometer responsive to acceleration/deceleration in any of three axes of motion.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said processor means is comprised of an embedded microcomputer.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said processor means further comprises an analog-to-digital conversion means for receiving said first, second, third, fourth, and fifth signals.

7. A brake response and following distance monitoring and safety data accounting system for a human-operated vehicle comprising:

following distance measurement means for generating a first signal when an object immediately in front of said vehicle is detected;

speed measurement means for generating a second signal when said vehicle is moving forward;

acceleration/deceleration indicating means for generating a third signal when acceleration or deceleration of said vehicle, in the direction of said X-axis, is detected;

acceleration/deceleration indicating means for generating a fourth signal when acceleration or deceleration of said vehicle, in the direction of said Y-axis, is detected;

acceleration/deceleration indicating means for generating a fifth signal when acceleration or deceleration of said vehicle, in the direction of said Z-axis, is detected;

processor means for receiving said first, second, third, fourth, and fifth signals and constructing a unified data record at the occurrence of a plurality of discrete events; and

storage means for compiling a plurality of said unified data records for immediate review or later retrieval;

wherein said unified data record comprises contemporaneous following distance, speed, and X-axis, Y-axis, and/or Z-axis acceleration/deceleration data providing a record of a human operator'"'"'s habits and performance with regard to the operation of said vehicle.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said discrete events comprise a decrease in the following distance and/or a decrease in the speed of said vehicle.

9. The system of claim 7, further comprising time and date indicating means for generating a time/date data record;

wherein said processor means receives and incorporates said time/date data record into said unified data record.

10. The system of claim 7, further comprising global positioning means for generating a position data record;

wherein said processor means receives and incorporates said position data record into said unified data record.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein said acceleration/deceleration indicating means comprises a multi-axis accelerometer responsive to acceleration/deceleration in any of three axes of motion.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein said processor means is comprised of an embedded microcomputer.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said processor means further comprises an analog-to-digital conversion means for receiving said first, second, and third signals.

14. A method of brake response and following distance monitoring and safety data accounting for a human-operated vehicle comprising:

detecting a following distance between said vehicle and an object immediately in front of said vehicle;

detecting a speed of said vehicle when moving forward;

detecting acceleration/deceleration of said vehicle in the direction of said X-axis;

detecting acceleration/deceleration of said vehicle in the direction of said Y-axis;

detecting acceleration/deceleration of said vehicle in the direction of said Z-axis;

constructing a unified data record at a plurality of intervals; and

storing said unified data records for immediate review or later retrieval;

wherein said unified data record comprises contemporaneous X-axis, Y-axis, and/or Z-axis acceleration/deceleration data providing a record of a human operator'"'"'s habits and performance with regard to the operation of said vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of forming a time/date data record;

wherein said unified data record further comprises said time/date data record.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of forming a position data record;

wherein said unified data record further comprises said position data record.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said plurality of intervals comprise the detection of acceleration or deceleration in the direction of the X-axis, Y-axis, and/or Z-axis.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said plurality of intervals comprise predetermined time intervals.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of forming a time/date data record;

wherein said unified data record further comprises said time/date data record.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of forming a position data record;

wherein said unified data record further comprises said position data record.