Device and method for detecting operation of motor vehicles by monitored individuals

• US 20050137755A1
• Filed: 07/26/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Narda Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Titan (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ohlert, Edward J., McKnight, Darren S., Gross, Debra A., Wolejsza, Michael C., Wolejsza, Nancy F., Chase, Stephen P., Murphy, Wayne K., Cameron, Douglas S., Dexter, Richard P., Pine, Judith A., Chase, Paul A., Gaugler, Hanson C., Powell, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,209,808 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A License Sanction Enforcement System™ technology that includes at least one sensor worn by an individual to be monitored and a data storage unit. The sensor can detect directional angle and acceleration motion. The data storage unit is coupled with the sensor and stores the angle kinematic data detected by the sensor. The device determines whether the individual is operating or has operated a motor vehicle based upon analysis of the angle and acceleration data, and creates a record in the data storage unit of each occurrence that operation of a motor vehicle is detected. Alternatively, the data storage unit may be used to store the raw detection data, which can be transferred to an external data processing device for analysis.

Claims

1. A device for determining whether an individual has operated a motor vehicle, comprising:

at least one sensor worn by an individual to be monitored, said at least one sensor detecting at least one of directional angular velocity and linear acceleration along three orthogonal axes of an object to which it is mounted; and

a data storage unit operationally coupled with said at least one sensor and storing said kinematic data detected by said at least one sensor;

wherein it is determined whether said individual has operated a motor vehicle based upon analysis of said kinematic data stored in said data storage unit.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least one of a gyroscope and an accelerometer.

3. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor is configured to detect at least one of acceleration and angle, each in three different directions.

4. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least one of a set of three orthogonal accelerometers and a set of three orthogonal rate gyroscopes.

5. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein said device is configured to determine whether said individual is performing driving movements by comparing acceleration measurements with velocity measurements.

6. The device as recited in claim 3, wherein said device is configured to determine whether said individual is performing driving movements by comparing acceleration measurements with velocity measurements.

7. The device as recited in claim 6, wherein said device is configured to determine when said individual is performing a braking movement by comparing a detected movement of a foot of said individual with a detected deceleration of said vehicle.

8. The device as recited in claim 6, wherein said device is configured to determine when said individual is performing a gas pedal movement by comparing a detected movement of a foot of said individual with a detected acceleration of said vehicle.

9. The device as recited in claim 6, wherein said device is configured to determine when said individual is performing a turning movement by comparing a detected movement of a hand of said individual with a detected change in direction of said vehicle.

10. The device as recited in claim 9, wherein said device is configured to determine when said individual is performing a left turn movement by comparing a detected rotational movement of a hand of said individual with a detected change in direction to the left of said vehicle.

11. The device as recited in claim 9, wherein said device is configured to determine when said individual is performing a right turn movement by comparing a detected rotational movement of a hand of said individual with a detected change in direction to the right of said vehicle.

12. The device as recited in claim 9, wherein said device is configured to determine when said individual is performing said turning movement further based on detected foot movements of said individual.

13. The device as recited in claim 12, wherein said device is configured to determine when said individual is performing said turning movement by comparing the detected rotational movement of a hand of said individual with a detected change in direction to the left of said vehicle and with a detected braking movement and a detected gas movement.

14. The device as recited in claim 1, further comprising an input/output unit coupled with said data storage unit, said input/output unit configured to transmit data stored in said data storage unit to an external data processing device.

15. The device as recited in claim 13, further comprising an input/output unit coupled with said memory storage unit, said input/output unit configured to transmit data stored in said memory storage unit.

16. The device as recited in claim 14, wherein said inpuvoutput unit comprises an infrared transceiver or similar data transfer technology.

17. The device as recited in claim 15, wherein said input/output unit comprises an infrared transceiver or similar data transfer technology

18. A device for determining whether an individual has operated a motor vehicle, comprising:

sensing means for measuring directional angular orientation and acceleration motion of at least a body part of an individual; and

data storage means for storing said kinematic data measured by said sensing means;

wherein it is determined whether said individual has operated a motor vehicle based upon analysis of the kinematic data stored in said data storage means.

19. The device as recited in claim 18, wherein said sensing means measures directional angle and acceleration in at least three different directions.

20. The device as recited in claim 18, wherein said sensing means comprises at least one of a set of three orthogonal accelerometers and a set of three orthogonal rate gyroscopes.

21. The device as recited in claim 18, further comprising processing means for determining whether said individual is operating a motor vehicle based upon said data measured by said sensing means.

22. The device as recited in claim 21, wherein said processing means determines whether said individual is performing driving movements by comparing acceleration measurements with velocity measurements.

23. The device as recited in claim 22, wherein said processing means determines when said individual is performing a braking movement by comparing a detected movement of a foot of said individual with a detected deceleration of said vehicle.

24. The device as recited in claim 22, wherein said processing means determines when said individual is performing a gas movement by comparing a detected movement of a foot of said individual with a detected acceleration of said vehicle.

25. The device as recited in claim 22, wherein said processing means determines when said individual is performing a turning movement by comparing a detected movement of a hand of said individual with a detected change in direction of said vehicle.

26. The device as recited in claim 22, wherein said processing means determines when said individual is performing a left turn movement by comparing a detected rotational movement of a hand of said individual with a detected change in direction to the left of said vehicle.

27. The device as recited in claim 22, wherein said processing means determines when said individual is performing a right turn movement by comparing a detected rotational movement of a hand of said individual with a detected change in direction to the right of said vehicle.

28. The device as recited in claim 22, wherein said processing means determines when said individual is performing said turning movement further based on detected foot movements of said individual.

29. The device as recited in claim 22, wherein said processing means determines when said individual is performing said turning movement by comparing the detected rotational movement of a hand of said individual with a detected change in direction to the left of said vehicle and with a detected braking movement and a detected gas movement.

30. A method for determining when an individual has operated a motor vehicle, comprising steps of:

measuring directional angular orientation movement and acceleration motion of at least a hand or foot of an individual and converting the measured movement and motion to storable data;

storing said data; and

determining whether said individual has operated a motor vehicle based on analysis of said stored kinematic data.

31. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein said measuring step includes measuring at least acceleration and directional angular orientation of a body part of said individual.

32. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein said measuring step includes measuring at least acceleration and directional angular orientation of a body part of said individual, each in three different directions.

33. The method as recited in claim 30, wherein said measuring step includes a step of measuring velocity and

said determining step includes a comparison step of comparing acceleration measurements with velocity measurements and determining whether said individual has operated a motor vehicle based on said comparison.

34. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein said measuring step includes a step of detecting movement of a foot of said individual, and

said determining step determines that said individual has operated a motor vehicle when a brake pedal movement is detected based on the detected movement of said foot at the same time that deceleration of said vehicle is determined from detected acceleration motion.

35. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein said measuring step includes a step of detecting movement of a foot of said individual, and

said determining step includes a step of determining when said individual is performing a gas pedal movement based on said movement of said foot, and determining that said individual has operated a motor vehicle when said detected gas pedal movement corresponds with a determined acceleration of said vehicle based on detected acceleration motion.

36. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein said measuring step includes a step of detecting movement of a hand of said individual, and

said determining step includes a step of determining when said individual is performing a turning movement based on said movement of said hand, and determining that said individual is driving when said detected hand movement corresponds with a detected acceleration of said vehicle in a direction of the hand turn.

37. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein said measuring step includes a step of detecting a rotational movement of a hand of said individual, and

said determining step includes a step of determining when said individual is performing a left turn movement based on said rotational movement of said hand, and determining that said individual is driving when said detected left turn movement corresponds with a detected change in direction to the left of said vehicle.

38. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein said measuring step includes a step of detecting a rotational movement of a hand of said individual, and

said determining step includes a step of determining when said individual is performing a right turn movement based on said rotational movement of said hand, and determining that said individual is driving when said detected right turn movement corresponds with a detected change in direction to the right of said vehicle.

39. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein said measuring step includes a step of detecting a rotational movement of a hand of said individual and detecting a movement of a foot of said individual, and

said determining step includes a step of determining when said individual is performing a turn movement based on said rotational movement of said hand, a step of determining a brake movement of said foot based on said movement of said foot, a step of determining a gas movement of said food based on said movement of said foot, and wherein it is determined that said individual is driving when said detected turn movement corresponds with a detected brake movement of said foot followed by a detected gas movement of said foot.