Vehicular information and monitoring system and method

• US 20080297334A1
• Filed: 05/29/2007
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: George Cheng, Saeed J. Siavoshai
• Original Assignee: George Cheng, Saeed J. Siavoshai
• Inventors: Siavoshai, Saeed J., Cheng, George
• Granted Patent: US 8,436,723 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/438
• 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 vehicle monitoring system is provided that is particularly useful for gathering data relating to noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). The system may include noise and vibrations sensors that sense the noise or vibration levels at various vehicle locations. The sensors generate an output signal that is analyzed by a control unit. The control unit compares the output signal with a predetermined value and if the predetermined value is exceeded, the control unit stores the information. The control unit may also receive information from the engine control unit and store that information also. Information from the sensors may also be stored at predetermined intervals. The information may be downloaded to an output device for storing the data and building a database.

Claims

1. A vehicle monitoring system comprising:

at least one sensor for determining a condition in a vehicle and generating an output signal indicative of the condition;

a control unit coupled with said sensor for receiving said output signal from said sensor, wherein said control unit is capable of receiving said signal and comparing said signal from said sensor with a predetermined value and storing information from said sensor when a predetermined value is exceeded or for storing information from said sensor at a predetermined interval.

2. A vehicle monitoring system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an engine control unit coupled with said control unit wherein said control unit stores information from said engine control unit.

3. A vehicle monitoring system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an output device for receiving stored information from said control unit.

4. A vehicle monitoring system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one sensor comprises a noise sensor.

5. A vehicle monitoring system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one sensor comprises a vibration sensor.

6. A vehicle monitoring system as set froth in claim 1 wherein said at least one sensor comprises at least one noise sensor and at least one vibration sensor.

7. A vehicle monitoring system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one sensor is hard wired to the control unit.

8. A vehicle monitoring system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said at least one sensor is couple with said control unit via a wireless connection.

9. A method of monitoring vehicle systems comprising:

sensing a condition in a vehicle;

generating an output signal indicative of the condition;

comparing the output signal with a predetermined value;

storing the information from the output signal when a predetermined value is exceeded or when a predetermined interval is reached.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9 wherein the sensing step comprises sensing a noise condition.

11. A method as set forth in claim 9 wherein the sensing step comprises sensing a vibration condition.

12. A method as set forth in claim 9 wherein a control unit is used to compare the output signal with the predetermined value and to store information from the output signal.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 further comprising downloading the stored information from control unit.

14. A method as set forth in claim 12 further comprising recording information from an engine control unit along with storing the information from the output signal.

15. A method as set forth in claim 13 further comprising building a database containing the downloaded information