Apparatus for Tracking and Recording Vital Signs and Task-Related Information of a Vehicle to Identify Operating Patterns

• US 20100286865A1
• Filed: 03/19/2010
• Published: 11/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/1994
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LeRoy G Hagenbuch
• Original Assignee: LeRoy G Hagenbuch
• Inventors: Hagenbuch, LeRoy G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,014,917 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 5/02 Recording, reproducing, or erasing methods; Read, write or erase circuits therefor

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for diagnosing the state of health of a vehicle and for providing the operator of the vehicle with a substantially real-time indication of the efficiency of the vehicle in performing an assigned task with respect to a predetermined goal. A processor on-board the vehicle monitors sensors that provide information regarding the state of health of the vehicle and the amount of work the vehicle has done. In response to anomalies in the data from the sensors, the processor records information that describes events leading up to the occurrence of the anomaly for later analysis that can be used to diagnose the cause of the anomaly. The sensors are also used to prompt the operator of the vehicle to operate the vehicle at optimum efficiency.

Claims

1. A method for recording operation of a vehicle, the method comprising:

monitoring positions of a throttle for an engine for the vehicle;

detecting a collision of the vehicle; and

capturing data recording one or more positions of the throttle preceding the detection of the collision.