LOW-DRAIN, SELF-CONTAINED MONITORING DEVICE

• US 20120203441A1
• Filed: 01/18/2012
• Published: 08/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Richardson, James J., Higgins, Christopher T., Silva, Joseph C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,838,362 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/102
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable

Abstract

In one aspect, a vehicle monitoring apparatus includes an interface configured to connect to a diagnostic port of a vehicle, a processor coupled to the interface and configured to communicate with the diagnostic port and a sensor coupled to the processor and configured to detect a factor indicating the presence of a driver in the vehicle. The sensor causes the apparatus to transition from a first power mode to a second power mode upon detection of the factor. The apparatus draws more power from the vehicle in the second power mode than in the first power mode. The apparatus also includes a housing that includes the processor and the sensor.

Claims

1. A vehicle monitoring apparatus, comprising:

an interface configured to connect to a diagnostic port of a vehicle;

a processor coupled to the interface and configured to communicate with the diagnostic port;

a sensor coupled to the processor and configured to detect a factor indicating the presence of a driver in the vehicle, the sensor causing the apparatus to transition from a first power mode to a second power mode upon detection of the factor, the apparatus drawing more power from the vehicle in the second power mode than in the first power mode; and

a housing comprising the processor and the sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to query the state of an engine in the vehicle when the apparatus is in the second power mode, and transition the apparatus from the second power mode to the first power mode if the engine is not running.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory coupled to the processor;

software stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the monitoring apparatus to perform operations comprising;

detecting with the sensor the factor indicating the presence of a driver in the vehicle;

transitioning, upon detection of the factor, the apparatus from the first power mode to the second power mode;

querying a first time with the processor, after the transitioning from the first power mode to the second power mode, to determine whether an engine in the vehicle is running;

waiting a predetermined time amount if the querying determines that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is not running;

querying, after the waiting, a predetermined number of subsequent times to determine whether the vehicle'"'"'s engine is running, and waiting the predetermined time amount after each subsequent query if the subsequent query determines that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is not running; and

transitioning the monitoring apparatus from the second power mode to the first power mode if all of the subsequent queries determine that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is not running.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to query the state of an engine in the vehicle when the apparatus is in the second power mode, and transition the apparatus from the second power mode to a third power mode if the engine is running, the apparatus drawing more power from the vehicle in the third power mode than in the second power mode.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the processor is further configured to query the state of an engine in the vehicle when the apparatus is in a third power mode, and transition the apparatus from the third power mode to the first power mode if the engine is not running.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a memory coupled to the processor;

software stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the monitoring apparatus to perform operations comprising;

detecting with the sensor the factor indicating the presence of a driver in the vehicle;

transitioning, upon detection of the factor, the apparatus from the first power mode to the second power mode;

querying a first time with the processor, after the transitioning from the first power mode to the second power mode, to determine whether an engine in the vehicle is running;

transitioning the monitoring apparatus from the second power mode to the third power mode if the querying determines that the engine is running.

waiting a predetermined time amount if the querying determines that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is not running;

querying, after the waiting, a predetermined number of subsequent times to determine whether the vehicle'"'"'s engine is running, and either transitioning the monitoring apparatus from the second power mode to the third power mode if a subsequent query determines that the engine is running, or waiting the predetermined time amount after the subsequent query if the subsequent query determines that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is not running; and

transitioning the monitoring apparatus from the second power mode to the first power mode if all of the subsequent queries determine that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is not running.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer, the accelerometer drawing a negligible amount of power from the vehicle in the first power mode.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the factor indicating the presence of a driver in the vehicle is motion.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a non-volatile memory coupled to the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to retrieve vehicle data from the diagnostic port of the vehicle and selectively store the data in the memory.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising:

a clock coupled to the processor;

wherein the processor is configured to associate time values generated by the clock with the vehicle data.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to calculate a period of time the apparatus is disconnected from a vehicle using the time values generated by the clock.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, including a communication module coupled to the processor and configured to communicate with a receiver external to the monitoring apparatus.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the communication module is configured to communicate with the receiver using a wireless protocol.

14. A method for monitoring a vehicle using a self-contained monitoring apparatus coupled to a diagnostic port of the vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting, with a sensor in the monitoring apparatus, a factor indicating the presence of a driver in the vehicle;

transitioning the monitoring apparatus, upon detection of the factor, from a first power mode to a second power mode; and

drawing, with the monitoring apparatus, a greater amount of power from the vehicle in the second power mode than in the first power mode.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

querying, when the monitoring apparatus is in the second power mode, whether an engine in the vehicle is running; and

transitioning the monitoring apparatus from the second power mode to the first power mode if the querying determines that the engine is not running.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

querying a first time, after the transitioning from the first power mode to the second power mode, to determine whether an engine in the vehicle is running;

waiting a predetermined time amount if the querying determines that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is not running;

querying, after the waiting, a predetermined number of subsequent times to determine whether the vehicle'"'"'s engine is running, and waiting the predetermined time amount after each subsequent query if the subsequent query determines that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is not running; and

transitioning the monitoring apparatus from the second power mode to the first power mode if all of the subsequent queries determine that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is not running.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

querying, after the transitioning from the first power mode to the second power mode, whether an engine in the vehicle is running;

transitioning the monitoring apparatus from the second power mode back to the first power mode if the querying determines that the engine is not running; and

transitioning the monitoring apparatus from the second power mode to a third power mode if the querying determines that the engine is running, the monitoring apparatus drawing more power from the vehicle in the third power mode than in the second power mode.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

querying, when the monitoring apparatus is in the third power mode, whether an engine in the vehicle is running; and

transitioning the monitoring apparatus from the third power mode to the first power mode if the querying determines that the engine is not running.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

querying a first time, after the transitioning from the first power mode to the second power mode, to determine whether an engine in the vehicle is running;

transitioning the monitoring apparatus from the second power mode to a third power mode if the querying determines that the engine is running, the monitoring apparatus drawing more power from the vehicle in the third power mode than in the second power mode.

waiting a predetermined time amount if the querying determines that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is not running;

querying, after the waiting, a predetermined number of subsequent times to determine whether the vehicle'"'"'s engine is running, and either transitioning the monitoring apparatus from the second power mode to the third power mode if a subsequent query determines that the engine is running, or waiting the predetermined time amount after the subsequent query if the subsequent query determines that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is not running; and

transitioning the monitoring apparatus from the second power mode to the first power mode if all of the subsequent queries determine that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is not running.

20. The method of claim 14,

wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer;

and

wherein the detecting a factor indicating the presence of a driver in the vehicle includes detecting motion with the sensor.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving, at an interface on the monitoring apparatus, vehicle data through the diagnostic port, the monitoring apparatus operating in the second or third power modes during the receiving;

storing, with a processor in the monitoring apparatus, the vehicle data in a memory coupled to the processor.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

transmitting with a communication module in the monitoring apparatus, at least some of the vehicle data to a receiver external to the monitoring apparatus.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

maintaining, with the processor, the memory, and a clock in the monitoring apparatus, a virtual odometer based on the vehicle data.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

logging, with the processor, the memory, and a clock in the monitoring apparatus, periods of time during which the monitoring apparatus is disconnected from a vehicle.

25. The method of claim 23, including transmitting, with a communication module in the monitoring apparatus, a value of the virtual odometer to a receiver external to the monitoring apparatus.

26. A vehicle monitoring apparatus, comprising:

an interface configured to connect to a diagnostic port of a vehicle;

a processor coupled to the interface and configured to communicate with the diagnostic port;

a sensor coupled to the processor and configured to detect a factor indicating that the vehicle is in motion, the sensor causing the apparatus to transition from a first power mode to a second power mode upon detection of the factor, the apparatus drawing more power from the vehicle in the second power mode than in the first power mode; and

a housing comprising the processor and the sensor.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the processor is further configured to query the state of an engine in the vehicle when the apparatus is in the second power mode, and transition the apparatus from the second power mode to the first power mode if the engine is not running.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising:

a memory coupled to the processor;

software stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the monitoring apparatus to perform operations comprising;

detecting with the sensor the factor indicating that the vehicle is in motion;

transitioning, upon detection of the factor, the apparatus from the first power mode to the second power mode;

querying a first time with the processor, after the transitioning from the first power mode to the second power mode, to determine whether an engine in the vehicle is running;

waiting a predetermined time amount if the querying determines that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is not running;

querying, after the waiting, a predetermined number of subsequent times to determine whether the vehicle'"'"'s engine is running, and waiting the predetermined time amount after each subsequent query if the subsequent query determines that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is not running; and

transitioning the monitoring apparatus from the second power mode to the first power mode if all of the subsequent queries determine that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is not running.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the processor is further configured to query the state of an engine in the vehicle when the apparatus is in the second power mode, and transition the apparatus from the second power mode to a third power mode if the engine is running, the apparatus drawing more power from the vehicle in the third power mode than in the second power mode.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the processor is further configured to query the state of an engine in the vehicle when the apparatus is in a third power mode, and transition the apparatus from the third power mode to the first power mode if the engine is not running.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

a memory coupled to the processor;

software stored in the memory and executable by the processor to cause the monitoring apparatus to perform operations comprising;

detecting with the sensor the factor indicating the presence of a driver in the vehicle;

transitioning, upon detection of the factor, the apparatus from the first power mode to the second power mode;

querying a first time with the processor, after the transitioning from the first power mode to the second power mode, to determine whether an engine in the vehicle is running;

transitioning the monitoring apparatus from the second power mode to the third power mode if the querying determines that the engine is running.

waiting a predetermined time amount if the querying determines that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is not running;

querying, after the waiting, a predetermined number of subsequent times to determine whether the vehicle'"'"'s engine is running, and either transitioning the monitoring apparatus from the second power mode to the third power mode if a subsequent query determines that the engine is running, or waiting the predetermined time amount after the subsequent query if the subsequent query determines that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is not running; and

transitioning the monitoring apparatus from the second power mode to the first power mode if all of the subsequent queries determine that the vehicle'"'"'s engine is not running.

32. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer, the accelerometer drawing a negligible amount of power from the vehicle in the first power mode.