Solid state event recorder
First Claim
1. A solid state event recorder for mounting in and monitoring events on a vehicle comprising:
- a plurality of event inputs for receiving analog and digital data to be recorded;
interface means connected to said event inputs for buffering digital inputs and converting analog inputs to digital values;
first microprocessor means connected to said interface means for formatting data provided by said interface means;
memory means coupled to said first microprocessor means for receiving and recording formatted data, said memory means including an array of solid state memory devices, and second microprocessor means in communication with said first microprocessor means for receiving formatted data and recording the formatted data in said array of solid state memory devices;
a telemetry transmitter for transmitting data recorded in said memory means;
telemetry control means interposed between said first microprocessor means and said memory means and between said memory means and said telemetry transmitter, said first microprocessor means controlling said telemetry control means to prevent transmitting data while formatted data is being recorded in said memory means; and
a plurality of telemetry receivers located along a path of motion of said vehicle, each of said telemetry receivers receiving transmitted data as said vehicle passes by.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A solid state event recorder having particular application to railroad locomotives has a plurality of interface modules to allow the collection of desired data over a period of time. Radio downloading of the data provided by a telemetry transmitter to wayside receivers is the primary way of downloading data. Alternative data downloading are provided by a removable memory module, a portable wireless data extractor and a laptop computer. The removable memory module is provided with its own backup battery power supply but normally derives its power from an inductive coupling to the solid state recorder. Data is read into the removable memory module from the solid state recorder via an inductive coupling, and data is read out of the removable memory module to the telemetry transmitter via another inductive coupling. Both the portable wireless data extractor and the laptop computer are used for maintenance purposes. The solid state recorder can be configured in a variety of ways and connected together as master and slave. For example, one recorder, acting as a master and functioning as the primary of operational recorder, can be connected to a second recorder, acting as a slave time synchronized with the first recorder. This second recorder can serve as a maintenance recorder for collecting long term data and trouble shooting a particular locomotive.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A solid state event recorder for mounting in and monitoring events on a vehicle comprising:
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a plurality of event inputs for receiving analog and digital data to be recorded; interface means connected to said event inputs for buffering digital inputs and converting analog inputs to digital values; first microprocessor means connected to said interface means for formatting data provided by said interface means; memory means coupled to said first microprocessor means for receiving and recording formatted data, said memory means including an array of solid state memory devices, and second microprocessor means in communication with said first microprocessor means for receiving formatted data and recording the formatted data in said array of solid state memory devices; a telemetry transmitter for transmitting data recorded in said memory means; telemetry control means interposed between said first microprocessor means and said memory means and between said memory means and said telemetry transmitter, said first microprocessor means controlling said telemetry control means to prevent transmitting data while formatted data is being recorded in said memory means; and a plurality of telemetry receivers located along a path of motion of said vehicle, each of said telemetry receivers receiving transmitted data as said vehicle passes by. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A solid state event recorder comprising:
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a plurality of event inputs for receiving analog and digital data to be recorded; interface means connected to said event inputs for buffering digital inputs and converting analog inputs to digital values; microprocessor means connected to said interface means for formatting data provided by said interface means; memory means coupled to said microprocessor means for receiving and recording formatted data, said memory means including a time of day clock; playback means for interfacing with said memory means and playing back data recorded in said memory means, said playback means including a real time clock and computing a time error as a difference between said time of day clock and said real time clock, said data being indexed by said time error.
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15. A solid state event recorder comprising:
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a plurality of event inputs for receiving analog and digital data to be recorded; interface means connected to said event inputs for buffering digital inputs and converting analog inputs to digital values; microprocessor means connected to said interface means for formatting data provided by said interface means; memory means coupled to said microprocessor means for receiving and recording formatted data, said memory means including a time of day clock; downloading means for interfacing with said memory means and downloading data recorded in said memory means, said downloading means including a real time clock and computing a time error as a difference between said time of day clock and said real time clock, said data being indexed by said time error.
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16. A solid state event recorder for mounting in and monitoring events in a vehicle comprising:
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a plurality of event inputs for receiving analog and digital data representing events in said vehicle to be recorded; interface means connected to said event inputs for buffering digital inputs and converting analog inputs to digital values; microprocessor means connected to said interface means for formatting data provided by said interface means; solid state memory means coupled to said microprocessor means for receiving and recording formatted data; and downloading means for downloading data from said solid state memory means, wherein said solid state memory includes a time of day clock, the data recorded in said solid state memory including the time of day, and said downloading means includes a real time clock and computes a time error as a difference between said time of day clock and said real time clock, said data being indexed by said time error. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. In a solid state event recorder for mounting in and monitoring events in a vehicle, said solid state event recorder comprising a plurality of event inputs for receiving analog and digital data to be recorded, interface means connected to said event inputs for buffering digital inputs and converting analog inputs to digital values, first microprocessor means connected to said interface means for formatting data provided by said interface means, and removable solid state memory means coupled to said first microprocessor means for receiving and recording formatted data, said solid state memory means being physically removable for playback of recorded data separate from said solid state recorder, the improvement comprising:
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an array of solid state memory devices and a second microprocessor means in said removable memory means, said second microprocessor means receiving data from said first microprocessor means and recording said data in said array of solid state memory devices, said data being directly transmitted between said first and second microprocessor means as digital signals; and inductive interface means between said removable solid state memory means and said first microprocessor means for transferring data at baseband between said first microprocessor means and said second microprocessor means and for coupling power from said solid state event recorder to said removable solid state memory means. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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24. In a solid state event recorder of the type mounted in and monitoring events in a vehicle, said solid state event recorder comprising a plurality of event inputs for receiving analog and digital data to be recorded, interface means connected to said event inputs for buffering digital inputs and converting analog inputs to digital values, first microprocessor means connected to said interface means for formatting data provided by said interface means, said solid state memory means coupled to said first microprocessor means for receiving and recording formatted data, said solid state memory means being electrically isolated from said solid state recorder, the improvement comprising:
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an array of solid state memory devices and a second microprocessor means in said memory means, said second microprocessor means receiving data from said first microprocessor means and recording said data in said array of solid state memory devices, said data being directly transmitted between said first and second microprocessor means as digital signals; and inductive interface means between said memory means and said first microprocessor means for transferring data between said first microprocessor means and said second microprocessor means and for coupling power from said solid state event recorder to said memory means. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification