Vehicle data recording system

• US 5,173,856 A
• Filed: 10/05/1990
• Issued: 12/22/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PI Research Limited Oakington House Coles Lane Oakington Cambridge CB4 5AF
• Original Assignee: PI Research Limited
• Inventors: Mumford, John C., Wardell, Raymond A., Purnell, Anthony J., Bradbury, Keith A., Broadbent, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lall, Parshotam S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pipala, Edward J.
• Application Number:
  US07/576,522
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 364/431.04, 364/431.03, 364/424.04, 364/424.05, 364/424.01, 364/424.03, 364/550, 364/551.01, 307/10.1, 342/44, 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/439, 340/459, 340/516, 340/556, 340/700, 340/715
• US Class Current: 701/35
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/24 Race time-recorders
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/10 using counting means or digital clocks

Abstract

A vehicle data recording system has connections to one or more analog sensors, and stores data from the sensor(s) in a memory during laps of a track. The system provides for analog/digital conversion for converting analog data from the sensor(s) into digital data, and triggers a procedure for storing of the data in memory. Periods of storing of the data in memory are automatically started and stopped. The system stores in memory a set of data for a datum period and has means for storing further sets of data in a memory. A set of data stored during a first period is compared with a set of data stored during a further period and one of the sets of data is selected for retention in memory in accordance with a predetermined algorithm. The retained set of data is compared with the datum set and differences between the datum set and the selected set are output.

Claims

1. A vehicle data recording system for connecting to at least one analog sensor on the vehicle, and for storing sets of data therefrom during a plurality of chosen periods of operation on a course, the system comprising:

an analog/digital converter responsively coupled to the at least one sensor for converting analog data therefrom into digital data;

a memory responsively coupled to the analog/digital converter for storing the digital data;

gating means operatively coupled to the memory for initiating storage of the data into said memory;

means partly on the course and partly on the vehicle and operatively coupled to the memory for initiating start and end signals for respectively starting and ending periods of storing of the corresponding set of data in the memory;

means operatively coupled to the memory for selectively storing in the memory a set of said data for a datum period;

means operatively coupled to the memory for storing further sets of data in the memory;

means responsively coupled to the memory for comparing a set of data stored during a first period with a set of data stored during a further period and selecting for retention in memory one of the sets of data in accordance with a predetermined criterion; and

,

means responsively coupled to the memory for comparing said retained set of data with the datum set and outputting differences between said datum set and said selected set.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the means for initiating start and end signals for respectively starting and ending the periods of storing the data in memory comprises:

a transmitter on the course for transmitting a beacon signal;

a receiver on the vehicle for monitoring for the presence of the beacon signal; and

means responsive to the receipt of the beacon signal to indicate the end of one set of data and the start of a second set of data.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the gating means includes a manually operable switch actuable by the driver of a vehicle in which the system is installed.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the means for outputting the differences between the datum set and the selected set includes a printer removably attachable to the system.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the means for outputting the differences between the datum set and the selected set includes a data buffer/display unit which includes a RAM for storing data temporarily and for at least one of displaying and previewing on an integral liquid crystal display and outputting to a printer and computer.

6. A vehicle dashboard instrumentation system in which a plurality of vehicle mounted sensors are adapted to generate respective data comprising:

a data memory responsive to the sensors for storing the data in a plurality of classes during corresponding periods;

display means responsively coupled to the memory operative for displaying said data;

selector means operatively coupled to the memory operative for selecting which of said classes of data is displayed by said display means;

initiator means operatively coupled to the memory for initiating storage of a plurality of sets of said classes of data in said memory during a plurality of said corresponding periods;

means operatively coupled to the memory operative for starting and ending individual ones of said periods of storing said sets of data in memory;

means responsively coupled to the memory operative for retaining in memory a datum set of data for a datum period;

means responsively coupled to the memory operative for comparing a first set of data stored during a first period with a second set of data stored during a second period and selecting and retaining in memory at least one of the first and second sets of data; and

,

means responsively coupled to the memory operative for comparing said retained set of data with the retained datum set and outputting and displaying differences between said datum set and said selected set.

7. A vehicle data recording system, for connection to at least one sensor on the vehicle and for storing sets of data therefrom during a plurality of corresponding lap periods of recurring operation on a course comprising:

a memory for receiving the data;

signaling means partly locatable in the vehicle and partly locatable on the course at a position for producing an indication each time the vehicle has passed said position;

a gate responsive to the indication of said signaling means operatively coupled to the memory for initiating and terminating selected periods for storage of a set of data into the memory for the corresponding lap period each time the vehicle passes said position;

a plurality of memory locations in said memory for storing a set of data for each corresponding lap period;

a selector coupled to the memory for selecting a datum period from said lap periods;

a comparator responsively coupled to the memory for comparing data from the lap periods with the data from the datum period and for producing an output indicative of a difference therebetween, said comparator operatively coupled to the selector for updating the datum period.