Method and electrical system for recording and processing time-related date

• US 5,253,224 A
• Filed: 03/05/1991
• Issued: 10/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Punch Telematix Nederland BV (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Punch Telematix Nederland BV (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Van Doesburg, Evert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miska, Vit W.
• Application Number:
  US07/635,124
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 368/101, 368/107-113, 368/28, 368/29, 340/438, 340/439, 340/457, 340/459, 340/462, 364/424, 364/442, 364/569
• US Class Current: 368/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable

Abstract

Method and system for recording and processing time-related data, in particular data relating to the operation and driving of vehicles. The time-related data to be processed are recorded autonomously with the aid of data collecting means and data recording means to be connected detachably thereto, with the addition of time-related reference codes, the reference codes being generated completely autonomously on the basis of a relative time unit.

Claims

1. A method of electronically recording time-related data, in particular data relating to the operation and driving of vehicles having a plurality of data sensors, using a system comprising data collecting means, data recording means and means for generating reference code signals representative of time data, comprising the steps of:

collecting data from the sensors using the data collecting means;

generating reference code signals using the generating means;

associating to collected data to be processed reference code signals generated time-related to said data, and

storing the collected data to be processed and the associated reference code signals in the data recording means, wherein said generating step comprises;

generating completely autonomously said reference code signals based on a relative time unit, said reference code signals being not adjustable by means external to the system.

2. A method of recording time-related data according to claim 1, wherein said generating step comprises generating completely autonomously a series of code value signals from said relative time unit, and forming autonomously said reference code signals from the code value signals time-related to the collected data to be processed.

3. A method of recording time-related data according to claim 1, wherein said generating step comprises generating completely autonomously a series of code value signals from said relative time unit, and forming autonomously said reference code signals from the difference between the code value signals time-related to successively collected data to be processed.

4. A method of recording time-related data according to claim 1 wherein said generating step comprises generating completely autonomously a series of code value signals from said relative time unit, said series of code value signals being generated with successively collected data to be processed starting in turn from a predetermined code value, and forming autonomously said reference code signals from the code value signals time-related to the collected data to be processed.

5. A method of recording time-related data according to claim 1 wherein said generating step comprises generating completely autonomously a series of code value signals from said relative time unit, and forming autonomously in encoded form said reference code signals from the code value signals time-related to the collected data to be processed.

6. A method according to claim 1 including the step of processing reference code signals recorded according to claim 1, using data processing means and clock means for providing time data representative of at least one of the true time and date, comprising the steps of:

reading collected data and associated reference codes from the data recording means;

reading an instantaneously generated reference code signal;

linking said instantaneous reference code signal to at least one of the true time and date of occurrence of said reference code signal; and

calculating from said at least one of the true time and date linked reference code signal and said relative time unit corresponding at least one of the true clock and data related time data for said read reference code signals.

7. A method according to claim 1 including the step of processing reference code signals recorded according to claim 1, using data processing means and clock means for providing time data representative of at least one of the true time and date, comprising the steps of:

reading collected data and associated reference codes from the data recording means;

reading a reference code signal instantaneously generated on reading the collected data and associated reference code signals;

linking said instantaneous reference code signal to at least one of the true time and data of occurrence of said reference code signal; and

calculating from said at least one of the true time and date linked reference code signal and said relative time unit corresponding at least one of the true clock and date related time data for said read reference code signals.

8. A method according to claim 1 including the step of processing reference code signals recorded according to claim 1, using data processing means and clock means for providing time data representative of at least one of the true time and date, comprising the steps of:

reading collected data and associated reference codes from the data recording means;

reading an instantaneously generated reference code signal;

linking said instantaneous reference code signal to at least one of the true time and date of occurrence of said reference code signal; and

calculating from said at least one of the true time and date linked reference code signal and said relative time unit corresponding at least one of the true clock and date related time data for reference code signals associated to successively collected mutually associated data.

9. A system for electronically recording and processing time-related data, in particular data relating to the operation and driving of vehicles having a plurality of data sensors, comprising data collecting means, and data processing means, and data recording means detachably connectable to both the data collecting means and the data processing means, and means for generating reference code signals representative of time data including counter means and oscillator means, coupled to the counter means, for autonomously driving the counter means, wherein the counter means are provided with at least one counter unit the count number of which and the oscillator means being not adjustable by means external to the system, the collected data to be processed and the reference code signals generated time-related to said collected data are autonomously, associatively recorded in the data recording means.

10. A system for electronically recording and processing time-related data according to claim 9, wherein the counter means is equipped for internal adjustment thereof to a predetermined count number.

11. A system for electronically recording and processing time-related data according to claim 9, wherein the means for generating the reference code signals comprise means, coupled to the counter means, for forming the difference between count numbers of the counter means.

12. A system for electronically recording and processing time-related data according to claim 9, wherein the means for generating the reference code signals are incorporated in the data collecting means.

13. A system for electronically recording and processing time-related data according to claim 9, wherein the means for generating the reference code signals are incorporated in the data recording means.

14. A system according to claim 9, further comprising memory means, supply source means and means for detachably connecting said data recording means to the data collecting means and the data processing means, wherein the memory means are equipped for only reading out by means external to said data recording means.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein the memory means comprise at least one roll-over memory.