Mileage recording and display apparatus

• US 5,267,159 A
• Filed: 03/12/1993
• Issued: 11/30/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chemical Bank (London Branch) (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: O'Neall, Donald L.
• Inventors: O'Neall, Donald L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US08/032,406
• Time in Patent Office: 263 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.01, 364/424.03, 364/424.04, 364/561, 340/438, 340/439, 377/24
• US Class Current: 701/35
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

Apparatus use in a vehicle used for multiple business purposes or for business and personal use allows one to record and display mileage for each type of use. Employing a plurality of selectable memory banks each dedicated to a designated business or personal activity, the apparatus allows a user to select one of the memory banks following an automatic audio reminder after engine start-up. If no memory bank is selected, the apparatus automatically defaults to a designated memory bank. Vehicle mileage is then stored in either the selected or the designated default memory bank. A control/display module allows for the display of present trip mileage or mileage accumulated over a given period for each memory bank. Each memory bank retains recorded mileage until reset and cleared. Calibration of the device'"'"'s odometer is provided for by a mode selector which also permits the display of vehicle speed or distance traveled in miles or feet.

Claims

1. Apparatus for recording and displaying vehicle distance traveled related to a plurality of individual, discrete activities, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of memory means for storing vehicle distance traveled;

control means coupled to the vehicle and to said plurality of memory means and responsive to a plurality of user selection input commands for accessing each of said memory means for storing distance traveled associated with a given individual activity in each of said memory means;

display means coupled to said control means for displaying distance traveled associated with each of said plurality of individual, discrete activities and stored in respective ones of said plurality of memory means; and

first user responsive selection means coupled to said control means for selecting a first one of said plurality of memory means for storing distance traveled associated with one of said activities therein and for displaying the distance stored in said first one of said plurality of memory means, wherein when said first one of said plurality of memory means is deselected and a second one of said plurality of memory means is selected said second one of said plurality of memory means is not reset to zero permitting said second one of said plurality of memory means to continue to store said vehicle distance traveled associated with one of said activities in a cumulative manner, and wherein said first user responsive selection means includes first reset means for resetting vehicle distance in all of said plurality of memory means to 0 and second reset means for resetting vehicle distance in only one of said plurality of memory means to 0.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising second user responsive selection means for selecting and displaying a total vehicle distance traveled as stored in all of said memory means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising default means for accessing a predetermined one of said plurality of memory means if none of said memory means is selected by said first user responsive selection means.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising third user responsive selection means coupled to said control means for selecting the display of vehicle distance traveled in either miles or feet.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said third user responsive selection means includes means for selecting and displaying vehicle speed on said display means.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising calibration means coupled to said control means for calibrating distance measurement by the apparatus.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said calibration means includes fourth user responsive selection means coupled to said control means for increasing or decreasing distance measured and displayed after the vehicle travels a known, fixed distance.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising alarm means coupled to said control means for alerting a user to select one of said plurality of memory means for storing vehicle distance traveled therein.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising recording means coupled to said control means for recording said vehicle distance traveled in hard copy form.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said recording means includes a printer.