Vehicle monitoring system

• US 5,309,139 A
• Filed: 07/06/1992
• Issued: 05/03/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Charles W. Austin
• Original Assignee: Charles W. Austin
• Inventors: Austin, Charles W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Application Number:
  US07/908,342
• Time in Patent Office: 666 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/439, 340/441, 340/459, 340/461, 340/462, 364/424.04, 364/431.03
• US Class Current: 340/462
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/60 Instruments characterised by their location or relative disposition in or on vehicles arrangements of lighting devices on dashboards B60Q3/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/004 Indicating the operating range of the engine economical driving B60R16/0236, F02B77/084; measuring liquid fuel of an engine G01F9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means

Abstract

The invention is a novel system for monitoring a plurality of functions and conditions of a vehicle and providing a graphic presentation and recordation of torque and horsepower as well as other factors contributing to or depreciating a vehicle'"'"'s performance as well as concurrently displaying manufacturers established parameters for on-board, live comparison of actual performance with expected design performance. Externally visible components of a display panel includes a group of separate analog and digital signal visual display means for indicating the approximate value of the operating parameters. All information is reported live and updated by the on-board computer. When the vehicle'"'"'s accelerator is fully opened, a switch is engaged, and if other necessary conditions are met, the torque corresponding to the RPM is plotted concurrently with the manufacturers established parameters and remains graphically presented on the screen until cleared.

Claims

1. An on-board, dash mounted, vehicle monitoring system for real-time monitoring of a plurality of functions and conditions effecting a vehicle'"'"'s performance and providing a graphic presentation and recordation of torque, RPM, and horsepower, and reporting transmission torque, inclination, headwind, barometric pressure, and ambient temperature effecting a vehicle'"'"'s performance, said vehicle including a plurality of internal and external sensor means for producing sensor signals corresponding to said plurality of functions and conditions, said monitoring system comprising:

processing means responsive to said sensor signals for producing display signals corresponding to said functions and conditions, converting said functions and conditions to torque and horsepower, controlling digital and graphic displays, and concurrently producing and displaying signals corresponding to manufacturer established design upper limits comprising, maximum intended torque, maximum intended RPM, and percentage of horsepower being used,

digital display means mounted in said dashboard for presenting a first group of functions and conditions effecting a vehicle'"'"'s performance, and the percentage of horsepower being used,

graphic display means mounted in said dashboard for presenting and recording concurrently, a second group comprising torque output, revolutions per minute, system status, horsepower effecting said vehicle'"'"'s performance, and manufacturer established design upper limits, comprising, maximum intended torque, maximum intended RPM and percentage of horsepower being used,

throttle open switch means for activating said processing means to provide vehicle and horsepower plotting sensor signals to selected graphic display means when torque plotting conditions are met, and

switch means for clearing said graphic display means after torque, horsepower, and manufacturer established design upper limits, comprising maximum intended torque, maximum intended RPM, and percentage of horsepower used, plotting has occurred.

2. A monitoring system according to claim 1, wherein manufacturer established design upper limits for torque are defined by the upward boundary of said graphic display, manufacturer established design upper limits for revolutions per minute are defined as the maximum right boundary of the graphic display, a red line defines the maximum manufacturer established design upper limits for intended RPM, and a blue line defines manufacturer established design upper limits for maximum intended torque.