Low-drain, self-contained monitoring device
First Claim
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1. A vehicle monitoring apparatus, comprising:
- an interface configured to connect to a diagnostic port of a vehicle;
a processor coupled to the interface and configured to communicate with and collect vehicle data from the diagnostic port while an engine of the vehicle is running if the vehicle is stationary and if the vehicle is in motion;
a sensor coupled to the processor and configured to detect a factor indicating a presence of a driver in the vehicle, the sensor causing the apparatus to transition from a first power mode to a second power mode upon detection of the factor and from the second power mode to a third power mode if the engine is running, the apparatus drawing more power from the vehicle in the second power mode than in the first power mode and more power from the vehicle in the third power mode than in the second power mode, wherein the first power mode is representative of a low power mode, the second power mode is representative of an intermediate power mode, and the third power mode is representative of a full power mode; and
a housing comprising the processor and the sensor.
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Abstract
In one aspect, a vehicle monitoring apparatus includes an interface configured to connect to a diagnostic port of a vehicle, a processor coupled to the interface and configured to communicate with the diagnostic port and a sensor coupled to the processor and configured to detect a factor indicating the presence of a driver in the vehicle. The sensor causes the apparatus to transition from a first power mode to a second power mode upon detection of the factor. The apparatus draws more power from the vehicle in the second power mode than in the first power mode. The apparatus also includes a housing that includes the processor and the sensor.
51 Citations
32 Claims
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1. A vehicle monitoring apparatus, comprising:
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an interface configured to connect to a diagnostic port of a vehicle; a processor coupled to the interface and configured to communicate with and collect vehicle data from the diagnostic port while an engine of the vehicle is running if the vehicle is stationary and if the vehicle is in motion; a sensor coupled to the processor and configured to detect a factor indicating a presence of a driver in the vehicle, the sensor causing the apparatus to transition from a first power mode to a second power mode upon detection of the factor and from the second power mode to a third power mode if the engine is running, the apparatus drawing more power from the vehicle in the second power mode than in the first power mode and more power from the vehicle in the third power mode than in the second power mode, wherein the first power mode is representative of a low power mode, the second power mode is representative of an intermediate power mode, and the third power mode is representative of a full power mode; and a housing comprising the processor and the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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12. A method, comprising:
monitoring a vehicle using a self-contained monitoring apparatus coupled to a diagnostic port of the vehicle, the monitoring comprising; detecting, with a sensor in the monitoring apparatus, a factor indicating a presence of a driver in the vehicle; transitioning the monitoring apparatus, upon detection of the factor, from a first power mode to a second power mode; querying, after the transitioning from the first power mode to the second power mode, whether an engine in the vehicle is running; transitioning the monitoring apparatus from the second power mode back to the first power mode if the querying determines that the engine is not running; and transitioning the monitoring apparatus from the second power mode to a third power mode if the querying determines that the engine is running; and drawing, with the monitoring apparatus, a greater amount of power from the vehicle in the second power mode than in the first power mode and a greater amount of power from the vehicle in the third power mode than in the second power mode, wherein the first power mode is representative of a low power mode, the second power mode is representative of an intermediate power mode, and the third power mode is representative of a full power mode, wherein the monitoring apparatus is configured to communicate with and collect vehicle data from the diagnostic port while an engine of the vehicle is running if the vehicle is stationary and if the vehicle is in motion. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification