Driver information and alerting system

• US 8,884,749 B1
• Filed: 10/23/2012
• Issued: 11/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dashlogic Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Dashlogic Incorporated
• Inventors: Palmer, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T.
• Application Number:
  US13/658,464
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/439, 340/449, 340/453, 340/459, 340/462, 701/29, 701/30, 701/31, 701/32, 701/35, 701/36, 701/49, 701/301
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/50 Instruments characterised by their means of attachment to or integration in the vehicle B60K35/231 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/65 Instruments specially adapted for specific vehicle types or users, e.g. for left- or right-hand drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/00 Arrangement of optical signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor for lighting vehicle interior B60Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/005 automatically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

A system of reporting vehicle telemetry to a vehicle operator or other user includes a device that removably attaches to the vehicle data port to monitor vehicle operating conditions and communicate with vehicle control modules. A user may configure the device without making permanent changes to the vehicle. The device understands and interprets vehicle communications protocols and can send diagnostic commands to the control modules to allow user-customized text or data to be shown or indicated using built-in or factory installed vehicle displays, lights, or sounds. The system permits showing of multiple user-configured pages of vehicle data or other information and provides real-time updates and configurable switchable profile and display settings. The device monitors factory installed vehicle buttons, switches, knobs, and sensors, and allows use of those items to perform customization and configuration tasks without the need for peripheral input accessories connected to the device. The device permits the user to configure vehicle operating parameter limits, make custom calculations, generate new information, and provide user-desired information to the vehicle operator or other user.

Claims

1. A system for providing information and alerts to operators of motor vehicles comprising:

a device adapted to be removably attached to a motor vehicle diagnostic data port;

the device being configurable by a vehicle operator or other user;

the device being capable of communicating through the diagnostic data port with at least one built-in or factory-installed vehicle electronic control module, audible warning chime, visual warning light, gauge, or other display;

the device incorporating a predetermined set of one or more of (I) vehicle operating parameters, (ii) communications settings, and (iii) commands;

the device including, for each of one or more built-in or factory-installed vehicle gauges or other displays, a plurality of separate pages of vehicle operator or other user-configured text, data, or other information, each plurality of separate pages being designated for a specific built-in or factory-installed vehicle gauge or other display, and each page including one or more values acquired through the vehicle diagnostic port or a peripheral input port;

monitoring the vehicle operating parameters;

displaying one or more pages on one or more of the built-in or factory-installed vehicle gauges or other displays; and

the device including the ability to switch between a plurality of separate pages being displayed on one or more of the built-in or factory-installed vehicle gauges or other displays.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the device may be configured to monitor for one or more vehicle operating parameters exceeding one or more configured limits and, when a configured vehicle operating parameter exceeds a configured limit, alerting the vehicle operator or other user.

3. The system of claim 2 where the configured limit includes one or more conditions that may be over a specific value (>

), under a specific value (<

), over or equal to a specific value (>

=), under or equal to a specific value (<

=), equal to a specific value (==) or not equal to a specific value (!=), and when more than one condition is supplied, the conditions are separated by at least one Boolean operator to indicate the relationship of one condition to another condition.

4. The system of claim 2 where the device alerts the vehicle operator or other user by way of sounding a built-in or factory-installed vehicle audible chime.

5. The system of claim 2 where the device alerts the vehicle operator or other user by way of illuminating a built-in or factory-installed vehicle warning light.

6. The system of claim 2 where the device alerts the vehicle operator or other user by way of displaying configurable text, data, or other information on a built-in or factory-installed vehicle gauge or other display.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle operator or other user can configure custom calculations, formulas, or algorithms to generate new data based on existing vehicle or peripheral input data and where this new data can be shown on built-in or factory-installed vehicle gauges, warning lights, or other displays or used as a configured limit to alert the vehicle operator or other user.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the device can be removed from the vehicle and connected to a computing device for configuration purposes.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the device can remain connected to the vehicle and concurrently connected to a computing device for configuration purposes.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the device stops monitoring, communicating, or commanding the vehicle while connected to a user computing device.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the device can be connected to a computing device with either a wired or wireless connection, thereby allowing that computing device to communicate with the device or the vehicle in a bidirectional manner.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the device stops monitoring, communicating, or commanding the vehicle while connected to a user computing device.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the device has peripheral input ports for obtaining data from external sources and acting upon that data in a predetermined way.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the device contains a built-in display, display connector, or indicator lights to provide information to the vehicle operator or other user about vehicle operating conditions.

15. The system of claim 2 wherein the device contains a built-in speaker or audio output connector to provide audible alerts to the vehicle operator or other user about vehicle operating conditions.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the device contains a means for data storage and can be configured to data log vehicle operating parameters or other vehicle information, events, and conditions.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein the device switches between one or more pages being displayed on one or more of the built-in or factory-installed vehicle gauges, warning lights, or other displays upon receiving an event initiated by the vehicle operator or other user.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the event initiated by the vehicle operator or other user is an action of pressing, actuating, moving, turning, or gesturing with respect to a built-in or factory-installed vehicle button, switch, knob, or sensor.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the event initiated by the vehicle operator or other user is the action of pressing, actuating, moving, turning, or gesturing with respect to a button, switch, knob, or sensor on said device or connected to said device via a peripheral input port.