System for detecting vehicle driving mode and method of conducting the same

• US 9,142,064 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2013
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: ZF Friedrichshafen AG (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Muetzel, Ronald, Ibele, Sabine, Roesch, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): YOUNG, EDWIN
• Application Number:
  US13/961,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20150046046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 701/51, 701/53, 701/62, 701/29.2, 701/31.4, 701/31.5
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/50 for emergency connections

Abstract

The present application is related to an vehicle driving mode detection system. The system may comprise a sensor interface and a processor. The sensor interface may be configured to receive measurement data associated with a plurality of operating parameters of a vehicle; and send the measurement data to a processor. The processor may be configured to execute a set of instructions stored in a computer-readable storage medium to receive the measurement data from the sensor interface; determine a driving mode of the vehicle based on the measurement data; compare the driving mode of the vehicle with a first reference driving mode of the vehicle; produce an alert signal when the driving mode is substantially different from a first reference driving mode; and send the alert signal to an information center remote to the sensor unit when a predetermined condition occurs.

Claims

1. A vehicle driving mode detection system, comprising:

a sensor interface configured to;

receive measurement data associated with a plurality of operating parameters of a vehicle;

send the measurement data to a processor; and

the processor configured to execute a set of instructions stored in a computer-readable storage medium to;

receive the measurement data from the sensor interface;

determine a driving mode of the vehicle based on the measurement data;

compare the driving mode of the vehicle with a reference driving mode of the vehicle;

produce an alert signal when the driving mode is substantially different from the reference driving mode; and

send the alert signal to an information center remote to the sensor interface when a predetermined condition occurs,

wherein the predetermined condition occurs when the processor receives a first predetermined response to the alert signal from the vehicle in a first predetermined period of time.

2. The vehicle driving mode detection system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition occurs when the processor does not receive a second predetermined response to the alert signal from the vehicle in a second predetermined period of time.

3. The vehicle driving mode detection system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined response is at least one of:

a button of the vehicle being pressed in a predetermined manner;

a brake pedal of the vehicle being pressed in a predetermined manner;

an accelerator pedal of the vehicle being pressed in a predetermined manner; and

the vehicle being maneuvered in a predetermined manner.

4. The vehicle driving mode detection system according to claim 1, wherein the reference mode is a first reference mode and the alert signal is a first alert signal, and wherein the processor is further configured to send a second alert signal to the information center when the driving mode is substantially similar to a second reference mode.

5. The vehicle driving mode detection system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor interface and processor are installed in the vehicle, and

wherein the processor is further configured to send the alert signal to the information center wirelessly.

6. The vehicle driving mode detection system according to claim 1, wherein the sensor interface is installed in the vehicle and the processor is installed in the information center;

and

wherein the processor is further configured to receive the measurement data via wireless communications with the sensor interface.

7. The vehicle driving mode detection system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of operating parameters reflects at least one of

brake use of the vehicle;

revolutions per minute (rpm) of an engine of the vehicle;

rpm of a wheel of the vehicle;

a difference between rpm of the engine and the wheel of the vehicle;

a difference between rpm of wheels of the vehicle;

an acceleration of the vehicle;

an amount of gearbox shift and torque of the vehicle;

a working condition of the gearbox of the vehicle;

a working condition of the transmission of the vehicle; and

a gas level of the vehicle.

8. A computer-implemented method of vehicle driving mode detection, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computer from a sensor, measurement data associated with a plurality of operating parameters of a vehicle;

determining, by the computer, a driving mode of the vehicle based on the measurement data;

producing, by the computer, an alert signal when the driving mode deviates from a reference driving mode by a predetermined threshold; and

sending, by the computer, the alert signal to an information center remote to the sensor when a predetermined condition occurs,

wherein the predetermined condition occurs when the computer does not receive a first predetermined response to the alert signal from the vehicle in a first predetermined period of time.

9. The computer-implemented method according to claim 8, wherein the predetermined condition occurs when the computer receives a second predetermined response to the alert signal from the vehicle in a second predetermined period of time.

10. The computer-implemented method according to claim 9, wherein the predetermined response is at least one of:

a button of the vehicle being pressed in a predetermined manner;

a brake pedal of the vehicle being pressed in a predetermined manner;

an accelerator pedal of the vehicle being pressed in a predetermined manner; and

the vehicle being maneuvered in a predetermined manner.

11. The computer-implemented method according to claim 8, wherein the reference driving mode is a first reference driving mode and the alert signal is a first alert signal, the method further comprising sending, by the computer, a second alert signal to the information center when the driving mode is substantially similar to a second reference mode.

12. The computer-implemented method according to claim 8, further comprising sending the alert signal to the information center via wireless communications with the information center.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions for detecting driving mode of a vehicle, the set of instructions to direct a processor to perform acts of:

receiving, from a sensor interface, measurement data associated with a plurality of operating parameters of a vehicle;

determining a driving mode of the vehicle based on the measurement data;

producing an alert signal when the driving mode deviates from a reference driving mode by a predetermined threshold; and

sending the alert signal to an information center remote to the sensor interface when a predetermined condition occurs, wherein the predetermined condition occurs when

the processor does not receive a first predetermined response to the alert signal from the vehicle in a first predetermined period of time, or

when the processor receives a second predetermined response to the alert signal from the vehicle in a second predetermined period of time.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined response is at least one of:

a button of the vehicle being pressed in a predetermined manner;

a brake pedal of the vehicle being pressed in a predetermined manner;

an accelerator pedal of the vehicle being pressed in a predetermined manner; and

the vehicle being maneuvered in a predetermined manner.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 13, wherein the reference driving mode is a first reference driving mode and the alert signal is a first alert signal, and

wherein the instructions further direct the processor to send a second alert signal to the information center when the driving mode is substantially similar to a second reference mode.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 15, wherein the instructions further direct the processor to send the alert signal to the information center wirelessly.