Wheeled vehicle event data recorder forensic recovery and preservation system

• US 9,865,102 B2
• Filed: 04/10/2014
• Issued: 01/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Tulsa
• Original Assignee: University of Tulsa
• Inventors: Daily, Jeremy, Johnson, James, Kongs, Andrew, Corcega, Jose
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEEKS, MARTIN A
• Application Number:
  US14/783,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20160247335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,370 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B

Abstract

A system and method to preserve the integrity of data being extracted from an electronic data recorder (“EDR”) of an electronic control module (“ECM”) makes use of a forensic link adapter and, optionally, a sensor simulator (when ECM is out of the vehicle). The forensic link adapter has one or more first microprocessors and a first software means which prevent any message being sent by an external network from corrupting the previously recorded data measurements. The data measurements are then extracted, verified, and stored in a separate file. The sensor simulator has one or more second microprocessors, a second software means, and a bank of resistors that mimic sensors normally in communication with the ECM. The simulator “tricks” the ECM into thinking it is still in the vehicle by using the replicating vehicle system values the ECM normally sees when in the vehicle.

Claims

1. A wheeled vehicle event data recorder forensic recovery and preservation system, the system comprising:

a forensic link adapter configured for communicating with an electronic control module of a motor vehicle, the forensic link adapter comprising a multi-use computing platform in communication with said electronic control module of said motor vehicle, said forensic link adapter including;

at least one first microprocessor; and

a first software means in communication with the first microprocessor;

at least one of the first software means and the first microprocessor configured to;

prevent a new network message being sent on a vehicle network by vehicle diagnostic software to the electronic control module from corrupting the integrity of at least one data measurement previously recorded by an electronic data recorder of the electronic control module;

extract the previously recorded data measurement from the electronic data recorder; and

verify integrity of the extracted previously recorded data measurement.

2. A system according to claim 1 further comprising means for storing the extracted previously recorded data measurement in a file independent of the electronic data recorder.

3. A system according to claim 1 wherein the first software means accomplishes the prevention by at least one of write-blocking, filtering, and omitting the message.

4. A system according to claim 1 further comprising cryptographic hashing means to verify integrity of the extracted previously recorded data measurement.

5. A system according to claim 1 further comprising a sensor simulator in communication with the electronic control module and the forensic link adapter, the sensor simulator including:

at least one second microprocessor;

one or more banks of resistors, each bank of resistors having at least one resistor configured to mimic at least one sensor normally in communication with the electronic control module; and

a second software means in communication with the second microprocessor;

the second software means passing at least one sensor value from the electronic control module to the second microprocessor, the second microprocessor adjusting the sensor simulator to the sensor value.

6. A system according to claim 5 further comprising the sensor simulator including means for powering the electronic control module.

7. A system according to claim 1 further comprising means for updating at least one of a time data and a location data using an external reference when the system is in use.

8. A method of recovering and preserving forensic data from an electronic data recorder of an electronic control module, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) connecting a forensic link adapter comprising a multi-use computing platform to the electronic control module;

(ii) preventing a new network message being sent on a vehicle network by vehicle diagnostic software to the electronic control module from corrupting the integrity of at least one data measurement previously recorded by the electronic data recorder;

(iii) extracting the previously recorded data measurement from the electronic data recorder;

(iv) verifying the integrity of the extracted previously recorded data measurement; and

(v) storing the verified extracted previously recorded data measurement in a file independent of the electronic data recorder.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the preventing step includes at least one of a blocking step, a filtering step, and an omitting step.

10. A method according to claim 8 wherein the verifying step includes a cryptographic hashing step.

11. A method according to claim 8 wherein said steps are executed using a forensic link adapter in communication with the electronic data recorder, the forensic link adapter including at least one first microprocessor and a first software means in communication with the first microprocessor.

12. A method according to claim 8 further comprising the step of simulating at least one sensor value.

15. A method according to claim 8 further comprising the step of:

(v) replaying the stored verified extracted previously recorded data measurement.

13. A method of recovering and preserving forensic data from an electronic data recorder of an electronic control module, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) preventing a new network message being sent on a vehicle network by vehicle diagnostic software to the electronic control module from corrupting the integrity of at least one data measurement previously recorded by the electronic data recorder;

(ii) extracting the previously recorded data measurement from the electronic data recorder;

(iii) verifying the integrity of the extracted previously recorded data measurement; and

(iv) storing the verified extracted previously recorded data measurement in a file independent of the electronic data recorder;

further comprising a step of simulating at least one sensor value; and

wherein the simulation step is executed using a sensor simulator in communication with the electronic control module and a forensic link adapter, the sensor simulator including;

at least one second microprocessor;

one or more banks of resistors, each bank of resistors having at least one resistor configured to mimic at least one sensor normally in communication with the electronic control module; and

a second software means in communication with the second microprocessor;

the second software means passing at least one sensor value from the electronic control module to the second microprocessor, the second microprocessor adjusting the sensor simulator to the sensor value.

14. A method of recovering and preserving forensic data from an electronic data recorder of an electronic control module, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) preventing a new network message being sent on a vehicle network by vehicle diagnostic software to the electronic control module from corrupting the integrity of at least one data measurement previously recorded by the electronic data recorder;

(ii) extracting the previously recorded data measurement from the electronic data recorder;

(iii) verifying the integrity of the extracted previously recorded data measurement; and

(iv) storing the verified extracted previously recorded data measurement in a file independent of the electronic data recorder; and

further comprising a step of updating at least one of a time data and a location data using an external reference.

16. A method of recovering and preserving forensic data from an electronic data recorder of an electronic control module, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) preventing a new network message being sent on a vehicle network bv vehicle diagnostic software to the electronic control module from corrupting the integrity of at least one data measurement previously recorded bv the electronic data recorder;

(ii) extracting the previously recorded data measurement from the electronic data recorder;

(iii) verifying the integrity of the extracted previously recorded data measurement; and

(iv) storing the verified extracted previously recorded data measurement in a file independent of the electronic data recorder;

(v) replaying the stored verified extracted previously recorded data measurement; and

further comprising the replaying step having the substeps of;

requesting a memory block of the file;

mapping the request to a correct portion of the file;

reading the correct portion of the file; and

formatting the read correct portion of the file as though said portion was a vehicle network response.

17. A wheeled vehicle event data recorder forensic recovery and preservation system, the system comprising:

a forensic link adapter configured for use with an electronic control module of a motor vehicle, the forensic link adapter including;

at least one first microprocessor; and

a first software means in communication with the first microprocessor;

at least one of the first software means and the first microprocessor configured to;

prevent a new message being sent on a vehicle network by vehicle diagnostic software to the electronic control module from corrupting the integrity of at least one data measurement previously recorded by an electronic data recorder of the electronic control module;

extract the previously recorded data measurement from the electronic data recorder; and

verify integrity of the extracted previously recorded data measurement;

a sensor simulator including;

at least one second microprocessor;

one or more banks of resistors, each bank of resistors having at least one resistor configured to mimic at least one sensor normally in communication with the electronic control module; and

a second software means in communication with the second microprocessor;

the second software means passing at least one sensor value from the electronic control module to the second microprocessor, the second microprocessor adjusting the sensor simulator to the sensor value.