Telematics devices and methods for vehicle ignition detection

• US 9,934,622 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2017
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Laird Technologies Incorporated (DuPont de Nemours, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Laird Technologies Incorporated (DuPont de Nemours, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rajakondala, Balachander
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kerrigan, Michael V
• Application Number:
  US15/471,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20170200329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 371 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/06 Indicating or recording devices, e.g. for remote indication indicating or recording in general G01D; registering or indicating working conditions of vehicles G07C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/10 for indicating predetermined speeds
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/103 by comparing the value of the measured signal with one or several reference values in general G01R17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 1/106 by comparing the time duration between two impulses with a reference time
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/52 Determining velocity
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments are provided of telematics devices and exemplary corresponding methods. In an exemplary embodiment, a telematics device generally includes a controller, a wireless communication module to transmit ignition information to a remote station, a power input terminal to sense a voltage of the battery, and an ignition input terminal to couple to an ignition line of the vehicle. The controller determines whether the ignition input terminal is coupled to an ignition line of the vehicle, and when the terminal is coupled to an ignition line, the controller determines vehicle ignition turn on and ignition turn off events by detecting voltage changes on the ignition line. When the ignition input terminal is not coupled to an ignition line of the vehicle, the controller senses the voltage of the battery of the vehicle to determine vehicle ignition turn on and turn off events based on sensed voltage changes of the battery.

Claims

1. A telematics device, comprising:

a controller;

a wireless communication module coupled to the controller, the wireless communication module configured to transmit ignition information from the controller to a remote station;

a power input terminal configured to couple to a battery of a vehicle to sense a voltage of the battery; and

an ignition input terminal configured to couple to an ignition line of the vehicle;

wherein the controller is configured to;

determine whether the ignition input terminal is coupled to an ignition line of the vehicle, by sensing a voltage of the ignition input terminal and determining whether the sensed ignition input voltage is above an ignition connection threshold, and when the sense ignition input voltage is above the ignition connection threshold, determining that the ignition input terminal is coupled to the ignition line of the vehicle;

when the ignition input terminal is coupled to an ignition line of the vehicle, determine vehicle ignition turn on and ignition turn off events by detecting voltage changes on the ignition line; and

when the ignition input terminal is not coupled to an ignition line of the vehicle, sense the voltage of the battery of the vehicle to determine vehicle ignition turn on and turn off events based on sensed voltage changes of the battery.

2. The telematics device of claim 1, further comprising a ground terminal configured to couple to a ground of the vehicle.

3. The telematics device of claim 2, wherein the power input terminal is configured to connect to an on-board diagnostics port of the vehicle to sense the voltage of the battery, and the ground terminal is configured to couple to an on-board diagnostics port of the vehicle.

4. The telematics device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine an ignition turn on event when a sensed battery voltage increases by an amount that is greater than an ignition turn on threshold.

5. The telematics device of claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to determine the ignition turn on event by:

determining a prior battery voltage average by calculating an average of a plurality of previous voltage sample slots;

comparing each of a plurality of most recent voltage sample slots to the prior battery voltage average; and

when a threshold number of most recent voltage sample slots are above the prior battery voltage average by at least the ignition turn on threshold, determine that an ignition turn on event has occurred.

6. The telematics device of claim 5, wherein the ignition turn off threshold is 0.5 volts.

7. The telematics device of claim 4, wherein the ignition turn on threshold is 0.5 volts.

8. The telematics device of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine an ignition turn off event when a sensed battery voltage decreases by an amount that is greater than an ignition turn off threshold.

9. The telematics device of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to determine an ignition turn off event by:

determining a prior battery voltage average by calculating an average of a plurality of previous voltage sample slots;

comparing each of a plurality of most recent voltage sample slots to the prior battery voltage average; and

when a threshold number of most recent voltage sample slots are below the prior battery voltage average by at least the ignition turn off threshold, determine that an ignition turn off event has occurred.

10. A method of detecting ignition events of a vehicle using a telematics device having a controller, a wireless communication module, a power input terminal configured to couple to a battery of a vehicle to sense a voltage of the battery, and an ignition input terminal configured to couple to an ignition line of the vehicle, the method comprising:

determining whether the ignition input terminal is coupled to an ignition line of the vehicle;

when the ignition input terminal is coupled to an ignition line of the vehicle, determining ignition turn on and ignition turn off events by detecting voltage changes on the ignition line; and

when the ignition input terminal is not coupled to an ignition line of the vehicle, sensing a voltage of a battery of the vehicle to determine ignition turn on and turn off events based on voltage changes of the battery by;

determining a prior battery voltage average by calculating an average of a plurality of the oldest slots in the array;

comparing each of a plurality of the most recent slots to the prior battery voltage average; and

when a threshold number of the most recent slots are above the prior battery voltage average by at least an ignition turn on threshold, determining that an ignition turn on event has occurred.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein sensing a voltage of the battery includes repeatedly sensing a voltage sample of the battery after a time period, and storing the sensed voltages in slots of a moving array.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the moving array includes 20 slots, and each slot includes an average of eight voltage samples taken at 250 millisecond intervals.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

when a threshold number of the most recent slots are below the prior battery voltage average by at least an ignition turn off threshold, determining that an ignition turn off event has occurred.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the ignition turn on threshold is 0.5 volts.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the ignition turn off threshold is 0.5 volts.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the telematics device includes a ground terminal configured to couple to a ground of the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the ground terminal is configured to couple to an on-board diagnostics port of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the power input terminal is configured to connect to an on-board diagnostics port of the vehicle to sense the voltage of the battery.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein determining whether the ignition input terminal is coupled to an ignition line of the vehicle includes sensing by sensing a voltage of the ignition input terminal and determining whether the sensed ignition input voltage is above an ignition connection threshold, and when the sense ignition input voltage is above the ignition connection threshold, determine that the ignition input terminal is coupled to the ignition line of the vehicle.

20. A method of detecting ignition events of a vehicle using a telematics device having a controller, a wireless communication module, a power input terminal configured to couple to a battery of a vehicle to sense a voltage of the battery, and an ignition input terminal configured to couple to an ignition line of the vehicle, the method comprising:

determining whether the ignition input terminal is coupled to an ignition line of the vehicle;

when the ignition input terminal is coupled to an ignition line of the vehicle, determining ignition turn on and ignition turn off events by detecting voltage changes on the ignition line; and

when the ignition input terminal is not coupled to an ignition line of the vehicle, sensing a voltage of a battery of the vehicle to determine ignition turn on and turn off events based on voltage changes of the battery by;

repeatedly sensing a voltage sample of the battery after a time period, and storing the sensed voltages in slots of a moving array, the moving array including 20 slots, and each slot including an average of eight voltage samples taken at 250 millisecond intervals;

determining a prior battery voltage average by calculating an average of a plurality of the oldest slots in the array;

comparing each of a plurality of the most recent slots to the prior battery voltage average;

when a threshold number of the most recent slots are above the prior battery voltage average by at least an ignition turn on threshold, determining that an ignition turn on event has occurred; and

when a threshold number of the most recent slots are below the prior battery voltage average by at least an ignition turn off threshold, determining that an ignition turn off event has occurred;

wherein the prior battery voltage average is an average of the four oldest slots, the plurality of most recent slots includes the most recent six slots, and the threshold number of the most recent slots is at least four slots.