Method, system, and apparatus for monitoring vehicle operation

• US 20060095175A1
• Filed: 11/02/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Arthur Douglas Heinrichs, Thomas Dewaal
• Original Assignee: Arthur Douglas Heinrichs, Thomas Dewaal
• Inventors: deWaal, Thomas, Heinrichs, Arthur Douglas
• Time in patent office: 0 Days
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera

Abstract

A method and an electronic system, for implementing that method, are described that collect data relating to the operation of a vehicle and the condition of its operator, which information is processed and recorded in a crash survivable apparatus such that processed information may be transmitted wirelessly from the vehicle to various monitoring facilities that may use that processed information to develop comprehensive records regarding the operation of the vehicle by the particular operator. The purpose of the records is to permit the owners of fleets to better select operators and control vehicles in a manner that permits them to develop a history of safe operation of their fleet to satisfy insurers and obtain reasonably priced insurance.

Claims

1. An electronic system, for monitoring at least one parameter of a ground vehicle or an operator thereof, the system comprising:

at least one sensor operatively connected to the vehicle for capturing data respecting said at least one parameter;

a data processor operatively connected to the at least one sensor, for receiving, processing and interpreting data from the at least one sensor;

a data storage system operatively connected to either said data processor or said at least one sensor, for receiving and storing data; and

a communication system operatively connected to the data processor, for wirelessly communicating data from said vehicle.

2. An electronic system as in claim 1 further comprising an output system operatively connected to the data processor for providing a visible, audible, or electrical response to the interpretation of data processor data.

3. An electronic system as in claim 2 further comprising a biometric sub-system operatively connected to the data processor for receiving biometric information from a vehicle operator and wherein the data processor interprets the biometric information for initiating a visual, audio or electrical response.

4. An electronic system as in claim 2 wherein the biometric sub-system includes any one of or a combination of a fingerprint scanner, a retinal scanner, a breathalyser, and a facial recognition system.

5. An electronic system as in claim 1 further comprising a vision sub-system operatively connected to the data processor for capturing image data relating to vehicle operation, the operating environment or the operator.

6. An electronic system as in claim 1 further comprising an antenna operatively connected to the communication system, for receiving data from an external data source and wherein the data processor interprets the external data for reporting to the operator.

7. An electronic system as in claim 1 further comprising a vehicle orientation and inertia module operatively connected to the data processor for receiving vehicle orientation and inertia data from the vehicle and reporting the vehicle orientation and inertia data to the data processor.

8. An electronic system as in claim 1 further comprising a vehicle data network operatively connected to the data processor for receiving vehicle performance data from the vehicle and reporting the vehicle performance data to the data processor.

9. An electronic system as in claim 1 further comprising an operator input system for providing operator input to the data processor.

10. An electronic system as in claim 1 wherein the data processor is programmed to interpret data from the at least one sensor in accordance with pre-determined thresholds and wherein interpreted data inconsistent with the pre-determined thresholds causes a trigger event thereby causing the interpreted data to be reported to a remote processor.

11. An electronic system as in claim 1 further comprising a remote processor adapted for communication with the vehicle over a local or wide area network.

12. An electronic system as in claim 11 wherein the remote processor receives and processes data from a plurality of vehicles.

13. An electronic system as in claim 11 wherein the remote processor interprets vehicle specific data to create a driver report relating to the trigger events for a given operator.

14. An electronic system as in claim 1 wherein the at least one sensor is selected from any one of or a combination of:

a GPS receiver;

a scanner;

a camera;

an accelerometer;

a gyroscope;

an RF receiver;

a satellite receiver;

a cellular receiver;

an altimeter;

a proximity sensor;

a load cell;

a security card scanner;

a keypad;

a microphone;

a breathalyser;

a facial recognition sub-system; and

a biometric sub-system.

15. An electronic system as in claim 1, further comprising a router operatively connected to the communication system, for transferring data across the Internet to at least one remote terminal, for directly monitoring said at least one parameter.

16. An electronic system as in claim 15, further comprising at least one server operatively connected to said router, for use as a host device to exchange data between said router and said at least one remote terminal.

17. An electronic system as in claim 1 further comprising local display means onboard the vehicle.

21. An electronic system as in claim 1 wherein the data storage system is operatively contained within a crash-survivable housing.

22. An electronic system as in claim 21 wherein the data processor is operatively contained within the crash-survivable housing.

18. A method, for electronically monitoring parameters, in conjunction with a trip, of a commercial vehicle having an operator, using a system having a predefined set of operational rules, the method comprising the steps:

i) identify said operator and record the identity of said operator in conjunction with an electronic record file respecting said trip;

ii) gather and process data respecting a plurality of vehicle parameters while in operation in order to add said vehicle parameters to said electronic record file;

iii) compare at least one vehicle parameter with at least one related threshold defined in said operational rules;

iv) record an event each time a vehicle parameter is inconsistent with a related threshold;

v) generate an alert as defined in said operational rules; and

vi) transmit said alert locally or to a remote location, for further handling.

19. The method as in claim 18 further comprising the steps:

gather and process data respecting a plurality of operator parameters while said vehicle is in operation in order to add said operator parameters to said electronic record file;

compare said operator parameters with a related threshold defined in said operational rules; and

record an event each time an operator parameter is inconsistent with said related threshold.

20. The method as in claim 18 further comprising the step:

correlate said event with other indications that the same parameter is inconsistent with said related threshold.

23. The use of a crash-survivable housing in a vehicle, the crash-survivable housing for operatively containing a data storage system for storing data relating to the operation of the vehicle.

24. A system for electronically monitoring parameters of a commercial vehicle trip and a vehicle operator, comprising:

an identification module for identifying said operator and for recording the identity of said operator within an electronic record file respecting said trip;

a processing module for gathering and processing data respecting a plurality of vehicle parameters while in operation for adding said vehicle parameters to said electronic record file;

a comparing module for comparing at least one vehicle parameter with at least one related threshold defined within a pre-determined set of operational rules;

a recording module for recording an event each time a vehicle parameter is inconsistent with a related threshold;

an alert module for generating an alert signal as defined in said operational rules; and

a transmission module for transmitting said alert signal locally or to a remote location, for further handling.