COMPUTERIZED INFORMATION COLLECTION AND TRAINING METHOD AND APPARATUS

• US 20100208070A2
• Filed: 02/04/2008
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vigil Systems Pty Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Vigil Systems Pty Ltd.
• Inventors: Haynes, Ian, Schultz, Bradley, Larkin, Stephen, Rogers, Sean
• Granted Patent: US 8,633,985 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/566 Mobile devices displaying vehicle information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/573 Mobile devices controlling vehicle functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0891 Video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/167 Control of land vehicles

Abstract

A method and apparatus (10) for collecting information relating to a driver of a motor vehicle using portable computing apparatus (12), cameras (13) for capturing an image or images relating to operation of the vehicle by the driver and a location sensor (14) for providing information relating to location of the vehicle. The computing apparatus is capable of recording information from an observer relating to operation of the vehicle by the driver to enable the driver to be assessed. The method and apparatus may be applied to capturing information relating to any observable scene. Information collected as above may be used for a training or an information program for drivers or users of vehicles.

Claims

1-45. -45. (canceled)

46. Apparatus for collecting information relating to an observable scene or scenes, said apparatus comprising

computing apparatus,

image capturing means for capturing an image or images of said scene or scenes,

means for recording in said computing apparatus image data relating to said image or images captured by said image capturing means,

location sensing means for providing location data relating to said captured images,

means for recording in said computing apparatus said location data from said location sensing means, said location data being synchronized with said recorded image data, and

input means for external input of information relating to said image data and/or said location data for recording in said computing apparatus.

47. Apparatus as claimed in claim 46 wherein said imaging capturing means and location sensing means are located in or on a vehicle from which said image and location data are captured and recorded.

48. Apparatus as claimed in claim 46 wherein said computing apparatus includes image display means adapted to display a table or form into which information may be inserted using said input means for storage in said table or form.

49. Apparatus as claimed in claim 46 wherein said input means comprising one or more of a stylus, touch screen, computer mouse, trackball, smart pen for use with smart paper, keyboard, keypad, a microphone associated with voice recognition software, a game pad or a joystick.

50. Apparatus as claimed in claim 46 wherein said image data comprises video image data and/or still image data captured using one or more of a camera, a web cam, a separately recorded camcorder video, a PDA camera, time and/or location stamped still camera, or cell phone camera.

51. Apparatus as claimed in claim 46 wherein said location data comprises geographical data derived from one or more of a GPS positioning system, European Satellite Navigation System (GALILEO), Russian Global Navigation Satellite System (GLONASS), radio beacon based location technologies (802.11, Bluetooth, GSM), micro-location sensors or from an RF ID tag.

52. Apparatus as claimed in claim 47 and used for assessing a driver of a motor vehicle during operation of said vehicle by said driver and wherein said observable scene or scenes comprise views of said driver and/or views from said vehicle, said image capturing means being adapted to capture image data relating to operation of said vehicle by said driver, said location sensing means being adapted to obtain location data of said vehicle, and wherein said input means is adapted to receive input of data from an observer during and relating to operation of said vehicle by said driver.

53. Apparatus as claimed in claim 52 wherein said computing apparatus includes means for analyzing said data and for providing one or more reports relating to operation of the vehicle by said driver based on said data.

54. Apparatus as claimed in claim 52 wherein said image data comprises captured image data as recorded by one or more video cameras showing a particular vehicle route traveled by a vehicle and/or the vehicle operator and wherein said location data is derived from a GPS sensor used to sense geographical location of the vehicle.

55. Apparatus as claimed in claim 52 and including means for monitoring and recording further data relating to operational parameters of a vehicle, said monitored vehicle parameters comprise one or more of the following:

Pattern Recognition (position of the vehicle on a road or within a lane on a road).

Object Tracking (distance to other vehicles).

Vehicle inertia (to measure vehicle acceleration, deceleration and vehicle body movement as in cornering and stopping).

Accelerator use.

Brake use.

Indicator use.

Engine RPM.

Fuel use.

Driver face/eye movement.

56. Apparatus as claimed in claim 52 wherein said input data provided by the observer is input under predetermined categories into the computing apparatus on a displayed form or table, said predetermined categories relating to the vehicle operation and/or the vehicle driver.

60. Apparatus as claimed in claim 46 and used for assessing an operator of a machinery or equipment, and wherein said observable scene or scenes comprise image data relating to operation of said machinery or equipment by said operator, said location sensing means being adapted to obtaining location data relating to operation of said machinery or equipment by said operator, and wherein said input means is adapted to receive input data from an observer during and relating to operation of said machinery or equipment by said operator.

61. Apparatus as claimed in claim 60 wherein said computing apparatus includes means for analyzing said data and for providing one or more reports relating to operation of said machinery or equipment by the operator based on the data.

57. A method of collecting information relating to an observable scene or scenes, said method comprising the steps of:

capturing and recording in computing apparatus, image data relating to said scene or scenes, recording in said computer apparatus, location data corresponding to said image data, said location data being synchronised with said recorded image data,

and recording in said computing apparatus, external information relating to said recorded image and/or location data.

58. A method as claimed in claim 57 and used for assessing a driver of a motor vehicle during operation of said vehicle by said driver, said observable scene or scenes comprises views of said driver and/or views from said vehicle and wherein said image data and location data relate to operation of said vehicle by said driver, and wherein said external information recorded in said computing apparatus relating to said recorded image and/or location data comprises input data from an observer during and relating to operation of said vehicle by said driver.

59. A method as claimed in claim 57 and used for assessing an operator of machinery or equipment during operation of said machinery or equipment by said operator, and wherein said step of capturing and recording said image data and location data comprises the step of capturing data relating to operation of said machinery or equipment by said operator, and wherein said step of recording said external information comprises the step of recording input data from an observer during and relating to operation of said machinery or equipment by said operator, and comprising the further step of analyzing said data and providing a report or reports of operation of said machinery or equipment by said operator based on said analysed data.

62. Apparatus for preparing a computer-base route training or identification program in relation to a route to be undertaken by a vehicle operator, said apparatus comprising

computing apparatus,

image capturing means for capturing image data relating to said route,

location sensing means for obtaining location data relating to said route, said computing apparatus being adapted to receive and store said image data and location data, said location data being synchronized with said image data,

and input means associated with said computing apparatus for receiving external input of data from an observer relating to said route to enable compiling of a computer-based training program based on said data.

63. Apparatus as claimed in claim 62 wherein said image capturing means comprise a plurality of cameras mounted to the vehicle for capturing video image data providing different images of said training route.

64. Apparatus as claimed in any claim 63 and including means for capturing and recording further data relating to the vehicle, said further data comprising one or more of data from engine interfaces, following distance sensors and inertial sensors.

65. Apparatus as claimed in claim 63 and including means for displaying said image data and location data on a map a display screen of said computing apparatus.