Vehicular monitoring system
First Claim
1. A system for a tractor trailer vehicle, comprising:
- a data acquisition module adapted for monitoring the operation of ancillary equipment of the tractor-trailer vehicle, comprising means for the acquisition and storage of data relating to the operation of the ancillary equipment and means for providing time data associated with the data relating to the operation of the ancillary equipment; and
a control and display module connected with said data acquisition module, said control and display module comprising a vehicle-mounting unit and a separate portable control and display unit adapted to be operable while connected to said vehicle-mounting unit and while detached therefrom,said separate portable control and display unit comprising means for displaying information relating to operation of said system and data relating to the operation of selected ancillary equipment, means for controlling and for entering information into said data acquisition module, means for warning a vehicle operator in the event of unsatisfactory operation of the vehicle and its ancillary equipment, and means for accessing and storing data relating to the operation of the ancillary equipment of the vehicle.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In refrigerator tractor/trailer vehicles, a data acquisition module is connected with one or more temperature sensors adapted for measurement of the temperatures within the trailer and may be connected with one or more distance sensors and "door open" sensors located in the trailer. Such a data acquisition module preferably comprises a microprocessor and random access memory connected with a plurality of sensors and adapted to acquire stored data on temperatures within the trailer and further connected with clock means to provide time data associated with the temperature data. In such systems, a control and display module, which comprises a separate portable control and display unit, can provide temperature data and distance data to the vehicle operator, warnings to the vehicle operator if the temperature of the trailer approaches unacceptable limits, warnings during backing of the trailer of impending collision with an object and warnings if the trailer doors are opened without authority. The control and display module provides controls for operation of the system, a digital readout, and an audible alarm.
100 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A system for a tractor trailer vehicle, comprising:
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a data acquisition module adapted for monitoring the operation of ancillary equipment of the tractor-trailer vehicle, comprising means for the acquisition and storage of data relating to the operation of the ancillary equipment and means for providing time data associated with the data relating to the operation of the ancillary equipment; and a control and display module connected with said data acquisition module, said control and display module comprising a vehicle-mounting unit and a separate portable control and display unit adapted to be operable while connected to said vehicle-mounting unit and while detached therefrom, said separate portable control and display unit comprising means for displaying information relating to operation of said system and data relating to the operation of selected ancillary equipment, means for controlling and for entering information into said data acquisition module, means for warning a vehicle operator in the event of unsatisfactory operation of the vehicle and its ancillary equipment, and means for accessing and storing data relating to the operation of the ancillary equipment of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for a tractor-trailer vehicle, comprising:
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one or more temperature sensors adapted for the measurement of temperatures within the trailer; one or more distance sensors located on the trailer; first means for the acquisition and storage of data connected with said one or more temperature sensors and said one or more distance sensors, said data acquisition and storage means comprising a microprocessor and random access memory connected with said one or more temperature sensors and said one or more distance sensors and adapted to acquire and store data on the temperature within said trailer sensed by said one or more temperature sensors and clock means connected with said microprocessor to provide time data associated with said temperature data; and second means for providing temperature data and distance data to the vehicle operator, for providing control of said system by the vehicle operator and for warning the vehicle operator if the temperature issued by the one or more temperature sensors is approaching an unacceptable temperature, said second means comprising a microprocessor and random access memory connected with said first means and with said one or more distance sensors, means to control and program the system, an alphanumeric display and an audible alarm, said microprocessor providing means for monitoring the temperature data of said one or more temperature sensors, for determining if said one or more temperature sensors are measuring a temperature approaching an unacceptable limit, and for operating the audible alarm, and means for monitoring the distance signals from said one or more distance sensors and for operating said alphanumeric display to present distance information to the vehicle operator. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for recording temperature levels of a vehicle refrigerated compartment and articles carried therein, comprising:
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first sensor means for sensing and generating a signal indicating one or more temperatures within said refrigerated compartment; second sensor means for sensing and generating a signal indicating the temperature of one or more articles within said refrigerated compartment; data processing and storage means connected with said first and second sensor means, and clock means for providing time data; input means connected with said data processing and storage means for inputting information on acceptable temperatures within said compartments and articles; output means connected with said data processing and storage means for outputting time-temperature data to provide a temperature history record of the refrigerated compartment and the articles carried therein and for providing a warning if a temperature within the refrigerated compartment or of said one or more articles is not acceptable. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification