Vehicle digital movement data recording apparatus

• US 5,379,219 A
• Filed: 03/30/1994
• Issued: 01/03/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
• Inventors: Ishibashi, Wataru
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US08/220,628
• Time in Patent Office: 279 Days
• Field of Search: 364/424.04, 364/550, 364/424.03, 364/431.01, 364/436, 364/442, 364/551.01, 364/424.01, 364/561, 340/438, 340/439, 340/441, 340/459, 340/425.5, 340/428
• US Class Current: 701/35
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable

Abstract

The main purpose of a vehicle digital movement data recording apparatus according to the present invention is to cope with a shortage of the memory space in the digital movement data recording area of an external record medium. For completing this objective, the recording apparatus, includes a digital movement data generating device for supervising the moving state of the vehicle and producing the digital movement data thereof. A storage device records the digital movement data produced by the digital movement data generating device onto a digital movement data recording area of an external record medium which can be loaded into and unloaded from the recording apparatus. A detecting device detects the situation that there is no more available space for recording the digital movement data the data recording area of the external record medium. When the detecting device detects that there is no available space for recording the movement data in the digital movement data recording area of the external record medium, the storage device records such data as travel starting time, terminating time and a travel distance of the vehicle of each vehicle movement in a memory shortage compensation area provide in an optional recording area of the external record medium.

Claims

1. A vehicle digital movement data recording apparatus comprising:

an external record medium having a digital movement data recording area for recording compressed data and an optional recording area for recording further data having a resolution lower than said compressed data when said digital movement data recording area has no more space available for recording data;

a digital movement data generating means for supervising a moving state of a vehicle and for producing digital movement data thereof;

a storage means for recording said digital movement data produced by said digital movement data generating means onto said digital movement data recording area of said external record medium, said external record medium adapted to be inserted into and removed from said recording apparatus; and

a detecting means for detecting when there is no more available space for recording said digital movement data in said digital movement data recording area of said external record medium, wherein when said detecting means detects that there is no available space for recording said digital movement data in said digital movement data recording area of said external record medium, said storage means records data such as travel starting time, terminating time and a travel distance of said vehicle of each vehicle in a memory storage compensation area provided in said optional recording area of said external record medium.

2. A vehicle digital movement data recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said each vehicle movement is further defined as a time interval between insertion of said external record medium into said digital movement data recording apparatus and removal of said external record medium from said recording apparatus.

3. A vehicle digital movement data recording apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein said external record medium is made of an IC memory card.

4. A vehicle digital movement data recording apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said external record medium is made of an IC memory card.