Automotive warning and recording system

• US 5,430,432 A
• Filed: 07/22/1994
• Issued: 07/04/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Elie Camhi, Lawrence S. Kamhi
• Original Assignee: Elie Camhi, Lawrence S. Kamhi
• Inventors: Kamhi, Lawrence S., Camhi, Elie
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Assistant Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US08/278,991
• Time in Patent Office: 347 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/439, 340/441, 340/436, 340/459, 340/425.5, 340/457.4, 364/434, 364/424.1, 364/424.03, 364/424.04, 364/551.01, 307/10.1, 180/171
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

An automotive unsafe condition recorder is provided having one or more automotive condition sensors coupled to the input of a timer equipped processor. An indicator for alerting the operator is coupled to an output of the processor, which the processor energizes in response to a signal level from the sensor indicating the existence of a predetermined unsafe operating condition. If the unsafe operating condition is not corrected within a predetermined time, the processor transmits information pertaining to the unsafe condition to a storage unit, which accumulates the information for later review.

Claims

1. An automotive recorder for use with a motor vehicle comprising:

one or more sensors adapted to transmit a signal indicative of a safety related vehicle operation variable, one of said one or more sensors being adapted to transmit a signal indicative of vehicle speed;

a processor having one or more inputs, a timer, an operator alerting output, and an information output, the one or more processor inputs being coupled responsively to said one or more sensors;

an indicator coupled responsively to the operator alerting output of said processor, said indicator being located for easy perception by an operator of the vehicle when the operator alerting output of said processor is energized; and

a storage unit coupled to the information output of said processor, said storage unit being substantially non volatile and adapted to receive and accumulate information transmitted from the information output of said processor for review by a monitoring authority after an operation episode;

said processor being adapted to energize the operator alerting output when the signal from one of said sensor exceeds a predetermined value corresponding to a predefined maximum safe vehicle operating condition, the timer being adapted to trigger said processor to automatically and beyond the control of the vehicle operator transmit information from the information output to said storage unit for review by the monitoring authority after the vehicle operation episode when a predetermined time elapses from the time of energization of the operator alerting output and the signal from said sensor has not receded below the predetermined value.

2. The automotive recorder as set forth in claim 1, wherein said processor is a microcontroller, and further comprising read only memory and an input and output signal interface, said read only memory being adapted for storage of program information for the operation of said recorder, and said input and output signal interface being coupled and adapted to carry signals between said processor and said one or more sensors, said indicator, and said storage unit.

3. The automotive recorder as set forth in claim 2, wherein said sensors further include a distance signal transmitter, adapted to detect the proximity of other objects to the vehicle and transmit to said processor a signal indicative of said proximity.

4. The automotive recorder as set forth in claim 2, wherein said sensors further include a g force signal transmitter, adapted to detect the forces of lateral or longitudinal or both accelerations upon the vehicle and transmit to said processor a signal indicative of said forces.

5. The automotive recorder as set forth in claim 2, wherein said sensors additionally include means for detecting collision of the vehicle, and said processor further comprising random access memory adapted to accumulate the information from said sensors to form a vehicle operation history, and the read only memory is adapted to control said processor to transfer the vehicle operation history to said storage unit for preservation upon detection of a collision.

6. The automotive recorder as set forth in claim 2, wherein said input and output signal interface further comprises means for connection to an external data terminal, and said processor is adapted to communicate information from said storage unit to the external data terminal.

7. A method for encouraging safe motor vehicle operation comprising the steps of:

equipping a motor vehicle with sensor means for detecting one or more unsafe operation conditions thereof, means responsive to the detection of an unsafe operation condition for indicating to a vehicle operator the existence of said unsafe operation condition, and time delay means for a substantially non volatile storing, beyond the control of the vehicle operator, of information pertaining to the unsafe operation condition if the unsafe operation condition remains uncorrected after indicating the existence thereof to the operator;

monitoring the sensor means for the detection of said unsafe operation condition;

energizing an indicating means to alert the operator upon detection of said unsafe operation condition;

allowing a predetermined period of time for correction of the unsafe operation condition to elapse after energizing the indicating means;

automatically storing for review by a monitoring authority after a vehicle operation episode, information pertaining to the unsafe vehicle operation condition, if the detected unsafe operation condition is not corrected during the allowed predetermined period of time after energizing the indicating means.