Event-recorder for transmitting and storing electronic signature data

• US 6,525,672 B2
• Filed: 01/20/1999
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chainer, Timothy J., Wu, Chai W., Tresser, Charles P., Greengard, Claude A.
• Primary Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US09/233,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20020027499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/436, 340/426, 340/901, 340/568.1, 340/902, 340/904, 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/903, 340/825.36, 340/905, 340/825.49, 340/10.1, 340/571, 340/825.34, 340/539, 701/35, 701/36, 701/24, 701/32, 307/10.2, 235/380, 235/384
• US Class Current: 340/904
• 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 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental

Abstract

An electronic event recorder for attachment to a vehicle is provided which can broadcast encrypted signature and data, thereby leaving behind an electronic version of a “fingerprint” in the event of an accident or traffic violation. The fingerprint, captured by an external data acquisition system or another vehicle so equipped, provides a history of events related to the vehicle. The event recorder is preferably integrated on a smart card and housed in a tamper proof casing. In a first mode of operation, monitoring stations along the roadways periodically send an interrogation signal, such as when radar detects that the vehicle is speeding. Upon receiving the interrogation signal the smart card transmits the vehicle'"'"'s signature information to the monitoring station where it is time and date stamped along with the speed of the vehicle. In a second mode of operation, when a sensor detects a sudden or violent acceleration or deceleration, such as occurs during a collision, a smart card mounted in each car will exchange signature information automatically. This is particularly useful when the collision occurs in a parking lot when one of the hit vehicles is typically unattended.

Claims

1. An event recorder system for mounting on a vehicle for monitoring cargo in the vehicle, wherein said system comprising:

a memory for storing cargo data;

a transmitter is coupled to said memory for broadcasting said cargo data from said memory to a remote station located away from said vehicle when said transmitter is not being disabled;

a locking mechanism of said vehicle'"'"'s door is coupled to said transmitter;

a first sensor for detecting when the locking mechanism is not in a locked position, wherein said first sensor is coupled to said transmitter and said locking mechanism; and

wherein said transmitter is being disabled when said first sensor sensed said locking mechanism is not in the locked position such that a manual inspection would be taken place to said vehicle when said cargo data is not being received by said remote station from said transmitter.

2. A event recorder system for monitoring cargo in a vehicle as recited in claim 1 wherein said cargo data is encrypted.

3. A event recorder system for monitoring cargo in a vehicle as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an event recorder receiver is coupled to said transmitter and memory for prompting said transmitter to broadcast said cargo data upon reception of an external interrogation signal.

4. A event recorder system for monitoring cargo in a vehicle as recited in claim 3 further comprising radio frequency tags attached to the cargo, said receiver receiving said cargo data from said radio frequency tags.

5. A event recorder system for monitoring cargo in a vehicle as recited in claim 4, further comprising:

a second sensor for detecting when said event recorder system is tampered with;

a third sensor for detecting when the cargo is being tampered with upon said data received from said tags by said receiver; and

wherein said transmitter is disabled when either said event recorder or the cargo is being tampered with.

6. A event recorder system for monitoring cargo in a vehicle as recited in claim 1 wherein said cargo data comprises at least one of cargo weight, hazard level of cargo, date of loading said cargo, loading location, and shipping location.

7. An event recorder system for monitoring cargo in a vehicle as recited in claim 1,

wherein said transmitter broadcasts said cargo data at a time interval to said remote station when said event recorder system is being sensed that said system is locked in the vehicle and if said transmitter is not being disabled.

8. A method for monitoring cargo carried in a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

inputting cargo data to a memory of an event recorder by an authorized person;

locking said event recorder with said cargo in the vehicle;

detecting whether said event recorder is locked in the vehicle by a sensor coupled to a locking mechanism of a vehicle'"'"'s door and said event recorder; and

transmitting said cargo data to a remote station located away from said vehicle by a transmitter of said event recorder when said event recorder is locked in the vehicle and not transmitting said cargo data when said event recorder is not locked in the vehicle such that a manual inspection would be taken place to said vehicle when said cargo data is not being received by said remote station from said transmitter.

9. A method for monitoring cargo carried in a vehicle as recited in claim 8, further comprising the step of encrypting said cargo data.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said step of transmitting said cargo data when said event recorder is locked in the vehicle is performed periodically.

11. A method for monitoring cargo carried in a vehicle with a locking mechanism of a vehicle'"'"'s door, comprising the steps of:

actuating the locking mechanism to lock an event recorder and the cargo in the vehicle;

receiving a transmission from a transmitter of said event recorder having cargo data by a remote station located away from said vehicle;

detecting whether the locking mechanism is in a locked position by a sensor coupled to said event recorder; and

transmitting said cargo data by said transmitter when the locking mechanism is being sensed in the locked position by said sensor and not transmitting said cargo data when the locking mechanism is being sensed not in the locked position such that a manual inspection would be taken place to said vehicle when said cargo data is not being received by said remote station from said transmitter.