Accident evidence recording method

• US 6,850,843 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2002
• Issued: 02/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jurgen Vogt, Robert E. Smith
• Original Assignee: WDT Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Vogt, Jürgen, Smith, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Camby, Richard M.
• Application Number:
  US10/234,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20030046003A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 701200-213, 701/216, 701/35, 701/36, 335/56, 335/57, 335/53, 335/54, 335/55, 335/59, 356/3.01, 356/3.05, 356/622, 702/150, 702/155, 702/159, 702/28, 702/29, 340/815.69, 340/438, 340/439
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A mobile accident recording system (40) includes a GPS receiver-pole (41) and a computer (14) which prompts investigator to place a tip of the receiver-pole on identified position points of evidence items at an accident site to measure and record coordinates of the position points. Data including the recorded coordinates and stored database information for each evidence item are processed to reconstruct a graphical three-dimensional representation of the accident site which is displayed to the investigator from any desired advantage point selected by the investigator.

Claims

1. A system for receiving and recording data representing three-dimensional coordinates of selected points of objects at an accident site, comprising:

(a) a positioning signal receiving unit;

(b) a first computer and a link coupling the first computer to the positioning signal receiving unit; and

(c) a prompting program stored in the first computer for causing a module associated with the first computer to prompt a user to sequentially position the signal positioning receiving unit in close spatial relationship with a plurality of points of each of a plurality of items or features at the accident site and to cause corresponding positioning signal unit coordinate data produced by the positioning signal receiving unit to be stored in a memory associated with the first computer, wherein the first computer stores a library of data representing graphic images of various items and features at the accident site, the first computer also executing a program that generates a simplified graphic reconstruction of the accident scene from the stored positioning signal receiving unit data and corresponding simplified graphic images retrieved from the library data in the first computer on a real-time basis as the various items and features at the accident site are measured and stored in the memory.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the module includes one of a display module and a voice module.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the GPS device includes the first computer.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the graphic images are two-dimensional simplified graphic images, and the first computer displays the two-dimensional simplified graphic images on the display at locations determined by measured and stored coordinates of the corresponding items and features, respectively.

5. A system for receiving and recording data representing three-dimensional coordinates of selected points of objects at an accident site, comprising:

(a) a GPS unit;

(b) a first computer and a link coupling the first computer to the GPS unit;

(c) a prompting program stored in the first computer for causing a display associated with the first computer to prompt a user to sequentially position the GPS unit in close spatial relationship with a plurality of points of each of a plurality of items or features at the accident site and to cause corresponding GPS coordinate data produced by the GPS unit to be stored in a memory associated with the first computer; and

(d) a second computer storing a library of data representing realistic graphic images of various items and features at the accident site, the second computer also executing an accident scene reconstruction program that generates a realistic graphic representation of the accident scene from the GPS coordinate data and corresponding realistic graphic images from the library of data representing realistic graphic images.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the reconstruction program

i. displays line representations of the various features and items on a display associated with the second computer, wherein the line representations include lines extending between various points representing the GPS coordinate data for the various features and items, respectively;

and

ii. associates the displayed line representations of the various features and items with stored corresponding realistic graphic images of the various features and items, respectively.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the reconstruction program prompts a user to select desired characteristics of the associated corresponding realistic graphic images.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the second computer executes a program to produce the realistic graphic representation of the accident site from a selected vantage point in a selected direction.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the second computer is included in the first computer.

10. A system for receiving and recording data representing three-dimensional coordinates of selected points of objects at an accident site, comprising:

(a) a GPS receiver unit and a member supporting at least a GPS antenna of the GPS receiver unit;

(b) a first computer supported by the member and a link coupling the first computer to the GPS receiver unit; and

(c) a prompting program stored in the first computer for causing a display associated with the first computer to prompt a user to sequentially position a selected part of the member in close spatial relationship with a plurality of points of each of a plurality of items or features at the accident site and to cause corresponding GPS coordinate data produced by the GPS receiver unit to be stored in a memory associated with the first computer, wherein the first computer stores a library of data representing graphic images of various items and features at the accident site, the first computer also executing a program that generates a graphic reconstruction of the accident scene from the stored GPS data and corresponding graphic images retrieved from the library data in the first computer on a real-time basis as the various items and features at the accident site are measured and stored in the memory.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the graphic images are two-dimensional simplified graphic images, and the first computer displays the two-dimensional simplified graphic images on the display at locations determined by measured and stored coordinates of the corresponding items and features, respectively.

22. The system of claim 10 wherein the member is a pole, and wherein at least an antenna of the GPS unit is supported at a top end of the member and the selected part is located at a lower end of the member.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the selected part includes a pointed tip located at the lower end of the member.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the selected part includes a wheel assembly removably attached to the lower end of the member.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the first computer executes a recalibration program each time the wheel assembly is attached to or removed from a lower end of the member in order to compensate a resulting increase or decrease in a total effective length of the member with or without the wheel assembly.

26. The system of claim 22 wherein the member is a pole that is approximately six feet long.

28. The system of claim 10 wherein the link is wireless.

29. The system of claim 10 wherein the link is conductive.

12. A system for receiving and recording data representing three-dimensional coordinates of selected points of objects at an accident site, comprising:

(a) a GPS receiver unit and a member supporting at least a GPS antenna of the GPS receiver unit;

(b) a first computer supported by the member and a link coupling the first computer to the GPS receiver unit;

(c) a prompting program stored in the first computer for causing a display associated with the first computer to prompt a user to sequentially position a selected part of the member in close spatial relationship with a plurality of points of each of a plurality of items or features at the accident site and to cause corresponding GPS coordinate data produced by the GPS receiver unit to be stored in a memory associated with the first computer; and

(d) a tilt correction system at least a portion of which is attached in fixed relation to the member for producing correction signals representative of tilt of the member relative to the direction of gravitational force at the accident site and correcting the GPS coordinate data produced by the GPS receiver unit to produce tilt-corrected x,y,z coordinate data that precisely represent the locations of the selected part when it is positioned in the close spatial relationship with the plurality of points, respectively.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the tilt correction system includes an accelerometer system attached in fixed relation to the member, and an electronic compass attached in fixed relation to the member for producing signals representative of the inclination of the member in two directions relative to the gravitational force.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the tilt correction system includes a processor programmed to compute the signals representative of the inclination of the pole relative to the gravitational force in response to signals produced by the accelerometer system and signals produced by the electronic compass, and the first computer receives the signals representative of the inclination of the member relative to the gravitational force and the GPS coordinate data produced by the GPS receiver unit and corrects the GPS coordinate data produced by the GPS receiver unit in response to the signals representative of the inclination of the member relative to the gravitational force.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the accelerometer system includes first and second accelerometers attached in fixed relationship to the member, the first accelerometer being inclined at a predetermined angle relative to the second accelerometer.

27. The system of claim 13 wherein the tilt sensing device produces tilt signals representative of deviations of a longitudinal axis of the member from the direction of gravitational force at the accident site.

16. A system for receiving and recording data representing three-dimensional coordinates of selected points of objects at an accident site, comprising:

(a) a GPS receiver unit and a member supporting at least a GPS antenna of the GPS receiver unit;

(b) a first computer supported by the member and a link coupling the first computer to the GPS receiver unit;

(c) a prompting program stored in the first computer for causing a display associated with the first computer to prompt a user to sequentially position a selected part of the member in close spatial relationship with a plurality of points of each of a plurality of items or features at the accident site and to cause corresponding GPS coordinate data produced by the GPS receiver unit to be stored in a memory associated with the first computer; and

(d) a second computer storing a library of data representing realistic graphic images of various items and features at the accident site, the second computer also executing an accident scene reconstruction program that generates a realistic graphic representation of the accident scene from the GPS cornet data and corresponding realistic graphic images from the library of data representing realistic graphic images.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the reconstruction program

i. displays line representations of the various features and items on a display associated with the second computer, wherein the line representations include lines extending between various points representing the GPS coordinate data for the various features and items, respectively;

and

ii. associates the displayed line representations of the various features and items with stored corresponding realistic graphic images of the various features and items, respectively.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the reconstruction program prompts a user to select desired characteristics of the associated corresponding realistic graphic images.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the second computer executes a program that causes the second computer to produce and display the realistic graphic representation of the accident site from a selected vantage point in a selected direction.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the first computer is included in the second computer.

21. The system of claim 16 wherein the second computer is separate from the first computer and is coupled to the first computer by a communications link.

30. A method for receiving and recording data representing three-dimensional coordinates of selected points of objects at an accident site, comprising:

(a) providing a GPS unit and a first computer;

(b) communicating data produced by the GPS unit to the first computer;

(c) prompting a user by means of a module associated with the first computer to sequentially position the GPS unit in close spatial relationship with a plurality of points of each of a plurality of items or features at the accident site and to cause coordinate data produced by the GPS unit representing coordinates of the plurality of points to be stored in a memory associated with the first computer by causing the first computer to execute a prompting program; and

(d) storing a library of data representing graphic images of various items and features at the accident site, the method also including executing a program that generates a real-time graphic reconstruction of the accident scene from the stored coordinate data produced by the GPS unit and corresponding graphic images from the library data on a real-time basis as the various items and features at the accident site are measured and stored.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the graphic images are two-dimensional simplified graphic images, the method including displaying the two-dimensional simplified graphic images at coordinate locations determined by measured and stored coordinates of the corresponding items and features, respectively.

32. A method for receiving and recording data representing three-dimensional coordinates of selected points of objects at an accident site, comprising:

(a) providing a GPS unit and a first computer;

(b) communicating data produced by the GPS unit to the first computer;

(c) prompting a user by means of a module associated with the first computer to sequentially position the GPS unit in close spatial relationship with a plurality of points of each of a plurality of items or features at the accident site and to cause coordinate data produced by the GPS unit representing coordinates of the plurality of points to be stored in a memory associated with the first computer by causing the first computer to execute a prompting program; and

(d) storing library data representing realistic graphic images of various items and features at the accident site, and executing an accident scene reconstruction program so as to generate a realistic graphic representation of the accident scene from the coordinate data produced by the GPS unit and corresponding selected graphic images from the library data.

33. The method of claim 32 including executing the reconstruction program by

i. displaying line representations of the various features and items on a display associated with a second computer, wherein the line representations include lines extending between various points representing the coordinate data produced by the GPS unit for the various features and items, respectively;

and

ii. associating the displayed line representations of the various features and items with stored corresponding realistic graphic images of the various features and items, respectively.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein executing the reconstruction program includes prompting a user to select desired characteristics of the associated corresponding realistic graphic images.

35. A method for receiving and recording data representing three dimensional coordinates of selected points of objects at an accident site, comprising:

(a) supporting at least a GPS antenna of a GPS receiver unit on an upper end portion of a pole, and providing a measurement point tracking device in fixed relation to a lower end portion of the pole;

(b) communicating data produced by the GPS receiver unit to a first computer; and

(c) prompting a user by means of a module associated with the first computer to sequentially position the tracking device in close spatial relationship with a plurality of points of each of a plurality of items or features at the accident site and to cause coordinate data produced by the GPS receiver unit representing coordinates of the plurality of points to be stored in a memory associated with the first computer by causing the first computer to execute a promoting program wherein the prompting includes prompting a user to place a wheel assembly on the lower end portion of the pole and then roll a wheel of the wheel assembly along a particular mark or feature at the accident site, as the GPS receiver unit repetitively produces data representing coordinates representing successive locations of the bottom of the wheel.

36. A method for receiving and recording data representing three dimensional coordinates of selected points of objects at an accident site, comprising:

(a) supporting at least a GPS antenna of a GPS receiver unit on an upper end portion of a pole, and providing a measurement point tracking device in fixed relation to a lower end portion of the pole;

(b) communicating data produced by the GPS receiver unit to a first computer;

(c) prompting a user by means of a module associated with the first computer to sequentially position the tracking device in close spatial relationship with a plurality of points of each of a plurality of items or features at the accident site and to cause coordinate data produced by the GPS receiver unit representing coordinates of the plurality of points to be stored in a memory associated with the first computer by causing the first computer to execute a prompting program; and

(d) operating a tilt correction system at least part of which is attached in fixed relation to the pole to produce correction signals representative of tilt of the pole relative to the direction of gravitational force at the accident site and utilizing the correction signals to correct the coordinate data produced by the GPS receiver unit in order to produce x,y,z coordinate data that precisely represents the locations of the points.

37. A method for receiving and recording data representing three dimensional coordinates of selected points of objects at an accident site, comprising:

(a) supporting at least a GPS antenna of a GPS receiver unit on an upper end portion of a pole, and providing a measurement point tracking device in fixed relation to a lower end portion of the pole;

(b) communicating data produced by the GPS receiver unit to a first computer;

(c) prompting a user by means of a module associated with the first computer to sequentially position the tracking device in close spatial relationship with a plurality of points of each of a plurality of items or features at the accident site and to cause coordinate data produced by the GPS receiver unit representing coordinates of the plurality of points to be stored in a memory associated with the first computer by causing the first computer to execute a prompting program;

(d) storing library data representing realistic graphic images of various items and features at the accident site; and

(e) executing an accident scene reconstruction program so as to generate a realistic graphic representation of the accident site from the stored coordinate data and corresponding selected graphic images from the library data.

38. The method of claim 37 including executing the reconstruction program by

i. displaying line representations of the various features and items on a display associated with the second computer, wherein the line representations include lines extending between various points representing the coordinate data produced by the GPS receiver unit for the various features and items, respectively;

and

ii. associating the displayed line representations of the various features and items with stored corresponding realistic graphic images of the various features and items, respectively.

39. The method of claim 38 including operating the second computer to execute a perspective selection program so as to produce the realistic graphic representation of the accident site from a selected vantage point in a selected direction.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein operating the second computer to execute the perspective selection program includes displaying a panel prompting a user to select the vantage point and direction.

41. A method for receiving and recording data representing three dimensional coordinates of selected points of objects at an accident site, comprising:

(a) supporting at least a GPS antenna of a GPS receiver unit on an upper end portion of a pole, and providing a measurement point tracking device in fixed relation to a lower end portion of the pole;

(b) communicating data produced by the GPS receiver unit to a first computer;

(c) prompting a user by means of a module associated with the first computer to sequentially position the tracking device in close spatial relationship with a plurality of points of each of a plurality of items or features at the accident site and to cause coordinate data produced by the GPS receiver unit representing coordinates of the plurality of points to be stored in a memory associated with the first computer by causing the first computer to execute a prompting program; and

(d) providing a wheel assembly removably attached to the lower end of the pole and operating the GPS receiver unit and the first computer in a continuous mode to repetitively measure stored coordinate data corresponding to the location of the contact point of the wheel with a feature of the accident site being measured at predetermined time intervals.

42. The method of claim 41 including executing a recalibration program each time the wheel assembly is attached to or removed from a lower end of the pole in order to compensate a resulting increase or decrease in the total effective length of the pole.

43. A tilt correction system for converting coordinate data produced by a GPS receiver in response to GPS signals received by a GPS antenna supported in fixed relation to a first point along a longitudinal axis of a member, comprising:

(a) a tilt sensing system at least part of which is attached in fixed relation to the member, the tilt sensing system producing correction signals representative of inclination of the member relative to the direction of gravitational force; and

(b) a computing device coupled to receive the correction signals from the tilt sensing system and coordinate data produced by the GPS receiver, the computing device being operative to correct the coordinate data in response to the correction signals to produce tilt-corrected coordinate data representing coordinates of a second point located in fixed relation to a predetermined point located on the longitudinal axis a predetermined distance from the first point.

44. The tilt correction system of claim 43 wherein the first point is located at an upper portion of the member and the second point is located on the longitudinal axis at a lower portion of the member.

45. The tilt correction system of claim 43 wherein the tilt sensing system includes an accelerometer system attached in fixed relation to the member and an electronic compass attached in fixed relation to the member for producing signals representative of the inclination of the member in two directions relative to the gravitational force.

46. The tilt correction system of claim 45 including a processor programmed to compute the correction signals representative of the inclination of the member relative to the gravitational force in response to signals produced by the accelerometer system and signals produced by the electronic compass, wherein the computing device receives the correction signals representative of the inclination of the member relative to the gravitational force and the coordinate data produced by the GPS receiver and corrects the coordinate data produced by the GPS receiver in response to the signals representative of the inclination of the member relative to the gravitational force.

47. The system of claim 45 wherein the accelerometer system includes first and second accelerometers attached in fixed relationship to the member, the first accelerometer being inclined at a predetermined angle relative to the second accelerometer.

48. A GPS receiver-pole for receiving and recording data representing three-dimensional coordinates of selected points of objects at an accident site, comprising:

(a) a GPS receiver unit and a pole supporting at least antenna coupled to a GPS receiver unit;

(b) a computer and a link coupling the computer to the GPS receiver;

(c) a prompting program stored in the computer for causing a module associated with the computer to prompt a user to sequentially position a selected part of the pole in close spatial relationship with a plurality of points of each of a plurality of items or features at the accident site and to cause coordinate data produced by the GPS receiver unit to be stored in a memory associated with the computer; and

(d) a tilt correction system for producing correction signals representative of tilt of the member relative to the direction of gravitational force at the accident site and correcting the coordinate data produced by the GPS receiver unit to produce x,y,z coordinates signals that precisely represent the location of selected part when it is positioned in the close spatial relationship with the plurality of points, respectively.

49. The GPS receiver-pole of claim 48 wherein the tilt correction system includes an accelerometer attached in fixed relation to the pole and an electronic compass attached in fixed relation to the pole for producing signals representative of the inclination of the pole in two directions relative to the gravitational force.

50. The GPS receiver-pole of claim 48 wherein the selected part includes a pointed tip located at a lower end portion of the pole.

51. The GPS receiver-pole of claim 48 wherein the selected part includes a wheel assembly removably attached to a lower end portion of the pole and wherein the first computer executes a recalibration program each time the wheel assembly is attached to or removed from the lower end portion of the pole in order to compensate a resulting increase or decrease in the total effective length of the pole.

52. The system of claim 48 wherein the pole is approximately six feet long.