Data recording apparatus and data recording method

• US 7,231,285 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Heavy Industries Limited (Subaru Corp.)
• Inventors: Noguchi, Kiyoshige
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner; Mark
• Application Number:
  US11/065,457
• Publication Number:
  US 20050190469A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 701 29- 35
• US Class Current: 701/35
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A data recording apparatus acquires vehicle data on a time-series basis. Then, a series of vehicle data, which satisfy predetermined acquiring conditions and are collected in a predetermined period from time-series vehicle data acquired by a data acquiring unit are recorded in a data recording unit, while being correlated with time information. The data acquiring unit continues to acquire the vehicle data while a data controlling unit records a series of the vehicle data in the data recording unit.

Claims

1. A data recording apparatus for storing vehicle data comprising:

a first data recording unit;

a second data recording unit being accessible by an affiliated system;

a data acquiring unit for acquiring the vehicle data to the first data recording unit on a time-series basis; and

a data controlling unit for recording a series of the vehicle data, that is recorded in the first data recording unit and satisfies predetermined acquiring conditions, in a predetermined period in the second data recording unit,

wherein the data acquiring unit continues to acquire the vehicle data while the data controlling unit records the series of the vehicle data in the second data recording unit.

2. The data recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the data controlling unit has a full-recording mode where the series of the vehicle data are recorded in the second data recording unit irrespective of the acquiring conditions while being correlated with the time information, and can switch a recording mode to the full-recording mode.

3. The data recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a communication unit for informing of completion of recording when the recording into the second data recording unit is completed.

4. The data recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the data acquiring unit further acquires values learned by the control unit and changed in response to a driving condition of the vehicle as the vehicle data.

5. The data recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the data acquiring unit further acquires peripheral information of the vehicle.

6. The data recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle data includes vehicle control parameters.

7. The data recording apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for temporarily fixing the data recording apparatus in a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

8. The data recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the second data recording unit comprises a portable memory storage device removably insertable into the data recording apparatus and the affiliated system.

9. The data recording apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

the predetermined acquiring conditions are stored in a mode file on the portable memory storage device.

10. The data recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the recording of the series of the vehicle data is initiated prior to ignition of the vehicle.

11. The data recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the recording of the series of the vehicle data is initiated during ignition of the vehicle.

12. The data recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the recording of the series of the vehicle data is initiated when a driver'"'"'s presence is detected by the vehicle.

13. The data recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the data acquiring unit discontinues acquiring data upon satisfaction of the predetermined acquiring conditions.

14. The data recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the second data recording unit continues to record the series of the vehicle data after a power supply from the vehicle is turned OFF.

15. The data recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the series of the vehicle data comprise time-series vehicle data and the data acquiring unit continues to acquire the vehicle data while the data controlling unit records the series of the vehicle data in the second data recording unit.