Vehicle diagnostic information generating and transmission systems and methods

• US 8,229,624 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2008
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Breed, David S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US12/034,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20080147271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,615 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701 33- 36, 701/29.1, 701/29.9, 340/425.5, 702182-185
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01184 Fault detection or diagnostic circuits in power circuits B60R2021/01129
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01327 Angular velocity or angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value

Abstract

Control system for controlling at least one part of a vehicle includes a plurality of sensor systems mounted at different locations on the vehicle, each sensor system providing a measurement related to a state thereof system or a measurement related to a state of the mounting location. A processor is coupled to the sensor systems and diagnoses the state of the vehicle itself and optionally its dynamic motion based on the measurements of the sensor systems. The processor controls each part based at least in part on the diagnosed state of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of sensor systems mounted at different locations on the vehicle, each of said sensor systems providing a measurement related to a state of each of said sensor systems or a measurement related to a state of the mounting location of each of said sensor systems;

a location determination system arranged to determine location information for the vehicle based on signals received from satellites;

a processor coupled to said sensor systems and arranged to generate diagnostic information concerning the vehicle based on the measurements of said sensor systems, a transmitter for sending the location information determined by said location determination system and the diagnostic information generated by said processor to a site remote from the vehicle; and

wherein the diagnostic information comprises a severity determination for an accident involving the vehicle.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said processor is further arranged to generate occupancy information about one or more passengers of the vehicle based on the measurements of said sensor systems, said transmitter being arranged to send the occupancy information generated by said processor to the site remote from the vehicle.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the occupancy information comprises a number of the one or more passengers in the vehicle.

5. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the occupancy information comprises a classification of at least one of the one or more passengers in the vehicle.

6. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein the occupancy information comprises presence of an occupied child seat in the vehicle.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said processor is further arranged to generate airbag deployment information based on the measurements of said sensor systems, said transmitter being arranged to send the airbag deployment information generated by said processor to the site remote from the vehicle.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the severity determination comprises a location of an impact on the vehicle.

9. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the severity determination comprises locations of multiple impacts on the vehicle.

10. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the severity determination comprises a stability determination for the vehicle.

11. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the severity determination comprises a rollover determination for the vehicle.

12. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the severity determination comprises location of an impact on the vehicle and a rollover determination for the vehicle.

13. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said transmitter is configured to send the location and diagnostic information wirelessly.

14. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said transmitter is configured to send the location and diagnostic information via the Internet.

15. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said transmitter is configured to send the location and diagnostic information via a cellular communication system.

16. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said transmitter is configured to send the location and diagnostic information via a satellite communication system.

35. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate failure information concerning the vehicle, wherein the failure information comprises a determination that a component, system or subsystem of the vehicle is about to fail or has failed, and wherein the transmitter is also for sending the failure information to a second site remote from the vehicle.

43. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said processor is further arranged to generate occupancy information of the vehicle based on the measurements of said sensor systems, said transmitter being arranged to send the occupancy information generated by said processor to a second site remote from the vehicle, wherein the occupancy information indicates presence of a child in the vehicle.

60. The vehicle of claim 35, wherein said processor is further arranged to generate occupancy information about one or more passengers of the vehicle based on the measurements of said sensor systems, said transmitter being arranged to send the occupancy information generated by said processor to the site remote from the vehicle.

61. The vehicle of claim 60, wherein the occupancy information comprises a number of the one or more passengers in the vehicle.

68. The vehicle of claim 35, 36, 43, 44, 45, 61 or 63, wherein the site and the second site are different sites.

69. The vehicle of claim 35, 36, 43, 44, 45, 61 or 63, wherein the site and the second site are the same site.

2. A method for use in a vehicle, the method comprising:

measuring a state of each of a plurality of sensor systems mounted at different locations on the vehicle or a state of the respective mounting location of each of the plurality sensor systems;

determining location information for the vehicle based on signals received from satellites via a location determination system arranged on the vehicle;

generating, using a processor, diagnostic information concerning the vehicle based on the measurements of the state of the sensor systems or the state of the mounting locations of the sensor systems; and

sending, using a transmitter on the vehicle, the location information determined by the location determination system and the diagnostic information generated by the processor to a site remote from the vehicle;

wherein the diagnostic information comprises a severity determination for an accident involving the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 2, further comprising generating, using the processor, occupancy information about one or more passengers of the vehicle based on the measurements of the sensor systems and sending, using the transmitter, the occupancy information generated by the processor to the site remote from the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the occupancy information comprises a number of the one or more passengers in the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the occupancy information comprises a classification of at least one of the one or more passengers in the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the occupancy information comprises presence of an occupied child seat in the vehicle.

21. The method of claim 2, further comprising generating, using the processor, airbag deployment information based on the measurements of the sensor systems and sending, using the transmitter, the airbag deployment information generated by the processor to the site remote from the vehicle.

22. The method of claim 2, wherein the severity determination comprises a location of an impact on the vehicle.

23. The method of claim 2, wherein the severity determination comprises locations of multiple impacts on the vehicle.

24. The method of claim 2, wherein the severity determination comprises a stability determination for the vehicle.

25. The method of claim 2, wherein the severity determination comprises a rollover determination for the vehicle.

26. The method of claim 2, wherein the severity determination comprises location of an impact on the vehicle and a rollover determination for the vehicle.

27. The method of claim 2, wherein the transmitter is configured to send the location and diagnostic information wirelessly.

28. The method of claim 2, wherein the transmitter is configured to send the location and diagnostic information via the Internet.

29. The method of claim 2, wherein the transmitter is configured to send the location and diagnostic information via a cellular communication system.

30. The method of claim 2, wherein the transmitter is configured to send the location and diagnostic information via a satellite communication system.

37. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

generating failure information concerning the vehicle, wherein the failure information comprises a determination that a component, system or subsystem of the vehicle is about to fail or has failed; and

sending the failure information to a second site remote from the vehicle.

46. The method of claim 2, further comprising generating, using the processor, occupancy information of the vehicle based on the measurements of the sensor systems and sending, using the transmitter, the occupancy information generated by the processor to a second site remote from the vehicle, wherein the occupancy information indicates presence of a child in the vehicle.

64. The method of claim 37 further comprising:

generating occupancy information about one or more passengers of the vehicle based on the measurements of said sensor systems; and

sending the occupancy information to the site remote from the vehicle.

65. The method of claim 64, wherein the occupancy information comprises a number of the one or more passengers in the vehicle.

70. The method of claim 37, 38, 42, 46, 47, 48, or 65, wherein the site and the second site are different sites.

71. The method of claim 37, 38, 42, 46, 47, 48, or 65, wherein the site and the second site are the same site.

31. A vehicle comprising:

a plurality of sensor systems mounted at different locations on the vehicle, each of said sensor systems providing a measurement related to a state of each of said sensor systems or a measurement related to a state of the mounting location of each of said sensor systems;

a location determination system arranged to determine location information for the vehicle;

a processor coupled to said sensor systems and arranged to generate diagnostic information concerning the vehicle based on the measurements of said sensor systems, a transmitter for sending the location information determined by said location determination system and the diagnostic information generated by said processor to a site remote from the vehicle; and

wherein the diagnostic information comprises a severity determination for an accident involving the vehicle.

36. The vehicle of claim 31, wherein the processor is configured to generate failure information concerning the vehicle, wherein the failure information comprises a determination that a component, system or subsystem of the vehicle is about to fail or has failed, and wherein the transmitter is also for sending the failure information to a second site remote from the vehicle.

39. The vehicle of claim 31, wherein said processor is further arranged to generate occupancy information about one or more passengers of the vehicle based on the measurements of said sensor systems, said transmitter being arranged to send the occupancy information generated by said processor to the site remote from the vehicle, wherein the occupancy information comprises a number of the one or more passengers in the vehicle.

44. The vehicle of claim 31, wherein said processor is further arranged to generate occupancy information of the vehicle based on the measurements of said sensor systems, said transmitter being arranged to send the occupancy information generated by said processor to a second site remote from the vehicle, wherein the occupancy information indicates presence of a child in the vehicle.

62. The vehicle of claim 36, wherein said processor is further arranged to generate occupancy information about one or more passengers of the vehicle based on the measurements of said sensor systems, said transmitter being arranged to send the occupancy information generated by said processor to the site remote from the vehicle.

63. The vehicle of claim 62, wherein the occupancy information comprises a number of the one or more passengers in the vehicle.

32. A vehicle comprising:

a plurality of sensor systems mounted at different locations on the vehicle, each of said sensor systems providing a measurement related to a state of each of said sensor systems or a measurement related to a state of the mounting location of each of said sensor systems;

a location determination system arranged to determine location information for the vehicle;

a processor coupled to said sensor systems and arranged to generate failure information concerning the vehicle based on the measurements of said sensor systems, a transmitter for sending the. location information determined by said location determination system and the failure information generated by said processor to a site remote from the vehicle; and

wherein the failure information comprises a determination that a component, system or subsystem of the vehicle is about to fail or has failed.

40. The vehicle of claim 32, wherein said processor is further arranged to generate occupancy information about one or more passengers of the vehicle based on the measurements of said sensor systems, said transmitter being arranged to send the occupancy information generated by said processor to the site remote from the vehicle, wherein the occupancy information comprises a number of the one or more passengers in the vehicle.

45. The vehicle of claim 32, wherein said processor is further arranged to generate occupancy information of the vehicle based on the measurements of said sensor systems, said transmitter being arranged to send the occupancy information generated by said processor to a second site remote from the vehicle, wherein the occupancy information indicates presence of a child in the vehicle.

33. A method for use in a vehicle, the method comprising:

measuring a state of each of a plurality of sensor systems mounted at different locations on the vehicle or a state of the respective mounting location of each of the plurality of sensor systems;

determining location information for the vehicle via a location determination system arranged on the vehicle;

generating, using a processor, diagnostic information concerning the vehicle based on the measurements of the state of the sensor systems or the state of the mounting locations of the sensor systems; and

sending, using a transmitter on the vehicle, the location information determined by the location determination system and the diagnostic information generated by the processor to a site remote from the vehicle;

wherein the diagnostic information comprises a severity determination for an accident involving the vehicle.

38. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

generating failure information concerning the vehicle, wherein the failure information comprises a determination that a component, system or subsystem of the vehicle is about to fail or has failed; and

sending the failure information to a second site remote from the vehicle.

41. The method of claim 33, further comprising generating, using the processor, occupancy information about one or more passengers of the vehicle based on the measurements of the sensor systems and sending, using the transmitter, the occupancy information generated by the processor to the site remote from the vehicle, wherein the occupancy information comprises a number of the one or more passengers in the vehicle.

47. The method of claim 33, further comprising generating, using the processor, occupancy information of the vehicle based on the measurements of the sensor systems and sending, using the transmitter, the occupancy information generated by the processor to a second site remote from the vehicle, wherein the occupancy information indicates presence of a child in the vehicle.

66. The method of claim 38 further comprising:

generating occupancy information about one or more passengers of the vehicle based on the measurements of said sensor systems; and

sending the occupancy information to the site remote from the vehicle.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein the occupancy information comprises a number of the one or more passengers in the vehicle.

34. A method for use in a vehicle, the method comprising:

measuring a state of each of a plurality of sensor systems mounted at different locations on the vehicle or a state of the respective mounting location of each of the plurality of sensor systems;

determining location information for the vehicle via a location determination system arranged on the vehicle;

generating, using a processor, failure information concerning the vehicle based on the measurements of the state of the sensor systems or the state of the mounting locations of the sensor systems; and

sending, using a transmitter on the vehicle, the location information determined by the location determination system and the failure information generated by the processor to a site remote from the vehicle;

wherein the failure information comprises a determination that a component, system or subsystem of the vehicle is about to fail or has failed.

42. The method of claim 34, further comprising generating, using the processor, occupancy information about one or more passengers of the vehicle based on the measurements of the sensor systems and sending, using the transmitter, the occupancy information generated by the processor to a second site remote from the vehicle, wherein the occupancy information comprises a number of the one or more passengers in the vehicle.

48. The method of claim 34, further comprising generating, using the processor, occupancy information of the vehicle based on the measurements of the sensor systems and sending, using the transmitter, the occupancy information generated by the processor to a second site remote from the vehicle, wherein the occupancy information indicates presence of a child in the vehicle.

49. A vehicle comprising:

one or more first sensors configured to detect operating parameters of the vehicle;

a module configured to obtain failure information that a component of the vehicle has failed or is predicted to fail based at least in part on the operating parameters detected by the sensors;

a communication device configured to communicate the failure information based on the operating parameters to a first site remote from the vehicle ;

one or more second sensors configured to generate crash sensor information;

wherein the communication device is further configured to communicate the crash sensor information to a second site remote from the vehicle in response to generating the crash sensor information.

50. The vehicle of claim 49, wherein the one or more of the second sensors comprise an airbag crash sensor.

51. The vehicle of claim 49, further comprising a display onboard the vehicle for presenting the failure information to a person onboard the vehicle.

52. The vehicle of claim 49, wherein the first site a dealer or a repair facility to facilitate repair of the vehicle based on the failure information.

53. The vehicle of claim 49, wherein the module monitors a behavior of the component, and compares the behavior of the component to a normal behavior of the component when obtaining the failure information.

54. The vehicle of claim 49, wherein the module identifies erratic behavior of the component and warns an occupant of the vehicle that the component is misbehaving and the failure information indicates that the component is likely to fail in a near future.

55. The vehicle of claim 49, wherein the one or more of the second sensors provide vibration information.

56. The vehicle of claim 49, wherein the one or more of the first sensors comprise a tire vibration sensor.

57. The vehicle of claim 49, wherein the one or more of the first sensors comprise a pollution sensor.

58. The vehicle of claim 49, wherein the one or more of the first sensors comprise a chemical sensor.

59. The vehicle of claim 49 further comprising a microphone, wherein the communication device is further configured to communicate information received by the microphone to at least one of the first site and the second site.

72. The vehicle of claim 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58 or 59, wherein the first site and the second site are different sites.

73. The vehicle of claim 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58 or 59, wherein the first site and the second site are the same site.