Engine state detection device

• US 9,886,800 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2015
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bridgestone Mobility Solutions BV (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TomTom Telematics BV (Bridgestone Corporation)
• Inventors: Gro, Tobias
• Primary Examiner(s): McPherson, James M
• Application Number:
  US14/826,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20160049018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/007 using microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A device for collecting vehicle on-board diagnostics (OBO) data is disclosed, together with an associated method of collecting OBD data in such devices. In embodiments, the OBO data collection device includes a connector for connecting the device to a vehicle OBO port to receive OBO data and power and a processor for controlling collection of the OBO data. The processor is arranged to determine a vehicle engine state by monitoring a voltage at the connector, taken in combination with OBO data relating to vehicle speed and/or engine revolutions. Such devices are able to reliably detect both engine ‘on’ and ‘off’ states in modern vehicles that use “smart charging” technology.

Claims

1. A device for detecting a state of a vehicle'"'"'s engine using vehicle on-board diagnostics (OBD) data, the device comprising:

a connector for connecting the device to a vehicle OBD port to receive OBD data and power; and

a processor arranged to determine a vehicle engine state by monitoring a voltage at the connector, the processor;

(i) detecting an engine ‘

on’

state from a temporary voltage drop of at least a predetermined magnitude; and

(ii) detecting an engine ‘

off’

state by;

detecting a pending engine ‘

off’

state from a voltage value that is less than a threshold;

confirming the pending engine ‘

off’

state from the OBD data indicating at least one of vehicle speed and engine revolutions are at a constant non-zero value for a first predetermined time period; and

detecting a final engine ‘

off’

state after a second predetermined time period; and

based on detecting the engine ‘

off’

state, changing a level of operation of the device from a running mode to a sleep mode, wherein, in the sleep mode, no power is drawn by the device from the ODB port.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is arranged to detect the pending engine ‘

off’

state from a voltage value that is less than the threshold for a third predetermined time period.

3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the third predetermined time period is at least 1 second.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the threshold is at least 13 volts.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first predetermined time period is at least 5 seconds.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the second predetermined time period is at least 10 seconds.

7. The device according to claim 1, where the processor is arranged to detect the engine ‘

on’

state from a temporary voltage drop of at least 2 volts.

8. The device according to claim 1, where the processor is arranged to detect the engine ‘

on’

state from a temporary voltage drop of at least a predetermined magnitude that lasts for a time period of less than 1 second.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is arranged to detect the engine ‘

on’

state by sampling the voltage at the connector at a frequency of at least 8 Hz.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is arranged to control collection of the OBD data by at least one of:

starting the collection of the OBD data when the engine ‘

on’

state is detected; and

by stopping the collection of the OBD data when the final engine ‘

off’

state is detected.

11. The device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is arranged to use the determined vehicle engine state to set a start and an end of a trip, so as to determine a trip duration.

12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is arranged to, based on detecting the engine ‘

on’

state, change a level of operation of the device from a sleep mode to a running mode.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a device having a connector for connecting the device to a vehicle OBD port, causes the device to perform a method comprising:

receiving OBD data and power from the vehicle OBD port;

determining a vehicle engine state by monitoring a voltage at the connector, said determining comprising;

(i) detecting an engine ‘

on’

state from a temporary voltage drop of at least a predetermined magnitude; and

(ii) detecting an engine ‘

off’

state by;

detecting a pending engine ‘

off’

state from a voltage value that is less than a threshold;

confirming the pending engine ‘

off’

state from the OBD data indicating at least one of vehicle speed and engine revolutions are at a constant non-zero value for a first predetermined time period; and

detecting a final engine ‘

off’

state after a second predetermined time period; and

based on detecting the engine ‘

off’

state, changing a level of operation of the device from a running mode to a sleep mode, wherein, in the sleep mode, no power is drawn by the device from the ODB port.

14. The computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the pending engine ‘

off’

state is detected from a voltage value that is less than the threshold for a third predetermined time period.

15. The computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the device to control collection of the OBD data by at least one of:

starting the collection of the OBD data when the engine ‘

on’

state is detected; and

by stopping the collection of the OBD data when the final engine ‘

off’

state is detected.

16. The computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the device to use the determined vehicle engine state to set a start and an end of a trip, so as to determine a trip duration.

17. The computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein the computer readable instructions, when executed, further cause the device to, based on detecting the engine ‘

on’

state, change a level of operation of the device from a sleep mode to a running mode.

18. A method of detecting a state of a vehicle'"'"'s engine from vehicle on-board diagnostics (OBD) data using a device having a connector for connecting the device to a vehicle OBD port, the method comprising:

receiving OBD data and power from the vehicle OBD port;

determining a vehicle engine state by monitoring a voltage at the connector, said determining comprising;

(i) detecting an engine ‘

on’

state from a temporary voltage drop of at least a predetermined magnitude; and

(ii) detecting an engine ‘

off’

state by;

detecting a pending engine ‘

off’

state from a voltage value that is less than a threshold;

confirming the pending engine ‘

off’

state from the OBD data indicating at least one of vehicle speed and engine revolutions are at a constant non-zero value for a first predetermined time period; and

detecting a final engine ‘

off’

state after a second predetermined time period; and

based on detecting the engine ‘

off’

state, changing a level of operation of the device from a running mode to a sleep mode, wherein, in the sleep mode, no power is drawn by the device from the ODB port.