Patent ID: 9177426
Filing Date: 2015-11-03
Classification: G06F,G07C,G11B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for monitoring and storing vehicle parameters in the event of an accident of a passenger vehicle, and automatically transmitting a distress signal in response to detecting the accident, comprising: an accident-detecting sensor for providing information indicating a sudden change in a velocity of the vehicle; accident-related sensors for providing information indicating values of operational parameters of the vehicle, including (i) a ground speed of the vehicle, (ii) brake pedal actuation and (iii) a seat belt status, wherein the accident-related sensors are a subset of all sensors equipped onboard the passenger vehicle and one of the accident-related sensors is a brake system on/off switch; a processor in communication with the accident-detecting and accident-related sensors and a chronology memory and a diagnostic memory, where the processor is adapted to detect an accident of the vehicle in response to the information received from the accident-detecting sensor, and where the processor further detects the accident in response to all sudden changes in the velocity of the vehicle and regardless of whether the vehicle promptly comes to a rest; the chronology memory configured such that newer information from the accident-related sensors overwrites older information in the chronology memory, the information written into the chronology memory including (i) the ground speed of the vehicle, (ii) the brake on/off status and (iii) the seat belt status; the diagnostic memory configured such that older information from the accident-detecting sensor or accident-related sensors is not overwritten by newer information; the processor further adapted to respond to each detection of an accident by causing information written to the diagnostic memory to be (i) information stored in the chronology memory over a period of time preceding the accident detection but no more than about two minutes prior to the accident detection and (ii) information based on data from the accident-detecting sensor provided over a period of time during and immediately following the accident detection but no later than such time as when the vehicle has come to a rest or the vehicle's ground speed is otherwise substantially constant; and a transmitter responsive to the processor detecting the accident to cause transmission of a wireless signal indicating that the vehicle has been involved in an accident.