Machine operation indicating system and method

An apparatus and method for indicating operational characteristics of a machine, such as a motor vehicle or other type of human operator or monitored machine which is subject to variations in its operational characteristics requiring adjustments, maintenance or replacement of machine parts. In particular, the system and method involve the generation of synthetic speech signals which are converted to sounds of words and phrases or sentences which describe the operational characteristics of the machine and, in certain instances, suggest remedies or procedures to be taken by an operator or maintenance personnel to prevent machine malfunction, improve its operation and, in certain instances, optimize the manner in which it performs. Both analysis of the operational characteristics or ambient conditions to which the machine is subjected are effected by a plurality of sensors of such conditions and a computer or microelectronic processor which processes the outputs of the sensors and determines such operational characteristics, further controlling the operation of an electronic synthetic speech signal generator for generating speech signals which are converted to words, phrases and, in certain instances, sentences defining the operation and further defining suggested maintenance or variations in the operation to be taken by the operator thereof. Unsafe operating conditions may be electronically detected and immediately indicated or indicated at a future time when a memory is queriead.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to an apparatus and method for indicating certain 
variations in the operation of a machine, such as a motor vehicle or other 
types of human operated or human maintained machine, wherein such 
indications are effected in the form of synthetically generated speech, 
preferably generated by a microelectronic speech synthesizing circuit 
which includes analyzing means for signals received thereby in sensing the 
operation of the machine or certain ambient conditions such as 
temperature, pressure, noise and vibrations of machine components. The 
system is particularly applicable for warning or indicating certain 
malfunctions, poor operation or pending conditions which will result in 
disruption of operation of the machine or vehicle. By indicating to the 
operator, maintenance personnel or a person monitoring the operation of 
the machine, in verbal terms, together with perhaps display indications of 
the operation of the machine, the attention of the operator is immediately 
directed to the condition effecting such poor or hazardous operation, 
thereby resulting in an immediate warning of such condition for such 
person to take corrective action to prevent damage to the machine or 
improve its operation. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
Prior art systems for indicating motor vehicle operating characteristics 
include dashboard mounted displays, such as dial or pointer indicators, 
lamps switched on and off and electrically operated buzzers and bells. 
Speech synthesizing circuits have also been employed, as disclosed in U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,870,818, to indicate such bistable conditions as low oil and 
gas levels, failure to buckle seat belts, low brake fluid, etc. when such 
conditions are present. Magnetic tape players have also been employed to 
deliver prerecorded messages relating to road information as disclosed in 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,190,819. U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,018 discloses a motor vehicle 
monitoring system which also detects and displays such bistable or limit 
variables as low levels of water, oil and air pressures and danger levels 
of engine temperature. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
A primary object of this invention is to provide new systems and methods 
for monitoring machine and vehicle operation. 
Another object is to provide an apparatus and method for verbally warning 
of poor operating condition or malfunction of a machine and also verbally 
indicating what step or steps should be taken to prevent such malfunction 
or to overcome same. 
Another object is to provide a monitoring system for machines wherein 
audible verbal indications are automatically generated for informing an 
operator or maintenance person as to what maintenance or corrective steps 
to take to reestablish or improve machine operation. 
Another object is to provide a system and method for automatically 
indicating with speech sounds, parameters associated with the operation of 
a motor vehicle and for verbally warning the operator thereof when unsafe 
conditions exist and when maintanance is required resulting from 
malfunctioning of certain components of the vehicle or its drive means. 
Another object is to provide a combined indicating system for verbally 
indicating with synthetic speech when routine maintenance functionsare 
required to be performed with respect to a machine, when unsafe operating 
conditions exist and when a part or system has failed or is about to fail 
or malfunction. 
Another object is provide a synthetic speech generating and control system 
for use in a motor vehicle, manufacturing or materials handling machines 
capable of performing a variety of condition indicating and warning 
functions employing a single display and single synthetic speech 
generator. 
The above and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the 
accompanying drawings and the specification.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
In FIG. 1 is illustrated a system for indicating a plurality of operating 
conditions of a machine or motor vehicle and, in certain instances, for 
verbally commanding or prescribing maintenance steps to be taken to 
prevent malfunction, stoppage or dangerous operation of the machine or 
motor vehicle. System illustrated in FIG. 1 is applicable to an operating 
motor vehicle, such as an automobile, truck, bus or other wheeled vehicles 
and it is noted that certain features thereof may also be applicable to 
boats and aircraft. 
Such variables as engine or peripheral device temperature, fuel level, 
operational speed, oil pressure, requirements for oil change or 
lubrication, operational conditions to maximize fuel economy, proximity or 
nearness of an object such as another vehicle or other object, may be 
indicated both by visual display means and audio indicating means, such as 
words, phrases and sentences generated on the output of a speaker in 
accordance with synthetic speech signals applied thereto. 
A system 10, illustrated in FIG. 1, is provided with respect to a motor 
vehicle or automobile 11 containing a number of operating condition 
sensors, such as a fuel level sensor 39 located in or adjacent a fuel tank 
12 and operable to sense fuel level, one or more temperature sensors 35 
located in or adjacent to vehicle engine or motor 13, a speed-distance 
sensor 49 located in a speedometer or attached to the speedometer cable 50 
between a drive transmission 51 and a speedometer 52, the latter being 
located on the dashboard 14 of the motor vehicle. Also illustrated in FIG. 
1 are respective forward and rearward looking radar units 58A and 58B. 
A portion of the dashboard 14 of the vehicle 11 is shown in FIG. 2 
containing a speedometer 52, digital numeric display, keyboard 63 and 
speaker unit 69 which may be the radio speaker for the radio or tape 
playing unit of the motor vehicle operable to generate sounds of synthetic 
speech to be described hereafter. 
In FIG. 3A is shown components of a source of electrical energy for 
energizing system 10 to perform as described wherein such energy is 
available even when the ignition switch for the vehicle ignition system is 
open. The automobile battery 30 which supplies power for the ignition 
system supplies electrical energy for energizing a conventional power 
supply 32 whenever the automobile ignition switch 31 is closed and such 
power supply provides a regulated voltage or voltages to the components of 
the system 10 illustrated in FIG. 3. The power supply 32 is assumed to be 
of the proper parameters and contains respective leads which are 
appropriately connected to the components of system 10 which are shown in 
FIG. 3. 
When ignition switch 31 is closed, such as when the engine of the vehicle 
is operating, electrical energy from the automobile or vehicle battery 
and/or the voltage generator or magneto of the vehicle is also gated to a 
charging circuit 33 which charges a back-up battery 34 which functions to 
supply minimal power to the components of system 10 through the power 
supply 32. The back-up battery 34 may be connected directly to the power 
supply 32 or through contacts of the ignition switch which close when the 
main contacts of the switch connecting the battery to the ignition 
components of the vehicle are open so that the back-up battery will not be 
drained of its energy when sufficient power is derived from the vehicle 
battery and/or the magneto or generator operating off the engine shaft. 
As shown in FIG. 3, engine operating temperature is sensed by a thermistor 
35 or other suitable temperature sensor or sensors properly located on the 
engine, the output of which sensor is amplified in a buffer 36 and is 
converted to digital form for processing by a computer or electronic 
microprocessor 38, by an analog-to-digital converter 37. If such signals 
are indicative of excess operating temperature, the computer 38 is 
programmed with information from one of its memories 59,66 to display the 
condition and activate a warning device or display as described hereafter. 
A fuel sensing device 39, such as a float operated sensor or switch or 
other conventional liquid level indicator, generates a signal which is 
indicative of fuel level in the fuel tank, and may be used per se or in 
combination with the conventional fuel gage 40 for indicating to the 
computer 38 the level of stored fuel. Such signal is passed to a buffer 
amplifier 41, the output of which is connected to an analog-to-digital 
converter 42, the digital signal output of which is passed to the computer 
38 which may process and use same in calculating fuel economy for 
displaying such information as described and, in certain instances, for 
providing output signals for fuel-air mixture or carburetor control to 
optimize engine operation. A digital clock circuit 43 driven by an 
oscillator 44 with a frequency determinant feedback circuit 45 such as a 
precision quartz crystal, provides a digital code for the microprocessor 
38, which code is representative of time of day, day of month, etc. and is 
used by the microprocessor to determine maintenance functions to be 
performed, such as winterizing and other functions associated with ambient 
temperature by comparison with signals derived from its memory. The time 
signals are also passed through a transmission gate 46 to operate a 
display driver 47 for causing a digital electronic display 48 to display 
time and date. 
A sensor 49, such as a microminiature light source and photodetector and a 
light interruption means driven by rotation of the speedometer shaft or 
cable 50 extending from the transmission 51 or drive shaft of the vehicle, 
converts rotations of the speedometer shaft to pulse electrical signals 
which trigger a pulse generator, the output of which is applied to a pulse 
counter 54 and a cumulative counter 55, the latter operating to generate a 
digital code indicative of the distance travelled by the vehicle from a 
given time, which code is transmitted to the microprocessor 38 for use in 
computing various maintenance requirements. Counter 54 accumulates pulses 
from pulse generator 53 and generates a digital code which is applied to a 
flip-flop switch 56 which is operable to input data to the computer or 
microprocessor 38 whenever it receives a trigger pulse passed thereto from 
the digital clock circuit 43, as enabled by a control signal from a 
microprocessor 38. The output of the flip-flop 56 is representative of the 
speed of the vehicle and is transmitted to the microprocessor 38. Such 
trigger pulse, which sets the flip-flop 56, also resets the counter 54 to 
zero, after passing through a delay circuit 57 thereby conditioning such 
counter for counting the next cycle. 
A radar detecting unit 58A is also provided to determine the distance of 
the vehicle between objects in front of the vehicle and to provide such 
distance information as a digital code to the microprocessor 38 with 
processes such coded information and the information received regarding 
the speed of the vehicle from flip-flop 56 to determine if the 
speed-distance information or ratio is such as to indicate that a 
collision may soon occur. If such condition exists, as indicated by 
signals generated by or within the microprocessor 38 from information 
recorded therein, such as pre-programmed information stored in the memory 
59 of the microprocessor, circuits in the microprocessor generate a 
digital code which is indicative of such condition and such code is output 
to a display decoder 60, the output of which is transferred to the display 
driver 47 through the transmission gate 46 when such condition exists for 
displaying a warning signal to the driver of the vehicle. The same signal 
from the microprocessor applied to transmission gate 46 is also applied to 
an alarm driver 61 for activating an alarm 62, such as a flashing light, 
bell or other noisemaking transducer, for immediately drawing the 
attention of the driver to the emergency condition. Similarly, other 
emergency conditions may also be indicated by signals applied to the alarm 
62 and the display means 48 or auxiliary alarm and display means, such as 
engine overheating, as indicated by sensor 35, excessive vehicle speed, 
where speed limiting values are preprogrammed in the microprocessor or 
entered therein by a suitable input means, such as an encoded keyboard 63. 
Such information is compared with the signal generated on the output of 
flip-flop 56 and may also include an indication of a low fuel level in the 
fuel tank derived from analog-to-digital converter 42, low efficiency in 
operation of the motor vehicle as calculated by the microprocessor 38 from 
signals indicative of vehicle speed received from the flip-flop 56 and 
fuel flow signals generated by flow sensor 64 and received from the 
analog-to-digital converter 56 connected thereto. 
Various maintenance intervals, as determined by time signals derived from 
the digital clock circuit 43 and/or distance signals derived by cumulative 
counter 55, may be indicated and controlled by signals generated by the 
microprocessor 38 by its comparison of signals derived from such circuits 
with signals generated by recordings of information relating to the 
maintenance periods, such as entered by keyboard 63 and stored in memory 
66 or preprogrmmed in such memory as part of the microprocessor. An 
indication of the need for such maintenance may be displayed whenever the 
ignition switch is closed to start the motor vehicle and the alarm 62 may 
also be activated whenever the ignition circuit is energized until a 
normally open maintenance reset switch 63A is momentarily activated by 
hand. Such information as requirements for oil change, lubrication, oil 
filter change, air filter cleaning, tire rotation, etc. Additional 
information associated with the operation of a motor vehicle, such as the 
use of seatbelts as indicated by the closure of a switch when the belt is 
connected, the leaving of a key in the ignition switch when the door of 
the vehicle is opened, etc. may also be indicated on the digital display 
and/or by means of the alarm device. 
In addition to indicating the variables and conditions described above, by 
means of a display and alarm, such conditions may also be audibly 
indicated by vocal means as a result of the use of a speech synthesizing 
circuit 67, such as the Texas Instruments microprocessor TNC0820 and its 
requisite support circuitry. The speech synthesizer 67 converts a digital 
code output of microprocessor 38 received thereby or suitable control 
signals from the microprocessor, into electronic signals, such as code 
signals, representative of words defining the verbalization of the 
condition to be indicated by speech sounds and transmit such information 
to a voltage controlled amplifier 68 which is connected to a loud speaker 
69 to provide audible sound as synthetic words for the driver of the 
vehicle. The volume of the reproduced audible signals is controlled by the 
amplification factor of the voltage controlled amplifier 68 which itself 
is controlled by the level of the ambiant sound in the vehicle cabin 
interior as determined by signals generated by a microphone 70 and 
amplified in an amplifier 71, the output of which is converted to a direct 
current control voltage level by a filter 72. 
Also shown in FIG. 3 is a sensor 73 operable for sensing accelerations and 
decelerations of the vehicle in one or a number of directions and 
generating output analog signals which are passed to an analog-to-digital 
converter 74 which is connected to pass digital signals indicative of 
accelerations and decelerations of the vehicle during its operation to the 
microcomputer 38 for analysis thereby. If the circuits analyzing the 
acceleration and deceleration signals in device 38 determine that the 
vehicle is being operated unsafely or in a reckless manner as a result of 
the characteristics of the signals received by comparison with signals 
reproduced from a memory in the microprocessor, signal indications of such 
hazzardous driving may be recorded in a memory in the microprocessor or an 
auxilliary memory connected to an output or outputs of the microprocessor 
which memory is addressable to provide the recordings or indications of 
such unsafe or hazzardous vehicle operation as output signals when the 
keyboard 63 is properly operated or when an auxilliary addressing means 
such as another keyboard, controller or computer is connected through 
keyboard or otherwise to the memory in which such hazzardous driving 
indications are recorded. The reproduced signals including a code 
indicative of the identity of the motor vehicle or its driver may be 
transmitted to another computer and recorded or processed thereat or used 
to control a hard copy printer to indicate the manner in which the vehicle 
has been driven over a selected period of time. 
The signals indicative of the manner in which the vehicle has been driven 
or of a hazzardous driving condition, when generated by the microprocessor 
38, may also be applied to the driver 61 to activate the alarm 62; to the 
display decoder or driver 60 to activate the display 48 to display an 
indication of the unsafe or hazzardous condition imposed by the driver's 
handling of the vehicle. 
The signals indicative of the manner in which the vehicle has been driven 
may also be passed to the speech synthesizer 67 and may be operable to 
cause the generation of speech signals which are converted to sounds of 
words which indicate to the driver of the motor vehicle that he is not 
handling or driving the vehicle properly or is driving recklessly. 
It is noted that signals generated by forward looking radar 58A may be 
analyzed by the microprocessor 38 together with signals generated by the 
accelerometer 70 to better determine the nature of the hazzardous driving 
particularly if it results in the vehicle coming too close to another 
vehicle or obstacle. 
Variations in the composition and operating characteristics of the motor 
vehicle indicating and warning system 10 shown in FIGS. 1-3 are noted as 
follows: 
I. The microprocessor or computer 38 may be designed to detect unsafe 
driving conditions such as excess speed, time of driving at such excess 
speed and other unsafe driving conditions such as sensed by an 
accelerometer generating, for example, signals indicative of variations in 
accelerations and decelerations of the motor vehicle during its operation 
and movement along highways. Such accelerometer may be supported at a 
convenient location, such as under the dashboard or adjacent the speed 
sensor 49 and operable to generate code, pulse or tone signals which are 
indicative of acceleration, deceleration and, in certain instances, 
direction of movement of the vehicle or a portion thereof. The 
microprocessor 38 may be constructed to receive and analyze such 
accelerometer generated signals and to determine if the driver is 
operating the vehicle in an unsafe or hazzardous manner whereupon such 
condition may be indicated by signals generated and transmitted from the 
microprocessor to the display driver 47, the alarm 62, the synthetic 
speech synthesizing circuits 67 for generating selected speech signals of 
words indicative of the unsafe driving condition and to one of the 
memories 59, 66, a memory of the microprocessor or an auxilliary memory, 
from which memory may be obtained by a pluggable receiver or a short wave 
receiver coupled thereto such information on command to determine the 
manner in which the motor vehicle has been driven. In other words, the 
microprocessor 38 may also be operable to detect and record unsafe 
operating conditions in its memory or an auxilliary memory, which 
recordings may be available for analysis and rating of the manner in which 
the vehicle has been driven over a period of time and, in certain 
instances, just prior to and during an accident. If the microprocessor 38 
is operable to record signals indicative of the speed of the vehicle as 
determined by sensor 49, for an extended period of time after which normal 
recordings are automatically erased from its memory and replaced with new 
recordings, then an indication will be had of the speed of the motor 
vehicle and the manner in which it was driven just prior to an accident 
which may occur for analyzing the cause of the accident. When such 
indicating signals of speed are combined with signals similarly recorded 
which indicate accelerations, decelerations and changes in direction of 
the motor vehicle for a time period prior to the accident, a better 
indication is had of the cause of the accident and driving conditions just 
prior to the accident. By automatically analyzing such signals by means of 
the microprocessor 38 or an auxilliary computer or electronic 
microprocessor forming part of an instrument plugged into the circuits of 
FIG. 3, an indication of the manner in which the motor vehicle is being 
driven may be had and the driver informed of same so as to permit such 
driver to improve his driving of the vehicle. 
II. Keyboard 63 may be selectively operated to query the microprocessor and 
cause it to control operation of the display 48 and the speech synthesizer 
67 to provide respective visual and speech indications of operating 
conditions of the motor vehicle or machine including indications of 
fuel-mileage remaining, engine or motor operation and conditions requiring 
maintenance and the times or dates of such maintenance requirements. 
Memories 59, 66 or a memory in the microprocessor 38 may contain 
recordings therein indicative of maintenance functions required according 
to operational mileage determined by the output of counter 54 and/or the 
operation of various sensors of operating condition including sensors not 
illustrated or described above. 
III. One or more vibration sensors may be provided at one or more locations 
on the motor vehicle for sensing vibrations due to faulty motor operation, 
wheel loosening or misalignment, excessive wheel wear and tire unbalance, 
vibration of a loose part, bearing wear or malfunction, etc. The outputs 
of such sensors may be applied to respective inputs of the microprocessor 
38 or devices such as counting and logic circuits operable to pass one or 
more signals on respective circuits to the computer or microprocessor 38 
indicative of selected vibrational conditions according to the locations 
of the sensors, the conditions they sense and the intensity and 
frequencies of the vibrations. Such analysis and determinations may be 
made by circuits in the microprocessor 38 with or without signal 
processing by auxilliary circuits as described. Signals output by the 
microprocessor 38 as a result of such analysis may be employed to activate 
the display 48 to control same to display an indication of the malfunction 
indicated by the vibrations or noise analyzed and/or to the speech 
synthesizer 67 to cause selected words to be generated which are 
indicative of the noise indicated condition sensed. 
IV. Specific synthetic speech signals may be automatically generated by 
speech synthesizer 67 under the control of the microcomputer 38 to cause 
the driver to revert from an unsafe operating condition to a safe 
operating condition. Warning words such as "slow down", "don't follow so 
close", "vehicle too close to your rear"; "vehicle approaching from X 
direction"; "tire pressure low"; "fuel tank low"; "motor overheating"; 
"time to change oil"; "water needed in radiator"; "battery near 
discharge"; "tune-up needed"; "stalled car ahead"; "engine is 
malfunctioning"; "fill up with oil"; "you need an oil change"; 
"transmission fluid is low"; etc. 
V. Specific maintenance functions requiring driver or owner action may be 
indicated by automatic control of the display driver 47 or the speech 
synthesizer 67 by the microprocessor or microcomputer 38 such as: "oil 
change needed"; "tune up needed"; "tire pressure low"; "engine 
missfiring"; "oil needed"; "oil change required"; "new oil filter 
required"; "clean (or replace)air filter"; "new spark plugs needed"; 
"grease needed"; "check transmission fluid"; "lights not operating"; etc. 
VI. The microprocessor 38 may be queried by selected operation of the keys 
of the address keyboard 63 to advise or warn the driver, owner of the 
motor vehicle or maintenance personnel to determine by microprocessor 
control of display 48 and/or the speech synthesizer 67, what maintenance 
functions may be required, what and when such functions will be required, 
malfunctioning of the vehicle and the manner in which the vehicle has been 
operated in the past. 
VII. Other vehicle operating parameters which may be sensed and visually 
and/or acoustically indicated with sounds of words describing same and/or 
indicating corrective actions to be taken by the driver of the vehicle or 
maintenance personnel include the following: (a) carburetor operating 
condition and adjustments thereto which are necessary to optimize its 
operation; (b) exhaust gas analysis by sensing same with one or more 
sensors which form part of system 10 and generate signals which are 
processed by computer or microprocessor 38 for use in activating both the 
speech generating and visual display means described; (c) sensing of 
battery and generator output voltages by suitable voltage sensors 
connected to the computer 38 for continuous monitoring of such variables 
and indicating by speech and visual indicating means such variables and 
when correction or maintenance is required; (d) sensing of engine 
operating pressures for indicating faults such as damaged piston rings or 
leaking valves and indicating such conditions by computer analysis and 
control of the described speech generating and visual indicating means; 
(e) inition system sensors for sensing ignition variables and indicating 
same as described,; (f) brake operating and condition sensing means for 
indicating under computer control variables therein by visual and speech 
generating means as described; (g) tire pressure sensing and indication as 
described. 
VIII. Speech signal and speech generation as described may be effected to 
warn the driver and his passenger when a seat belt is not latched and when 
a door or doors are unlocked or unlatched as indicated by one or more 
sensors sensing such conditions and signalling the computer as described. 
IX. A short wave receiver of warning signals generated by external means 
and transmitted thereto from roadside located transmitters the vehicle 
passes, may be mounted on the vehicle and connected to transmit received 
code signals to the computer or microprocessor 38 for use thereby in 
controlling the operation of display 48 or alarm 62, as described, or the 
synthetic speech signal generator 67 to generate speech signals of words 
indicative of a roadway condition, an accident ahead, the location of the 
vehicle, an approaching travel condition, traffic ahead or the weather. 
Instructions by police or other authorities regarding the travel of the 
motor vehicle may also be transmitted to the receiver of the vehicle in 
coded signal form for use by the computer as described to control the 
display, warning device and/or the synthetic speech signal generator to 
effect verbal indications of the instructions or condition defined by such 
short wave signals. 
X. If the vehicle using system 10 is an aircraft, sensors of its flying 
condition and attitude may generate signals which are analyzed by the 
computer 38 and employed thereby to provide a visual and/or verbal 
indication of such condition or activate a warning device or warn by means 
of synthetic speech of such conditions when they approach hazzardous 
conditions. Radar devices such as described may be employed to provide a 
warning of proximity of the craft to another craft or flight obstacle. 
XI. While the term "synthetic speech signal generator" has been used to 
describe the circuit 67 for generating speech signals of words indicating 
vehicle operating parameters, it is noted that such signals may be derived 
by digitizing and processing analog signals of words spoken into a 
microphone and recording the results in a memory such as a read only 
memory (ROM) or a PROM defining at least part of the speech synthesizer 
67, 
XII. In the event that the vehicle containing control and indicating system 
10 or a modified form thereof is a hybrid engine driven vehicle, such as 
an engine operating on gasoline and a secondary fuel such as hydrogen, 
oil; alcohol or other liquid or gaseous fuel, computer or microprocessor 
38 may be constructed and its memory programmed for receiving, processing 
and performing analyzing operations on signals generated by sensors 
associated with the operation of such hybrid engine; such as the flow of 
both fuels to the hybrid engine, combustion and exhaust temperatures, 
waste heat temperature when such waste heat is used heat one or more 
chemicals or gases in generating gaseous fuel such as hydrogen by chemical 
or catalytic reaction, gas pressure, conbustion chamber pressure, 
condition of catalyst(s), etc. Upon receipt of such variable signals when 
the engine is operating, the computer 38 may be operable to generate 
control signals for controlling engine operation to optimize same and save 
fuel wherein such control signals control gaseous fuel generation and flow 
and regulate its flow or control such other variables as ignition timing, 
compression ratio, fuel-air mixture, carburetion, flow of heat transfer 
fluid through the engine, lubrication by control of an automatic 
lubricator, etc. 
XIII. If the vehicle is driven by an electric motor or motors or is a 
hybrid vehicle driven both by electric and liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon 
fuels wherein such electrical energy is derived from a battery or fuel 
cell, the computer 38 may be constructed and programmed to receive, 
process and analyze signals generated by sensors as sensors of electric 
energy employed to power the motor or motors driving the vehicle, battery 
charge, fuel cell operation and fuel therefore remaining and variables 
associated with the operation of the electric motors driving the vehicle. 
The outputs of the computer 38 may be employed to control operating 
parameters to optimize the operation of the motor vehicle by means as 
described and to display indications of such operating parameters. 
XIV. The computer or microprocessor 38 may also be operable to receive and 
analyze signals generated by sensors located within or adjacent the wheel 
bearings, engine or electric motor bearings associated with the vehicle's 
driving gasoline engine or electric motor or auxilliary electric motors of 
the motor vehicle, wherein such bearings include electromagnetic means for 
suspending shafts therein away from the bearing surfaces. Control signals 
resulting from computer analysis of signals generated by sensors sensing 
one or more variables as described or shaft position in the bearing may be 
employed to control the intensity of the bearings magnetic field or the 
intensities of a plurality of such magnetic fields for each bearing to 
properly maintain the shaft centrally located in the bearing. 
XV. The microphone 70 of FIG. 3 may also be employed to receive sounds of 
select words of speech spoken by the operator of the motor vehicle and to 
pass amplified analog speech signals of such words to a speech recognition 
computer 67B for controlling one or more functions such as the display 
and/or speech signal and sound playback of selected information associated 
with the operation of the vehicle as desribed above. Selected words of 
speech spoken into microphone 70 or another microphone located on the 
dashboard or the hub of the steering wheel of the vehicle may also be 
employed to control the synthesizer 67 or an auxilliary speech signal 
synthesizer or generator to playback or reproduce speech signals of words 
defining, for example, specific instructions for the vehicle operator to 
follow to effect proper maintenance functions as described and associated 
with proper vehicle operation such as instructions to add oil, brake and 
coolant fluids and how much is needed and to perform other operations 
necessary to maintain the vehicle in proper operating condition. 
Additionally, vehicle operating functions such as switching vehicle 
interior and exterior headlights on an off, starting and stopping 
windshield wipers by activating and deactivating one or more control 
switches, and effecting the activation and deactivation of other switches 
for effecting such functions as starting and stopping a windshield washing 
fluid pump, energizing and deenergizing a window defrosting device such as 
a resistance heating element or elements secured to either or both the 
front and rear windshields; starting and stopping one or more selected 
window lowering and raising motors and controlling same to either raise or 
lower one or more selected windows of the vehicle; operating and 
controlling one or more motors to raise, lower, move forward or backward 
one or more seats; operating and controlling the operation of the vehicle 
interior heater and/or air conditioner; releasing the hood latch; 
releasing the gas filling spout door; effecting and controlling the 
operation of a motor raising or lowering a radio antenna; controlling one 
or more variable and bistable means associated with a tape player and /or 
radio in the vehicle such as switching same on and off, increasing or 
decreasing the volume control thereof, station or channel changing and/or 
selection, speaker selection in a multiple speaker system, base and treble 
control and selection; headlight dimming; parking light on and off; the 
operation and deactivation of exterior warning lights; turning signal 
selection and on-off control; selection of prerecorded visual and/or audio 
signals to be reproduced from a memory to effect speech and or display 
indications on a display of travel instructions and the selective 
operation of a vehicle performance computer for controlling the display 
and/or speech playback of such operating variables as mileage travelled, 
miles per gallon attained, vehicle speed, time and date. Such control 
functions may be effected by speaking selected words of speech into the 
microphone and analyzing the resulting analog speech signals output by 
such microphone with a speech signal analyzing computer such as provided 
on the General Instruments Corporation's SP-1000 combined speech chip 
which includes both speech recognition and speech signal generating 
circuits for performing all or most of the previpously described speech 
signal generating and speech signal recognition functions. 
XVI. Speech signal recognition means as described above may also be 
employed to effect the automatic playback of selected speech signals 
defining, when transduced to sounds of words of speech, instructions to 
the operator of the vehicle as to how to properly operate and maintain the 
vehicle in accordance with periodic maintenance requirements. 
Where not illustrated in the drawings, it is assumed that the proper power 
supplies are provided on the correct sides of all electrical circuits and 
electrically operated devices such as sensors, switches, oscillators, 
filters, analog-to-digital converters, displays, display drivers, 
amplifiers, clocks, alarms, counters, microprocessors, and the like to 
provide proper operation of the components, circuits and system. 
A microminiature electronic computer containing both synthetic speech 
signal generating and speech recognition circuits capable of operational 
programming to perform one or more of the speech generating and 
recognition functions described above is available on a single silicon 
chip as the Model SP-1000 manufactured by the General Instruments 
Corporation of New York.