Abstract:
An apparatus is adapted to be in electro-mechanically communication with a vehicle and configured to record information related to crash investigation and early warning. The device records and stores information as well as analyzes it to provide an occupant of the vehicle early warning as to potential hazards that arise.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention was first described in and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/016,922 filed Jun. 25, 2014, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a system for monitoring and recording pertinent information about an operable machine and parameters that may influence such operation. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Automobile accidents are among the leading cause of injury and death in the United States today. While using the appropriate safety devices and following safe driving practices often helps to reduce the frequency of automobile accidents and the results thereof, the inescapable fact is that accidents will always be a part of modern day life—as the infinite number of factors that bring about a traffic accident can never be fully accounted for or avoided. 
     It is due to this randomness that both medical insurance and automotive insurance fraud are relatively easy to commit and difficult to uncover. Almost anyone can claim some type of damage to his or her person or his or her vehicle with virtually no proof of how the damage happened. This type of fraud occurs with great regularity and causes insurance rates to rise for the entire pool of insured drivers. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which proof related to legitimate accidents can be both acquired and provided to an insurer in an effort to reduce insurance fraud. The development of the present invention fulfills this need. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The inventor has recognized the aforementioned inherent problems and lack in the art and observed that there is a need for a system for monitoring and recording pertinent information about an operable machine and parameters. 
     It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a data recorder system, comprising a box, a processor secured within the box, a memory device secured within the box and in electrical communication with the processor, an input/output interface secured within the box and in electrical communication with the processor, a plurality of connection ports in electrical communication with the input/output interface, a plurality of interface ports in electrical communication with the memory device permitting programming of the memory device and data retrieval therefrom. 
     There is a plurality of monitoring sensors disposed on a vehicle, each in communication with the processor and the memory device and configured to detect event parameter data by means of the connection ports. There is also a plurality of monitoring cameras disposed on the vehicle, each in communication with the processor and the memory device and configured to detect additional event parameter data by means of the connection ports. There is software configured to be stored by and operated upon the processor to identify event parameters, acquisition the event parameter data, the additional event parameter data, coalesce the event parameter data and the additional event parameter data, and store the coalesced event parameter data and the additional event parameter data on the memory device. 
     The event parameter data and the additional event parameter data provides information regarding movement, movement relative to other objects within proximity, and environmental conditions and the software is configured to establish drive campaigns and sample, store, and purge the event parameter data and the additional event parameter data in accordance with each individual drive campaign. 
     The software also may be configured to detect imminent collision with other objects through a collision alert algorithm and provide warnings thereof via communication with an alarm and is configured to store event parameter data and the additional event parameter data without purging the event parameter data and the additional event parameter data through a snapshot recordation algorithm when damage has been detected. 
     The box comprises a laminated construction of insulative and conductive materials and also comprises layers of strong and hard materials. The box is further provided with a locking mechanism configured to selectively grant access to the processor and the memory device and to transmit a signal to the processor and the memory device each time the locking mechanism is activated. 
     There are breach sensors and breach monitors within the box, each configured to detect and record any breach that has occurred into the box and transmit the detection and recordation to the processor for storage of and on the memory device and encrypted access coding and breach detection algorithms included with the software to prevent and detect access to the processor and the memory device. Encrypted access coding and breach detection algorithms may also be provided to prevent and detect access to the processor and the memory device. The communication between the plurality of monitoring sensors, the plurality of monitoring cameras, and the box is provided by coaxial cable lines and tamper-resistance cable terminators. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an environmental view of a vehicle and environmental data acquisition and conditioned response system  10  showing sensors  50  and cameras  60  on an exterior of a vehicle  12 , in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an environmental view of the system  10  showing sensors and cameras  50  on an interior of a vehicle  12 , in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the system  10  in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an internal view of the tamperproof box  20  as used with the system  10  in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention; and, 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart depicting overall operational sequence of the software  100  as used with the system  10  in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
     
         
         
           
               10  system 
               11  vehicle 
               12  vehicle computer 
               20  tamperproof box 
               30  processor 
               40  memory device 
               50  monitoring sensor 
               60  monitoring camera 
               70  locking mechanism 
               80  breach sensor 
               90  breach camera 
               100  software 
               110  event parameter 
               130  snapshot recordation 
               120  collision alert 
               140  alarm 
               300  protective enclosure 
               305  protective layer barriers 
               310  input/output interface 
               315  connection ports 
               320  interface ports 
               400  start function 
               405  first decision function 
               406  first decision first sub function 
               407  first decision second sub function 
               408  first decision third sub function 
               410  first operational function 
               415  second operational function 
               416  second operation first sub function 
               420  second decision function 
               421  second decision first sub function 
               425  first write function 
               430  third decision function 
               431  third decision first sub function 
               432  third decision second sub function 
               435  third operation function 
               440  fourth operation function 
               445  second write function 
               450  fifth operation function 
               455  fourth decision function 
               456  fourth decision first sub function 
               457  first decision second sub function 
               460  sixth operation function 
               465  fifth decision function 
               470  seventh operation function 
               475  third write function 
           
         
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within  FIGS. 1 through 5 . However, the invention is not limited to the described embodiment, and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention and that any such work around will also fall under the scope of this invention. It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one (1) of the referenced items. 
     The present invention describes a network of monitoring sensors  50  and monitoring cameras  60  (herein referred to as the “system”)  10 , which tracks data in the form of event parameters  110  to process and store such data in a tamperproof box  20  for subsequent acquisitioning, analysis, and manipulation. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , environmental views of the system  10 , in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, are disclosed. The system  10  provides a means to record pertinent data regarding the operation of a vehicle  11 , or other operable machine, and the movements of that vehicle  11  relative to other objects within proximity of that vehicle  11 . The system is particularly beneficial when that vehicle  11  experiences a collision or is damaged; however, the system  10  may be useful in other applications. The system  10  is further configured to provide an early warning to an operator when a collision is imminent. To achieve this, the vehicle  11  is equipped with a multitude of sensors  50  and cameras  60  that detect all pertinent aspects of vehicle&#39;s  11  operations such as throttle position, steering angle, brake activation, air bag activation, seat belt usage, and the like. This information is recorded onto a memory device  40  housed within a tamperproof enclosure  20 , which can withstand high impacts, water, and fire. Such information can be reviewed by medical personnel, insurance adjusters, and the like to help prevent fraud and reduce overall insurance costs for all. Additionally, the system  10  is equipped with a series of cameras  60 , radar and/or ultrasonic sensors  50  around the perimeter of the vehicle  11  to detect approaching objects. The system  10  then tracks and records the positions and movements of these objects (relative to the vehicle) for the same purposes as described above, but also sounds an alert in the passenger compartment to help warn the driver to possibly take avoidance action. 
     The system  10  comprises a tamperproof box  20  housing a processor  30  and a memory device  40 , which are coupled to a plurality of monitoring sensors  50  and monitoring cameras  60  residing outside of the tamperproof box  20 . This processor  30  is an integrated circuit capable of being programmed by software  100  to accept inputs and performs input/output functions in accordance with algorithmic functions set forth by the software  100 . Storage of the software  100  may be on the processor  30  or on the memory device  40 . Data storage by the system  10  occurs on the memory device  40  such as a RAM or other common memory storage device accessible by the processor  30  for execution thereupon. The tamperproof box  20  is envisioned to have a laminated construction of insulative and conductive material, much like coaxial cable, to provide protection from destruction and from interference, manipulation, and sampling. The conductive materials create a Faraday cage construction preventing electro-magnetic interference, sampling, or manipulation of data. Insulative materials provide protection from heat, electricity, and other environmental elements that may pose a destructive threat to the tamperproof box  20 . 
     The tamperproof box  20  is further provided with alternating layers of very strong and very hard materials such as manganese steel alloys and tungsten carbide alloys to prevent deliberate access to the box  20 . A locking mechanism  70  is provided to grant selective access to the processor  30  and memory device  40 , which is configured to transmit a signal to the processor  30  each time it has been unlocked. The interior of the tamperproof box  20  is further provided with breach sensors  80  (such as position sensors, ultrasonic, or piezoelectric sensors) and breach cameras  90  that detect and record any breach that has occurred into the box  20  and signals the processor  30  for storage of such information on the memory device  40 . The processor  30  and memory device  40  are further provided with encrypted access codes and breach detection algorithms via the software  100 . 
     The system  10  is preferably employed with a vehicle  11 ; however, it is understood that the system  10  may be utilized in any situation where tracking and recordation of the operation and movements of an object, as well as tracking and recordation of another object&#39;s relative movement, is desired. In the case of use with a vehicle  11 , the plurality of monitoring sensors  50  and cameras  60  are disposed throughout the interior and exterior of the vehicle  11 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a bock diagram of the system  10 , in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. The monitoring sensors  50  are configured to record event parameters  110 , either continuously or periodically depending upon commands by the processor  30  as dictated by the software  100 . Most modern vehicles  11  employ an on-board processor/computer  12  to assist with the proper and efficient operation of the vehicle&#39;s engine and other components, and if the system  10  is used with such a vehicle  11  then the vehicle&#39;s computer  12  is further used as a monitoring sensor  50 . The event parameters  110  are envisioned to comprise: date and time of day; ambient light; if/when headlights are activated; ambient temperature; if/when precipitation is occurring; if/when windshield wipers are activated; if/when braking is activated; if/when seatbelts are engaged; velocity of the vehicle  11 ; acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle  11 ; the gear with which the vehicle&#39;s transmission is engaged; camber angle of tires; tire pressures; tire turn angle; deformation vectors of certain framework parts; relative motion of objects within proximity of the vehicle  12 ; and, azimuth coordinates of the vehicle. The event parameters  110  listed above are not intended to be exhaustive, but only to provide an example of the types of event parameters  110  that are to be stored and analyzed by the system  10 . In order to record such event parameters  110 , an arrangement of monitoring sensors  50  comprising: GPS; accelerometers; gyroscopes; microwave emitters and Doppler shift indicators; passive infrared sensors; lasers; temperature sensors; pressure sensors; linear and rotary encoders; torque sensors; position sensors (crankshaft, throttle, variable reluctance, etc.); yaw-rate sensors; varimeters; and, occupancy sensors are used. Again, the above-list of monitoring sensors  50  is not intended to be exhaustive, but only provides an example of the types of sensors  50  that are to be employed to detect and record the data for the system  10 . 
     In order to add robustness and redundancy to the system  10 , multiple monitoring sensors  50  may be employed to record the same event parameter  110 . For instance, a pressure sensor  50  coupled to the brake assembly may be used to detect and record if/when braking occurs, a position sensor  50  may be coupled to the brake pedal to detect and record if/when the brakes have been applied by the operator, and a volt-ammeter  50  may be coupled to the taillights to detect and record if/when a signal has been sent to the taillights to activate them. 
     In order to add efficiency to the system  10 , the event parameter  110  data are sampled and stored only when it is foreseeable that such data will be important. It may not be necessary, or efficient, to continuously record the velocity of the vehicle  11 , but to rather sample the velocity on a periodic basis. Whether to continuously record or to sample on a periodic basis will depend on the event parameter  110  and the type of analysis the software  100  is performing. It might be so that periodic sampling of a first event parameter  110  is performed regularly, but continuous recording of the first event parameter  110  is performed when a second event parameter  110  is detected. Furthermore, it is envisioned that most data would only be stored in the memory device  40  during a “driving campaign”. After each driving campaign has concluded, certain event parameter  110  data is recorded over by new event parameter  110  data of the subsequent driving campaign. This vastly reduces the amount of virtual data space required by purging unnecessary data. A driving campaign for headlight and windshield wiper operation would preferably be defined by the time duration between turning the vehicle  11  turned on and off, whereas the driving campaign for braking would preferably be defined by the time duration between acceleration from zero miles per hour (0 mph) to deceleration to zero miles per hour (0 mph). Nonetheless, a driving campaign, and the purging of certain event parameters  110 , would depend upon the event parameter  110  and the type of analysis the software  100  is performing. 
     In addition to recording and analyzing event parameter  110  data, the system  10  is provided with collision alert  120 . The collision alert  120  implemented through the software  100  as an algorithm to capitalize upon the existing monitoring sensors  50  (accelerometers, radar, lasers, etc) to detect if a collision is imminent. In this regard, the software  100  is preprogrammed with statistical and trend data that, when compared to event parameter  110  data, would provide an indication when a collision is about to occur. For instance, if the velocity vector of the vehicle  11  is detected as “x” then the time necessary to make a complete stop would be continuously compared to velocity vectors of objects approaching the vehicle  11 , or the vehicle&#39;s trajectory, to determine if the vehicle  11  can come to a complete stop before the trajectories intersect. If a complete stop cannot be made then an alert is signaled via an alarm  140  to the operator of the vehicle. This alarm  140  may be a light indicator via an LED or a sound indicator via a speaker or both, which would preferably be located in the passenger compartment of the vehicle  11 . Because the system  10  is recording a multitude of event parameter  110  data, the system  10  may also be exploited to incorporate an operator&#39;s typical response time into the vehicle&#39;s  11  stop time. For instance, the vehicle&#39;s  11  stop time at velocity vector “x” while object&#39;s velocity vector is “y” may be “z”, but statistical analysis by the system  10  may reveal that an operator&#39;s average response time is “k” with variance “delta-k” so this response time would be factored when calculating the stop time. 
     The system  10  is further provided with snapshot recordation  130  that automatically records predetermined event parameters  110  upon detecting a collision or other type of damage. This snapshot  130  records and retains the event parameters  110  preceding, during, and after the collision/damage without purging the data associated with those event parameters  110 , regardless of the start of a new driving campaign. As by way of example, a collision may be detected by an abnormal acceleration/deceleration or a deformation vector of a structural component. As by way of example, damage may be detected by a vibrational frequency from a vibrational sensor located on a window or by a deformation vector of a side panel. This snapshot  130  data is envisioned to be especially useful for investigators and insurance assessors/adjusters. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4 , an internal view of the tamperproof box  20  as used with the system  10  is disclosed. The tamperproof box  20  is provided in a protective enclosure  300  comprised of multiple protective layer barriers  305 . The protective layer barriers  305  are envisioned to provide protection against temperature, dirt, water, moisture, dust, debris, electromagnetic interference, physical impact, and other exterior factors that could be detrimental to the electronic components contained within. Such exterior factors are envisioned to be harmful either in ordinary ambient environments or in the extreme environment of a motor vehicle crash. The protective enclosure  300  is secured by the locking mechanism  70 . Access to the locking mechanism  70  is envisioned to be provided only to authorized technicians, law enforcement officials, legal entities, and the like. The processor  30  and the memory device  40  are contained within the protective enclosure  300  as aforementioned described. In addition, electronic interface to the processor  30  would be provided by an input/output interface  310 . Electrical connection to the input/output interface  310  is provided by a series of connection ports  315 , whose quantity would match those of the monitoring sensor  50  (as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 ) and/or monitoring camera  60  (as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 ). For added security and tamper-resistance, each connection ports  315  is envisioned to be a tamper-resistant cable terminators/connectors such as the ones disclosed and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,845,454 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,055,060; however, other forms of signal communication and transmission may be utilized such as common electrical wiring or wireless transmission. Initial programming of the processor  30  as well as post incident access to the data contained within the memory device  40  would be provided through a series of interface ports  320 . The interface ports  320  would be protected with a proprietary encryption scheme to further the tamper proof resistance of the system  10 . 
     The software  100  is configured to acquisition data from the monitoring sensors  50  and monitoring cameras  60  either continuously or periodically via input/output functions of the processor  30 . Simple arithmetic and statistical analysis may be performed via algorithmic functions executed by the processor  30  to configure the data before being stored on the memory device  40 , but the data is mostly coalesced and stored in table form for acquisitioning, manipulation, and analysis by some other software program. The software  100  is further configured to purge certain data after a driving campaign has been completed. 
     Referring next to  FIG. 5 , a flow diagram depicting overall operational sequence of the software  100  as used with the system  10  in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention is depicted. Operation starts at a start function  400  which passes to a first decision function  405 , first decision first sub function  406 , first decision second sub function  407  and first decision third sub function  408  respectively. The first decision function  405  determines whether access is being requested by an authorized individual. In the event of a positive outcome, the encryption sequence is compared and a positive response provides access at a first operational function  410 . A negative comparison then returns a sequence to a start function  400 . Should administrative access not be required, all data from the monitoring sensors  50  (as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 ) and the monitoring cameras  60  (as shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 ) are loaded at a second operational function  415 , which is followed by a second operation first sub function  416  and assigned a time stamp. The time stamp requirement for each device will vary as to its last entry with some devices changing state and other not. A second operational function  420   c  which is followed by a second operation first sub function  421 , compares time stamp data and deletes data in the event of a negative comparison. A positive comparison causes the data to be written at a first write function  425  whereas a negative comparison deletes data from the memory device designated as second operation first sub function  421 . A third operation function  430  then determines if additional processing is required. Should the time stamp be invalid for that calculation, third decision first sub function  431 , data is deleted at a third operation function  435 . A positive outcome causes addition information to be obtained, third decision second sub function  432 , and a calculation prepared at a fourth operation function  440 . The resulting data, such as stopping distances, engine capabilities, obstacles, moving obstacles, and the like are then stored in the memory device  40  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ) at a second write function  445 . The data is then passed to a fifth operation function  450  which determines if certain data poses a possible danger to the equipped vehicle. A fourth decision function  455  determines if data pertains to accident avoidance. A negative response, fourth decision second sub function  457 , then simply returns the user to the start function  400 . A positive response provides the ability to obtain additional information such as weather conditions, location (as provided by GPS input), a fourth decision first sub function  456 , and other relevant inputs and perform additional calculations at a fifth decision function  465 . At this point in time, the system  10  can determine if an accident is imminent at a fifth decision function  465 . If so, an alert is provided to the driver at a seventh operation function  470  and recorded to the memory device  40  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ) at a third write function  475 . A negative response at the fifth decision function  465  simply returns the sequence to the start function  400 . Such a process repeats indefinitely. 
     It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized in a simple and straightforward manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the system  10 , it would be configured as indicated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     The method of utilizing the system  10  may be achieved by performing the following steps: acquiring a model of the system  10 ; placing the tamperproof box  20  within a vehicle  11 , preferably in an non-easily accessible location; securing a plurality of monitoring sensors  50  and monitoring cameras  60  in and around the vehicle  11 ; ensuring that each monitoring sensor  50  and monitoring camera  60  is in electrical communication with the processor  30  and memory device  40  of the tamperproof box  20 ; installing the alarm  140  of the collision alert  120  in the passenger compartment of the vehicle  11 ; allowing the software  100  to record and analyze event parameters  110  while operating the vehicle  11 ; allowing the collision alert  120  to warn an operator of the vehicle  11  if a collision is imminent; allowing the snapshot recordation  130  to record particular event parameters  110  in the event a collision/damage occurs; and, benefiting from the system&#39;s  10  ability to store data for subsequent acquisitioning, analysis, and manipulation. Such operational sequence is depicted in  FIG. 5 . 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.