Patent Publication Number: US-11641290-B2

Title: Configurable OBD isolation

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Many vehicle telematics devices include modules that connect to the vehicle data bus on the vehicles. Lots of information is available to the telematics module that connects to the vehicle bus. However, some vehicle systems react negatively to third party devices on the vehicle bus. 
     SUMMARY 
     An on-vehicle device for a driver monitoring system can be configured to be isolated from the vehicle bus while connected to the vehicle&#39;s OBD port. In a fully-isolated mode, the device only receives power and ground from the vehicle&#39;s OBD port and there is no other communication sent or received from the vehicle bus. In a passive mode, the device can obtain some information from the vehicle bus but does not request any information on the vehicle bus. The device may be undetectable on the vehicle bus. 
     Optionally, the device receives commands via a communication interface to be switched among the three modes: fully active mode, fully isolated mode and passive mode. The commands may come from a server and may be communicated over the internet or over a cell network to a communication module on the device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a schematic of one embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIG.  1    is a schematic of a driver monitoring system  10  according to one embodiment of the present invention. A motor vehicle  11  includes a plurality of data gathering devices that communicate information to a telematics device  12  installed within the vehicle  11 . The example data gathering devices include a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver  14 , a three-axis accelerometer  16 , a gyroscope  18  and an electronic compass  20 , which could be housed within the device  12  (along with a processor and suitable electronic storage, etc. and suitably programmed to perform the functions described herein). As appreciated, other data monitoring systems could be utilized within the contemplation of this invention. Data may also be collected by an onboard diagnostic interface (OBD)  22  that connects to an OBD port  40  that provides data from the vehicle bus  42 . This data on the vehicle bus  42  is indicative of vehicle engine operating parameters such as vehicle speed, engine speed, temperature, fuel consumption (or electricity consumption), engine idle time, car diagnostics (from OBD) and other information that is related to mechanical operation of the vehicle. Moreover, any other data that is available to the vehicle could also be communicated to the device  12  for gathering and compilation of the operation summaries of interest in categorizing the overall operation of the vehicle. Not all of the sensors mentioned here are necessary, however, as they are only listed as examples. The GPS receiver  14  may be sufficient by itself. 
     The device  12  may also include a communication module  24  (such as cell phone, satellite, wi-fi, etc.) that provides a connection to a wide-area network (such as the internet). Alternatively, the communication module  24  may connect to a wide-area network (such as the internet) via a user&#39;s cell phone  26  or other device providing communication. 
     The in vehicle appliance  12  gathers data from the various sensors mounted within the vehicle  11  and stores that data. The in vehicle appliance  12  transmits this data (or summaries or analyses thereof) as a transmission signal through a wireless network to a server  30  (also having at least one processor and suitable electronic storage and suitably programmed to perform the functions described herein). The server  30  utilizes the received data to categorize vehicle operating conditions in order to determine or track vehicle use. This data can be utilized for tracking and determining driver behavior, insurance premiums for the motor vehicle, tracking data utilized to determine proper operation of the vehicle and other information that may provide value such as alerting a maintenance depot or service center when a specific vehicle is in need of such maintenance. Driving events and driver behavior are recorded by the server  30 , such as fuel and/or electricity consumption, speed, driver behavior (acceleration, speed, etc.), distance driven and/or time spent in certain insurance-risk coded geographic areas. The on-board appliance  12  may collect and transmit to the server  30  (among other things mentioned herein): Speed, Acceleration, Distance, Fuel consumption, Engine Idle time, Car diagnostics, Location of vehicle, Engine emissions, etc. 
     The server  30  includes a plurality of profiles  32 , each associated with a vehicle  11  (or alternatively, with a user). Among other things, the profiles  32  each contain information about the vehicle  11  (or user) including some or all of the gathered data (or summaries thereof). Some or all of the data (or summaries thereof) may be accessible to the user via a computer  34  over a wide area network (such as the internet) via a policyholder portal, such as fuel efficiency, environmental issues, location, maintenance, etc. The user can also customize some aspects of the profile  32 . 
     It should be noted that the server  30  may be numerous physical and/or virtual servers at multiple locations. The server  30  may collect data from devices  12  from many different vehicles  11  associated with a many different insurance companies. Each insurance company (or other administrator) may configure parameters only for their own users. The server  30  permits the administrator of each insurance company to access only data for their policyholders. The server  30  permits each policyholder to access only his own profile and receive information based upon only his own profile. 
     The server  30  may not only reside in traditional physical or virtual servers, but may also coexist with the on-board appliance, or may reside within a mobile device. In scenarios where the server  30  is distributed, all or a subset of relevant information may be synchronized between trusted nodes for the purposes of aggregate statistics, trends, and geo-spatial references (proximity to key locations, groups of drivers with similar driving routes). 
     The on-board appliance  12  has the ability to isolate the OBD diagnostic interface  22  from the OBD port  40  and vehicle communication bus  42 . When this feature is enabled, all communication between the device  12  and the vehicle  11  is suppressed. This feature is configurable such that a default state can be set before shipment. Further, the isolation of the OBD diagnostic interface  22  of the device  12  can be remotely activated and deactivated while in the field via commands sent from server  30  and received by the device  12  over communication module  24 . 
     The isolated mode is implemented in either of two ways: a fully-isolated mode and a passive-only mode. 
     In the fully-isolated mode, the device  12  electrically isolates the device&#39;s OBD interface  22  from vehicle&#39;s OBD diagnostic port  40 , such that the device  12  only uses power and ground from the Diagnostic Link Connector (DLC). When the OBD interface  22  is disabled (fully isolated), absolutely no communication between the vehicle  11  and device  12  is to be initiated or maintained. When the OBD diagnostic interface  22  is disabled, all communication including any manufacturer proprietary messaging and communication will be suppressed. The activity state of the OBD interface  22  may be indicated in the journey/trip data transferred over the air to the server  30 . When the OBD interface  22  is disabled, trip delineation is still required, and the device  12  uses other cues including vehicle battery voltage patterns (detection of ignition state—starting the vehicle, vehicle running, and vehicle off), time-based heuristics and accelerometer triggers. 
     In passive-only mode, the device  12  may also receive power and ground from the OBD port  40 . In passive-only mode, the device  12  receives data passively from the OBD port  40  and vehicle bus  42 , such as by “sniffing” data on the bus  42 . In this way, the device  12  receives from the vehicle bus  42  data indicative of vehicle engine operating parameters such as vehicle speed, engine speed, temperature, fuel consumption (or electricity consumption), engine idle time, car diagnostics (from OBD) and other information that is related to mechanical operation of the vehicle. Again, the device  12  is undetectable by other devices on the vehicle bus  42 . The device  12  does not communicate actively on the vehicle bus  42 . 
     The OBD interface  22  can be enabled and disabled (i.e. switched between isolated (including passive and fully-isolated) and non-isolated) remotely, such as through existing communication interfaces (such as communication module  24 ). Enabling and disabling the OBD interface  22  preferably coincides with the trip start/end. The device  12  preferably does not enable or disable the OBD interface  22  during a trip. If an enable or disable request is received over the air (i.e. a configuration update), it should go into effect on the next trip. 
     The device  12  may be configured to activate and deactivate the isolation (and switch between fully-isolated and passive) upon receipt of a secure SMS trigger. A SMS message instructs the device  12  to enable or disable the OBD interface  22 . A command to query the status of the OBD interface  22  is also configured. 
     Device power management features remains unchanged when the device&#39;s OBD diagnostic interface  22  is disabled. The device  12  continues to enter all appropriate low power modes regardless of whether communication with the vehicle  11  is enabled or disabled. 
     An LED on the device  12  may indicate that the OBD interface  22  has been disabled for in-field diagnostic purposes. 
     The device  12  supports an OBD protocol/modulation detection mechanism. The OBD protocol/modulation detection procedure runs whenever the OBD interface  22  is enabled. 
     The device  12  maintains all current regulatory and compliance statuses. 
     In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes and jurisprudence, exemplary configurations described above are considered to represent a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.