Smartdrive Systems, Inc.

Pathway Genomics Corporation

Venture Lending & Leasing Vi, Inc.

James Plante

Ramesh Kasavaraju

Andrew Nickerson

Gregory Mauro

Bruce Lightner

David Becker

Edgar MacBean

Kathryn J Elliott

Kathryn J Elliot

Exception event recorders and analysis systems include: vehicle mounted sensors arranged as a vehicle event recorder to capture both discrete and non-discrete data; a discretization facility; a database; and an analysis server all coupled together as a computer network. Motor vehicles with video cameras and onboard diagnostic systems capture data when the vehicle is involved in a crash or other anomaly (an 'event'). In station where interpretation of non-discrete data is rendered, i.e. a discretization facility, captured data is used as a basis for production of supplemental discrete data to further characterize the event. Such interpreted data is joined to captured data and inserted into a database in a structure which is searchable and which supports logical or mathematical analysis by automated machines. A coupled analysis server is arranged to test stored data for prescribed conditions and upon finding such, to initiate further actions appropriate for the detected condition.

Vehicle exception event management systems

Vehicle recorder systems are arranged in configured with a video camera, light-weight memory systems, and radio communications facility suitable for use in conjunction with an automobile. An automobile equipped with these video recorder systems used normally throughout the service today, provides a video record of unusual events which may occur from time-to-time. Events such as accidents, near-miss incidents, driving of use, among others, trigger a system to preserve video images collected before and after the moment of the event. Replay of these images yield information regarding cause and true nature of the event. These systems are particularly arranged about, and in support of fleet use of vehicles. That is, groups of vehicles are arranged and coupled together whereby a plurality of such vehicles may communicate with a common system providing a fleet manager advanced fleet management tools.

Vehicle event recorder systems

The present invention relates to a vehicle recorder system that is configured with a video camera, a light weight memory system, and a radio communications facility suitable for use in conjunction with an moving vehicle. An automobile equipped with such video recorder system that is used throughout a day of service provides a video record of unusual events which may occur from time-to-time. For example, events such as accidents, near-misses, and excessive speed, among others, trigger a system to preserve video images collected before and after the moment of the event. Replaying these images provides information regarding the cause and true nature of the event. These systems are particularly suitable for vehicle fleets, or other groups of vehicles that can communicate with a common system.

System and method to detect execution of driving maneuvers

Video event recorders are coupled to a vehicle power source via an on-board diagnostic system including its power bus, data bus, and scanner port connector. Video event recorders are provided with a power input arranged in conjunction with a standard ODBII type 'D' connector. Systems further include an extension cable between the connection and the vehicle event record to accommodate mounting needs associated with each. In advanced versions, both OBD power and data networks are coupled to the vehicle event recorded such that data relating to vehicle diagnostic systems can be captured in a triggered event along with video data. In addition, some versions are provided with special detection mechanism to determine the use state of a vehicle and adjust application of power accordingly. Thus an 'in-use' detector is coupled to the vehicle and/or OBD systems to provide feedback which helps to conserve power and regulate the power connections.

Power management systems for automotive video event recorders

Data transfer systems for vehicle event recorders are provided as: a vehicle event recorder, a vehicle event recorder resident memory, and upload module in conjunction with, a communication port suitable for coupling with, a portable memory device, a server computer datastore, a server download module in conjunction with, a similar cooperating communications port. The portable memory device is arranged to operably couple with the communications ports of both the vehicle event recorder and the server computer and to be repeatedly moved between the two. The upload/download modules are arranged to transfer data to/from the portable memory in an orderly fashion in which no files are removed from the vehicle event recorder resident memory without first having been successfully transferred to the server computer datastore.

Distributed vehicle event recorder systems having a portable memory data transfer system

Vehicle event recorders are arranged with integrated web servers to provide a simple user interface and control mechanism which may be address with commonly available hardware and software. A vehicle event recorder of these inventions couples to a network having a workstation node. The workstation having either of the many available web browsers can be used to view, address, control, perform data transfer, et cetera, by way of data exchange in accordance with simple IP protocols. A vehicle equipped with these systems returns to a household to make a network connection, A local server is used to see all exposed system controls as provided by predefined web pages provided by a web server integrated as part of the vehicle event recorder unit.

Vehicle event recorders with integrated web server

A driver history report may include many factors to express performance or quality of driver service. Vehicle event recorders are coupled to systems which form an association between collected data and the vehicle operator in command of the vehicle at the event moment. Systems provide means for long-term storage of data particularly data in a structure which preserves the association between a driver and event records attributed to him. Special recall operations executed against stored data yields operator performance reporting&#x2014;including a single value performance score indicative of a vehicle operator's performance and safety history. An analyzer system operates to recall data, particularly data from a plurality of events all associated with a single operator but recorded over an extended period of time. Data is arranged such that mathematical analysis may be applied independently to various data elements or data 'fields' to produce performance metrics and ratios which reflect performance.

Vehicle operator performance history recording, scoring and reporting systems

Vehicle event recorders are arranged with integrated web servers to provide a simple user interface and control mechanism which may be address with commonly available hardware and software. A vehicle event recorder of these inventions couples to a network having a workstation node. The workstation having either of the many available web browsers can be used to view, address, control, perform data transfer, et cetera, by way of data exchange in accordance with simple IP protocols. A vehicle equipped with these systems returns to a household to make a network connection. A local server is used to see all exposed system controls as provided by predefined web pages provided by a web server integrated as part of the vehicle event recorder unit.

A vehicle event recorder is provided that includes a camera for capturing a video as discrete image frames, and that further includes a managed loop memory and a management system for generating a virtual 'timeline dilation' effect. To overcome size limits in the buffer memory of the video event recorder, the maximum time extension of a video series is increased by enabling a reduction in temporal resolution in exchange for an increase in the temporal extension. Memory cells are overwritten in an 'interleaved' fashion to produce a reduced frame rate for the recording of certain time periods connected to an event moment. In time periods furthest from the event moment, the resulting frame rate is minimized while in time periods closest to the event moment, the resulting frame rate is maximized.

Memory management in event recording systems

Saliva collection vial

Vehicle event recorder systems are arranged to be in constant communication with remote servers and administrators via mobile wireless cellular networks. Vehicle event recorders equipped with video cameras capture video and other data records of important events relating to vehicle use. These data are then transmitted over special communications networks having very high coverage space but limited bandwidth. A vehicle may be operated over very large region while maintaining continuous communications connections with a remote fixed server. As such, systems of these inventions may be characterized as including a mobile unit having: a video camera; a microprocessor; memory; an event trigger; and mobile wireless transceivers, and a fixed network portion including: mobile wireless cellular network, a protocol translation gateway, the Internet and an application-specific server.

Growing community of inventors

Del Mar, CA, United States of America

James Plante