Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • G07C5/00—Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
  • G07C5/08—Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
  • G07C5/10—Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time using counting means or digital clocks

Definitions

• This invention relates to a method for the registering of the driving pattern of a motor vehicle, and an apparatus in the form of an interval counter for carrying out the method.
• Recording of the driving pattern of a motor vehicle may be of interest for car owners as well as car insurance companies.
• the car insurance companies may fit the motor vehicles of their policy holders with the apparatus and read the same at equal intervals.
• the company may e.g. set a more fair bonus arrangement, i.e. that policy holders having a "careful" driving pattern - low speeds and low accelerations - may be allotted a higher bonus.
• a more fair bonus arrangement i.e. that policy holders having a "careful" driving pattern - low speeds and low accelerations - may be allotted a higher bonus.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a method and an apparatus for the registering of the driving patterns of motor vehicles and thereby enable an evaluation of the total driving behavior.
• the method and apparatus according to the invention are based on the registering of speed and acceleration/retardation and and on the sorting of these in different groups.
• the apparatus uses the speed of the motor vehicle, i.e. driven distance per unit of time, to generate data describing the driving pattern of the motor vehicle.
• the apparatus is connected to the propulsion system of the motor vehicle, i.e. wheels or gear box, via a pulse generator adapted to generate a signal proportional to the speed of the motor vehicle.
• This signal is processed further in the apparatus so that individual kilometer counters are incremented; there being one counter for each speed interval, e.g. 0-10 km/h; 10-20 km/h and so forth. The sum of all counters will constitute the totally driven distance.
• the apparatus On the basis of the speed signal, the apparatus also generates a signal representing the acceleration/retardation (the time derivative of the speed) of the motor vehicle. This signal will be positive when accelerating and negative when decelerating.
• the acceleration/retardation-signal controls the kilometer counters counting the number of kilometers driven by the motor vehicle in the different areas of acceleration/retardation.
• the apparatus comprises two sets of counters, one set of which is controlled by the speed signal of the motor vehicle, the other set being controlled by the acceleration/retardation- signal of the motor vehicle. Both sets of counters count the number of kilometers driven.
• the interval counter according to the invention is far more versatile and advanced than prior art technique; this should also appear from the following description of an embodiment of the invention.
• the interval counter shown comprises a pulse generator 1 which, in a manner not closer shown, is fitted for mounting on a propulsion system of a motor vehicle, i.e. wheels or gear box.
• the * pulse generator 1 having a pulse frequency proportional to the speed of the vehicle, is adapted to give a certain number of pulses per kilometers driven.
• Reference numeral 2 denotes a square wave puls from the pulse generator 1.
• the pulse signal 2 is simultaneously supplied to all of a row of counters.
• the counters comprise fourteen speed counters 3, 4 ....16 in two sets, one set of which can be reset to zero, as well as fourteen acceleration/retardation counters 17, 18 ....30 in two sets, one set of which can be reset to zero, and being arranged in two separate groups each of which is assigned a logic circuit 31 and 31 * , respectively.
• the respective logic circuit 31, 31* controls which counter that is counting.
• the pulse signal 2 enters simulatenously a pulse frequency/ voltage converter 32 adapted to convert from pulse frequency to voltage. From the voltage converter 32, a voltage signal proportional to the speed of the motor vehicle is generated. This voltage signal is supplied to a set of comparators 33 assigned the logic circuit 31 for the speed counters 3, 4 .... 16. The comparators 33 are each set on a separate speed level. The signal from these comparators 33 controls the logic circuit 31 which selects which of the speed counters that is to be active.
• the voltage signal from the converter 32 is also supplied to a derivation circuit 34. From this circuit 34, a voltage signal proportional to the acceleration/retardation of the motor vehicle is achieved. This voltage signal is supplied to a set of comparators 33' assigned the logic circuit 31' for the acceleration/retardation counters 17, 18 ....30. The signal from these comparators 33 ' controls the logic circuit 31' which selects which of the acceleration/retardation counters that is to be active.
• the apparatus/interval counter shown is likewise equipped with a total counter 35 acting as an ordinary kilometer counter.
• the sum of the speed counters 3, 4 .... 16 will show the very same distance driven as the total counter 35..
• one set of counters in each group may be reset to zero. Also the total counter 35 is assigned such a counter 36.
• the resetable counters are being counted up in parallel to the other counters and will show the same figure. The only difference is that the users of the apparatus have the opportunity of resetting these counters whenever this might be desirable. These counters will function in the same manner as a trip counter on a motor vehicle.
• an actual division would be in speed groups of 10 km/h, i.e. that a first counter counts the number of kilometers driven in the speed interval of 0-10 km/h, a second counter counting number of kilometers driven in the speed interval 10-20 km/h, and so forth.
• the apparatus may possibly be so adapted that all kilometers driven above an upper speed limit, e.g-. 180 km/h, are counted by one counter.
• acceleration/retardation counters For the acceleration/retardation counters, an actual division may be into accelerations/retardations from -10
• the physical implementation of the apparatus might comprise more counters than shown in the figure. However, only one display may be used and one multiplexer fetching one figure at a time.
• the method fo the invention may also be carried out using a microprocessor.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Electric Propulsion And Braking For Vehicles (AREA)
• Control Of Electric Motors In General (AREA)
• Fittings On The Vehicle Exterior For Carrying Loads, And Devices For Holding Or Mounting Articles (AREA)
• Steering Controls (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=19891190

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Families Citing this family (18)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 1988
  • 1988-08-26 NO NO883807A patent/NO165467C/no unknown
• 1989
  • 1989-08-09 WO PCT/NO1989/000081 patent/WO1990002388A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1989-08-09 EP EP89909446A patent/EP0431004A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1989-08-09 AU AU40677/89A patent/AU4067789A/en not_active Abandoned

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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