GB2556097A

GB2556097A - Tachograph integrity checker (TIC)

Info

Publication number: GB2556097A
Application number: GB1619595.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Carl Butler Simon; Laidlaw Clark
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-11-19
Filing date: 2016-11-19
Publication date: 2018-05-23
Also published as: GB201619595D0

Abstract

A test or diagnostic apparatus to detect fraudulent or unauthorised manipulation of a tachograph may be connected to the wiring of a vehicle between the vehicle unit / recording head and the impulse sender unit or KITAS sensor typically located on the vehicle gearbox. The device is intended to determine if any part of the device including the wiring has been altered. The device has three multiple position selection switches A, B, C, that comprise a 3 way 4 pole switch and two power supplies D, E. The device may measure and display the voltage difference existing between the vehicle unit and the KITAS sensor and may measure and detect the current flow to the KITAS impulse sensor. Voltage and current values may be shown on a dual display. The tachograph may be tested in the vehicle cab or may be removed and the components tested individually using a diode testing circuit. Modification or tampering with the components or wiring will cause deviations from expected voltage and current values that the device will detect.

Description

(71) Applicant(s):

Simon Carl Butler

Woodfield Rd, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG8 6JA, United Kingdom

Clark Laidlaw

Hillhouse Terrace, Kirknewton, West Lothian, EH27 8AL, United Kingdom (72) Inventor(s):

Simon Carl Butler Clark Laidlaw (74) Agent and/or Address for Service:

Simon Carl Butler

Woodfield Rd, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, NG8 6JA, United Kingdom (51) INT CL:

G07C 5/02 (2006.01) G07C 5/00 (2006.01) (56) Documents Cited:

US 5629856 A US 20110251805 A1

CD Concept Electronic Engineering, Tachograph programmer CD400 [online], available from: http:// cdconcept.be/Products/CD400/Functions/tachographspeed-motion-sensor-test [Accessed 07 December 2017] (58) Field of Search:

INT CL G01R, G07C

Other: WPI, EPODOC, INTERNET (54) Title of the Invention: Tachograph integrity checker (TIC)

Abstract Title: Device to determine illegal modification to or tampering with a tachograph (57) A test or diagnostic apparatus to detect fraudulent or unauthorised manipulation of a tachograph may be connected to the wiring of a vehicle between the vehicle unit I recording head and the impulse sender unit or KITAS sensor typically located on the vehicle gearbox. The device is intended to determine if any part of the device including the wiring has been altered. The device has three multiple position selection switches A, B, C, that comprise a 3 way 4 pole switch and two power supplies D, E. The device may measure and display the voltage difference existing between the vehicle unit and the KITAS sensor and may measure and detect the current flow to the KITAS impulse sensor. Voltage and current values may be shown on a dual display. The tachograph may be tested in the vehicle cab or may be removed and the components tested individually using a diode testing circuit. Modification or tampering with the components or wiring will cause deviations from expected voltage and current values that the device will detect.

Figure 1

Figure 2

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Figure 3

Figure 4


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Figure 6

	KITAS 2	KITAS 2+A	KITAS 2+B
Voltage	7.8v - 8.9v	7.8v - 8.9v	7.8v - 8.9v
Current on Switch On	5.5mA - 7.2mA	11.9mA -13mA	9.9mA ~ 18.9mA
Current in Power Save	Not Applicable	4mA -4.5mA	2mA -2.2mA
Diode 1-2	HOT COLD 1.8 - 2.1	HOT COLD 1.8 - 2.1	HOT COLD 1.8 - 2.1
	HOT COLD	HOT COLD	HOT COLD
	-2;4 &	M - 2.7	2.4 - 2.7

of 4

Description

TITLE

Tachograph Integrity Checker (TIC).

BACKGROUND

This invention relates to a device for testing the presence of unauthorised and illegal electrical modification to tachograph recording systems as fitted to vehicles which fall in scope of EC and AETR Drivers Hours Regulations.

Any vehicle combination with a train weight greater than 3.5tons or with the capacity to carry more than 8 passengers that is used for hire and reward has the requirement by law to have a tachograph system fitted to record '‘driving”, “period of availability”, “other work” and “rest”.

This is to allow government appointed enforcement officers the ability to see what working and driving activities are being recorded by the driver to show adherence to current legislation. EC and AETR regulations impose limits to permitted driving times and the requirement for regular breaks, daily rest and weekly rest.

Drivers and vehicle operators have found the means to manipulate the records kept by the tachograph recording equipment. This is done for various commercial gain reasons including but not limited to driving during break/rest periods for commercial gain, hiding journeys to allow illegal cabotage journeys to take place, hiding journeys to keep odometer readings lower than true readings so manufacturer warranties last longer and also in vehicle lease scenarios to keep the lease bill or overuse penalties lower all giving the illegal operators the ability to have a commercial edge over compliant operators.

Due to modifying the equipment being against the law and presenting false records being a serious offence that falls under fraud and counterfeiting, the lengths now taken to create false records can involve illegal modification to the tachograph recording equipment which shows no visual indication of its presence, moreover the 2 yearly periodic calibration required of the tachograph recording equipment will also not show any signs of its presence.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION

The Present invention is a piece of test equipment designed to examine various electrical properties of the 3 parts to the tachograph recording equipment, namely the Vehicle Unit (VU), the Impulse Sender Unit (referred to in the industry as the KITAS sender) and the connective wiring between the two afore mentioned components.

ADVANTAGES

The preferred design does this by means of breaking the electrical connection between the VU and the connecting wiring and connecting inline between these two parts (although it could be placed between the wiring and the KITAS at the other end of the system) then measuring and displaying the voltage presented to the KITAS from the VU and ideally simultaneously measuring and displaying the current drawn from the VU by the KITAS (although it could be displayed separately by switching between displays)

Secondary and subsequent tests conducted involve removing the VU from the system and placing the wiring and KITAS into a ‘diode testing’ circuit and displaying the voltage drop across various pin combinations.

A legitimate tachograph recording system has a known signature or fingerprint, any modification to any of the three parts will alter this fingerprint and allow the operator to detect the presence of illegal modification.

To allow this invention to be used by non-technical persons the invention shall by means of a dedicated plug and socket and by means of a multipole switch scroll from test to test and not require the necessity for the operator to move probes or clips from wire to wire this in turn also removes the possibility of damaging the recording system by applying probes or pins to the recording system incorrectly and potentially shorting terminals out.

The invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a high level block diagram of the invention.

In figure 1 the main body of the Invention is represented by A, there is one plug which connects to the VU represented by B and one socket C which accepts the plug from the interconnecting wiring. Connectors B and C are attached to the device by wires i, the invention ideally has a dual display ii but could be fitted with a single display which is switched between readings, the different tests are selected via a switch iii.

Figure 2 shows a block diagram of a tachograph system as fitted to a vehicle.

Figure 2 is a diagram of how a tachograph recording system is fitted to a vehicle. L represents the internal cabin of the vehicle, F represents the VU. D represents the internal connector socket of the VU, D is the internal socket of the VU, this is connected to the connecting wiring G via plug E. H represents the plug on the other end of the connective wiring G this is connected to I which is the internal socket of the KITAS J which in turn mechanically connected to the gearbox K.

Figure 3 shows a block diagram of a tachograph recording equipment system with the invention connected to the ideal test point.

In figure 3, L represents the internal cabin of the vehicle, F represents the VU. D represents the internal connector socket of the VU. The ideal testing point is to remove from internal Socket D the connecting plug E which is at one end of the connecting wiring indicated by G the operator then connects plug B of the test Equipment A to VU internal socket D, the operator then connects the connecting socket C of the test equipment to connecting wiring plug E. H represents the plug on the other end of the connective wiring G this is connected to I which is the internal socket of the KITAS J which in turn is mechanically connected to the gearbox K.

Figure 4 shows a block diagram with another embodiment of the invention (different plugs and sockets) connected to another point of the tachograph recording equipment system.

In figure 4, L represents the internal cabin of the vehicle, F represents the VU. D represents the internal connector socket of the VU, D is the internal socket of the VU, this is connected to the connecting wiring G via plug E which is at one end of the connecting wiring indicated by G the operator then connects plug B of the test Equipment A to External wiring plug H, the operator then connects the connecting socket I of the KITAS J to the test equipment by connecting it to plug C, this is in tern connected mechanically to the gearbox K.

Figure 5 shows a detailed block diagram of the invention.

Figure 5 shows a wiring diagram how the relevant circuits connect to each other and to the 2 connectors for connecting in the system. A B and C are 3 switches contained inside 1 physical switch namely a 3 way 4 pole switch (3 ways are A, B, C and the poles are 0,1,2,3) so if the switch is switched to position 1 it connects 3 separate circuits together and if switched to pos 2 it switches all three (A,B,C) simultaneously to a new circuit.) the dual display is a self-contained component with circuitry and display, it has 5 connecting points as per the diagram; v+, Ov, Vin test, Ineg and Ipos. D and E are separate power sources (a 6 and 9 volt cell arrangement respectively), the diode circuitry is a circuit for applying diode test across pins 1-2 and 3-2 depending on switch position. Another embodiment of this invention could allow the KITAS to draw current from the internal batteries instead of show the drawn current from the VU, this would allow stand alone use with a KITAS.

Figure 6 shows a table of expected values.

Shows a set of expected values from a good system, the voltages displayed are the same for all brand of VU, there is only one manufacturer of KITAS impulse sender but there are 3 different types which are indicated by serial number:

Serial number Less than 10,000,000 = KITAS 2

Serial number between 10,000,000 and 12,000,000 = KITAS 2+ type A

Serial number greater than 12,000,000 = KITAS 2+ type B

Types 2 + A and B both have a switch on current and after 1 minute enter “power save mode”, KITAS 2’s don’t have this function and have a stable current regardless.

Diode test results vary depending on whether the engine is warm or cold.

Any variation to the above figures indicates a manipulation.

Claims

L A piece of test equipment for detecting the illegal modification of Tachograph Recording Equipment systems fitted to LGV HGV and PSV vehicles.
2. A piece of test equipment according to claim 1 which connects via proprietary plugs to the recording equipment system.
3. A piece of test equipment according to claim 1 which detects the illegal modification to any of the 3 parts of the recording equipment system, namely the vehicle unit (VU), connective wiring and impulse sender unit (KITAS).
4. A piece of test equipment according to claim 1 which displays the voltage applied to the KITAS from the VU.
5. A piece of test equipment according to claim 1 which displays the current drawn by the KITAS from the VU or an alternative power source.
6. A piece of test equipment according to claim 1 which by means of placing pins 1(+) and 2(-) into a diode testing circuit displays the voltage dropped across the named pins of the KITAS.
7. A piece of test equipment according to claim 1 which by means of placing pins 3(+) and 2(-) into a diode testing circuit displays the voltage dropped across the named pins of the KITAS.
8. A piece of test equipment according to claim 1 where tests are switched via means of a multi position switch.
9. A piece of test equipment according to claims 2 and 8 which removes the possibility of false readings due to operator error and removes the possibility of operator induced damage by automatically switching test point internally with each test selection.

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