NO823402L - DRIVER COMPUTER SYSTEM. - Google Patents

Description

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IN VEHICLE COMPUTER SYSTEM.

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The invention relates to a computer system for vehicles including a programmed central unit, sensor for sensing operational quantities and sending signals to the central unit, a clock circuit connected to the central unit, a device for sending control signals to the central unit as well as a device ring for presenting the the central unit calculated . functional values.

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With such a computer system in the vehicle, the vehicle driver can continuously receive information about such functional values as average speed, petrol consumption at a certain moment, amount of fuel in the tank, distance traveled, remaining distance to a certain destination, time of arrival at the destination etc. It is also possible with these, computer systems to get information on how far it is to a certain side road, notification of when it is time for maintenance on

in the vehicle, information about position and much more that may be of interest to the vehicle driver or vehicle owner.

In known embodiments of the computer system for vehicles, the function that one is interested in is selected by means of a set of buttons and the result is read in a display, which consists of an indication window with LEDs. The computer systems are designed to meet the driver's and the vehicle owner's needs for information, by giving instructions to the computer system by selecting one or the other of a number of fixed instruction lists (program) from the keypad, depending on which function value is desired have information about. So that one with the help of a computer system . f or vehicles of known design must be able to keep a record of how! the vehicle is used, which is desirable, not to say necessary, as far as company cars are concerned, which are to be considered mobile workplaces, the information flow from the known computer systems must therefore be supplemented with manual routines, such as writing down the function values shown on the display and information related thereto, which is not obtainable<!>from the computer system. These manual routines, which are often required for the information base to be complete, are time-consuming and difficult.

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There is therefore a need to be able to obtain documented information from the computer system, which can be accepted by companies and/or authorities in connection with explanations and tasks of various kinds, for example for invoicing, for confirmation of driving distance in connection - with taxation or for reporting of paid driving distance with regard to taxis and rental cars and to be able to combine this information with externally introduced similarly documented information, for example information about different destinations and different types of driving.

The invention aims to simplify the administrative routines for explaining the vehicle's use by

provide a computer system for vehicles of the type indicated in the introduction, which automatically and in a certain cooperation with the driver allows the registration of important data regarding the use of the car on the basis of both information from the computer system and information which is introduced

externally by the driver, whereby the computer system takes on the character of what one might call an "autojournal" and constitutes ! i aid for managing the driving.. j ii The computer system according to the invention has for this purpose been given the characteristics that appear in patent claims.1.

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To illustrate the invention, an embodiment of this will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings, on which !

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Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the driver's seat in a vehicle with the computer system according to the invention mounted therein, Fig. 2 is a block diagram, partly a connection core for computer! the machine system and Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of a strip, which is obtained from the computer system. ••i 'The computer system includes according to fig. 1 a loose control unit A, which by means of a cable B is connected to a microcomputer, which can be mounted behind the vehicle's dashboard or in another suitable place in the vehicle. Furthermore, the computer system includes a unit C which contains a printing unit and is likewise connected to the microcomputer in a manner not shown. On the dashboard there is a holder D,

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on which the unit A can be placed, when it is not used for programming the computer system. j ■

With reference to fig. 2, the microcomputer 10 includes a central unit (CPU) 11, a program memory (ROM) 12 and a read and write memory (RAM) 13. Via adaptation circuits (interface) 14, a number of sensors are connected to the computer. iFor the supply of signals representing the vehicle's actual) speed, is on the usual speed wire 15,. which goes from the gearbox to the vehicle's normal speedometer, placed in a so-called T-gearbox 16, which is connected via a matching gearbox 17 to a photoelectric sensor 18, which, depending on the speed wire's rotation, emits a number | pulses per unit of time in proportion to the wire's rotational speed. These pulses are supplied to the computer 10 via the matching circuits 14 as input signals, which are representative of the vehicle's speed.

In the line between the vehicle's fuel tank and the vehicle's drive motor - this line is marked 19'-j in the drawing, a flow meter 20 is connected, which can be of the mechanical type, for example of the type with screws, 1 which are rotated by the flowing liquid ( the fuel). This flow meter drives a photoelectric sensor 21, which emits pulses in proportion to the measured flow, and these pulses are also emitted via the matching circuits 14 to the computer as a signal, which is proportional to the fuel flow.

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<1>The photoelectric sensors 18 and 21 can be of the type s! if li contains a hole disc which is rotated and periodically emits light pulses from a light source to a light-sensitive element, in which the light pulse is converted into an electrical pulse. ,Etiai I' nkterned. " je Dgenivne is guivtger jøcreas n vav ere en anv ivsåammmae ler typ2e 2 say about breannnvestnodeffs -i fori control of the fuel gauge on the vehicle's instrument panel, i.e. a sensor that emits a voltage in proportion to how high '<1>! in the fuel level is in the tank. The voltage is supplied to a converter!23, which converts the voltage signal into a frequency signal\ ■ ■ I

which is supplied to the computer 10 via the matching circuits 14.

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Finally, a sensor 24 is shown in the drawing, which is assumed to be dependent on the engine speed. This sensor can, for example, be arranged to emit an impulse every time an ignition spark is produced in a cylinder in the engine, and it can thus be driven directly or indirectly by the switches of the ignition system. The pulses from the encoder 24 are fed to a counter. 25, which gives a pulse every time all the cylinders in the engine ■ have ignited, i.e., a pulse. after four incoming pulses, if the j engine is four-cylinder, and one pulse after six incoming i pulses, if the engine is six-cylinder, etc.. The outgoing ' pulses are supplied to the computer 10 via the matching circuits 14: In the drawing, it is by means of a number of circuit breakers 2 6 schematically indicated that the counter 25 can be adjusted for adaptation to engines with different numbers of cylinders.

The aforementioned encoders are arranged to give the sizes that Jer<1>depend on the car's function, but the values that one in the ,. j most cases are interested in achieving is related to.l time in one way or another, therefore the computer system also includes a clock circuit 27, which may be of the same type used in television sets with time indication. The clock circuit is of the 24-hour type without a calendar and is controlled by a quartz crystal 28. It must also, for reasons that will be clarified further on, be of the type that has a | switch function, which means that the clock circuit can connect j in and out an electrical circuit and has its own memory,, which is !

programmable with regard to the times for switching on. tamialpskasinsnen ing1s0 krteit■l). s-ii

coupled a display 31, which may include liquid crystals or LEDs or may consist of a fluorescent display

'and is arranged in the maneuver unit A. In addition, however, {viaj i ed• t e' nnae lfatniulmpearsisnsk ingtskanregetns tbtiorl d da3t2 • ampaå skmainnøsvyesrteemnhe■ et tetn ilkoog bdleet ls I deeltSi !■

li alphanumeric printing unit 33, for example of the type that has: a mosaic print head for printing the various symbols, j i which is arranged in the unit C. In addition, in the present case, a switch 34 is shown connected to the computer 10 via the j matching circuits 29 for switching between " service" dg "private". The function of this switch shall, to the extent that it is not already apparent from its designation, be described in more detail in II det!i below. I I'

The entire system described must of course be supplied with

electrical energy, and this energy supply must come from the vehicle's battery. As the computer system is energy efficient. end and would entail a heavy load on the vehicle's battery, if it were constantly connected, when the vehicle is standing still with the engine switched off (no charge), the energy supply is arranged in a way that is special to the invention. in

The vehicle's battery, shown at 35, is usually at 12 V, while the computer system, on the other hand, operates at a significantly lower voltage, usually 5 V. To the battery is therefore (connected) a voltage converter 3 6 for reducing the battery! voltage to 5 V, and this converter is connected to the car battery via a transistor 37. From the converter 36, all electronics in the computer system are fed directly, apart from the read and write memory 13 and the clock circuit 27, which of course receives its current feed from the car battery 35 and the converter 36, but not in

: i directly, but via a rectifier 38, which connects the converter to a rechargeable battery 39, for example a rechargeable j closed battery of the NiCd type. The reason for reading and

in the writing memory and the clock circuit are not directly replaced by the car battery are the following. ■ ! In j

' . ■ .i As mentioned above, the computer system as a whole is energetic

demanding, and that would entail an excessively large burden on|

in the car battery, if this system as a whole was always switched on, i.e. both when the vehicle is in operation and when it is stationary. On the other hand, it is also not necessary •that the computer system be kept activated, when the vehicle is stationary, except as regards the clock circuit 27 and the read and write memory 13, since the clock circuit cannot be allowed to stop\ and since an interruption in the activation of the read- and the write memory would mean that the information stored in the memory is erased.

Il 1 1 The base of the transistor 36 is via a zener diode 40 connected to len

<!>' transistor in the clock circuit 27, and this transistor is partly controlled by the clock circuit and partly by the vehicle's ignition switch 41, which is operated with the help of the normal ignition key to start the vehicle's engine and is also connected to the clock circuit. When the ignition is switched off, the transistor in the clock circuit is non-conductive, and then the transistor 37 is also non-conductive, which! means that the converter 36 does not receive any power from the vehicle's battery 35. j

The transistor in the clock circuit becomes conductive when the ignition is switched on, and then the transistor 37 also becomes conductive, whereby the computer system as a whole receives power from the battery 35, alternatively the generator connected to the battery. This j means that the electronics which are connected directly to the converter 36 are left without power when the ignition is switched off, while on the other hand the clock circuit 27 and the read and write memory 13 still receive power from the battery 39 charged during operation of the engine. The clock circuit 27 thus continues to to be kept running, when the ignition is turned off, and the information that has been stored in the read and write memory 13 will still be maintained in the memory.

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i It is obvious, however, that the time that the vehicle is unused, i.e. the time that the ignition lock is disconnected, does not '

can be predicted; it can vary from a few hours to several days. The rechargeable battery 39 naturally does not have such a large capacity that it can supply the clock circuit and the read and write memory for any length of time without recharging, and to ensure that this battery is regularly charged, the clock circuit is programmed for periodic switching on the computer as a whole, regardless of the ignition lock, ve,d that the transistor 37 is made conductive five minutes before the 24th j hour of each day. The computer system is then switched on for a certain time, for example five minutes, and during this time the battery 39 is charged. However, this periodic switching on of the computer system ■ is also used for writing (of a new date in the read and write memory 13, as the clock circuit lacks a calendar.: This is provided in that the read and write memory, depending on the signal from the clock circuit, indicating the transition from 23.59 to 00.00, writes the new date into the memory. In this way, not only is the continuity of the clock circuit and read - and the write memory function, but also successive follow-up of the time, despite the fact that the clock circuit's capacity in and of itself is limited to 24-hour periodization.

■.il When the vehicle is in operation, calculation of the various function sizes is provided in the central unit 11 in cooperation with the memory 12, which contains an instruction list (program) for the various functions desired taking into account the particular vehicle in which the computer system is installed. The calculation of the desired function values takes place in dependence on the signals given from the sensors 16, 20, 22 and 24, the clock circuit 27 and the read and write memory 13. 1

The memory 13 is suitably designed as an easily exchangeable module, so that the program can be changed by changing this module without changing other elements in the computer system. The function values for which the computer is programmed can be selected to be indicated in the display by pressing the appropriate key or keys on the keyboard 32, i

i. which should be of the type where you can switch between two different states, implying that each key corresponds to a j certain symbol or intends a certain predetermined function i i

the computer.

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iI The function size in question can be continuously indicated by the display, dg to that can at the time that is determined.

of the program memory 12 or instruction, which is given manually fp the keyboard 32, the value is printed on a strip 42 on the print board 33. On this strip, the function values given by the computer can be combined with text that is entered on the keyboard and printed on the strip via the computer. Thus^ one can, for example, use the keyboard to enter a jcertain addressee on the strip and then on this register function values such as driving distance, cost, time and date from the J computer system. ! in i ;

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Fig. 3 shows an example of how the received strip can look! out. It can be supplemented with various information about the purpose of the performed runs, which is entered from the keyboard, <1> as exemplified by 44 and 45 in fig. 3.

In other words, there is the possibility on the strip to obtain a continuous recording of important information regarding the journeys made with the vehicle. It is thereby . possible in the read and write memory 13 to store frequently occurring addresses, so that these are printed from the computer, the desired address being selected by entering a certain code on the keyboard. These functions are within the scope of commonly known computer technology. Essential is that.! the administration of the computer system can take place from keyboard;

the table, and that the registration on the strip in the printing plant includes >. '

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includes partly information, which has been obtained by calculation in the computer, partly information which has been entered on the keyboard. With the computer system according to the invention, one thus gets a simple but reliably documented account of how the vehicle is used, and this account can later be used as a basis for invoicing, payroll;

payment, car allowance, tax return etc. ' ]

If the registration on the strip can derive partly from tangent- i

at the table and partly from the donors,, it is important that on the strip i

a marking is made of which registration takes place from one or the other of these functional units. This can be done easily

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■provided by the fact that each row registered in the printing unit ■due to signals from the sensors, including the clock circuit, is preceded by a predetermined symbol 43, which is entered in the program memory 12 and can have an arbitrary appearance, if register-in none occurs by means of mosaic - pressure head or similar. The symbol thus does not need to be found in a printing plant, but can be chosen arbitrarily for each unit by pre-programming njiinnét 12. If printing takes place from the keyboard, however, this symbol is missed as shown at 44 and 45. i Switch 34 Service/Private, which has been shown in the described computer system, exists to distinguish between the kind of driving that happens in the service and the kind that happens in private.! With the switch in the Private position, in that case no j registration takes place, with the help of the printing unit, since it is in itself uninteresting which drives are carried out privately, but on the other hand, the distances traveled during private driving are stored in memory 13. When the switch is in the Service position, on the other hand, the printing unit is switched on, and before each run can therefore, manually from the keyboard, be entered on the strip, until . which addressee the delivery should take place. In the same way as, by. private driving, the distance driven is stored in the read and write memory 13, but after the end of the drive, a control signal from the program memory 12 provides registration of the distance traveled on the strip by means of the printing unit..

i The strip received from the printing office 33 is an excellent basis for payment of car allowance to those who use their own car in the service, and for reporting to the tax authority, if it is a company car, which is also used privately.

The computer system can be easily adapted according to different needs for recording the information that is of interest in the individual case and which is to be the basis for routines of various kinds. This happens when a memory module 12 is inserted

■1' ■■> with the list of instructions that the desired information provision requires.<1>

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i Program memory 12 can be programmed for depending on the calendar controlled from the clock circuit in reading and writing! nneti 13 to provide summation and registration of various accum- i

in mulled values per day, month or year with an indication of the date to which the relevant value applies, for example. for regi-! calculation of driving distance and fuel consumption during each month of the year. ' ' J "\

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The various building elements of the computer system can be made up of j commercially available standard units and have therefore not been described in detail with regard to the constructive construction. It should be within the scope of ordinary expert knowledge in the field to select suitable building elements and connect these as required for the construction of the computer system according to the invention with the guidance of the above in given description of the computer system, its function and purpose. i<!>

Claims (3)

in ' 1. i 1• Computer system for vehicles, including a programmed central unit (11), transmitter (16, 20, 22, 24) for |av-j sensing operating quantities and issuing signals to the central unit, a clock circuit connected to the central unit (27 ), a device (32, 34) for sending control signals to the central unit as well as a device for presenting the function values calculated in the central unit, characterized by the fact that for the administration of the car with the vehicle,! is there a fixed program connected to the central unit (11); m-memory (12) for the central unit's calculation functions and partly ; a read and write memory (13) with one of the clock circuits styr,t ! calendar function, and that to the microcomputer consisting of the central unit, the program memory and the read and write memory is: via buffer circuits (30, 14) partly connected to an alphanumeric keyboard (32) for entering arbitrary information into the microcomputer and controlling its function, and. today's one alphanumeric printer (33) for printing both information; which has been processed by the microcomputer, and information; which has been entered from the keyboard. 2. Computer system as stated in claim 1, characterized in that a rechargeable battery is arranged as a power source (39) for the read and write memory (13) and the clock circuit (27), which can be periodically connected to the vehicle's battery (35). 3. Computer system as stated in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the printing unit (33) is of the type that has a mosaic print head.