16020results about "Vehicle testing" patented technology

The present invention provides an acoustic vibration analyzing apparatus for carrying out acoustic vibration analysis by picking up data of sounds generated due to rotation of a plurality of gears and data of the number of revolutions of a gear selected from a plurality of gears when a transmission of a vehicle having the plurality of gears operates. The acoustic vibration analyzing apparatus comprises an acoustic vibration calculation portion for analyzing acoustic data in terms of frequency, an order calculation portion for calculating an order in compliance with the specifications of a plurality of gears, a speed calculation portion for calculating the speed of a vehicle, and a display unit for displaying acoustic pressure levels with the order and vehicle speed associated therewith.

Arrangement and method for monitoring a tire mounted to the vehicle in which a thermal radiation detecting device detects the temperature of the tire at different circumferential locations along the circumference of the tire. The detected temperatures of the tire are analyzed to determine, for example, whether a difference in thermal radiation is present between the circumferential locations of the tire, and if so, an action is effected in response to the analysis. The thermal radiation detecting devices are preferably supplied with power wirelessly, e.g., through an inductive system, a capacitive system or a radio frequency energy transfer system.

Mobile systems and methods that overcomes the deficiencies of prior art speech-based interfaces for telematics applications through the use of a complete speech-based information query, retrieval, presentation and local or remote command environment. This environment makes significant use of context, prior information, domain knowledge, and user specific profile data to achieve a natural environment for one or more users making queries or commands in multiple domains. Through this integrated approach, a complete speech-based natural language query and response environment can be created. The invention creates, stores and uses extensive personal profile information for each user, thereby improving the reliability of determining the context and presenting the expected results for a particular question or command. The invention may organize domain specific behavior and information into agents, that are distributable or updateable over a wide area network. The invention can be used in dynamic environments such as those of mobile vehicles to control and communicate with both vehicle systems and remote systems and devices.

System for obtaining information about a vehicle or a component therein includes sensors arranged to generate and transmit a signal upon receipt and detection of a radio frequency (RF) signal and a multi-element, switchable directional antenna array. Each antenna element is directed toward a respective sensor and transmitter RF signals toward that sensor and receive return signals therefrom. A control mechanism controls transmission of the RF signals from the antenna elements, e.g., causes the antenna elements to be alternately switched on in order to sequentially transmit the RF signals and receive the return signals from the sensors or cause the antenna elements to transmit the RF signals simultaneously and space the return signals from the sensors via a delay line in circuitry from each antenna element such that each return signal is spaced in time in a known manner without requiring switching of the antenna elements.

A rental / car-share (RCS) vehicle access and management system and method, in some embodiments, utilizes barcodes, QR codes (or NFC / RFID), GPS, and a mobile app coupled with a wireless network to enable customers to bypass the reservation desk and pickup and drop off reserved RCS vehicles using a mobile phone, tablet or laptop. The QR code, RFID, or NFC communication with the mobile application allows for identification of the vehicle by a mobile application, which, if authorized, can access the vehicle via a temporary access code issued by remote servers. The remote servers and / or mobile application communicates with a control module that plugs into the on-board diagnostics module of the rental / car-share (RCS) vehicle and includes a host processing unit with a processor, an accelerometer, data storage, a GPS with internal GPS antenna; a wireless modem with internal antenna, and CAN bus transceivers connected with the processor, and a USB programmable interface.

A self-contained device for capturing video imagery in response to a triggering event may include a mirror and be mounted to a vehicle windshield in place of a conventional rear-view mirror. The device includes a housing in which the electronics and related elements of the invention are contained. These elements include one or more data sensors, at least one of which is an image sensor,. Also included are a data sensor circuit and a capture circuit. The data sensor circuit responds to the triggering event, and may include data sensors coupled to vehicle systems such as a speedometer, tachometer, brake, turn signals or the like, or other data sensors such as an accelerometer or a vehicle position sensor. The triggering event may be, for example, a sudden change in acceleration indicative of an impending collision, or it may be a change in the signal provided by any such data sensor, including the image sensor. The capture circuit is coupled to the image sensor and captures a signal representing the video imagery by recording it in a digital memory, by transmitting it to a remote location, or by other suitable means. The capture circuit terminates capture of the signal in response to the data sensor circuit sensing a triggering event. The captured data thus describe circumstances leading up to the time of the triggering event. The data can be analyzed to help police, insurance or other investigative personnel understand those circumstances.

System and method for providing feedback to drivers. The system monitors selected vehicle parameters while a vehicle is being driven, and detects one or more vehicle operation violations by comparing the selected vehicle parameters to predetermined thresholds. A mentoring message is provided to the driver if the threshold is exceeded. If a vehicle operation violation has not been corrected within a preselected time period, then a violation report may be sent to a third party or a central server and / or a different mentoring message may be provided to the driver. Vehicle parameter data may be monitored from an on-board vehicle diagnostic system. The mentoring message may be an audible warning, such as a spoken message, or a visual warning, such as a text message. The selected vehicle parameters may be a vehicle speed, a vehicle acceleration, or a vehicle seatbelt use.

A system for transmitting, collecting and displaying diagnostic and operational information from one or more motor vehicles to a central server connected to a wide area network. The system is designed to be used with an existing on-board diagnostic system found in most motor vehicles manufactured today. The system includes a translator device capable of translating the codes from an on-board diagnostic connector into computer readable files such as ASCII files. The translator device may be connected to an on-board computer that includes a wireless modem capable of connecting to a wireless communication network and eventually to a wide area network. A central server is connected to the wide area network which receives and stores information from the on-board computer. Authorized users may connect to central server via the wide area network and request information therefrom regarding selected motor vehicles. All of the information may be presented in a single interface.

Various embodiments of the present invention provide a flow meter device having a laser Doppler anemometer (LDA) which measures the instantaneous center line velocity of fluid flow in a pipe. The flow meter may process the instantaneous velocity so obtained to compute the volumetric flow rate, mass rate, and / or other flow characteristics (e.g., as instantaneous quantities and / or integrated over a time interval) The flow meter may use an electronic processing method. The electronic processing method may provide essentially an exact solution to the Navier-Stokes equations for any periodically oscillating flow.

Sensor assembly capable of obtaining and providing a measurement of a physical quantity, e.g., measurement of temperature and / or pressure of a vehicular tire, includes an antenna capable of receiving a radio frequency signal, a radio frequency identification (RFID) device coupled to the antenna, a sensor coupled to the RFID device arranged to generate a measurement of the physical quantity or quantities, and a switch coupled to the RFID device and arranged to connect or disconnect the sensor from a circuit with the antenna dependent on whether the antenna receives a particular signal associated with the RFID device. When the antenna receives the particular signal associated with the RFID device, the RFID device causes the switch to close and connect the sensor in the circuit with the antenna to enable the measurement generated by the sensor to be directed to and transmitted by the antenna.

A method (700) for improving driver performance includes the steps of receiving vehicle operating data from the vehicle (702); monitoring an interior portion of the vehicle and receiving operator activity data from the interior portion of the vehicle (704); receiving vehicle environment data from the environment external to the vehicle (706); monitoring the vehicle operator and receiving operator condition data relating to a condition of the vehicle operator (708); recording an operator performance assessment based on the vehicle operating data, the operator activity data, the vehicle environment data and the operator condition data (710); and reporting the operator performance assessment to the operator (712).

A data logging device tracks the operation of a vehicle or driver actions. The device includes a storage device, which may be removable or portable, having a first memory portion that may be read from and may be written to in a vehicle and a second memory portion that may be read from and may be written to in the vehicle. The second memory portion may retain data attributes associated with the data stored in the first removable storage device. A processor reads data from an automotive bus that transfers data from vehicle sensors to other automotive components. The processor writes data to the first memory portion and the second memory portion that reflect a level of risk or safety. A communication device links the storage device to a network of computers. The communication device may be accessible through software that allows a user to access files.

The system described in this invention can be used for monitoring and analyzing real time visual and non-visual information pertaining to the occupant, vehicle, and surroundings prior to, during and post eccentric operating conditions for a given period of time. The system stores vehicle and occupant data from sensors throughout the vehicle and also makes use of existing vehicle sensors that may already be present in the vehicle. The invention also includes a video recording module that makes use of a fish-eye camera to capture video from the inside and the outside of the vehicle. Real-time data analysis is performed to detect and to recognize vehicle occupants, and recognize impending eccentric events. Vehicle, occupant, and video data are stored in circular buffers. When an eccentric event, a collision for example, has been detected, the device continues to record data and video for a fixed period of time. Once this time has elapsed, the data is transferred from volatile to non-volatile memory for later retrieval. A computer may be used to retrieve and display the vehicle and occupant data in a synchronization with the video data for the purposes of accident recreation, driver or vehicle monitoring.

System for obtaining information about a vehicle or a component therein includes sensors arranged to generate and transmit a signal upon receipt and detection of a radio frequency (RF) signal and a multi-element, switchable directional antenna array. Each antenna element is directed toward a respective sensor and transmitter RF signals toward that sensor and receive return signals therefrom. A control mechanism controls transmission of the RF signals from the antenna elements, e.g., causes the antenna elements to be alternately switched on in order to sequentially transmit the RF signals and receive the return signals from the sensors or cause the antenna elements to transmit the RF signals simultaneously and space the return signals from the sensors via a delay line in circuitry from each antenna element such that each return signal is spaced in time in a known manner without requiring switching of the antenna elements.

Information management and monitoring system for a vehicle including a vehicle monitoring system including a plurality of sensors for monitoring vehicular components, a diagnostic module arranged on the vehicle and coupled to the vehicle monitoring system to receive and process data about the components therefrom, and a remote service center capable of servicing the components. A communication system, e.g., a cellular telephone capable of voice communications, is arranged on the vehicle and coupled to the diagnostic module to enable communications of data from the diagnostic module to the remote service center such that the remote service center receives data about the vehicular components. The remote service center can be situated at a dealer which can have its personnel contact the driver, e.g., via the telephone, to schedule service of the vehicle, the service being determined based on the communicated data from the diagnostic module on the vehicle.