Motor vehicle performance monitor and method

Claim 1

A system for monitoring the performance and movements of a motor vehicle comprising: a sensing module for sensing the vehicle's instantaneous acceleration in at least two directions and generating coded signals in accordance therewith; a computer for computing performance variables of the vehicle from the coded signals generated by the sensing module and storing coded representations of said performance variables in select locations of a memory along with associated time and date codes; a short wave transmitter/receiver interfaced to said computer for transmitting and receiving radio signals to and from a remote monitor station; wherein said computer is programmed to control the transmission to a remote monitor station of radio signals modulated with digital information corresponding to the stored performance variables; a receiver interfaced to said computer for receiving signals from a satellite global positioning system, wherein said computer is programmed to calculate the global position of the vehicle from the satellite signals and store a coded representation of same in a select memory location; wherein said computer is programmed to analyze the stored performance variables over a period of time, compute an evaluation code corresponding to an assessment as to how the vehicle is being driven, store said evaluation code in a select location in memory, and to warn a driver of the vehicle when an evaluation code is computed which corresponds to an hazardous driving pattern; and controllers for controlling the speed of the vehicle, said controllers being activated in response to the detection of a hazardous driving pattern.

Claim 2

A system for monitoring the performance and movements of a motor vehicle comprising: a sensing module for sensing the vehicle's instantaneous acceleration in at least two directions and generating coded signals in accordance therewith; a computer for computing performance variables of the vehicle from the coded signals generated by the sensing module and storing coded representations of said performance variables in select locations of a memory along with associated time and date codes; a short wave transmitter/receiver interfaced to said computer for transmitting and receiving radio signals to and from a remote monitor station; wherein said computer is programmed to control the transmission to a remote monitor station of radio signals modulated with digital information corresponding to the stored performance variables; a receiver interfaced to said computer for receiving signals from a satellite global positioning system, wherein said computer is programmed to calculate the global position of the vehicle from the satellite signals and store a coded representation of same in a select memory location; wherein said computer is programmed to analyze the stored performance variables over a period of time, compute an evaluation code corresponding to an assessment as to how the vehicle is being driven, store said evaluation code in a select location in memory, and to warn a driver of the vehicle when an evaluation code is computed which corresponds to an hazardous driving pattern; and controllers for controlling the speed of the vehicle, said controllers being activated in response to the detection of a hazardous driving pattern.

Claim 7

A method for monitoring the performance and movements of a motor vehicle comprising the steps of: sensing the vehicle's instantaneous acceleration in at least two directions and generating coded signals in accordance therewith; computing with a digital computer performance variables of the vehicle, including its position, speed, and direction, from the acceleration signals and storing coded representations of said performance variables in select locations of a memory along with associated time and date codes; analyzing the stored performance variables over a period of time, computing an evaluation code corresponding to an assessment as to how the vehicle is being driven, and storing said evaluation code in a select location in memory; transmitting to a remote monitor station radio signals modulated with digital information corresponding to select stored performance variables; transmitting an alert signal to the remote monitor station and a warning signal to a driver when an evaluation code is computed which corresponds to erratic or otherwise hazardous driving; and activating one or more roadside signaling devices instructing a driver to stop the vehicle when an alert signal is transmitted to the remote monitor station.

Claim 8

A method for monitoring the performance and movements of a motor vehicle comprising the steps of: sensing the vehicle's instantaneous acceleration in at least two directions and generating coded signals in accordance therewith; computing with a digital computer performance variables of the vehicle, including its position, speed, and direction, from the acceleration signals and storing coded representations of said performance variables in select locations of a memory along with associated time and date codes; analyzing the stored performance variables over a period of time, computing an evaluation code corresponding to an assessment as to how the vehicle is being driven, and storing said evaluation code in a select location in memory; transmitting to a remote monitor station radio signals modulated with digital information corresponding to select stored performance variables; transmitting an alert signal to the remote monitor station and a warning signal to a driver when an evaluation code is computed which corresponds to erratic or otherwise hazardous driving; and activating one or more roadside signaling devices instructing a driver to stop the vehicle when an alert signal is transmitted to the remote monitor station.

Claim 14

A method for monitoring the performance and movements of a motor vehicle comprising the steps of: sensing the vehicle's instantaneous acceleration in at least two directions and generating coded signals in accordance therewith; computing with a digital computer performance variables of the vehicle, including its position, speed, and direction, from the acceleration signals and storing coded representations of said performance variables in select locations of a memory along with associated time and date codes; analyzing the stored performance variables over a period of time, computing an evaluation code corresponding to an assessment as to how the vehicle is being driven, and storing said evaluation code in a select location in memory; transmitting to a remote monitor station radio signals modulated with digital information corresponding to select stored performance variables; transmitting an alert signal to the remote monitor station and a warning signal to a driver of the vehicle when an evaluation code is computed which corresponds to erratic or otherwise hazardous driving; and activating acceleration controllers in response to the detection of a hazardous driving pattern.

Claim 15

A method for monitoring the performance and movements of a motor vehicle comprising the steps of: sensing the vehicle's instantaneous acceleration in at least two directions and generating coded signals in accordance therewith; computing with a digital computer performance variables of the vehicle, including its position, speed, and direction, from the acceleration signals and storing coded representations of said performance variables in select locations of a memory along with associated time and date codes; analyzing the stored performance variables over a period of time, computing an evaluation code corresponding to an assessment as to how the vehicle is being driven, and storing said evaluation code in a select location in memory; transmitting to a remote monitor station radio signals modulated with digital information corresponding to select stored performance variables; transmitting an alert signal to the remote monitor station and a warning signal to a driver of the vehicle when an evaluation code is computed which corresponds to erratic or otherwise hazardous driving; and activating acceleration controllers in response to the detection of a hazardous driving pattern.