System for monitoring operator performance

Details System for monitoring operator performance System for monitoring operator performance

2000-11-07

2002-10-22

Camby, Richard M. (Department: 3661)

Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location

Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication

C701S036000, C701S035000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06470240

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
THIS INVENTION relates to a system for monitoring and/or evaluating performance of an operator of a controllably movable object and in particular but not limited to a system for monitoring and/or evaluating performance of a driver of a vehicle and providing an indication of performance relating to one or more aspects of driving behaviours.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Organisations such as businesses and Government authorities own or operate large numbers of machines and equipment which have at least one movable component. The movable components can usually be controlled by operators.
Most families, individuals and groups of individuals also own or operate some machines and equipment with controllable movable components.
Examples of the machines and equipment are vehicles such as cars, motor bikes, trucks, tractors, different types of earth working vehicles, air crafts, boats, cranes, overhead cranes, drag lines, conveying lines in process plants, shaping and cutting equipment in workshops and electrically or fuel powered tools.
It is known that the usual life expectancy, operating costs, resale value and the frequencies of maintenance of these machines and equipment correspond directly to operator behaviours.
It is also known that the these machines and equipment often cause accidents which may lead to injuries to operators or people, and damages to the machines, equipment and properties nearby, as well as damages to themselves, when they are not operated in accordance with appropriate guidelines or appropriate standards.
Therefore there is a need for a system which can provide a measurable performance and/or a feed back of an operator when operating one of such machines and equipment. Examples of the feed back can be an audio indication such as a buzzer, a visual indication such as light, or any other indication.
Businesses such as fleet owners and insurance companies will be able to monitor operating performances of different operators and to offer incentives to operators with good operating performances.
Government authorities and family members will also be able to use the system for encouraging and reinforcing improved operator performance.
Such a system will also indicate aspects of operating behaviours which require attention. Teaching and tutoring programs for correcting operating behaviours can therefore be objective.
The applicant is aware of certain prior attempts to provide systems for monitoring operational parameters of vehicles. These prior art systems require sensors for measuring the desired operational parameters such as speed, engine RPM, brake application, etc., to be positioned at or close to vehicle components from which measurements of the parameters are taken. U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,305 to Kondo is an example of such attempts.
The prior art systems are intended for use in a single vehicle and can not be readily removed for use in another vehicle once they are installed. Skilled automotive technicians are usually required to install these systems as their sensors are to be fixedly mounted to said components or parts of the vehicles that are close to said components. Automotive technicians are also required to attend to the removal of the installed system as the vehicle parts must be removed before removing the sensors.
The prior art systems may also interfere with the complex electronic systems of modern vehicles as they may be directly connected to the electronic systems.
These systems also need to be recalibrated when reinstalling in the same or different vehicles.
The prior art systems are limited in their ability to monitor lane changing or turning of a vehicle. These systems therefore can not be used to evaluate a full range of driver behaviours.
Power consumption of the prior art systems is relatively high and unregulated. Batteries for these systems must be of large capacity and therefore bulky, or be replaced at a relatively short time of use. Alternatively the systems must draw on the vehicle's power supply.
Hereinafter, these vehicles, machines and equipment are referred to as “controllably movable objects”.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to alleviate or to reduce to a certain level one or more of the prior art disadvantages.
OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect therefore the present invention resides in a system for monitoring and/or evaluating performance of an operator of a controllably movable object having operational parameters and at least one of the operational parameters change with behaviours of the operator. The system comprises a housing member with a chamber therein, a sensing unit positioned on said housing member or in said chamber, the sensing unit having one or more sensors, each sensor being arranged to sense one of said operational parameters; a processing unit coupled to receive signals representative of the operational parameters from said one or more sensors, to process the received signals and to provide output signals corresponding to the performance relating to one or more aspects of the operating behaviours of said operator; and an indication unit arranged to receive the output signals and to thereby provide an indication of the operator performance.
In another aspect therefore the present invention resides in a system for monitoring and/or evaluating performance of an operator of a controllably movable object having operational parameters and at least one of the operational parameters is changeable when varying an aspect of operating behaviours of the operator. The system comprises a sensing unit having one or more sensors, each sensor being arranged to sense at least one of said operational parameters including a parameter for turning of said object to a different direction and/or movement of the object along a curved trajectory; a processing unit arranged to receive signals representative of the operational parameters from said one or more sensors, lo process the received signals and to provide output signals corresponding to the performance relating to one or more aspects of the operating behaviours of said operator. The system is characterised in that said one aspect or at least one of said aspects being turning said object to a different direction. An indication unit is arranged to receive the output signals and to thereby provide an indication of the operator performance.
The controllably movable object may be a vehicle, an overhead crane, a drag line, a power tool or the like.
The sensors may be of the type or types selected from one or more of the followings:
1-6 axis accelerometers;
1-3 axis gyroscopes
micro-switches;
inclination switches;
proximity switches and other position sensing devices;
current sensing transducers/voltage sensing transducers;
ultrasonic transducers;
infra red transducers;
radar transducers or other radio frequency devices;
microphones;
rain and moisture detectors;
temperature sensors;
humidity sensors;
pressure sensors;
liquid level sensors;
biological (perspectium)/physiological (Eg Eyes, hands etc)
potentiometers;
cameras;
video;
global positioning system;
radio direction finding system;
interfaces to object control system Eg engine and vehicle management systems; and
interfaces to object or vehicle guidance and navigation systems
The sensed operational parameters may include any one or a combination of two or more of the followings:
accelerations and decelerations;
orientation in multiple axes;
braking and retarding devices;
cornering;
lane changes;
smoothness of operating;
gear changes;
warning lights;
sound levels;
road quality;
weather conditions;
proximity to other objects;
speed;
position;
engine, motor or transmission operation characteristic; and
suspension characteristic.
In preference said one or more sensors are a plurality of single axial accelerometers or gyroscopes, or each said one or more sensors is a multi axial accelerometer or gyroscope.
It is preferred that said system includes filtering means for filtering signal noise components in the signals from the sensor(s). The filtering means may have on

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