IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,985,940
Granted Patent B2
US 10,985,940 · App. 15/144,319 · Granted Apr 20, 2021

Configurable OBD isolation

Inventors: William Ben Miners (Guelph, CA); Otman A. Basir (Waterloo, CA); Jason Toonstra (Elmira, CA)
Assignee: Appy Risk Technologies Limited
H04L12/403G07C5/008G07C5/085H04Q9/00G07C2205/02H04L2012/40273
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,985,940
App. No.
15/144,319
Granted
Apr 20, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

An on-vehicle device for a driver monitoring system can be configured to be isolated from the vehicle bus while connected to the vehicle's OBD port. In a fully-isolated mode, the device only receives power and ground from the vehicle's OBD port and there is no other communication sent or received from the vehicle bus. In a passive mode, the device can obtain some information from the vehicle bus but does not request any information on the vehicle bus. The device may be undetectable on the vehicle bus. Optionally, the device receives commands via a communication interface to be switched among the three modes: fully active mode, fully isolated mode and passive mode. The commands may come from a server and may be communicated over the internet or over a cell network to a communication module on the device.

Claims (28)

1. An on-board device for a vehicle monitoring system comprising:

a communication module;

an OBD interface for connecting to an on-board diagnostic (OBD) port of a vehicle;

a processor programmed to accumulate data received via the OBD interface, the processor further programmed to receive commands via the communication module and in response to the commands switch the OBD interface from a first mode to a second mode wherein in the first mode the OBD interface can request and receive data via a vehicle data bus connected to the OBD interface, wherein in the second mode the OBD interface does not request or send any data on the vehicle data bus, wherein in the second mode the OBD interface is capable of receiving data on the vehicle data bus.

2. An on-board device for a vehicle monitoring system comprising:

a communication module;

an OBD interface for connecting to an on-board diagnostic (OBD) port of a vehicle;

a processor programmed to accumulate data received via the OBD interface, the processor further programmed to receive commands via the communication module and in response to the commands switch the OBD interface from a first mode to a second mode, wherein in the first mode the OBD interface can request and receive data via a vehicle data bus connected to the OBD interface, wherein in the second mode the OBD interface does not request or send any data on the vehicle data bus, wherein in the second mode the OBD interface is capable of receiving data on the vehicle data bus, wherein in the second mode the OBD interface is capable of receiving data on the vehicle data bus by sniffing data on the vehicle data bus.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein in the second mode the OBD interface is undetectable via the vehicle data bus.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the processor is programmed to switch the OBD interface between the first mode and the second mode based upon a command received via the communication module.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein the processor is programmed to switch the OBD interface between the first mode and the second mode based upon an SMS message.

6. An on-board device for a vehicle monitoring system comprising:

a communication module;

an OBD interface for connecting to an on-board diagnostic (OBD) port of a vehicle;

a processor programmed to accumulate data received via the OBD interface, the processor further programmed to receive commands via the communication module and in response to the commands switch the OBD interface from a first mode to a second mode, wherein in the first mode the OBD interface can request and receive data via a vehicle data bus connected to the OBD interface, wherein in the second mode the OBD interface does not request or send any data on the vehicle data bus, wherein in the second mode the device monitors power on the OBD port of the vehicle to detect trip beginning and trip ending.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the processor is programmed to effectuate a command to change modes only after an end of a trip.

8. An on-board device for a vehicle monitoring system comprising:

a communication module;

an OBD interface for connecting to an on-board diagnostic (OBD) port of a vehicle;

a processor programmed to accumulate data received via the OBD interface, the processor further programmed to receive commands via the communication module and in response to the commands switch the OBD interface from a first mode to a second mode, wherein in the first mode the OBD interface can request and receive data via a vehicle data bus connected to the OBD interface, wherein in the second mode the OBD interface does not request or send any data on the vehicle data bus, wherein the processor is programmed to effectuate a command to change modes only after an end of a trip.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the processor is programmed to switch the OBD interface between the first mode and the second mode based upon an SMS message.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein in the second mode the OBD interface only receives power and ground via the OBD port of the vehicle.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the communication module is configured to provide wireless communication.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein the communication module is a cell phone or wifi.

13. The device of claim 10 wherein the communication module is configured to provide wireless communication to the Internet.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the communication module is configured to provide wireless communication to the Internet.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the communication module is a cell phone or wifi.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein the communication module is configured to provide wireless communication.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 29, 2022
From: INTELLIGENT MECHATRONIC SYSTEMS INC.
To: APPY RISK TECHNOLOGIES LTD.
Reel/Frame 061914/0329 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 21, 2019
From: IMS SOLUTIONS, INC.
To: APPY RISK TECHNOLOGIES LIMITED
Reel/Frame 049241/0878 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 21, 2017
From: MINERS, WILLIAM BEN; BASIR, OTMAN A.; TOONSTRA, JASON
To: INTELLIGENT MECHATRONIC SYSTEMS INC.
Reel/Frame 044461/0029 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62156010 · May 1, 2015
Related Publication 20170026196A1 · Jan 26, 2017