1. A method of operating a driver analysis system, the method comprising:
receiving vehicle operation data corresponding to operation of one or more vehicles operated by one or more drivers by the driver analysis system;
generating a driving report which identifies the driving performance of a target driver; and
transferring the driving report to a target device for viewing by one or more entities,
wherein the vehicle operation data comprises an indication of status of a safety system of at least one of the one or more vehicles.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of status of a safety system comprises a status of a safety belt system.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the status of the safety belt system comprises an indication of the use of the safety belt system.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle operation data is received at a communication interface in the driver analysis system from one or more monitoring systems located generally adjacent the one or more vehicles.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more monitoring systems is powered from an On Board Diagnostic (OBD) port on the one or more vehicles.
6. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more monitoring systems further comprises at least one of an accelerometer, GPS functionality, flash memory, a processor, a real-time operating system, satellite communication capabilities, cellular communication capabilities, and Bluetooth-type communication capabilities.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the vehicle operation data is gathered from a source other than from the OBD port of the one or more vehicles.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the driving report comprises a safety score generally representing a level of safety of the driving performance of the target driver.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating a plurality of graphical representations of the driving performance of the target driver.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein a first graphical representation of the plurality of graphical representations comprises a disabled safety device.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein a second graphical representation of the plurality of graphical representations comprises rapid acceleration events.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein a third graphical representation of the plurality of graphical representations comprises excessive speed events.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the performance of the target driver is compared to a best, worst, and average of the one or more other drivers.
14. A driver analysis system comprising:
a communication interface configured to receive vehicle operation data corresponding to operation of a one or more of vehicles operated by one or more drivers;
a processing system configured to identify from one or more drivers a peer group associated with a target driver, process at least a portion of the vehicle operation data to determine driving performance of the target driver relative to driving performance of the peer group, and generate a driving score which generally identifies the driving performance of the target driver;
wherein the processing system is further configured to generate an indication of circumvention of a safety interlock.
15. The driver analysis system of claim 14, wherein indication of circumvention of a safety interlock comprises an indication of an abnormality with usage of a safety belt.
16. The driver analysis system of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of monitoring systems located generally adjacent the plurality of vehicles wherein the communication interface is capable of receiving the vehicle operation data from the plurality of monitoring systems.
17. The driver analysis system of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of monitoring systems is powered from an On Board Diagnostic (OBD) port on each of the plurality of vehicles and gathers at least a portion of the vehicle operation data from a source other than the OBD port.
18. The driver analysis system of claim 17, wherein the source other than the OBD port comprises at least one of an accelerometer, GPS functionality, flash memory, a processor, a real-time operating system, satellite communication capabilities, cellular communication capabilities, and Bluetooth-type communication capabilities.
19. The driver analysis system of claim 1, wherein the performance of the target driver is compared to a best, worst, and average of the peer group.
20. A driver analysis network, comprising:
a plurality of monitoring systems located on board a plurality of vehicles operated by a plurality of drivers wherein the plurality of monitoring systems is configured to transmit vehicle operation data corresponding to operation of the plurality of vehicles;
a server configured to receive the vehicle operation data at a communication interface, identify from the plurality of drivers a peer group associated with a target driver, process at least a portion of the vehicle operation data to determine driving performance of the target driver relative to driving performance of the peer group, generate a driving report which identifies the driving performance of the target driver, and transmit the driving report at the communication interface;
a target device configured to receive the driving report and display the driving report for viewing by the target driver or another entity, wherein the driving report comprises an indication of a condition of a safety device.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus comprising:
a chassis of a sheet of an electrically conductive material having a substantially non-conductive coating, an exposed portion of the chassis having been deformed to provide at least one protrusion such that the non-conductive coating on the at least one protrusion is thinner than a portion of the sheet spaced apart from the at least one protrusion to provide a conductively path through the sheet.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, therein the at least one protrusion comprises a plurality of elongated ribs extending substantially parallel to each other and having substantially triangular cross-sectional configurations, the non-conductive coating on a leading edge portion of the plurality of ribs being thinner than a portion of the sheet spaced apart from the plurality of ribs.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of ribs laterally extend substantially orthogonal to and intersect a first edge of the sheet.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the plurality of ribs have a pitch ranging from about 0.25 to 2 mm.
5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the plurality of ribs laterally extend at an angle relative to a first edge of the sheet.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a corrosion-resistant coating between a surface of the sheet and the non-conductive coating.
7. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the corrosion-resistant coating comprises a trivalent chromium (Cr3) material.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a gasket that engages the at least one protrusion to form an electrically conductive joint.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the gasket further comprises a substantially non-conductive and substantially flexible substrate that is covered by an electrically conductive material.
10. A computer housing comprising the apparatus of claim 8, the housing further comprising at least one bulkhead dimensioned and configured for insertion into the housing adjacent the at least one protrusion, the gasket being affixed to the bulkhead, such that upon insertion of the bulkhead into the housing, an electrically conductive path is provided between the chassis and the bulkhead through the at least one protrusion and the gasket, thereby forming at least a portion of a Faraday cage.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein that at least one protrusion comprises a plurality of elongated ribs that laterally extend along the chassis in a direction that is parallel to a direction of insertion of the bulkhead relative to the housing.
12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sheet further comprises at least one substantially 90 degree arcuate bend, the at least one protrusion comprising at least one elongated rib that intersects the bend.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the sheet further comprises two substantially 90 degrees arcuate bends to create a substantially C-shaped profile, the at least one protrusion comprising a plurality of elongated ribs formed along a flanged edge of the sheet adjacent to and intersecting one of the bends.
14. A joint comprising:
a chassis comprising a conductive sheet that includes a non-conductive coating, wherein the conductive sheet is deformed to provide a plurality of protrusions, the coating being thinner on a leading edge portion of the plurality of protrusions than a portion of the conductive sheet spaced apart form the plurality of protrusions;
a bulkhead; and
a flexible gasket having a conductive surface disposed on the bulkhead, the gasket being affixed to a surface of the bulkhead, such that upon engagement between the gasket and the plurality of protrusions, an electrically conductive path is provided between the chassis and the bulkhead through at least some of the plurality of protrusions and the gasket.
15. The joint of claim 14, wherein the gasket comprises a substantially non-conductive flexible substrate that is covered by an electrically conductive layer, the gasket being secured to the bulkhead by a conductive adhesive.
16. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a corrosion-resistant coating between a surface of the conductive sheet and the non-conductive coating.
17. A computer housing comprising the apparatus of claim 14, wherein the bulkhead is dimensioned and configured to be removeably inserted into the housing adjacent the chassis to complete the electrically conductive path by the engagement between the engagement between the gasket and the plurality of protrusions, and thereby forming at least a portion of a Faraday cage.
18. A method of making a conductive joint comprising:
providing a conductive sheet having an electrically non-conductive coating;
sufficiently deforming a portion of the conductive sheet to form at least one protrusion, such that the non-conductive coating is thinner on the at least one protrusion than a portion of the conductive sheet spaced apart from the at least one protrusion; and
engaging the at least one protrusions with a conductive gasket, the gasket being disposed on a bulkhead such at that an electrically conductive path is provided between the conductive sheet and the bulkhead through the at least one protrusion and the gasket.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the deforming of the portion of the conductive sheet forms a plurality of elongated protrusions extending substantially parallel to each other and having substantially triangular cross-sectional configurations, the non-conductive coating on a leading edge portion of the plurality of protrusions being thinner than a portion of the conductive sheet spaced apart from the plurality of protrusions.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the deforming further comprises stamping a surface of the conductive sheet to provide the plurality of elongated protrusions.