초록 ▼

A portable electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device can be used inside a motor vehicle to collect and store information regarding operation of the motor vehicle. The electronic device can include a processor and a digital memory. The processor can determine miles traveled by the motor v

A portable electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device can be used inside a motor vehicle to collect and store information regarding operation of the motor vehicle. The electronic device can include a processor and a digital memory. The processor can determine miles traveled by the motor vehicle during a trip and store data representing the miles in the digital memory with a trip identifier identifying the trip. The miles traveled can be determined using data from a location sensor, such as a global positioning satellite device, that determines locations of the motor vehicle during the trip. The electronic device can also include an audio mechanism into which a user can speak information about the trip. Such audio data can be stored in the digital memory and associated with the trip identifier. Other data representing information about the trip can also be stored in the digital memory. The electronic device can also include a mechanism for transferring data stored in the digital memory in association with the trip identifier to a computing device.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A portable electronic device for use inside a motor vehicle to collect and store information regarding operation of the motor vehicle, the portable electronic device comprising: a digital memory; means for automatically detecting that the motor vehicle has started a new trip; means for

We claim: 1. A portable electronic device for use inside a motor vehicle to collect and store information regarding operation of the motor vehicle, the portable electronic device comprising: a digital memory; means for automatically detecting that the motor vehicle has started a new trip; means for, in response to the detecting that the new trip has started, providing to an occupant of the motor vehicle at the start of the new trip an option of designating the new trip as a continuation of a prior trip; means for generating data during the new trip representing distance traveled during the new trip; and means for storing the data representing the distance traveled during the trip in the digital memory by: adding the data representing distance traveled during the new trip to data stored in the digital memory representing distance traveled during the prior trip if the occupant designated the new trip as a continuation of the prior trip, or storing the data representing distance traveled during the new trip in the digital memory in association with a new trip identifier identifying the new trip if the occupant did not designate the new trip as a continuation of the prior trip. 2. The portable electronic device of claim 1 further comprising: an electronic display; and means for causing to be displayed on the electronic display data stored by the storing means in the digital memory. 3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor detects that the motor vehicle has started a new trip each time an engine of the motor vehicle is turned on. 4. The portable electronic device claim 3, wherein the microprocessor detects that the motor vehicle has started a new trip each time the motor vehicle moves following a minimum period during which the motor vehicle did not move. 5. A method of recording data in a portable electronic device regarding a trip in a motor vehicle, the method comprising: automatically detecting, utilizing a microprocessor that is part of the portable electronic device, that the motor vehicle has started a new trip; in response to the microprocessor detecting that the new trip has started, providing to an occupant of the motor vehicle an option of designating the new trip as a continuation of a prior trip; during the trip, collecting, utilizing the microprocessor, data during the new trip representing distance traveled during the new trip; and storing in a digital memory that is part of the portable electronic device the data representing the distance traveled during the new trip by: if the occupant designated the new trip as a continuation of the prior trip, adding the data representing the distance traveled during the new trip to data previously stored in the digital memory representing distance traveled during the prior trip, a sum of the data representing the distance traveled during the new trip and the data representing distance traveled during the prior trip stored in the digital memory in association with a trip identifier that identifies the prior trip, or if the occupant did not designate the new trip as a continuation of the prior trip, storing the data representing the distance traveled during the new trip in the digital memory in association with a trip identifier identifying the new trip. 6. The method of claim 5 further comprising: if the occupant designated the new trip as a continuation of the prior trip, displaying on an electronic display that is part of the electronic device the sum of the data representing the distance traveled during the new trip and the data representing the distance traveled during the prior tripe from the digital memory, or if the occupant did not designate the new trip as a continuation of the prior trip, displaying on the electronic display the data representing distance traveled during the new trip stored in the digital memory. 7. The method of claim 5, wherein the microprocessor detects that the motor vehicle has started a new trip each time an engine of the motor vehicle is turned from off to on. 8. The method of claim 5, wherein the automatically detecting comprises determining that the motor vehicle has moved following a minimum period during which the motor vehicle did not move. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the determining that the motor vehicle has moved comprises: periodically determining a location of the motor vehicle utilizing a global positioning system, and providing the location of the motor vehicle to the microprocessor. 10. The method of claim 5 further comprising automatically detecting, utilizing the microprocessor, that the motor vehicle has ended the new trip. 11. The method of claim 5 further comprising: converting into audio data information regarding the trip spoken by an occupant of the motor vehicle; and if the occupant designated the new trip as a continuation of the prior trip, storing the audio data in the memory in association with the identifier identifying the prior trip, or if the occupant did not designate the new trip as a continuation of the prior trip, storing the audio data in the memory in association with the identifier identifying the new trip. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the audio data information regarding the trip spoken by the occupant describes a purpose and destination of the trip. 13. The method of claim 5 further comprising: receiving category data from the occupant of the motor vehicle representing a category designation for the trip; and if the occupant designated the new trip as a continuation of the prior trip, storing the category data in the memory in association with the identifier identifying the prior trip, or if the occupant did not designate the new trip as a continuation of the prior trip, storing the category data in the memory in association with the identifier identifying the new trip. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the category data includes an identifier identify a tax deduction status for the trip.