On4 Communications Inc (ONCI)

[Davis_Elite]

My take on the new product PCB -

I enhanced the image, so you can see everything more clearly.

The connector is a simple 2-pin power connector. I used the exact same connector for a miniature circuit board about the size of this one. Also, you can see "PWR" just above the connector, so there you have it. My first assumption would be that there is a small 2-conductor cable that goes between 2 circuit boards inside the OBD housing, and that the other circuit board is the one that has the actual OBD port connector. Either that, or there is no circuit board on the port connector, and the wires for the other end of this power cable are simply crimped or soldered directly to the OBD connector.

The large silver "IC" is actually a multi-chip bluetooth module that has an onboard microcontroller unit with program memory, RAM and many other features (IMO).

The very small "U2" device in the lower middle portion of the board - in the shadows - is most likely the IMU module (IMO). It's hard to believe everything that can be integrated into such a small space these days, but that little chip/module has a 3-axis accelerometer, angular rate sensors configured as a gyroscope, and much more. It's a compete MEMS navigation sensor (MEMS = micro-electromechanical system).

Among other things, if mounted in a vehicle, this device can sense every detail of the ride experience - light/heavy braking, cornering, speed, acceleration/deceleration, shock from impact, etc.\

... and then it can transmit this information via bluetooth radio to a nearby device.

IN ADDITION, this device could be used to augment GPS for navigation. In the abscence of a GPS signal, heading information combined with accel/decel, velocity and angular rates can be used to determine location relative to last known GPS position.

I can "c" how this board could be used to replace the existing product, adding the ability to sense and report ride conditions (safe or unsafe driving) to a smart phone. The current functionality for bSafeMobile and FleetSafer are automatically included with this sensing ability - - the smart phone app will know when the vehicle is moving, and can then disable certain phone uses as appropriate. And I can definitely see how this could be the "holy grail" all-in-one product that insurance companies would take a keen interest in. It's as if this new product can "c the road."