Methods and systems for determining positioning information for driver compliance

• US 10,085,113 B1
• Filed: 03/27/2017
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: J J Keller & Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: J J Keller & Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Harter, Thomas C., Kuphal, Michael K., Lightner, Bruce D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kan, Yuri
• Application Number:
  US15/470,432
• Publication Number:
  US 20180276917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 1/08 over fixed periods of time
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 1/14 giving a distribution function of a value, i.e. number of times the value comes within specified ranges of amplitude
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/007 using microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/20 Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication

Abstract

A method and apparatus for determining positioning information for driver compliance. The apparatus comprising a an electronic processor connected to an electronic control unit and a transceiver and configured to receive the vehicle data from the electronic control unit, determine whether the apparatus includes a local source of positioning information, determine whether a positioning information from the local source of positioning information meets or exceeds an accuracy threshold and an availability threshold, if the apparatus includes the local source of positioning information, and send a request to the portable communication device for additional positioning information if the apparatus does not include the local source of positioning information, or the positioning information from the local source of positioning information does not meet or exceed the accuracy threshold, the availability threshold, or both.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining positioning information of a vehicle operated by a driver for driver compliance, the apparatus comprising:

a connector for physically coupling the apparatus to a diagnostic port in the vehicle;

an electronic control unit connected to the connector and configured to receive vehicle data;

a transceiver for communicating with a portable communication device; and

an electronic processor connected to the electronic control unit and to the transceiver and configured to

receive the vehicle data from the electronic control unit,

determine whether the apparatus includes a local source of positioning information,

in response to determining that the apparatus includes the local source of positioning information, determine whether a positioning information from the local source of positioning information meets or exceeds an accuracy threshold and an availability threshold, and

in response to determining that the apparatus does not include the local source of positioning information, or the positioning information from the local source of positioning information not meeting or exceeding the accuracy threshold, the availability threshold, or both, send a request to the portable communication device for additional positioning information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to periodically receive the additional positioning information from the portable communication device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the portable communication device is selected from the group consisting of a smart phone, a smart watch, a tablet computer and a laptop computer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the additional positioning information is used to tag a driver compliance event.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an adaptor including the electronic processor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the accuracy threshold includes an accuracy of an absolute position of the vehicle within a range of 0.5 miles.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the availability threshold includes an availability of data associated with the vehicle once for every 5 miles of driving.

8. A method for determining positioning information of a vehicle operated by a driver for driver compliance, the method comprising:

receiving, with an electronic processor, vehicle data from a diagnostic port in a vehicle;

determining, with the electronic processor, whether a base unit includes a local source of positioning information;

in response to the base unit including the local source of positioning information, determining whether a positioning information from the local source of positioning information meets or exceeds an accuracy threshold and an availability threshold; and

in response to the base unit not including the local source of positioning information, or the positioning information from the local source of positioning information not meeting or exceeding the accuracy threshold, the availability threshold, or both, sending a request to a portable communication device for additional positioning information.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

using the additional positioning information to tag a driver compliance event.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving, with the electronic processor, the additional positioning information from the portable communication device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving positioning information from the portable communication device includes receiving the positioning information periodically from the portable communication device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein receiving the additional positioning information from the portable communication device includes receiving the additional positioning information from the portable communication device selected from a group consisting of a smart phone, a smart watch, a tablet computer and a laptop computer.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the positioning information from the local source of positioning information meets or exceeds the accuracy threshold includes determining an accuracy of an absolute position of the vehicle within a range of 0.5 miles.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein determining the positioning information from the local source of positioning information meets or exceeds the availability threshold includes determining the availability of vehicle data once for every 5 miles of driving.

15. An apparatus for determining positioning information of a vehicle for driver compliance, the apparatus comprising:

a connector for physically coupling the apparatus to a diagnostic port in the vehicle;

a transceiver for communicating with a portable communication device; and

an electronic processor configured to connect to an electronic control unit of the vehicle and to the transceiver and configured to

receive vehicle data from the electronic control unit,

determine whether the apparatus includes a local source of positioning information,

in response to determining that the apparatus includes the local source of positioning information, determine whether a positioning information from the local source of positioning information meets or exceeds an accuracy threshold and an availability threshold; and

in response to determining that the apparatus does not include the local source of positioning information, or the positioning information from the local source of positioning information not meeting or exceeding the accuracy threshold, the availability threshold, or both, send a request to the portable communication device for additional positioning information.