Mobile computing device for fleet telematics

• US 10,185,455 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2013
• Issued: 01/22/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zonar Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Zonar Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: McQuade, Charles Michael, Chuang, Alan, Stieger, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): Li, Lin
• Application Number:
  US14/046,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20140098060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,936 Days
• Field of Search: 345156, 345174, 345173, 701 35, 343848, 343702
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/045 using resistive elements, e.g. a single continuous surface or two parallel surfaces put in contact
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable

Abstract

A mobile computing device for fleet telematics including a display and a controller configured to present at least one telematics application to a user. In an exemplary embodiment, the application is a verified inspection application, and the device includes an RF coil for an RFID reader that substantially extends along a perimeter of a housing for the device. In a related embodiment, the device includes an indicator light disposed along a perimeter edge of the housing, generally adjacent to the RF coil, the indicator light providing a user an indication of how to orient the device in order to enable the RF coil to interact with an RFID tag. The device can be configured such that the indicator light is only enabled when the inspection application is running. The device can include a flashlight and/or a digital camera, where the device is similarly programmed such that the flashlight and/or camera can only be enabled when the inspection application is running.

Claims

1. A tablet mobile computing device for fleet telematics, comprising:

(a) a processor;

(b) a non-transitory, physical memory medium logically coupled to the processor, the memory medium having a first set of machine instructions stored thereon that when executed by the processor implement a verified vehicle inspection application for a virtual inspection of a vehicle having a plurality of RFID tags place on the vehicle exterior and a second set of machine instructions stored thereon that when executed by the processor implement a map display and navigation program;

(c) a touch screen display logically coupled to the processor, upon which a graphical user interface (GUI) is displayed to a user, the GUI having a first button to enable a user to activate verified inspection application and having a second button to enable a user to activate the map display and navigation program;

(d) a ruggedized impact resistant housing suitable for industrial environments, the housing having a generally cuboid form factor;

(e) an RFID reader disposed within the housing and logically coupled to the processor, the RFID reader including an RF coil that extends substantially along a first perimeter edge of the housing, and does not extend around all the perimeter of the housing, thereby creating a preferred orientation for a user to position the tablet mobile computing device, for communicating to an RFID tag; and

(f) wherein said verified inspection application responds to communication with each RFID tag on the vehicle exterior by displaying a message on the GUI for the user to enter information regarding the visual inspection.

2. The tablet mobile computing device of claim 1, further being in the form of a solid rectangle having a first, second, third and fourth perimeter edge, and wherein the RFID reader comprises a second RF coil, the second RF coil that extends substantially along second perimeter edge of the housing, and wherein neither the third nor the fourth perimeter edges have an RF coil extending substantially along the perimeter edge.

3. The tablet mobile computing device of claim 2, wherein the first perimeter edge and the second perimeter edge are parallel to one another.

4. The tablet mobile computing device of claim 2, wherein the first perimeter edge and the second perimeter edge are disposed orthogonal to one another.

5. The tablet mobile computing device of claim 1, wherein the RF coil extends along a portion of a second perimeter edge of the housing, and the first perimeter edge and the second perimeter edge are disposed orthogonal to one another.

6. The tablet mobile computing device of claim 5, wherein the RF coil extends along a portion of a third perimeter edge of the housing, and the second perimeter edge and the third perimeter edge are disposed parallel to one another.

7. The tablet mobile computing device of claim 1, further comprising an indicator light disposed along a perimeter edge of the housing, generally adjacent to the RF coil, the indicator light providing a user an indication of how to orient the tablet in order to enable the RF coil to interact with an RFID tag.

8. The tablet mobile computing device of claim 7, wherein the machine instructions stored in the memory media, when executed by the processor, implement the function of energizing the light only when a user has selected the verified vehicle inspection application via the touch screen display, such that the light will not be energized unless the inspection application is running.

9. The tablet mobile computing device of claim 1, further comprising a high intensity flashlight disposed along a perimeter edge of the housing, and wherein the machine instructions stored in the memory media, when executed by the processor, implement the function of energizing the flashlight only when a user has selected the verified vehicle inspection application via the touch screen display, such that the flashlight will not be energized unless the verified vehicle inspection application is running.

10. The tablet mobile computing device of claim 1, further comprising a digital camera, and wherein the machine instructions stored in the memory media, when executed by the processor, implement the function of actuating the camera only when a user has selected an inspection application via the touch screen display, such that the camera will not be enabled unless the inspection application is running.

11. The tablet mobile computing device of claim 1, wherein the machine instructions stored in the memory media, when executed by the processor, implement at least one additional fleet telematics related application selected from a group of fleet telematics related applications consisting of:

(a) an AOBRD compliant driver log application;

(b) an EOBR compliant driver log application;

(c);

(d) a two-way messaging application that provides text to speech conversion when a vehicle the tablet mobile computing device is logically coupled to is in motion;

(e) and

(f) a driver behavior monitoring application.

12. A tablet mobile computing device for fleet telematics, comprising:

(a) a processor;

(b) a non-transitory, physical memory medium logically coupled to the processor, having machine instructions stored thereon that when executed by the processor implement a plurality of functions, the plurality of functions including a verified vehicle inspection application for a virtual inspection of a vehicle having a plurality of RFID tags placed on the vehicle exterior;

(c) a touch screen display logically coupled to the processor upon which a graphical user interface (GUI) is displayed to a user, the user being able to activate the vehicle inspection application from the GUI;

(d) a ruggedized impact resistant housing suitable for industrial environments, the housing having a generally cuboid form factor;

(e) a high intensity flashlight disposed along a perimeter edge of the housing, wherein the machine instructions stored in the memory media, when executed by the processor, implement the function of energizing the flashlight only when the verified vehicle inspection application is running; and

(f) wherein said verified inspection application communicating with each RFID tag on the vehicle exterior by displaying a message on the GUI for the user to enter information regarding the visual inspection.

13. A tablet mobile computing device for fleet telematics, adapted for use in inspecting a vehicle onto which RFID tags have been installed on the exterior of the vehicle, comprising:

(a) a processor;

(b) a non-transitory, physical memory medium having machine instructions stored thereon that when executed by the processor implement a plurality of functions, the plurality of functions including a vehicle inspection application;

(c) an RF tag reader;

(d) a touch screen display logically coupled to the processor upon which a graphical user interface (GUI) is displayed to a user, the user being able to activate the vehicle inspection application from the GUI;

(e) a ruggedized impact resistant housing suitable for industrial environments, the housing having a generally cuboid form factor; and

(f) a digital camera, wherein the vehicle inspection application, when executed by the processor, implements the function of responding to the RFID tag reader reading of an RFID tag, by using the touch screen display to query a user about the status of a portion of the exterior of the vehicle, and wherein the machine instructions stored in the memory media enable the camera only when the vehicle inspection application is running.

14. A tablet mobile computing device for fleet telematics, adapted for use in inspecting a vehicle onto which RFID tags have been installed on the exterior of the vehicle, comprising:

(a) a processor;

(b) a non-transitory, physical memory medium having machine instructions stored thereon that when executed by the processor implement a plurality of functions, the plurality of functions including;

(i) a verified vehicle inspection application; and

(ii) a two-way messaging application that provides text to speech conversion when a vehicle the tablet mobile computing device is logically coupled to is in motion; and

(c) a touch screen display logically coupled to the processor upon which a graphical user interface (GUI) is displayed to a user, the user being able to selectively activate the plurality of functions from the GUI;

(d) an RFID tag reader;

(e) a ruggedized impact resistant housing suitable for industrial environments, the housing having a generally cuboid form factor; and

(f) wherein the verified vehicle inspection application machine instructions stored in the memory media, when executed by the processor, implements the function of responding to the RFID tag reader reading of an RFID tag, by using the touch screen display to query a user about the status of a portion of the exterior of the vehicle.

15. The tablet mobile computing device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of functions further comprise a navigation application.

16. The tablet mobile computing device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of functions further comprise a driver log application.

17. The tablet mobile computing device of claim 16, wherein the driver log is EOBR compliant.

18. The tablet mobile computing device of claim 16, wherein the driver log is AOBRD compliant.

19. The tablet mobile computing device of claim 14, wherein the plurality of functions further comprise a driver behavior monitoring application.

20. The tablet mobile computing device of claim 19, wherein the plurality of functions further comprises a driver log application.