Network communications for transportation management

• US 10,380,905 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2012
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: XRS Corporation (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: XRS Corporation (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mohn, Charles, Sekula, Christopher A., Kakumanu, Sarat, Tuttle, Odell R., Fuglewicz, Daniel P., Anderson, Peter S., Martin, Jr., Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Hua
• Application Number:
  US13/730,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20140047343A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,419 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 7/00 Details or accessories common to the registering or indicating apparatus of groups G07C3/00 and G07C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/00 Traffic control systems for road vehicles arrangement of road signs or traffic signals E01F9/00 ; automatic vehicle control B62D
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/167 Control of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/00 Electrically-operated educational appliances working with questions and answers G09B7/00; simulators G09B9/00; advertising or displaying in general G09F
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A network device includes a memory, a display, a user interface, and a network communication module configured to receive vehicle data, driver information, and driver communications, at pre-determined times, from a plurality of portable wireless data transfer and display devices via a long-range wireless network. The network communication module is further configured to send and receive network communications with one or more of the portable wireless data transfer and display devices via the long-range wireless network. The network device is configured to present the vehicle data, the driver information, the driver communication, and the network communications from the plurality of portable wireless data transfer and display devices via the display. The user interface is configured to allow for selection of the drivers presented and is configured to accept user inputs of network communications via the user interface.

Claims

1. A network device comprising:

a memory;

a display;

a user interface; and

a processor configured to receive driver communications and electronic reports generated by a plurality of portable wireless data transfer and display devices associated with a plurality of vehicles via a long-range wireless network, wherein the electronic reports include vehicle data, driver information including driver inputs used to identify a plurality of drivers associated with the plurality of vehicles, and hours of service information,

wherein the network device is configured to store the electronic reports and the driver communications in the memory,

wherein the network device is configured to present the electronic reports and the driver communications received from the plurality of portable wireless data transfer and display devices via the display,

wherein the user interface is configured to allow for selection of one or more vehicles or drivers associated with the presented electronic reports and is configured to accept messaging input relating to a network communication including a form in response to the presented electronic reports,

wherein the processor is further configured to;

send the network communication including the form to one or more of the plurality of portable wireless data transfer and display devices associated with the selected one or more vehicles or drivers, via the long-range wireless network;

receive subscriber information from a remote subscriber device in a network, wherein the subscriber information associates a subscriber with one or more of the electronic reports from one or more of the plurality of the portable wireless data transfer and display devices;

receive a request for a subscription report from the remote subscriber device;

process the subscriber information and the associated one or more of the electronic reports into the subscription report; and

send the subscription report to the remote subscriber device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the network communication further comprises a destination picture.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to receive the electronic reports and the driver communications in real-time or at intervals that approximate real-time, from at least one of the plurality of portable wireless data transfer and display devices via the long-range wireless network.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the intervals that approximate real-time are selected from a group consisting of:

intervals less than 5 minutes;

intervals less than 3 minutes;

intervals less than 2 minutes;

intervals less than 1 minute; and

intervals less than 30 seconds.

5. The device of claim 1, further comprising a management communication module configured to send at least one of:

the electronic reports, the driver communications, or a driver summary electronic reports to one or more specified remote computers.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein, the network device is configured to upload at least one of:

the electronic reports, the driver communications, or a driver summary electronic report to at least one website via a website communication module.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the network device is configured to present at least one of:

the electronic reports, the driver communications, or a driver summary electronic reports according to programmable categories and subgroups to a user via the display.

8. The network device of claim 1, wherein the electronic reports comprise respective driver summary electronic reports each including a respective driver'"'"'s record of duty processed locally by a corresponding one of the plurality of portable wireless data transfer and display devices.

9. The network device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of portable wireless data transfer and display devices include cellular phones.

10. The network device of claim 1, wherein driver inputs include passwords, electronic tags, or RF readable tags.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the network communication further comprises a signature.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the network communication further comprises a landmark picture.

13. A network device comprising:

means for receiving driver communications and electronic reports generated by a plurality of portable wireless data transfer and display devices associated with a plurality of vehicles via a long-range wireless network, wherein the electronic reports include vehicle data, driver information including driver inputs used to identify a plurality of drivers associated with the plurality of vehicles, and hours of service information;

means for storing the electronic reports and the driver communications;

means for presenting the electronic reports and the driver communications received from the plurality of portable wireless data transfer and display devices;

means for accepting a selection of one or more vehicles or drivers associated with the presented electronic reports;

means for accepting messaging input relating to a network communication including a form in response to the presented electronic reports;

means for sending the network communication including the form to one or more portable wireless data transfer and display devices associated with the selected one or more vehicles or drivers, via the long-range wireless network;

means for receiving subscriber information from a remote subscriber device in a network, wherein the subscriber information associates a subscriber with one or more of the electronic reports from one or more of the plurality of the portable wireless data transfer and display devices;

means for receiving a request for a subscription report from the remote subscriber device;

means for processing the subscriber information and the associated one or more of the electronic reports into the subscription report; and

means for sending the subscription report to the remote subscriber device.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the network communication further comprises one or more of:

a destination picture;

a signature;

or

a landmark picture.

15. The device of claim 13, further comprising means for sending at least one of:

the electronic reports, the driver communications, or a driver summary electronic reports to one or more specified remote computers.

16. The device of claim 13, further comprising means for uploading at least one of:

the electronic reports, the driver communication, or a driver summary electronic report to at least one website via a website communication module.

17. The device of claim 13, further comprising means for presenting at least one of:

electronic reports, the driver communications, or driver summary electronic reports according to programmable categories and subgroups to a user via the display.

18. A method comprising:

receiving driver communications and electronic reports generated by a plurality of portable wireless data transfer and display devices associated with a plurality of vehicles via a long-range wireless network, wherein the electronic reports include vehicle data, driver information including driver inputs used to identify a plurality of drivers associated with the plurality of vehicles, and hours of service information;

storing the electronic reports and the driver communications;

presenting the electronic reports and the driver communications received from the plurality of portable wireless data transfer and display devices;

receiving a selection of one or more vehicles or drivers associated with the presented electronic reports and the driver communications;

accepting messaging input relating to a network communication including a form in response to the presented electronic reports;

sending the network communication including the form to one or more portable wireless data transfer and display devices associated with the selected one or more vehicles or drivers, via the long-range wireless network;

receiving subscriber information from a remote subscriber device in a network, wherein the subscriber information associates a subscriber with one or more of the electronic reports from one or more of the plurality of the portable wireless data transfer and display devices;

receiving a request for a subscription report from the remote subscriber device;

processing the subscriber information and the associated one or more of the electronic reports into the subscription report; and

sending the subscription report to the remote subscriber device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the network communication further comprises one or more of:

a destination picture;

a signature;

or

a landmark picture.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising sending at least one of:

the electronic reports, the driver communications, or a driver summary electronic reports to one or more specified remote computers.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising uploading at least one of:

the electronic reports, the driver communications, or a driver summary electronic report to at least one website via a website communication module.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising presenting at least one of:

electronic reports, driver communications, or driver summary electronic reports according to programmable categories and subgroups to a user via the display.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the network communication further comprises a safety warning.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the network communication further comprises a work request.