Integration of hours of service and navigation

• US 10,415,988 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2015
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnitracs LLC (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Omnitracs LLC (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Emory, Gene, Van Winkle, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan K
• Application Number:
  US14/794,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20160011001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3407 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3492 employing speed data or traffic data, e.g. real-time or historical traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063116 Schedule adjustment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time

Abstract

In an example system, an hours of service system may be integrated with a navigation system and configured to dynamically change a driver'"'"'s route based on changing real time conditions and remaining hours of service. This system may then automatically route a driver to a new, e.g. closer, stop when necessary so that the driver and his carrier may comply with an hours of service requirement.

Claims

1. A method for dynamic integration of hours of service with a navigation system associated with a vehicle, comprising:

receiving, by a transceiver via a communication link, a navigation route for a vehicle, wherein the navigation route includes an original stopping point;

determining, by a processor, remaining hours of driving of a driver associated with the vehicle;

determining, by the processor, the driver'"'"'s remaining hours of work;

determining, by the processor, an estimated time of arrival (ETA) at the original stopping point of the navigation route based at least on one or more of traffic and road conditions;

determining, by the processor, whether a time to the ETA exceeds either of the driver'"'"'s remaining hours of driving or the remaining hours of work;

automatically changing the navigation route, by the processor, to include a new stopping point that is predicted to be reachable within the driver'"'"'s remaining hours of work and remaining hours of driving in response to determining that the time to the ETA exceeds either of the driver'"'"'s remaining hours of driving or the remaining hours of work; and

displaying the navigation route with the new stopping point on a display of a user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving traffic and road conditions corresponding to the navigation route;

wherein determining an estimated time of arrival (ETA) at the original stopping point of the navigation route comprises calculating an estimated time of arrival based on a current time, a current location, and the traffic and road conditions between the current location and the original stopping point; and

selecting the new stopping point based on navigation data of potential stopping points on or near the navigation route and at a location predicted to be reachable within the remaining hours of work and remaining hours of driving in view of the current location and the traffic and road conditions beyond the current location along the navigation route.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving current traffic and road conditions;

determining predicted traffic and road conditions;

wherein calculating the estimated time of arrival further comprises calculating based on a combination of the current traffic and road conditions and the predicted traffic and road conditions; and

wherein automatically changing the navigation route to include the new stopping point further comprises predicting that the new stopping point will be reachable within the driver'"'"'s remaining hours of work and remaining hours of driving based on the combination of the current traffic and road conditions and the predicted traffic and road conditions.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

obtaining historical traffic data corresponding to respective times and locations along navigation route where the vehicle is estimated to be located;

obtaining predicted weather information for the respective times and locations along the navigation route where the vehicle is estimated to be located;

obtaining current traffic flow factors for the respective times and locations along the navigation route where the vehicle is estimated to be located;

determining predicted average speed for the respective times and locations along the navigation route where the vehicle is estimated to be located based on a combination of the historical traffic data, the predicted weather information, and the current traffic flow factors; and

wherein determining predicted traffic and road conditions comprises;

determining whether a difference between a current speed for the respective times and locations along navigation route where the vehicle is estimated to be located and the predicted average speed for the respective times and locations along the navigation route where the vehicle is estimated to be located is greater than a deviation threshold for one or more of the respective times and locations along navigation route; and

using the predicted average speed for one or more of the respective times and locations along the navigation route when the difference exceeds the deviation threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if the vehicle is moving; and

initiating a countdown of the remaining hours of driving when a determination is made that the vehicle is moving.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein determining if the vehicle is moving further comprises determining whether a current speed of the vehicle exceeds a threshold associated with active driving.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising transmitting the new navigation route to a network entity.

13. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the navigation module is further configured to generate a new navigation route including new driving directions to the new stopping point.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the transceiver is further configured to transmit the new navigation route to a network entity.

8. A computing device, comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive a navigation route for a vehicle, wherein the navigation route includes an original stopping point;

a processor in communication with the receiver, the processor including;

an hours of service (HOS) module configured to determine remaining hours of driving of a driver associated with the vehicle, the driver'"'"'s remaining hours of work, and an estimated time of arrival (ETA) to the original stopping point;

a HOS manager module configured to determine whether the time to the ETA (ETA-current time) exceeds either of the driver'"'"'s remaining hours of driving or the remaining hours of work; and

a navigation module configured to automatically change the navigation route to include a new stopping point that is predicted to be reachable within the driver'"'"'s remaining hours of work and remaining hours of driving in response to determining that the time to the ETA exceeds either of the driver'"'"'s remaining hours of driving or the remaining hours of work; and

a user interface having a display configured to present the navigation route with the new stopping point.

9. The computing device of claim 8,

wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive traffic and road conditions;

wherein the HOS component is further configured to estimate a time of arrival based on the current time, the current location and the traffic and road conditions between the current location and the stop or destination; and

wherein the navigation component is further configured to select the new stopping point based on navigation data of potential stopping points on or near the navigation route and at a location predicted to be reachable within the drivers remaining hours of work and remaining hours of driving in view of the current location and the traffic and road conditions beyond the current location along the navigation route.

10. The computing device of claim 8,

wherein the transceiver is further configured to receive current traffic and road conditions;

and

wherein the navigation module is further configured to;

determine predicted traffic and road conditions,

calculate the estimated time of arrival based on a combination of the current traffic and road conditions and the predicted traffic and road conditions, and

predict that the new stopping point will be reachable within the driver'"'"'s remaining hours of work and remaining hours of driving based on the combination of the current traffic and road conditions and the predicted traffic and road conditions.

11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein the navigation module is further configured to:

obtain historical traffic data corresponding to respective times and locations along navigation route where the vehicle is estimated to be located;

obtain predicted weather information for the respective times and locations along the navigation route where the vehicle is estimated to be located;

obtain current traffic flow factors for the respective times and locations along the navigation route where the vehicle is estimated to be located;

determine predicted average speed for the respective times and locations along the navigation route where the vehicle is estimated to be located based on a combination of the historical traffic data, the predicted weather information, and the current traffic flow factors; and

wherein the navigation module is configured to determine the predicted traffic and road conditions by;

determining whether a difference between a current speed for the respective times and locations along navigation route where the vehicle is estimated to be located and the predicted average speed for the respective times and locations along the navigation route where the vehicle is estimated to be located is greater than a deviation threshold for one or more of the respective times and locations along navigation route; and

using the predicted average speed for one or more of the respective times and locations along navigation route when the difference exceeds the deviation threshold.

12. The computing device of claim 8, wherein the HOS module is further configured to:

determine if the vehicle is moving; and

initiate a countdown of the remaining hours of driving when a determination is made that the vehicle is moving.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable code for dynamic integration of hours of service and navigation, comprising:

code for receiving a navigation route for a vehicle, wherein the navigation route includes an original stopping point;

code for determining remaining hours of driving of a driver associated with the vehicle;

code for determining the driver'"'"'s remaining hours of work;

code for determining an estimated time of arrival (ETA) at the original stopping point of the navigation route based at least on one or more of traffic and road conditions;

code for determining whether a time to the ETA exceeds either of the driver'"'"'s remaining hours of driving or the remaining hours of work;

code for automatically changing the navigation route to a new stopping point that is predicted to be reachable within the driver'"'"'s remaining hours of work and remaining hours of driving in response to determining that the time to the ETA exceeds either of the driver'"'"'s remaining hours of driving or the remaining hours of work; and

code for displaying the navigation route with the new stopping point on a display of a user interface.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising

code for receiving traffic and road conditions,

wherein code for determining an estimated time of arrival (ETA) at a stop or destination of the navigation route comprises:

code for estimating a time of arrival based on the current time, the current location and the traffic and road conditions between the current location and the stop or destination; and

code for selecting the new stopping point based on navigation data of potential stopping points on or near the navigation route and at a location predicted to be reachable within the drivers remaining hours of work and remaining hours of driving in view of the current location and the traffic and road conditions beyond the current location along the navigation route.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

code for receiving current traffic and road conditions;

code for determining predicted traffic and road conditions,

wherein the code for determining the ETA comprises code for calculating the ETA based on a combination of the current traffic and road conditions and the predicted traffic and road conditions, and

wherein code for automatically changing the navigation route to include the new stopping point further comprises code for predicting that the new stopping point will be reachable within the driver'"'"'s remaining hours of work and remaining hours of driving based on the combination of the current traffic and road conditions and the predicted traffic and road conditions.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 17, further comprising:

code for obtaining historical traffic data corresponding to respective times and locations along navigation route where the vehicle is estimated to be located;

code for obtaining predicted weather information for the respective times and locations along the navigation route where the vehicle is estimated to be located;

code for obtaining current traffic flow factors for the respective times and locations along the navigation route where the vehicle is estimated to be located;

code for determining predicted average speed for the respective times and locations along the navigation route where the vehicle is estimated to be located based on a combination of the historical traffic data, the predicted weather information, and the current traffic flow factors; and

wherein code for determining predicted traffic and road conditions comprises;

code for determining whether a difference between a current speed for the respective times and locations along navigation route where the vehicle is estimated to be located and the predicted average speed for the respective times and locations along the navigation route where the vehicle is estimated to be located is greater than a deviation threshold for one or more of the respective times and locations along navigation route; and

code for using the predicted average speed for one or more of the respective times and locations along navigation route when the difference exceeds the deviation threshold.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15, further comprising:

code for determining if the vehicle is moving; and

code for initiating a countdown of the remaining hours of driving when a determination is made that the vehicle is moving.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 19, further comprising code for transmitting the new navigation route to a network entity.