Method and apparatus for implementing a vehicle inspection waiver program

• US 10,685,509 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2019
• Issued: 06/16/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zonar Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Zonar Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: McQuade, Charles Michael, Fakkema, Fred, Brinton, Brett, Brinton, William
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher, Jerry-Daryl
• Application Number:
  US16/589,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20200066068A1
• Time in Patent Office: 259 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0075 Automatic parameter input, automatic initialising or calibrating means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0638 Engine speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0657 Engine torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/10 Longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2530/10 Weight
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/15 Road slope, i.e. the inclination of a road segment in the longitudinal direction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2552/20 Road profile, i.e. the change in elevation or curvature of a plurality of continuous road segments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/55 using telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2756/10 Involving external transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/143 Speed control B60W30/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/045 Monitoring control system parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 9/002 of filter regeneration, e.g. detection of clogging
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 2200/701 Information about vehicle position, e.g. from navigation system or GPS signal
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/029 : the exhaust gas treating apparatus being a particulate filter
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 : Certifying business or products
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 : communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• 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

Abstract

Position data received wirelessly from a vehicle enrolled in an inspection waiver program are employed to determine when the enrolled vehicle has entered a geofenced area, associated to an inspection station. After determining that the enrolled vehicle is in the geofenced area, and if the enrolled vehicle has a valid inspection waiver, a bypass confirmation can selectively be provided to the vehicle operator, authorizing the operator to bypass the inspection station. The task of determining when an enrolled vehicle is in the geofenced area associated to an inspection station can be performed using a processor disposed in the vehicle, or at a remote location separate from both the vehicle and the inspection station, or at the inspection station.

Claims

1. A method of administering a vehicle inspection program, utilizing an inspection station, having an inspection station location, on an enrolled fleet of vehicles that each includes a position sensor, that produce position data as each enrolled vehicle is being operated, and each enrolled fleet vehicle having a driver, and comprising:

defining a geofence, and thereby a geofenced area, around the inspection station; and

continuously comparing the position data for each vehicle with the geofence to determine if any fleet vehicle has entered the geofenced area, and therefore is subject to inspection at the inspection station; and

inspecting at least some of the vehicles that enter the geofenced area.

2. The method of claim 1, further wherein for each instance of a fleet vehicle that has entered the geofenced area:

making a determination as to whether to permit the fleet vehicle approaching the inspection station to bypass inspection;

presenting the determination to each driver of a fleet vehicle approaching the inspection station and personnel of the inspection station being approached; and

inspecting fleet vehicles wherein a determination has been to not permit a fleet vehicle to bypass inspection, and not inspecting fleet vehicles wherein a determination has been made to permit a fleet vehicle to bypass inspection.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein each said fleet vehicle includes a set of sensors, and wherein said determination as to whether to permit the fleet vehicle approaching the inspection station to bypass inspection depends at least in part on information from said sensors.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the inspection station is directly accessible from a first road, and wherein the geofenced area includes portions of a second road, thereby blocking efforts by drivers to avoid inspection by travelling the second road instead of the first road.

5. A system for administering a vehicle inspection program, utilizing an inspection station, having an inspection station location, on a fleet of enrolled vehicles that each includes a position sensor, that produces position data as each enrolled vehicle is being operated, and each enrolled fleet vehicle having a driver, and comprising:

a computing assembly, sufficient to permit a user to define a geofence, and thereby a geofenced area, around the inspection station;

a communications assembly for conveying position data from each enrolled vehicle to the computing assembly; and

wherein the computing assembly includes non-transitory computer readable memory, having a program that;

continuously compares the position data for each vehicle with the geofence to determine if any fleet vehicle has entered the geofenced area, and therefore is subject to inspection at the inspection station;

determines which vehicles that have entered the geofenced area are to be inspected; and

utilizes the communication assembly to notify the fleet vehicle driver and the inspection station when a fleet vehicle is designated to be inspected.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said computing assembly includes at least a first computer and a second computer and wherein said first computer is sufficient to permit a user to define a geofence and said second computer has the non-transitory computer readable assembly having the program.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein each said fleet vehicle includes a set of sensors, and wherein said determination as to whether which fleet vehicles that have entered the geofenced area to be inspected, depends at least in part on information from said sensors, for each such fleet vehicle.