System, method, and apparatus for capturing telematics data with an active RFID tag
First Claim
1. A system for automating the collection of vehicle sensor data for fleet operations of a parcel delivery service, said system comprising:
- an active RFID tag comprising an input interface for collecting data from one or more sensors disposed within a vehicle, a processor for associating a time-stamp with at least a portion of said data, and a first memory for storing said time-stamped data, wherein said data includes a current global position of said vehicle; and
a portable data acquisition device accessible to a vehicle operator, said portable data acquisition device comprising an RFID interrogator for receiving said data from said first memory, a second memory for storing said data, and a data acquisition processor, wherein said second memory is further configured for storing one or more pre-selected delivery positions and said data acquisition processor compares said current global position to said one or more pre-selected delivery positions.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is directed to a data collection and evaluation system that includes an active RFID tag for collecting, time-stamping, and storing vehicle sensor data. Examples of the type of data collected include door data, ignition data, oil pressure data, temperature data, speed data, global positioning data, and diagnostic and trouble code data. The system further includes an external data acquisition device, such as a mainframe computer system or a hand-held data acquisition device like an iPAQ. The external data acquisition device includes an RFID interrogator for communicating with the RFID tag, which enables the RFID tag to transmit the time-stamped data wirelessly to the external data acquisition device. The ability of the system to automatically collect and transfer data allows for the automation of fleet management processes, vehicle maintenance and repair processes, and certain security features.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system for automating the collection of vehicle sensor data for fleet operations of a parcel delivery service, said system comprising:
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an active RFID tag comprising an input interface for collecting data from one or more sensors disposed within a vehicle, a processor for associating a time-stamp with at least a portion of said data, and a first memory for storing said time-stamped data, wherein said data includes a current global position of said vehicle; and
a portable data acquisition device accessible to a vehicle operator, said portable data acquisition device comprising an RFID interrogator for receiving said data from said first memory, a second memory for storing said data, and a data acquisition processor, wherein said second memory is further configured for storing one or more pre-selected delivery positions and said data acquisition processor compares said current global position to said one or more pre-selected delivery positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for automating the collection of vehicle sensor data for fleet operations of a parcel delivery service, said system comprising:
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an active RFID tag comprising an input interface for collecting data from one or more sensors that are disposed within a vehicle, a processor for associating a time-stamp with at least a portion of said data, and a first memory for storing said data; and
a portable data acquisition device accessible to a vehicle operator, said portable data acquisition device comprising an RFID interrogator for receiving said data from said first memory, a second memory for storing said data, a data acquisition processor, and a data radio for wirelessly communicating with a facility, wherein said second memory stores threshold data parameters representative of normal vehicle operation conditions, and said data acquisition processor is configured for comparing said data collected by said RFID tag to said data parameters in said second memory and transmitting an alarm signal if said collected data is outside of said data parameters. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A fleet management system for automating security features of one or more vehicles in a fleet, said system comprising:
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an active RFID tag comprising an input interface for collecting data from one or more sensors that are disposed within a vehicle, a processor for associating a time-stamp with at least a portion of said data, and a first memory for storing said data, wherein said data includes a current global position of said vehicle; and
a portable data acquisition device accessible to a vehicle operator, said portable data acquisition device comprising an RFID interrogator for receiving said data from said first memory, a second memory for storing said data, a data acquisition processor, and a data radio for wirelessly communicating with a facility, wherein said RFID interrogator receives data from said RFID tag when said RFID tag is within a certain geographical range from said RFID interrogator, wherein, in response to said RFID interrogator moving outside of said certain geographical range for a particular time interval, said portable data acquisition device is configured to transmit a signal to said facility via said data radio.
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10. A fleet management system for automating security features of one or more vehicles in a fleet, said system comprising:
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an active RFID tag comprising an input interface for collecting data from one or more sensors that are disposed within a vehicle, a processor for associating a time-stamp with at least a portion of said data, and a first memory for storing said data, wherein said data includes a current global position of said vehicle; and
an external data acquisition device comprising an RFID interrogator, a second memory for storing said data, a data acquisition processor, and a data radio for communicating wirelessly with a facility;
wherein said external data acquisition device is configured to detect data indicating a security triggering event, and in response to detecting said security triggering event, said external data acquisition device is configured to transmit a signal to said facility via said data radio. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A system for managing traffic and equipment within a fleet facility hub, said system comprising:
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an active RFID tag comprising an input interface for collecting data from one or more sensors that are disposed within a vehicle, a processor for associating a time-stamp with at least a portion of said data, and a first memory for storing said data; and
an external data acquisition device comprising an RFID interrogator, a second memory for storing said data, a data acquisition processor, and a data radio for communicating wirelessly with a facility, wherein said RFID interrogator can receive data from said RFID tag when said RFID interrogator is within a particular geographical range of said RFID tag, wherein, in response to said RFID tag being within said particular geographical range of said RFID interrogator, said RFID tag is configured to transmit said data to said external data acquisition device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for detecting whether a vehicle is unsecured, said system comprising:
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an active RFID tag comprising an input interface for collecting data from a one or more sensors disposed within a vehicle, a processor for associating a time-stamp with the data, and a first memory for storing the data, wherein said data from a door sensor indicates whether a door is unlocked or locked, data from an engine sensor indicates whether the engine is running, and data from a speed sensor indicates whether the vehicle is in motion; and
said portable data acquisition device including an RFID interrogator for receiving data from said RFID tag, a second memory for storing said data, and a data acquisition processor for analyzing said data, wherein, in response to said data indicating that said door is unlocked, said engine is running and said vehicle is not in motion, said portable data acquisition device is configured for notifying an operator of said vehicle.
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18. A system for automating the collection of vehicle sensor data for fleet operations of a parcel delivery service, said system comprising:
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an active RFID tag comprising an input interface for collecting data from one or more sensors that are disposed within a vehicle, a processor for associating a time-stamp with at least a portion of said data, and a first memory for storing said data; and
an external data acquisition device at a facility, said external data acquisition device comprising an RFID interrogator for receiving said data from said first memory and a second memory for storing said data, wherein said data and an identity of said vehicle are transmitted to said RFID interrogator upon said vehicle'"'"'s entry into or exit from said facility.
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19. A method of collecting work study data for evaluating vehicle fleet operations, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing an active RFID tag within one or more fleet vehicles, each said RFID tags configured for receiving data from one or more vehicle sensors disposed in each of said one or more vehicles;
collecting, time-stamping, and storing data received from said one or more vehicle sensors using said RFID tag;
in response to a pre-determined event, transmitting said data from said RFID tag to an RFID interrogator, said RFID interrogator in communication with an external data acquisition device; and
utilizing said data to perform work studies of vehicle and driver performance. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A method of automating security functions for one or more vehicles in a fleet, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing an RFID tag in one or more fleet vehicles, said RFID tag configured for collecting data from one or more vehicle sensors;
providing a portable data acquisition device that includes an RFID interrogator for receiving data from said RFID tag when said portable data acquisition device is within a certain range of said RFID tag; and
sending a signal to a facility in response to said portable data acquisition device being moved from within said certain range to outside said certain range such that said RFID interrogator moves from a point where it is in communication with said RFID tag to a second point where said RFID interrogator is no longer in communication with said RFID tag for a certain predetermine time interval.
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Specification