Portable data storage module

• US 20070267473A1
• Filed: 05/18/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: XRS Corporation (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: XRS Corporation (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Thayer, Peter A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,401,741 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable

Abstract

A portable data storage module comprises a control module, a wireless communication module, a rewriteable memory and a data transfer button. When the data transfer button is actuated, the portable data storage module wakes from a sleep mode and the control module initiates a data transfer via the wireless communication module with a device. After the data transfer, the portable data storage module reenters the sleep mode. The portable data storage module may be configured to transfer data, such as a trip plan, between a network host and an in-cab driver communication module. The portable data storage module may also store and maintain additional data, such as a driver log.

Claims

1. A portable data storage module comprising:

a control module;

a wireless communication module;

a rewriteable memory; and

a data transfer button, wherein, when the data transfer button is actuated, the portable data storage module wakes from a sleep mode and the control module initiates a data transfer via the wireless communication module with a device,

wherein after the data transfer, the portable data storage module reenters the sleep mode.

2. The portable data storage module of claim 1, wherein the data transfer comprises uploading data from the device and storing the data in the rewriteable memory.

3. The portable data storage module of claim 2, wherein the device is a computer, wherein the data includes a trip plan.

4. The portable data storage module of claim 1, wherein the data transfer comprises downloading data from the rewriteable memory to the device.

5. The portable data storage module of claim 4, wherein the device is a driver information module, wherein the data includes a trip plan.

6. The portable data storage module of claim 4, wherein the portable data storage module receives an acknowledgement for the data from the device and then the control module deletes the data from the rewriteable memory in response to the acknowledgement.

7. The portable data storage module of claim 1, further comprising an alert button, wherein when the alert button is pressed the portable data storage module transmits an alert message via the wireless communication module.

8. The portable data storage module of claim 1, further comprising a loop that allows the portable data storage module to be connected to a key chain.

9. The portable data storage module of claim 1, wherein when the portable data storage module is in the sleep mode, it can not send or receive communications.

10. The portable data storage module of claim 1, wherein the portable data storage module communicates using a ZigBee wireless standard.

11. A method comprising:

sending an initiate communication request from a portable data storage module as a first wireless transmission;

receiving a response to the initiate communication request from a device as a second wireless transmission at the portable data storage module;

identifying the device that sent the second wireless transmission at the portable data storage module; and

transferring data between the portable data storage module and the device based on the identification of the device via a third wireless transmission.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein transferring data comprises uploading data from the device and storing the data in a rewriteable memory of the portable data storage module.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the device is a computer, wherein the data includes a trip plan loaded on the portable data storage module.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the data transfer comprises downloading data from the rewriteable memory of the portable data storage module to the device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the device is a driver information module, wherein the data includes a trip plan loaded on the portable data storage module.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the portable data storage module receives an acknowledgement for the data from the device and deletes the data from a rewriteable memory in response to the acknowledgement.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the initiate communication request includes a device identifier that identifies the device to the portable data storage module.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising entering a sleep mode in the portable data storage module after transferring the data between the portable data storage module and the device.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the first, the second and the third wireless transmissions each conform to a ZigBee wireless standard.

20. A system comprising:

a computer including a first wireless communication module;

a portable data storage device including a second wireless communication module, wherein the portable data storage device downloads uplink data from the computer via a first wireless communication, wherein the uplink data includes a trip plan; and

a driver communication module including a third wireless communication module, wherein the portable data storage device uploads the uplink data to the driver communication module via a second wireless communication.

21. The system of claim 20,

wherein the portable data storage device downloads downlink data from the driver communication module as part of the second wireless communication,

wherein the portable data storage device uploads the downlink data to the computer via a third wireless communication.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the portable data storage device downloads downlink data from the driver communication module as via a third wireless communication and uploads the downlink data to the computer via a fourth wireless communication.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the portable data storage device also downloads a driving history as part of the third wireless communication.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the first wireless communication module is not in close enough proximity to the third wireless communication module to allow a direct connection between the computer and the driver communication module.

25. The system of claim 20, further comprising a driver, wherein the driver is associated to the portable data storage device in a database, wherein the database is accessible to the computer.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the computer selects the uplink data according to an identification of the driver.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the portable data storage device also maintains a driver log in a memory of the portable data storage device.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the computer, the portable data storage module and the driver communication module communicate using a ZigBee wireless standard.