Fleet Vehicle Management Systems and Methods

• US 20130006715A1
• Filed: 06/30/2011
• Published: 01/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: XRS Corporation (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: XRS Corporation (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Warkentin, Colin D., Kalirai, Rakinder, Sekula, Christopher Alexander
• Granted Patent: US 8,626,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.38
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• 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
• 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

Abstract

Some embodiments of a system for communicating vehicle information can provide equipment for use inside a fleet vehicle to facilitate prompt and efficient transfer of vehicle and driver information. In particular embodiments, the system may include an electronic onboard recorder mountable in a vehicle and a mobile communication device that is configured to wireless communication with the electronic onboard recorder.

Claims

1. A system for communicating fleet vehicle information, comprising:

an electronic onboard recorder unit configured to mount inside a vehicle and provide a wired connection to the vehicle for gathering data during operation of the vehicle, the electronic onboard recorder unit being free of a user interface display and including;

a short-range wireless communication device to wirelessly communicate vehicle usage information to a separate device, and a data connection port configured to removably receive a data cable of a remote computer device; and

a portable wireless display unit comprising;

a short-range wireless communication device to wirelessly communicate with the electronic onboard recorder unit when the electronic onboard recorder unit and the portable wireless display unit are both positioned inside the vehicle, a cellular communication device configured to provide a cellular communication link with a remote system, a user interface including a display device, and a computer-readable memory module to store a driver summary electronic report, the driver summary electronic report being generated by the portable wireless display unit in response to wirelessly receiving the vehicle usage information from the electronic onboard recorder unit mounted to the vehicle, the driver summary electronic report including identification information for a driver and hours or service information for the driver,

wherein in response to input on the user interface of the portable wireless display unit indicative of a request to export the driver summary electronic report from the electronic onboard recorder unit mounted to the vehicle, the portable wireless display unit is configured to wirelessly transfer the driver summary electronic report to the electronic onboard recorder unit mounted to the vehicle for exporting the driver summary electronic report via the data connection port of the electronic onboard recorder unit to the remote computer device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable wireless display unit comprises a cellular phone device having a user interface that displays hours of service information, the hours of service information being updated in response to wirelessly receiving vehicle usage information from the electronic onboard recorder unit.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the short-range wireless communication devices of the electronic onboard recorder unit and the portable wireless display unit are Bluetooth wireless communication devices.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the data connection port of the electronic onboard recorder unit comprises a USB connection port arranged along a housing of the electronic onboard recorder unit.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic onboard recorder unit and the portable wireless display unit provide two-way wireless communication such that the portable wireless display unit wirelessly receives at least the vehicle usage information from the electronic onboard recorder unit and the electronic onboard recorder unit wirelessly receives at least the driver identification information from the portable wireless display unit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable wireless display unit wirelessly communicates with the electronic onboard recorder unit when the electronic onboard recorder unit is positioned inside the vehicle and the portable wireless display unit is positioned in proximity to the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic onboard recorder unit comprises a connector to mate with an engine control module of the vehicle, wherein the electronic onboard recorder unit comprises a memory module that stores vehicle data in response to signals from the engine control module.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the electronic onboard recorder unit is configured to simultaneously communicate via multiple protocols of at least one engine control module.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the electronic onboard recorder unit houses one or more accelerometers configured to detect movements of the vehicle, and wherein the electronic onboard recorder unit houses a GPS receiver device to receive location signals from at least one GPS satellite.

10. A system for communicating fleet vehicle information, comprising:

an electronic onboard recorder unit configured to mount inside a vehicle and provide a wired connection to the vehicle for gathering data during operation of the vehicle, the electronic onboard recorder unit being free of a user interface display and including a short-range wireless communication device to wirelessly communicate vehicle usage information to a second device when the second device is positioned inside the vehicle; and

a portable wireless display unit comprising;

a short-range wireless communication device to wirelessly communicate with the electronic onboard recorder unit when the electronic onboard recorder unit and the portable wireless display unit are both positioned inside the vehicle, a long-range communication device configured to provide a cellular or satellite communication link with a remote system, and a user interface including a display device that displays driver hours of service information in response to wirelessly receiving the vehicle usage information from the electronic onboard recorder unit mounted to the vehicle,

wherein the electronic onboard recorder unit and the portable wireless display unit provide two-way wireless communication such that the portable wireless display unit wirelessly receives vehicle usage information from the electronic onboard recorder unit and the electronic onboard recorder unit wirelessly receives driver identification information from the portable wireless display unit.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the portable wireless display unit comprises a cellular or satellite phone device having a user interface that displays hours of service information, the hours of service information being updated in response to wirelessly receiving vehicle usage information from the electronic onboard recorder unit.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the short-range wireless communication devices of the electronic onboard recorder unit and the portable wireless display unit are Bluetooth wireless communication devices.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the electronic onboard recorder unit comprises a USB connection port arranged along a housing of the electronic onboard recorder unit and configured to removably receive a data cable of a remote computer device.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the electronic onboard recorder unit comprises a connector to mate with an engine control module of the vehicle, wherein the electronic onboard recorder unit comprises a memory module that stores vehicle data in response to signals from the engine control module.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the electronic onboard recorder unit houses one or more accelerometers configured to detect movements of the vehicle, and wherein the electronic onboard recorder unit houses a GPS receiver device to receive location signals from at least one GPS satellite.

16. A system for communicating fleet vehicle information, comprising:

an electronic onboard recorder unit configured to mount inside a vehicle and provide a wired connection to the vehicle for gathering data during operation of the vehicle, the electronic onboard recorder unit including;

a short-range wireless communication device to wirelessly communicate vehicle usage information to a second device when the second device is positioned inside the vehicle, and a USB connection port configured to removably receive a USB data cable of a remote computer device; and

a portable wireless display unit comprising;

a short-range wireless communication device to wirelessly communicate with the electronic onboard recorder unit when the electronic onboard recorder unit and the portable wireless display unit are both positioned inside the vehicle, a long-range communication device configured to provide a cellular or satellite communication link with a remote system, a user interface including a display device, and a computer-readable memory module to store a driver summary electronic report including identification information for a driver and hours or service information for the driver,

wherein the electronic onboard recorder unit outputs the driver summary electronic report via the USB connection port in response to user input on the user interface of the portable wireless display unit, and

wherein the portable wireless display unit outputs the driver summary electronic report via the cellular or satellite communication link to the remote system.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the portable wireless display unit comprises a cellular or satellite phone device having a user interface that displays hours of service information, the hours of service information being updated in response to wirelessly receiving vehicle usage information from the electronic onboard recorder unit.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the short-range wireless communication devices of the electronic onboard recorder unit and the portable wireless display unit are Bluetooth wireless communication devices.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the electronic onboard recorder unit and the portable wireless display unit provide two-way wireless communication such that the portable wireless display unit wirelessly receives at least the vehicle usage information from the electronic onboard recorder unit and the electronic onboard recorder unit wirelessly receives at least the driver identification information from the portable wireless display unit.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the electronic onboard recorder unit comprises a connector to mate with an engine control module of the vehicle, wherein the electronic onboard recorder unit comprises a memory module that stores vehicle data in response to signals from the engine control module.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the electronic onboard recorder unit houses one or more accelerometers configured to detect movements of the vehicle, and wherein the electronic onboard recorder unit houses a GPS receiver device to receive location signals from at least one GPS satellite.

22. A computer-implemented method for providing a driver summary electronic report, comprising:

wirelessly communicating vehicle usage information from an electronic onboard recorder unit mounted to a vehicle to a portable wireless display unit, the electronic onboard recorder unit having a wired connection to the vehicle;

wirelessly receiving, at the electronic onboard recorder unit, a driver summary electronic report from the portable wireless display unit, the driver summary electronic report having been generated by the portable wireless display unit in response to the electronic onboard recorder unit wirelessly communicating the vehicle usage information, the driver summary electronic report including identification information for a driver and hours or service information for the driver;

removably receiving a USB data cable in a USB connection port of the electronic onboard recorder unit mounted to the vehicle; and

in response to a user request input to the portable wireless display unit, transferring the driver summary electronic report from the electronic onboard recorder unit mounted to the vehicle via the data cable to a remote computer device.

23. A computer-implemented method for providing a driver summary electronic report, comprising:

wirelessly receiving, at a portable wireless display unit, vehicle usage information from an electronic onboard recorder unit mounted to a vehicle and having a wired connection to the vehicle;

storing a driver summary electronic report in a computer-readable memory module of the portable wireless display unit configured to wirelessly communicate with the electronic onboard recorder unit mounted to the vehicle, the driver summary electronic report being generated by the portable wireless display unit in response to wirelessly receiving the vehicle usage information from the electronic onboard recorder unit mounted to the vehicle, the driver summary electronic report including identification information for a driver and hours or service information for the driver;

receiving user input on the portable wireless display unit indicative of a request to export the driver summary electronic report from the electronic onboard recorder unit mounted to the vehicle;

wirelessly transferring the driver summary electronic report from the portable wireless display unit to the electronic onboard recorder unit mounted to the vehicle for exporting the driver summary electronic report via a removable data cable to a remote computer device.

24. A computer-implemented method for providing a driver summary electronic report, comprising:

wirelessly communicating vehicle usage information from an electronic onboard recorder unit mounted to a vehicle to a portable wireless display unit, the electronic onboard recorder unit having a wired connection to the vehicle;

storing a driver summary electronic report in a computer-readable memory module of the portable wireless display unit configured to wirelessly communicate with the electronic onboard recorder unit mounted to the vehicle, the driver summary electronic report being generated by the portable wireless display unit in response to wirelessly receiving the vehicle usage information from the electronic onboard recorder unit mounted to the vehicle, the driver summary electronic report including identification information for a driver and hours or service information for the driver;

receiving user input on the portable wireless display unit indicative of a request to export the driver summary electronic report from the electronic onboard recorder unit mounted to the vehicle;

wirelessly transferring the driver summary electronic report from the portable wireless display unit to the electronic onboard recorder unit mounted to the vehicle;

removably receiving a data cable in a corresponding port of the electronic onboard recorder unit mounted to the vehicle; and

transferring the driver summary electronic report from the electronic onboard recorder unit mounted to the vehicle via the data cable to a remote computer device.