SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INDEPENDENT CONTROL OF FOR-HIRE VEHICLES

• US 20130061044A1
• Filed: 09/02/2011
• Published: 03/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IVSC IP LLC
• Original Assignee: Frias Transportation Infrastructure, LLC
• Inventors: Pinkus, Michael Collins, James, Mark A., Wisniewski, James Alan
• Granted Patent: US 9,037,852 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/160
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 13/00 Taximeters measuring distance travelled G01C; measuring time G04
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

A computer system storing parameters pertaining to the regulatory restrictions placed on a for-hire vehicle compares the parameters to a current operating environment of the for-hire vehicle. In some embodiments, the computer system acts as the meter (such as a taximeter) of the for-hire vehicle. The operating parameters may include expiration or exclusion parameters that define the scope of operation of the for-hire vehicle stemming from the for-hire vehicle'"'"'s medallion or certificate of public convenience and necessity. The expiration or exclusion parameters may also correspond to a driver'"'"'s permit or any general regulation enacted by the regulatory agency. If the current operating environment does not comply with the expiration or exclusion parameters, the computer system shuts down, or enters a standby mode, and may not accept additional passenger fares until the current operating environment complies with the expiration and exclusion parameters.

Claims

1. A vehicle system comprising:

a secure computer memory storing encrypted parameters associated with the operation of a for-hire vehicle;

one or more sensors for collecting sensor data relating to the for-hire vehicle;

a processor;

a computer readable medium storing instructions that when executed cause the processor to;

access the sensor data;

determine, based on the sensor data, a current operating environment of the for-hire vehicle;

extract the parameters by accessing the secure computer memory and decrypting the parameters;

compare the current operating environment to the extracted parameters;

determine a course of action based at least in part of the comparison; and

,

execute the determined course of action.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the course of action comprises not initiating a passenger fare in response to a request to initiate the passenger fare.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the instructions further cause the for-hire vehicle meter to provide a discernable notice that the passenger fare cannot be initiated when executing the determined course of action.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the discernable notice is displayed and visually ascertainable on the for-hire vehicle meter.

5. The system of claim 3 wherein the discernable notice is aurally ascertainable.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor data comprises the current location of the for-hire vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor data comprises the current time.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor data comprises the interior temperature of the for-hire vehicle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor data comprises the interior sound level of the for-hire vehicle.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the operating parameters comprise time based operating restrictions.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the operating parameters comprise location based operating restrictions.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor data comprises the current time.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensor data comprises the current location of the for-hire vehicle.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the operating parameters are received via an encrypted data packet.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the instructions further cause the for-hire vehicle meter to decrypt the encrypted data packet.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the decryption instructions are stored on a tamper evident computer readable medium.

17. A method of enforcing regulations associated with a for-hire vehicle comprising:

receiving, by a for-hire vehicle meter, operating parameters corresponding to authorization rules of a regulatory agency, the authorization rules defining the scope of operation of a for-hire vehicle in which the for-hire vehicle meter is located;

accessing, by the for-hire vehicle meter, sensor data from one or more sensors comprising an indication of the current operating environment of the for-hire vehicle;

comparing, by the for-hire vehicle meter, the sensor data to the operating parameters;

generating, by the for-hire vehicle meter, an operating condition based at least in part on the result of the comparing.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the operating condition comprises displaying a first status if the sensor data is consistent with the operating parameters and a second status if the identification data is not consistent with the operating parameters.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first status comprises displaying a first color and the second status comprises displaying a second color.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the first status comprises displaying a first set of characters and the second status comprises displaying a second set of characters.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the operating condition comprises shutting down the for-hire vehicle meter if the sensor data is not consistent with the operating parameters.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the operating condition comprises generating an alert message if the sensor data is not consistent with the operating parameters.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the alert message is transmitted to a computer system operated by a regulatory agency.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the alert message is transmitted to a computer system operated by an owner of a for-hire vehicle.

25. The method of claim 17 wherein the operating condition comprises not allowing the for-hire vehicle meter to engage additional passenger fares if the sensor data is not consistent with the operating parameters.

26. The method of claim 17 wherein the operating parameters are received via an encrypted data packet.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprising:

decrypting the encrypted data packet.

28. The method of claim 17 wherein the operating parameters are stored on a tamper evident computer readable medium.

29. A for-hire vehicle system comprising:

means for receiving an encrypted data packet containing parameters associated with the operation of a for-hire vehicle;

means for storing the received encrypted data packet;

means for decrypting the data packet;

means for determining a compliance status based on sensor data and the for-hire vehicle operating parameters;

means for preventing for-hire vehicle operation based on the compliance status.

30. The system of claim 29 further comprising means for generating a notification of the compliance status.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the notification of the compliance status is transmitted to a computer system operated by a regulatory agency.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein the notification of the compliance status is transmitted to a computer system operated by a owner of a for-hire vehicle.

33. The system of claim 29 wherein the means for preventing for-hire vehicle operation comprises means to prevent a for-hire vehicle meter associated with for-hire vehicle from initiating a passenger fare.

34. A vehicle system comprising:

one or more sensors for collecting sensor data relating to an autonomous for-hire vehicle;

a meter, the meter comprising;

a processor;

a computer readable medium storing;

operating parameters corresponding to authorization rules of a regulatory agency, the authorization rules defining the scope of operation of the autonomous for-hire vehicle, and

software instructions that when executed cause the processor to;

access sensor data from the one or more sensors comprising an indication of the current operating environment of the for-hire vehicle;

compare the sensor data to the operating parameters;

generate an operating condition based at least in part on the result of the comparing.

35. The vehicle system of claim 34, wherein the vehicle system is installed within an autonomous vehicle and the vehicle system further comprises an interface between the meter and a control system of the autonomous vehicle permitting the meter to command the autonomous vehicle.

36. The vehicle system of claim 34, wherein the operating parameters comprise a dispatch location.

37. The vehicle system of claim 36, wherein the operating condition comprises a command for the autonomous for-hire vehicle to travel to the dispatch location.

38. The vehicle system of claim 34, wherein the operating parameters comprise a home location.

39. The vehicle system of claim 38 wherein the operating condition comprises a command for the autonomous for-hire vehicle to travel to the home location.

40. The vehicle system of claim 34, wherein the operating condition comprises displaying a first status if the sensor data is consistent with the operating parameters and a second status if the identification data is not consistent with the operating parameters.

41. The vehicle system of claim 34, wherein the operating condition comprises shutting down the for-hire vehicle meter if the sensor data is not consistent with the operating parameters.

42. The vehicle system of claim 34, wherein the operating condition comprises generating an alert message if the sensor data is not consistent with the operating parameters.

43. The vehicle system of claim 34, wherein the operating condition comprises not allowing the for-hire vehicle meter to engage additional passenger fares if the sensor data is not consistent with the operating parameters.