SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UTILIZING TELEMATICS DATA TO IMPROVE FLEET MANAGEMENT OPERATIONS

• US 20130197776A1
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Davidson, Mark J., Olsen, John A. III
• Granted Patent: US 8,896,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/101
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/34 of conditions of vehicle components, e.g. of windows, door locks or gear selectors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00

Abstract

According to various embodiments, a fleet management system is provided for capturing, storing, and analyzing telematics data to improve fleet management operations. The fleet management system may be used, for example, by a shipping entity (e.g., a common carrier) to capture telematics data from a plurality of vehicle sensors located on various delivery vehicles and to analyze the captured telematics data. In particular, various embodiments of the fleet management system are configured to analyze engine idle data in relation to other telematics data in order to identify inefficiencies, safety hazards, and theft hazards in a driver'"'"'s delivery process. The fleet management system may also be configured to assess various aspects of vehicle performance, such as vehicle travel delays and vehicle speeds. These analytical capabilities allow the fleet management system to assist fleet managing entities, or other entities, in analyzing driver performance, reducing fuel and maintenance costs, and improving route planning.

Claims

1. A fleet management computer system comprising:

one or more memory storage areas; and

one or more processors;

wherein said one or more processors are, collectively, configured to;

receive telematics data collected by one or more vehicle sensors associated with a vehicle, wherein said telematics data is indicative of the engine run time and engine idle time of said vehicle; and

determine, based at least in part on said telematics data, a corrected engine idle time percentage indicating a percentage of said vehicle'"'"'s engine running time that said vehicle'"'"'s engine was idling exclusive of engine idle time caused by travel delays during a certain time period.

2. The fleet management computer system of claim 1, wherein said processors are configured to determine said corrected engine idle time percentage by:

determining, based at least in part on said telematics data, a total amount of engine running time for said vehicle during said certain time period;

determining, based at least in part on said telematics data, a total amount of engine idle time for said vehicle during said certain time period;

determining, based at least in part on said telematics data, an amount of engine idle time caused by travel delays for said vehicle during said certain time period;

determining, based on said total amount of engine idle time and said amount of engine idle time caused by travel delays, a corrected amount of engine idle time representing the total amount of engine idle time exclusive of engine idle time caused by travel delays; and

determining said corrected engine idle time percentage based on said total amount of engine running time and said corrected amount of engine idle time.

3. The fleet management computer system of claim 2, wherein said processors are configured to determine said total amount of engine idle time by:

identifying, based at least in part on said telematics data, segments of engine idle time occurring during said certain time period; and

summing the durations of said engine idle time segments.

4. The fleet management computer system of claim 3, wherein said processors are configured to determine said amount of engine idle time caused by travel delays by:

identifying, based at least in part on said telematics data, those of said engine idle time segments caused by travel delays; and

summing the duration of said engine idle segments caused by travel delays.

5. The fleet management computer system of claim 1, wherein said processors are further configured to:

receive user input comprising an evaluation time period; and

define said evaluation time period as said certain time period.

6. The fleet management computer system of claim 1, wherein said processors are further configured to:

determine a target engine idle time percentage for said vehicle;

compare said target engine idle time percentage to said corrected engine idle time percentage; and

generate an alert where a corrected engine idle time percentage exceeds said target engine idle time percentage.

7. The fleet management computer system of claim 1, wherein said processors are further configured to generate a graphical display indicating said corrected engine idle time percentage.

8. The fleet management computer system of claim 1, wherein said processors are configured to receive said telematics data by:

receiving user input requesting retrieval of vehicle telematics data relating to one or more user parameters;

retrieving certain vehicle telematics data relating to said parameters from one or more data repositories; and

loading said certain vehicle telematics data to said one or more memory storage areas.

9. A fleet management computer system comprising:

one or more memory storage areas; and

one or more processors;

wherein said one or more processors are, collectively, configured to;

receive telematics data collected by one or more vehicle sensors associated with a vehicle, wherein said telematics data is indicative of the engine run time and engine idle time of said vehicle;

associate one or more portions of said telematics data with one or more vehicle trip segments, said vehicle trip segments being representative of a period of time during a vehicle trip classified according to vehicle activity; and

determine one or more engine idle time percentages each indicating the percentage of engine running time that said vehicle'"'"'s engine was idling during one or more vehicle trip segments.

10. The fleet management computer system of claim 9, wherein said one or more vehicle trip segments comprise a Start of Trip segment;

and

wherein said one or more engine idle time percentages comprise a Start of Trip engine idle percentage representative of the percentage of engine running time that said vehicle'"'"'s engine was idling during all identified Start of Trip segments.

11. The fleet management computer system of claim 9, wherein said one or more vehicle trip segments comprise a During Travel segment;

and

wherein said one or more engine idle time percentages comprise a During Travel engine idle percentage representative of the percentage of engine running time that said vehicle'"'"'s engine was idling during all identified During Travel segments.

12. The fleet management computer system of claim 9, wherein said one or more vehicle trip segments comprise an End of Trip segment;

and

wherein said one or more engine idle time percentages comprise an End of Trip engine idle percentage representative of the percentage of engine running time that said vehicle'"'"'s engine was idling during all identified End of Trip segments.

13. The fleet management computer system of claim 9, wherein said processors are configured to associate said telematics data with one or more vehicle trip segments by identifying segments of engine idle time indicated by said telematics data and classifying said identified engine idle segments as occurring during a Start of Trip portion of a vehicle trip, a During Travel portion of a vehicle strip, or an End of Trip portion of a vehicle trip.

14. The fleet management computer system of claim 9, wherein said processors are configured to receive said telematics data by:

receiving user input requesting retrieval of vehicle telematics data relating to one or more user parameters;

retrieving certain vehicle telematics data relating to said parameters from one or more data repositories; and

loading said certain vehicle telematics data to said one or more memory storage areas.

15. The fleet management computer system of claim 9, wherein said processors are further configured to generate a graphical display indicating said engine idle time percentages.

16. A fleet management computer system comprising:

one or more memory storage areas; and

one or more processors;

wherein said one or more processors are, collectively, configured to;

(i) receive telematics data from one or more vehicle sensors associated with a vehicle; and

(ii) associate one or more portions of said telematics data with one or more vehicle trip segments, said vehicle trip segments being representative of a period of time during a vehicle trip classified according to vehicle activity.

17. The fleet management computer system of claim 16, wherein said one or more vehicle trip segments comprise:

a start of trip segment;

a during travel segment; and

an end of trip segment.

18. The fleet management system of claim 17, wherein:

said start of trip segment represents a time period between the vehicle'"'"'s engine turning on and the vehicle beginning to travel to a destination;

said during travel segment represents a time period during which the vehicle is traveling to said destination and the vehicle'"'"'s engine remains on; and

said end of trip segment represents a time period between the vehicle stopping at said destination and the vehicle'"'"'s engine turning off.

19. The fleet management computer system of claim 16, wherein said telematics data comprises engine idle data relating to the engine idle time of said vehicle.

20. The fleet management computer system of claim 19, wherein said one or more processors are, collectively, configured to associate one or more portions of said telematics data with one or more vehicle trip segments by identifying engine idle segments indicated by said engine idle data and associating each of said engine idle segments with a particular one of said vehicle trip segments.