OFF-BOARD HOURS-OF-SERVICE ("HOS") PROCESSING

• US 20130304276A1
• Filed: 03/07/2013
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnitracs LLC (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Flies, Thomas N.
• Granted Patent: US 9,922,001 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• 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 10/06 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: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

Systems, methods, and devices for providing hour-of-service (“HOS”) calculations via a web based host server instead of on an onboard mobile device. In the various embodiments, an onboard vehicle recording device and driver-carried mobile devices may operate independently. The onboard vehicle recording device and driver-carried mobile device(s) may exchange information independently with a host server rather than exchanging information together onboard the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for on-board hours-of-service (“

HOS”

) processing for a vehicle, comprising;

recording vehicle performance data with a vehicle recording device onboard the vehicle;

sending the vehicle performance data from the vehicle recording device to a host server remote from the vehicle;

receiving the vehicle performance data at the host server;

receiving an indication of a driver status change at a driver'"'"'s mobile device;

sending the indication of the driver status change from the driver'"'"'s mobile device to the host server without exchanging data with the vehicle recording device;

receiving the indication of the driver status change at the host server; and

updating an HOS database based at least in part on the received vehicle performance data and the received indication of the driver status change.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an HOS report at the host server based at least in part on the updated HOS database;

sending the HOS report from the host server to the driver'"'"'s mobile device without exchanging data with the vehicle recording device;

receiving the HOS report at the driver'"'"'s mobile device; and

displaying the HOS report on a display of the driver'"'"'s mobile device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a record of duty status report at the host server based at least in part on the updated HOS database;

sending the record of duty status report from the host server to the driver'"'"'s mobile device without exchanging data with the vehicle recording device;

receiving the record of duty status report at the driver'"'"'s mobile device; and

displaying the record of duty status report on a display of the driver'"'"'s mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication of a driver status change indicates a change of status to one or more of driving, D, on-duty driving, on-duty not driving, on, off-duty, off, sleeper berth, and SB.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein vehicle performance data includes one or more of speed, engine revolutions per minute, mileage, vehicle ID, trailer ID, fuel level, vehicle weight, engine operation time, GPS location, and acceleration.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the vehicle performance data includes a vehicle ID and an odometer reading and wherein the indication of the driver status change includes a driver ID, the method further comprising:

generating an odometer input request at the host server;

sending the odometer input request to the driver'"'"'s mobile device;

receiving the odometer input request at the driver'"'"'s mobile device;

displaying the odometer input request on a display of the driver'"'"'s mobile device;

generating an odometer report including a vehicle displayed odometer reading in response to receiving a driver input of the vehicle displayed odometer reading at the driver'"'"'s mobile device;

sending the odometer report to the host server;

receiving the odometer report at the host server;

determining whether the vehicle displayed odometer reading corresponds to the odometer reading included in the vehicle performance data; and

associating the driver ID with the vehicle ID in the HOS database in response to determining the vehicle displayed odometer reading corresponds to the odometer reading included in the vehicle performance data.

7. A method for workflow processing for a vehicle, comprising:

recording vehicle performance data with a vehicle recording device onboard the vehicle;

sending the vehicle performance data from the vehicle recording device to a host server remote from the vehicle;

receiving the vehicle performance data at the host server;

receiving an indication of a driver status change at a driver'"'"'s mobile device;

sending the indication of the driver status change from the driver'"'"'s mobile device to the host server without exchanging data with the vehicle recording device;

receiving the indication of the driver status change at the host server; and

updating a vehicle fleet management database based at least in part on the received vehicle performance data and the received indication of the driver status change.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

providing the vehicle performance data from the host server to the driver'"'"'s mobile device without exchanging data with the vehicle recording device;

receiving the vehicle performance data at the driver'"'"'s mobile device; and

displaying the vehicle performance data on a display of the driver'"'"'s mobile device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the vehicle fleet management database is one or more of a type database, an hours-of-service database, a workflow database, a proof-of-delivery database, and a driver feedback database.

10. A method of associating a driver with a particular vehicle, comprising:

receiving in a server from a vehicle data reporting device an odometer reading for the particular vehicle;

receiving in the server a message from a driver computing device including a driver-entered odometer reading;

comparing the odometer reading received from the vehicle data reporting device to the odometer reading received from the driver computing device; and

associating the driver with the particular vehicle when the two odometer readings match.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving in the server one or more of a vehicle identifier, a driver identifier and a driver authentication code; and

comparing the received one or more of a vehicle identifier, a driver identifier and a driver authentication code to data stored in the server,

wherein associating the driver with the particular vehicle when the two odometer readings match is accomplished when the received one or more of a vehicle identifier, a driver identifier and a driver authentication code also matches data stored in the server.

12. An on-board hours-of-service (“

HOS”

) system, comprising;

a host server;

a vehicle recording device onboard in a vehicle, the vehicle recording device comprising;

means for recording vehicle performance data; and

means for sending the vehicle performance data to the host server; and

a driver'"'"'s mobile device, comprising;

means for receiving an indication of a driver status change; and

means for sending the indication of the driver status change to the host server without exchanging data with the vehicle recording device, wherein the host server is remote from the vehicle and comprises;

means for receiving the vehicle performance data;

means for receiving the indication of the driver status change; and

means for updating an HOS database based at least in part on the received vehicle performance data and the received indication of the driver status change.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the host server further comprises:

means for generating an HOS report based at least in part on the updated HOS database; and

means for sending the HOS report to the driver'"'"'s mobile device without exchanging data with the vehicle recording device, and

wherein the driver'"'"'s mobile device further comprises;

means for receiving the HOS report; and

means for displaying the HOS report.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the host server further comprises:

means for generating a record of duty status report based at least in part on the updated HOS database; and

means for sending the record of duty status report to the driver'"'"'s mobile device without exchanging data with the vehicle recording device, and

wherein the driver'"'"'s mobile device further comprises;

means for receiving the record of duty status report; and

means for displaying the record of duty status report.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the indication of a driver status change indicates a change of status to one or more of driving, D, on-duty driving, on-duty not driving, on, off-duty, off, sleeper berth, and SB.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein vehicle performance data includes one or more of speed, engine revolutions per minute, mileage, vehicle ID, trailer ID, fuel level, vehicle weight, engine operation time, GPS location, and acceleration.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the vehicle performance data includes a vehicle ID and an odometer reading,

wherein the indication of the driver status change includes a driver ID,

wherein the host server further comprises:

means for generating an odometer input request; and

means for sending the odometer input request to the driver'"'"'s mobile device,

wherein the driver'"'"'s mobile device further comprises;

means for receiving the odometer input request;

means for displaying the odometer input request;

means for generating an odometer report including a vehicle displayed odometer reading in response to receiving a driver input of the vehicle displayed odometer reading; and

means for sending the odometer report to the host server, and

wherein the host server further comprises;

means for receiving the odometer report;

means for determining whether the vehicle displayed odometer reading corresponds to the odometer reading included in the vehicle performance data; and

means for associating the driver ID with the vehicle ID in the HOS database in response to determining the vehicle displayed odometer reading corresponds to the odometer reading included in the vehicle performance data.

18. An on-board hours-of-service (“

HOS”

) system, comprising;

a host server, comprising;

a first transceiver configured to communicate with a communication network; and

a host server processor coupled to the first transceiver;

a vehicle recording device onboard a vehicle, the vehicle recording device comprising;

a second transceiver configured to communicate with the communication network; and

a vehicle recording device processor coupled to the second transceiver, wherein the vehicle recording device processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

recording vehicle performance data; and

sending the vehicle performance data to the host server via the second transceiver; and

a driver'"'"'s mobile device, comprising;

a third transceiver configured to communicate with the communication network; and

a driver'"'"'s mobile device processor coupled to the third transceiver, wherein the driver'"'"'s mobile device processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

receiving an indication of a driver status change; and

sending the indication of the driver status change to the host server via the third transceiver without exchanging data with the vehicle recording device,

wherein the host server is remote from the vehicle, and

wherein the host server processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

receiving the vehicle performance data via the first transceiver;

receiving the indication of the driver status change via the first transceiver; and

updating an HOS database based at least in part on the received vehicle performance data and the received indication of the driver status change.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the host server is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

generating an HOS report based at least in part on the updated HOS database; and

sending the HOS report via the first transceiver to the driver'"'"'s mobile device without exchanging data with the vehicle recording device, and

wherein the driver'"'"'s mobile device processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising;

receiving the HOS report via the third transceiver; and

displaying the HOS report.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the host server is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

generating a record of duty status report based at least in part on the updated HOS database; and

sending the record of duty status report via the first transceiver to the driver'"'"'s mobile device without exchanging data with the vehicle recording device, and

wherein the driver'"'"'s mobile device processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising;

receiving the record of duty status report via the third transceiver; and

displaying the record of duty status report.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the indication of a driver status change indicates a change of status to one or more of driving, D, on-duty driving, on-duty not driving, on, off-duty, off, sleeper berth, and SB.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein vehicle performance data includes one or more of speed, engine revolutions per minute, mileage, vehicle ID, trailer ID, fuel level, vehicle weight, engine operation time, GPS location, and acceleration.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the vehicle performance data includes a vehicle ID and an odometer reading,

wherein the indication of the driver status change includes a driver ID,

wherein the host server is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

generating an odometer input request; and

sending the odometer input request via the first transceiver to the driver'"'"'s mobile device,

wherein the driver'"'"'s mobile device processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising;

receiving the odometer input request via the third transceiver;

displaying the odometer input request;

generating an odometer report including a vehicle displayed odometer reading in response to receiving a driver input of the vehicle displayed odometer reading; and

means for sending the odometer report to the host server via the third transceiver, and

wherein the host server is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising;

receiving the odometer report via the first transceiver;

determining whether the vehicle displayed odometer reading corresponds to the odometer reading included in the vehicle performance data; and

associating the driver ID with the vehicle ID in the HOS database in response to determining the vehicle displayed odometer reading corresponds to the odometer reading included in the vehicle performance data.

24. A system, comprising:

a host server;

a vehicle recording device onboard a vehicle, the vehicle recording device comprising;

means for recording vehicle performance data; and

means for sending the vehicle performance data to the host server; and

a driver'"'"'s mobile device, comprising;

means for receiving an indication of a driver status change;

means for sending the indication of the driver status change to the host server without exchanging data with the vehicle recording device, wherein the host server is remote from the vehicle and comprises;

means for receiving the vehicle performance data;

means for receiving the indication of the driver status change; and

means for updating a vehicle fleet management database based at least in part on the received vehicle performance data and the received indication of the driver status change.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the host server further comprises means for providing the vehicle performance data to the driver'"'"'s mobile device without exchanging data with the vehicle recording device, and

wherein the driver'"'"'s mobile device further comprises:

means for receiving the vehicle performance data; and

means for displaying the vehicle performance data.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the vehicle fleet management database is one or more of a type database, an hours-of-service database, a workflow database, a proof-of-delivery database, and a driver feedback database.

27. A system, comprising:

a host server, comprising;

a first transceiver configured to communicate with a communication network; and

a host server processor coupled to the first transceiver;

a vehicle recording device onboard a vehicle, the vehicle recording device comprising;

a second transceiver configured to communicate with the communication network; and

a vehicle recording device processor coupled to the second transceiver, wherein the vehicle recording device processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

recording vehicle performance data; and

sending the vehicle performance data via the second transceiver to the host server; and

a driver'"'"'s mobile device, comprising;

a third transceiver configured to communicate with the communication network; and

a driver'"'"'s mobile device processor coupled to the third transceiver, wherein the driver'"'"'s mobile device processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

receiving an indication of a driver status change;

sending the indication of the driver status change via the third transceiver to the host server without exchanging data with the vehicle recording device,

wherein the host server is remote from the vehicle, and

wherein the host server processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

receiving the vehicle performance data via the first transceiver;

receiving the indication of the driver status change via the first transceiver; and

updating a vehicle fleet management database based at least in part on the received vehicle performance data and the received indication of the driver status change.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the host server processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising providing the vehicle performance data to the driver'"'"'s mobile device via the first transceiver without exchanging data with the vehicle recording device, and

wherein the driver'"'"'s mobile device processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

receiving the vehicle performance data via the third transceiver; and

displaying the vehicle performance data.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the vehicle fleet management database is one or more of a type database, an hours-of-service database, a workflow database, a proof-of-delivery database, and a driver feedback database.

30. A server, comprising:

means for receiving from a vehicle data reporting device an odometer reading for a particular vehicle;

means for receiving a message from a driver computing device including a driver-entered odometer reading;

means for comparing the odometer reading received from the vehicle data reporting device to the odometer reading received from the computing device; and

means for associating a driver with the particular vehicle when the two odometer readings match.

31. The server of claim 30, further comprising:

means for receiving one or more of a vehicle identifier, a driver identifier and a driver authentication code; and

means for comparing the received one or more of a vehicle identifier, a driver identifier and a driver authentication code to data stored in the server,

wherein associating the driver with the particular vehicle when the two odometer readings match is accomplished when the received one or more of a vehicle identifier, a driver identifier and a driver authentication code also matches data stored in the server.

32. A server, comprising:

a transceiver configured to communication with a communication network; and

a processor coupled to the transceiver, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising;

receiving form a vehicle data reporting device an odometer reading for a particular vehicle via the first transceiver;

receiving a message from a driver computing device including a driver-entered odometer reading via the first transceiver;

comparing the odometer reading received from the vehicle data reporting device to the odometer reading received from the computing device; and

associating a driver with the particular vehicle when the two odometer readings match.

33. The server of claim 32, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

receiving one or more of a vehicle identifier, a driver identifier and a driver authentication code via the first transceiver; and

comparing the received one or more of a vehicle identifier, a driver identifier and a driver authentication code to data stored in the server, and

wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that associating the driver with the particular vehicle when the two odometer readings match is accomplished when the received one or more of a vehicle identifier, a driver identifier and a driver authentication code also matches data stored in the server.

34. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon server-executable instructions configured to cause a server to perform operations comprising

receiving form a vehicle data reporting device an odometer reading for a particular vehicle;

receiving a message from a driver computing device including a driver-entered odometer reading;

comparing the odometer reading received from the vehicle data reporting device to the odometer reading received from the computing device; and

associating a driver with the particular vehicle when the two odometer readings match.

35. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 34, wherein the stored server-executable instructions are configured to cause a server to perform operations further comprising:

receiving one or more of a vehicle identifier, a driver identifier and a driver authentication code via the first transceiver; and

comparing the received one or more of a vehicle identifier, a driver identifier and a driver authentication code to data stored in the server, and

the stored server-executable instructions are configured to cause a server to perform operations such that associating the driver with the particular vehicle when the two odometer readings match is accomplished when the received one or more of a vehicle identifier, a driver identifier and a driver authentication code also matches data stored in the server.