INFORMATION DELIVERY AND MAINTENANCE SYSTEM FOR DYNAMICALLY GENERATED AND UPDATED DATA PERTAINING TO ROAD MAINTENANCE VEHICLES AND OTHER RELATED INFORMATION

• US 20150106299A1
• Filed: 10/10/2013
• Published: 04/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Concaten Inc.
• Original Assignee: Concaten Inc.
• Inventors: Rennie, Christopher J., Groeneweg, Kevin K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,864,957 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/345
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/10 Services

Abstract

Selected types of information are collected from various sources and a portion thereof transmitted to a remote server. The remote server dynamically compiles and processes this data with information from other similar and separate sources and provides useful and relevant information, such as vehicle and location specific road maintenance radar, forecasts and treatment recommendations, and then transmits the data back to the vehicles in the field for one or more of the appropriate deployment of equipment, instructions and the automated or manual application of materials.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a server adapted to receive information from;

at least one snow maintenance vehicle-based system adapted to forward to the server at least one of road and/or weather conditions from an area proximate to the snow maintenance vehicle;

at least one stationary system adapted to forward to the server at east one of road and/or weather conditions from an area proximate to the stationary system;

and wherein said server is further adapted to determine one or more of information and snow maintenance instructions to send to a user of a snow-maintenance vehicle; and

wherein the road and/or weather conditions forwarded to the server by the stationary system are used to refine the snow maintenance instructions sent to the user of the snow maintenance vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the server receives information over a cellular network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the server receives information over a radio network.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the server sends the information and/or snow maintenance instructions directly to the user of the snow maintenance vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the snow maintenance vehicle-based system sends information to the server over a first communications link and receives information from the server over a second communications link.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the information and/or instruction are first provided to a supervisor and the supervisor relays the information and/or instruction to the user in the snow maintenance vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the information and/or instructions determined for a selected snow maintenance vehicle are sent to users in a plurality of additional snow maintenance vehicles.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the instruction and/or information are provided to the supervisor at a non-portable computer terminal.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the instruction and/or information are provided to the supervisor at a portable computer via a wireless signal.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the supervisor sends the instruction and/or information to the user in the snow maintenance vehicle orally via a radio signal.

11. A method comprising:

receiving information at a server from;

at least one snow maintenance vehicle-based system adapted to forward to the server at least one of road and/or weather conditions from an area proximate to the snow maintenance vehicle;

at least one stationary system adapted to forward to the server at least one of road and/or weather conditions from an area proximate to the stationary system;

determining by the server one or more of information and snow maintenance instructions to send to a user of a snow-maintenance vehicle;

sending the one or more of determined information and snow maintenance instructions to the user of a snow maintenance vehicle; and

wherein the road and/or weather conditions forwarded to the server by the stationary system are used to refine the snow maintenance instructions sent to the user of the snow maintenance vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the server receives information over a cellular network.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the server receives information over a radio network.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the server sends the information and/or snow maintenance instructions directly to the user of the snow maintenance vehicle.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the snow maintenance vehicle-based system sends information to the server over a first communications link and receives information from the server over a second communications link.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the information and/or instruction are first provided to a supervisor and the supervisor relays the information and/or instruction to the user in the snow maintenance vehicle.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the information and/or instructions determined for a selected snow maintenance vehicle are sent to users in a plurality of additional snow maintenance vehicles.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the instruction and/or information are provided to the supervisor at a non-portable computer terminal.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the instruction and/or information are provided to the supervisor at a portable computer via a wireless signal.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the supervisor sends the instruction and/or information to the user in the snow maintenance vehicle orally via a radio signal.