SYSTEM FOR DETECTING THE OPERATIONAL STATUS OF A VEHICLE USING A HANDHELD COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 20160104328A1
• Filed: 10/08/2014
• Published: 04/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innova Electronics Corporation (Innova Telematics Solutions)
• Original Assignee: Innova Electronics Corporation (Innova Telematics Solutions)
• Inventors: Chen, Ieon C., Andreasen, Keith
• Granted Patent: US 9,646,427 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3415 Dynamic re-routing, e.g. recalculating the route when the user deviates from calculated route or after detecting real-time traffic data or accidents
• 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

Abstract

A system which utilizes the on-board capabilities of handheld communication devices, such as smartphones, tablet computers and the like, to detect the operational status of a vehicle, such as the engine being ON, the engine idling, the vehicle moving, etc. The detected operational state may be desirable for monitoring operation of the vehicle, such as fleet management systems, wherein the duration and location of idling are of particular interest. The detected operational state may also be useful for controlling functionality on the handheld communication device, such as disabling texting or other manually operated functions when the vehicle is in motion.

Claims

1. A set of computer executable instructions downloadable onto a handheld communication device for detecting operational status of a vehicle, the handheld communication device including operational status detection hardware, the set of computer executable instructions comprising:

an entry/exit detection module configured to detect entry of the handheld communication device into an area associated with the vehicle; and

a vehicle operation module in operative communication with the entry detection module and configured to;

activate the operational status detection hardware in the handheld communication device in response to detection of entry into the vehicle; and

detect the operational status of the vehicle using the activated operational status detection hardware.

2. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 1, wherein the entry/exit detection module configures the handheld communication device to detect entry of the handheld communication device into the area associated with the vehicle based on acoustic signals detected by the handheld communication device.

3. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 1, wherein the entry/exit detection module configures the handheld communication device to detect entry of the handheld communication device into the area associated with the vehicle based on acceleration signals detected by the handheld communication device.

4. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 1, wherein the vehicle operation module configures the handheld communication device to detect starting of the vehicle based on acoustic signal and acceleration signals detected by the handheld communication device.

5. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 1, wherein the entry/exit detection module configures the handheld communication device to detect entry of the handheld communication device into the area associated with the vehicle based on a wireless signal generated by one of the vehicle and a wireless vehicle access device.

6. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 1, wherein the vehicle operation module configures the handheld communication device to:

measure an idling time corresponding to duration of vehicle idling;

compare the measured idling time to a prescribed idling time threshold; and

generate an alert signal when the measured idling time exceeds the prescribed idling time threshold.

7. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 1, wherein the entry/exit detection module is configured to detect entry of the handheld communication device into the area associated with the vehicle based on detected position data.

8. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 7, wherein the entry/exit detection module configures the handheld communication device to compare the detected position data with stored position data to determine entry of the handheld communication device into the area associated with the vehicle.

9. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 1, wherein the vehicle operation module configures the handheld communication device to:

detect a vehicle engine being ON; and

disable at least one manually operated function of the handheld communication device in response to detection of the vehicle engine being ON.

10. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 9, wherein the detection of the vehicle engine being ON includes detection of starting of the engine.

11. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 9, wherein the detection of the vehicle engine being ON includes detection of engine idling.

12. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 9, wherein the vehicle operation module configures the handheld communication device to:

detect a vehicle engine transitioning from being ON to being OFF; and

enable the at least one manually operated function of the handheld communication device in response to detection of the vehicle engine transitioning from being ON to being OFF.

13. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle operation module configures the handheld communication device to detect a vehicle engine being ON;

the set of computer executable instructions including a manual function control module in operative communication with the vehicle operation module and configured to transition the handheld communication device into a preset mode when the vehicle engine is detected as being ON.

14. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 1, wherein the entry/exit detection module is configured to detect exit of the handheld communication device from the area associated with the vehicle.

15. A set of computer executable instructions for detecting operational status of a vehicle using a handheld communication device, the set of computer executable instruction comprising:

an acoustic detection module configured to detect an acoustic signal;

an acceleration detection module configured to detect an acceleration signal; and

a vehicle operation module in operative communication with the acoustic detection module and the acceleration detection module and configured to compare the detected acoustic signal and acceleration signal with stored acoustic and acceleration signals corresponding to vehicle idling of a predetermined vehicle to detect vehicle idling.

16. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 15, wherein the vehicle operation module configures the handheld communication device to:

measure an idling time corresponding to duration of vehicle idling;

compare the measured idling time to a prescribed idling time threshold; and

generate an alert signal when the measured idling time exceeds the prescribed idling time threshold.

17. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 16, wherein the vehicle operation module configures the handheld communication device to communicate the alert signal to a remote server.

18. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 15, further comprising:

a routing module in operative communication with the vehicle operation module to receive vehicle idling information therefrom, the routing module being configured to calculate navigational directions based on received vehicle idling information.

19. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 15, wherein the vehicle operation module configures the handheld communication device to:

detect a vehicle engine being ON; and

activate vehicle detection hardware located on the smartphone in response to detection of the vehicle engine being ON.

20. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 19, wherein the vehicle operation module configures the handheld communication device to detect the vehicle engine being ON based on an electrical signal received from the handheld communication device.

21. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 19, wherein the vehicle operation module configures the handheld communication device to detect the vehicle engine being ON at least partially based on a detected acoustic signal.

22. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 19, wherein the vehicle operation module configures the handheld communication device to detect the vehicle engine being ON at least partially based on a detected acceleration signal.

23. The set of computer executable instructions recited in claim 15, wherein the vehicle operation module configures the handheld communication device to:

detect a vehicle engine being ON; and

disable at least one manually operated function of the handheld communication device in response to detection of the vehicle engine being ON.

24. A process of detecting an operational status of a vehicle using a handheld communication device, the process comprising the steps of:

detecting entry of the handheld communication device into an area associated with the vehicle;

activating idling detection hardware located on the handheld communication device in response to detection of entry of the hand held communication device into the area associated with the vehicle; and

detecting idling of the vehicle using the idling detection hardware.

25. The process recited in claim 24, further comprising the steps of:

measuring an idling time corresponding to duration of vehicle idling;

comparing the measured idling time to a prescribed idling time threshold; and

generating an alert signal when the measuring idling time exceeds the prescribed idling threshold.

26. The process recited in claim 24, further comprising the steps of:

detecting a vehicle engine being ON; and

disabling at least one manually operated function of the handheld communication device in response to detection of the vehicle engine being ON.