METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MAKING DELIVERIES OF A FLUID TO A SET OF TANKS

• US 20160210370A1
• Filed: 03/28/2016
• Published: 07/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zonar Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Zonar Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: McQuade, Charles Michael, Brinton, Brett
• Granted Patent: US 9,858,462 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/955 using information identifiers, e.g. uniform resource locators [URL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06028 using bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06187 with magnetically detectable marking
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10861 sensing of data fields affixed to objects or articles, e.g. coded labels postal sorting B07C3/14, conveying articles B65G47/48
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

System and method for collecting object identification data from a plurality of objects that interact with a vehicle during operation of the vehicle, where the vehicle interacts with specific objects at specific geographical positions. An identification sensor is coupled to a geographical position sensor, and whenever an object is identified a record is generated, the record including the identification of the object, the position of the vehicle when the interaction between the object and the vehicle occurs, and the time of the interaction. Exemplary objects include passengers, containers, and documents. Exemplary interactions include loading/unloading an object from the vehicle, boarding a passenger, unloading a passenger, transferring a bulk material from the vehicle into a specific container, and/or transferring a bulk material from a specific container to the vehicle. The record may also include additional data about a parameter of the object (such as the object'"'"'s weight, volume, or temperature).

Claims

1. A method for generating object identification (ID) encoded position data from a tanker truck servicing a set of fluid-holding tanks, the tanker truck being equipped with a geographical position system, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) collecting geographical position data from the tanker truck during tanker truck operation, the geographical position data being time indexed;

(b) collecting object ID data from the fluid-holding tanks, the object ID data uniquely identifying the fluid-holding tanks, wherein the step of collecting object ID data from a fluid-holding tank comprises at least one of the following steps;

(i) using an identification sensor attached to a hose that is used to deliver fuel to or from the tanker truck, to identify the object; and

(ii) scanning the object using a handheld device including an identification sensor and a wireless data link, the handheld device being configured to wirelessly transmit object ID data to a processor disposed in the tanker truck, the processor being configured to combine the object ID data with the position data; and

(c) automatically combining the object ID data, identifying the object, and the geographical position data together at the tanker truck to produce object ID encoded position data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of conveying the object ID encoded position data to a remote computing device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

(a) collecting additional data from the fluid-holding tanks;

(b) including the additional data in the object ID encoded position data such that the additional object data is also time indexed.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the additional data collected from the fluid-holding tanks comprises a volume of fluid transferred into the container from the tanker truck during the interaction between the container and the tanker truck.

5. The method of claim 1, further wherein the fluid-holding tanks are spaced along a predetermined route, and further comprising the steps of:

(a) as the tanker truck is operating, comparing the current position of the tanker truck with a location associated with each fluid-holding tank; and

(b) whenever the current position of the tanker truck corresponds to the location of a fluid-holding tank, alerting the driver of the tanker truck that the location of a fluid-holding tank has been reached.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said fluid holding tanks are home heating oil storage tanks.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said fluid holding tanks are propane gas fuel storage tanks.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said fluid holding tanks are compressed gas storage tanks.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of collecting ID data from the fluid holding tank comprises using an RFID tag sensor attached to a hose that is used to deliver fuel to or from the tanker truck, to identify the object.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the servicing of the fluid holding tank includes connecting a hose to the tank, and wherein in the step of connecting the hose, the RFID tag sensor is brought into a close proximity with an RFID tag located on the fluid holding tank.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of collecting ID data from the fluid holding tank comprises using a hand held sensor to read an identifier located near said fluid holding tank.

12. A system for analyzing object identification (ID) encoded position data from a tanker truck, the system comprising:

(a) an object identification sensor for identifying a uniquely labeled object interacting with the tanker truck during operation of the tanker truck, and in response thereto generating object ID data; and

(b) a geographical position system for use in the tanker truck, the geographical position system including;

(i) a position sensing component for collecting geographical position data from the tanker truck during tanker truck operation, the geographical position data being time indexed;

(ii) a first data port for receiving object ID data from the object identification sensor during operation of the tanker truck;

(iii) a processor for combining the object ID data and the geographical position data together to produce object ID encoded position data; and

(iv) a data link for conveying the object ID encoded position data to an external computing device.

13. The system of claim 13, further comprising a remote computing device spaced apart from the tanker truck and configured to receive the object ID encoded position data via the data link, the remote computing device including a memory for storing machine instructions and a processor, the machine instructions, when implemented by a processor, enabling a user to access the object ID encoded position data for the tanker truck, such that the object ID encoded position data can be analyzed to determine at least one characteristic of the interaction between the tanker truck and the uniquely labeled object.

14. The system of claim 14, wherein the uniquely labeled object is a fluid-holding tank located outside the tanker truck, and the remote computing device is configured to use additional object data included in the object ID encoded position data to determine a volume of fluid transferred into the fluid-holding tank from the tanker truck during the interaction between the tank and the tanker truck.

15. A method for using object identification (ID) encoded position data from a tanker truck equipped with a geographical position system and an object ID sensor to determine at least one characteristic of an interaction between a uniquely labeled object and the tanker truck, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing object ID encoded position data collected during operation of the tanker truck, the object ID encoded position data including object ID data uniquely identifying each uniquely labeled object interacting with the tanker truck during operation of the tanker truck, additional object data collected with the object ID data, and geographical position data defining a relative location of the tanker truck during operation of the tanker truck, the object ID data and the geographical position data being time indexed; and

(b) analyzing the object ID encoded position data using the additional object data collected with the object ID data to determine a volume of fluid transferred into a uniquely identifiable fluid-holding tank from the tanker truck during the interaction between that tank and the tanker truck, where the tank is outside of the tanker truck during the interaction between that tank and the tanker truck.

16. A method for generating object identification (ID) encoded position data from a tanker truck equipped with a geographical position system, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) collecting geographical position data from the tanker truck during tanker truck operation, the geographical position data being time indexed;

(b) collecting object ID data from a fluid-holding tank interacting with the tanker truck during operation of the tanker truck, the tank being outside of the tanker truck during the interaction, the object ID data uniquely identifying the tank, wherein the interaction between the tank and the tanker truck does not include loading the tank onto the tanker truck or removing the tank from the tanker truck, but wherein the interaction includes a transfer of contents between the tank and the tanker truck; and

(c) automatically combining the object ID data and the geographical position data together at the tanker truck to produce object ID encoded position data.

17. The method of claim 17, wherein said fluid holding tanks are home heating oil storage tanks.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said fluid holding tanks are propane gas fuel storage tanks.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said fluid holding tanks are compressed gas storage tanks.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the additional data collected from the fluid-holding tanks comprises a volume of fluid transferred into the container from the tanker truck during the interaction between the container and the tanker truck.