System for mapping occurrences of conditions in a transport route

• US 5,719,771 A
• Filed: 12/01/1995
• Issued: 02/17/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CSX Transportation Incorporated (CSX Corporation), ATC Technology Corporation (FedEx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Amsc Subsidiary Corp. (PetIQ, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schoenleben, Thomas J., Buck, James C., Haupt, David E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Gary
• Application Number:
  US08/566,410
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 364/443, 364/424.034, 364/424.035, 364/424.038, 364/424.039, 364/424.09, 364/449.1, 364/449.7, 364/566, 340/438, 340/439, 340/988
• US Class Current: 455/456.5
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• 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

A system for mapping occurrences of conditions along a transport route is provided. The transport route is travelled by a vehicle storing cargo. The system includes at least one mobile sensing station mounted on the vehicle traversing the transport route. The mobile sensing station detects occurrences of the conditions along the transport route to the vehicle. At least one of the conditions indicates that the vehicle is influenced by the conditions. The sensing station receives positional data, correlates the positional data with corresponding occurrences of the conditions, and transmits the correlated data. The system also includes a central controller that receives the correlated data from the mobile sensing station, determines responsive to the correlated data a position on the transport route at which the occurrences of the conditions are detected, and determines responsive to at least one of the position and the transport route, a party responsible/appropriate to be notified of the condition and notifying same of the condition.

Claims

1. In a mobile satellite system including a satellite communication switching office having a satellite antenna for receiving/transmitting a satellite message via a satellite from/to a vehicle using a mobile communication system, a satellite interface system, a fleet management system including a central controller receiving/transmitting the satellite message from/to the satellite communication switching office, the central controller performs at least one of mapping occurrences of conditions along a transport route responsive to the satellite message received from the vehicle via the satellite and the satellite interface system using a mobile sensing station mounted on the vehicle traversing the transport route, and receiving data in the satellite message received from the vehicle, the mobile communication system including a housing comprised of a shock resistant material, the housing including end bumpers comprised of an elastomeric material for absorbing shock experienced by the housing, an input device for inputting data, the input device comprising a keyboard including a rubber/carbon membrane and mounted in the housing using a first seal to prevent fluid from entering the mobile communication system between the input device and the housing, a central processing unit, disposed in the housing, and receiving at least one of the data from the input device, and sensor data received from the mobile sensing station, the sensor data including predetermined condition data occurring along the transport route, positional data, time and date data corresponding to each occurrence of the predetermined condition data, and outputting satellite data to the satellite interface system for transmission to the satellite, and a display monitor comprised of tempered glass having the ability to withstand a predetermined impact, the display monitor mounted in the housing using a second seal to prevent fluid from entering the mobile communication system between the display monitor and the housing, a method comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting for occurrences of the conditions to the vehicle along the transport route, at least one of the conditions indicating that the vehicle is influenced by said at least one of the conditions;

(b) storing data regarding the occurrences of the conditions as well as time and date data corresponding to the occurrences of the conditions;

(c) receiving positional data;

(d) correlating the positional data with data corresponding to the occurrences of the conditions producing correlated data;

(e) triggering the mobile sensing station;

(f) transmitting the correlated data over the communications system to the central controller in response to said triggering step;

(g) determining, responsive to the correlated data, a position on the transport route at which the occurrences of the conditions are detected;

(h) determining, responsive to at least one of the position and the transport route, an relevant party to be notified of the condition; and

(i) transmitting to the relevant party a message notifying the relevant party of the occurrence of the condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of detecting comprises determining acceleration of the vehicle along at least one axis.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the acceleration is determined along three orthogonal axes.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying the correlated data so as to identify positions on the transport route at which the occurrences of the conditions are detected to the vehicles travelling along the transport route, enabling the vehicles that travel along the transport route to be advised of the conditions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting (f) comprises:

sending the correlated data to an orbiting satellite;

relaying the correlated data from the orbiting satellite to an earth station; and

sending the correlated data from the earth station to the central controller.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of triggering occurs in response to a detected occurrence of the conditions along the transport route.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of triggering occurs in response to the detection of a plurality of occurrences of the conditions along the transport route.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of triggering occurs periodically and is initiated at the mobile sensing station.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of triggering occurs in response to a signal initiated at the central controller.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting (f) further comprises the steps of:

sending the correlated data from the central controller via a second communications system to a user terminal.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of transmitting (f) comprises the steps of

sending the correlated data to a base station of a cellular telephone system;

and

sending the correlated data from the base station to the central controller.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the central controller is unaffiliated with the party.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the central controller receives the correlated data indicating multiple occurrences of the conditions.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the central controller determines the relevant party responsive to a combination of the multiple occurrences of the conditions.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the central controller determines the relevant party in accordance with the occurrence of the condition that is first detected when the multiple occurrences of the conditions is present.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of performing corrective measures to minimize the impact of the conditions and to minimize the adverse impact to the vehicle responsive to the correlated data identifying positions on the transport route at which the occurrences of the conditions are detected.

17. A method of mapping occurrences of predetermined conditions along a transport route travelled by a vehicle storing cargo and equipped with a mobile sensing station connected to a central controller via a communications system, comprising the steps of:

(a) continuously detecting for occurrences of the conditions to the vehicle along the transport route, at least one of the conditions indicating that the vehicle is influenced by said at least one of the conditions;

(b) receiving positional data and correlating the positional data with data corresponding to the occurrences of the conditions to produce correlated data, and transmitting the correlated data to a central controller;

(c) determining, responsive to the correlated data, a position on the transport route at which the occurrences of the conditions are detected;

(d) determining, responsive to at least one of the position and the transport route, a relevant party to be notified of the condition; and

(e) transmitting to the relevant party a message indicating occurrence of the condition.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of transmitting to the relevant party an accountability report in the message requiring resolution.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of retrieving secondary data from secondary data sources to assist in the identification of the relevant party to be notified in said determining step (d).

20. The method of claim 19, wherein when said determining step (d) indicates a relevant party that is inconsistent with the secondary data, said method further comprises the step of determining the relevant party in accordance with predetermined rules used to resolve the inconsistency.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the secondary data includes at least one of:

1) Vehicle ID

2) Current vehicle location

3) Date/Time of event

4) Geographic area/road vehicle reporting on

5) Vehicle'"'"'s last reported location

6) Vehicle'"'"'s origin and intended destination

7) Type of cargo carried by vehicle

8) Last carrier/party reporting vehicle'"'"'s most recent status

9) Identification of most recent vehicle change from first party to second party

10) Handling railroad

11) Car status at last location

12) Type of event

13) X/Y/Z axis acceleration values.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the secondary data includes at least two of:

1) Vehicle ID

2) Current vehicle location

3) Date/Time of event

4) Geographic area/road vehicle reporting on

5) Vehicle'"'"'s last reported location

6) Vehicle'"'"'s origin and intended destination

7) Type of cargo carried by vehicle

8) Last carrier/party reporting vehicle'"'"'s most recent status

9) Identification of most recent vehicle change from first party to second party

10) Handling railroad

11) Car status at last location

12) Type of event

13) X/Y/Z axis acceleration values.

23. A system for mapping occurrences of conditions along a transport route travelled by a vehicle storing cargo, comprising:

at least one mobile sensing station mounted on the vehicle traversing said transport route, said mobile sensing station detecting occurrences of the conditions along the transport route to the vehicle, at least one of the conditions indicating that the vehicle is influenced by said at least one of the conditions, receiving positional data, correlating the positional data with corresponding occurrences of the conditions, and transmitting the correlated data; and

a central controller receiving the correlated data from said mobile sensing station, determining responsive to the correlated data a position on the transport route at which the occurrences of the conditions are detected, determining responsive to at least one of the position and the transport route a relevant party to be notified of the occurrence of the condition, and transmitting to the relevant party a message indicating the occurrence of the condition.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein said mobile sensing station determines acceleration of the vehicle along at least one axis.

25. The system of claim 23, further comprising another communications system linking said central controller and at least one user terminal, said central controller transmitting the correlated data to the user terminal.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein said central controller further receives requests to access the correlated data from the user terminal.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said central controller further transmits a trigger signal to said mobile sensing station to initiate transmission of the correlated data from the mobile sensing station.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the positional data is derived by said mobile sensing station from data transmitted from an orbiting satellite location system.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein at least one of said mobile sensing station and said central controller operates responsive to a detection of one of the occurrences of the conditions in the transport route.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein at least one of said mobile sensing station and said central controller operates in response to detection of a plurality of said occurrences of said predetermined conditions in said transport route.

31. The system of claim 23, wherein said mobile sensing station transmits in response to a trigger signal sent by said central controller.

32. The system of claim 25, further comprising a display located at said user terminal, and said user terminal requests access to the correlated data at the central controller.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said user terminal comprises a modem and a personal computer to request access to the correlated data.

34. The system of claim 25, wherein said another communications system comprises a switched telephone network.

35. The system of claim 25, wherein said another communications system comprises a data link.

36. The system of claim 23, wherein said communications system comprises a cellular telephone network.

37. The system of claim 23, wherein said mobile sensing station includes an accelerometer arranged to detect acceleration with respect to time along three orthogonal axes.

38. The system of claim 23, wherein said central controller is unaffiliated with the party.

39. The system of claim 23, wherein said central controller determines the relevant party responsive to a combination of the multiple occurrences of the conditions.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein said central controller determines the relevant party in accordance with the occurrence of the condition that is first detected when the multiple occurrences of the conditions is present.

41. The system of claim 23, further comprising at least one user terminal having a display, said central controller transmitting the correlated data to the user terminal wherein said display displays the correlated data so as to identify positions on the transport route at which the occurrences of the conditions are detected to the vehicles travelling along the transport route, enabling the vehicles that travel along the transport route to be advised of the conditions.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the vehicles perform corrective measures to minimize the impact of the conditions and to minimize the adverse impact to the vehicle responsive to the correlated data identifying positions on the transport route at which the occurrences of the conditions are detected.

43. The system of claim 23, wherein said central controller transmits to the relevant party an accountability report in the message requiring resolution.

44. The system of claim 23, wherein said central controller retrieves secondary data from secondary data sources to assist in the identification of the relevant party to be notified.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein when said central controller determines the relevant party that is inconsistent with the secondary data, said central controller determines the relevant party in accordance with predetermined rules used to resolve the inconsistency.

46. The system of claim 44, wherein the secondary data includes at least one of:

1) Vehicle ID

2) Current vehicle location

3) Date/Time of event

4) Geographic area/road vehicle reporting on

5) Vehicle'"'"'s last reported location

6) Vehicle'"'"'s origin and intended destination

7) Type of cargo carried by vehicle

8) Last carrier/party reporting vehicle'"'"'s most recent status

9) Identification of most recent vehicle change from first party to second party

10) Handling railroad

11) Car status at last location

12) Type of event

13) X/Y/Z axis acceleration values.