Apparatus and method for monitoring travel of a mobile vehicle

• US 6,363,323 B1
• Filed: 09/14/1999
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shipping & Transit, LLC
• Original Assignee: Global Research Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Jones, Martin Kelly
• Primary Examiner(s): LOUIS JACQUES, JACQUES H
• Application Number:
  US09/395,497
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 701/201, 701/202, 701/207, 701/208, 701/209, 701/116, 701/117, 701/118, 701/119, 701/200, 701/210, 701/211, 701/213, 340/994, 340/989, 340/991, 340/992, 455/456, 455/517, 455/457, 455/403, 342/357.07, 342/357.08, 342/357.1, 342/457
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968

Abstract

A vehicle tracking system includes a sensor (e.g., a GPS sensor) and a vehicle control unit (VCU) attached to a vehicle. The sensor determines the vehicle'"'"'s location based on positioning signals received from a plurality of satellites. The VCU compares the vehicle'"'"'s location to a predefined schedule. The predefined schedule includes a plurality of entries where each entry corresponds to a location along the vehicle'"'"'s route of travel. Furthermore, each entry includes a location value indicating the location that corresponds with the entry and a time value indicating when the vehicle should be at the location. The VCU determines whether the vehicle is on schedule or off schedule by comparing the current location of the vehicle (as determined by the sensor) and the amount of time elapsed since the start of the route with the entries in the predefined schedule. If the vehicle is off schedule, then the VCU transmits a status message to a remote location indicating how much the vehicle is off schedule. A computer at the remote location is aware of the predefined schedule and assumes that the vehicle is on schedule unless a status message is received from the VCU. If a status message is received, the computer at the remote location determines the current location of the vehicle based on the status message.

Claims

1. A vehicle apparatus for use in connection with an advance notification system, the advance notification system for providing notice to a party of an impending arrival of a mobile vehicle at a stop along a route to enable delivery and/or pickup of an item at the stop, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a sensor configured to determine a current location value indicating a current location of said mobile vehicle;

(b) a storage device configured to store predetermined location values corresponding with locations along said route, said predetermined location values respectively associated with corresponding time values;

(c) a communications device configured to communicate with a remote computer associated with said advance notification system;

(d) a processor on said vehicle and electrically connected to said sensor, said storage device, and said communications device, said processor being programmed to perform the following steps;

(1) associating a current time and one of said predetermined location values with said current location of said mobile vehicle;

(2) comparing said current time with one of said time values that corresponds with said one of said location values;

(3) determining whether said vehicle is off schedule based upon said one of said location values, said one of said time values, said current location value, and said current time; and

(4) when said vehicle is off schedule by at least a predefined amount, causing said communications device to communicate to the remote computer associated with the advance notification system an indication that said vehicle is off schedule by a specified time period and/or a specified distance, thus enabling said remote computer to change when said party is contacted by the advance notification system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to perform the step of:

(5) transmitting a start signal to the remote computer associated with the advance notification system in response to a determination that said mobile vehicle is a predetermined distance from a particular location.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to perform the step of:

(5) creating a vehicle schedule by performing the following steps while said mobile vehicle travels along said route;

(i) determining said one location value based on said sensor;

(ii) storing said one location value in said storage device, said one location value indicative of a location of said vehicle during said determining step;

(iii) associating said one time value with said one location value; and

(iv) storing said one time value in said storage device.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein step (d)(3) includes the step of:

comparing said current location value and/or said current time with said one of said predetermined location values and/or said one of said time values to determine to what extent, if any, said vehicle is off schedule.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to perform the steps of:

(5) determining whether said communications device has transmitted another indication to the remote computer within a predefined time period; and

(6) defining, based on said determining step (5), said indication that is communicated to said remote computer via said causing step (4).

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said processor is further configured to perform the step of:

(7) changing said predefined time period while said mobile vehicle travels along said route.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) a telephone interface electrically connected to said remote computer; and

(f) a remote processor associated with said remote computer, said remote processor programmed to cause said telephone interface to make a telephone call to said party in response to a determination by said remote processor, based on said indication, that said mobile vehicle is at a predefined proximity from said stop.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said communications device is configured to communicate either over a voice channel or a control channel, depending upon an instruction received by said remote computer, to communicate said indication.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said control channel uses a feature request function signal.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said control channel uses a mobile identification number (MIN) signal.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said control channel uses an electronic serial number (ESN) signal.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to perform the following steps:

(5) determining when said vehicle starts said route after said vehicle schedule is created; and

(6) waiting a predefined time period and then contacting said remote computer to advise said remote computer that said vehicle is now moving.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a means for enabling said predefined amount to be selected by human interaction directly with said apparatus on said vehicle.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said communications device transmits cellular signals.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said processor is further programmed to perform the following steps:

(5) monitoring any deviation of said vehicle from said route; and

(6) notifying said remote computer of said deviation when said deviation is greater than a predefined distance.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising means for enabling said predefined distance to be selected.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said storage device includes values defining a geographical region and said processor is further programmed to perform the following steps:

(5) determining whether said vehicle is outside of said geographical region based on said current location value; and

(6) transmitting an alarm signal in response to a determination that said vehicle is outside of said geographical region.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

(e) a remote processor associated with said remote computer, said remote processor programmed to determine, based on said indication, when said mobile vehicle is within a predefined proximity of said stop, said remote processor further programmed to initiate a notification message to said party when said remote processor determines that said mobile vehicle is within said predefined proximity.

3. The apparatus of clam 1, wherein said sensor is further configured to receive positioning signals from a plurality of satellites.

20. A vehicle apparatus for use on a vehicle in connection with a vehicle tracking system, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor configured to determine a current location value of said vehicle, said current location value indicating a current location of said vehicle;

a storage device configured to store a plurality of entries, each entry having a predetermined location value corresponding with a respective location along said route and said each entry also having a predetermined time value associated with said predetermined location value;

a clock device having a current time value;

a communicator configured to communicate wireless signals; and

a processor configured to select one of said plurality of entries and to determine whether said vehicle is off schedule based on said one of said entries, said current location value, and said current time value, said processor further configured to transmit a wireless signal via said communicator in response to a determination that said vehicle is off schedule.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said system includes a remote computer configured to receive said wireless signal and to determine that said mobile vehicle is off schedule in response to said wireless signal.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said predetermined location values are determined by said sensor as said vehicle travels along said route.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said communicator is configured to communicate said wireless signal over a cellular voice channel or a cellular control channel.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said processor is further configured to determine a deviation indicator indicating a distance said current location is from said route and to transmit an alarm signal via said communicator in response to a determination that said distance exceeds a threshold value.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said processor is further configured to monitor any deviation of said vehicle from said route and to notify a remote computer of said deviation when said deviation is greater than a predefined distance.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

said storage device includes values defining a geographical region; and

said processor is further configured to determine whether said vehicle is outside of said geographical region based on said current location value of said vehicle and to transmit an alarm signal in response to a determination that said vehicle is outside of said geographical region.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said current time value indicates an amount of time that has lapsed since said vehicle began said route.

28. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said processor is configured to select said one of said entries based on said current time value.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein said processor is configured to determine whether said vehicle is off schedule by comparing said current location value to said predetermined location value.

30. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said processor is configured to select said one of said entries based on said current location value.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said processor is configured to determine whether said vehicle is off schedule by comparing said current time value to said predetermined time value.

32. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a remote processor configured to determine, based on said wireless signal, when said vehicle is within a predefined proximity of a particular location, said remote processor further programmed to initiate a notification message in response to a determination, by said remote processor, that said vehicle is within said predefined proximity.

33. A method for a vehicle apparatus that is used in connection with an advance notification system, the advance notification system for providing notice to a party of an impending arrival of a mobile vehicle at a stop along a route to enable delivery and/or pickup of an item at the stop, the apparatus comprising a satellite receiver for receiving positioning signals, a storage device, a communications device, and a processor electrically connected to the foregoing, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) storing a plurality of location values in said storage device, said plurality of location values corresponding with locations along said route;

(b) storing a plurality of time values in said storage device, each of said plurality of time values corresponding respectively with said plurality of location values;

(c) receiving said positioning signals;

(d) associating a current time and one of said plurality of locations values with a current location of said vehicle;

(e) comparing said current time with one of said time values corresponding with said one of said location values;

(f) determining whether said vehicle is off schedule based upon said one of said location values, said one of said time values, said positioning signals, and said comparing step; and

(g) when said vehicle is off schedule by at least a predefined amount, causing said communications device to communicate to the remote computer associated with the advance notification system an indication that said vehicle is off schedule by a specified time period and/or a specified distance, thus enabling said remote computer to change when said party is contacted by the advance notification system.

34. The system of claim 33, further comprising the steps of:

determining, based on said indication communicated to the remote computer, when said mobile vehicle is within a predefined proximity of said stop; and

initiating a notification message to said party in response to said step of determining when said mobile vehicle is within a predefined proximity of said stop.