Vehicle tracking and auditing system and method

• US 6,421,586 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Issued: 07/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Frank Nicotera
• Original Assignee: Frank Nicotera
• Inventors: Nicotera, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US09/681,956
• Time in Patent Office: 382 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 235/375, 235/384, 235/385
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

A vehicle tracking and auditing system for construction projects creates electronically stored records used in the invoicing and auditing procedures of a construction project. A unique preprogrammed identification code contained within a touch button memory chip is affixed to a vehicle. A dual function scanner is used to create a record of the vehicle arriving or leaving a designated area by reading an encrypted bar coded load ticket and then reading the touch button affixed to the vehicle. The scanner stamps a time and date associated with each record. The records are electronically stored in the scanner until the records are downloaded to a host computer through a base station. Computer software queries the records into desired reports and invoices. Exemplary reports detail when a vehicle arrived or left a designated area, summarize the total volume of construction material carried by company or by a specific vehicle, route time of the vehicle, and identify potential fraud.

Claims

1. A vehicle tracking and auditing system for tracking vehicles carrying construction materials, comprising:

a vehicle identification means adapted to be affixed to each vehicle of a plurality of vehicles so that each vehicle can be tracked;

a sensing means for reading the vehicle identification means and creating records;

an operator identifying means adapted to be read by the sensing means;

a construction activity identification means adapted to be read by the sensing means;

a job number identification means adapted to be read by the sensing means;

a construction material identification means adapted to be read by the sensing means;

a load ticket identification means adapted to be read by the sensing means;

a storing means for electronically storing records;

a downloading means so that the electronically stored records can be downloaded;

a computer means; and

a report and invoice generating means for processing the downloaded data.

2. The vehicle tracking and auditing system of claim 1 wherein the vehicle identification means is a touch button that includes an identification code on a computer memory chip, the touch button being distinctively associated with a vehicle to be tracked and the touch button being read by the sensing means.

3. The vehicle tracking and auditing system of claim 1 wherein the operator identification means is a printed bar code.

4. The vehicle tracking and auditing system of claim 1 wherein the construction activity identification means is a printed bar code.

5. The vehicle tracking and auditing system of claim 1 wherein the job number identification means is a printed bar code.

6. The vehicle tracking and auditing system of claim 1 wherein the construction material identification means is a printed bar code.

7. The vehicle tracking and auditing system of claim 1 wherein the sensing means comprises a bar code scanner.

8. The sensing means of claim 7 wherein the sensing means further comprises a touch button scanner.

9. The vehicle tracking and auditing system of claim 1 wherein the downloading means includes a serial cable and wherein electronically stored records in the sensing means are downloaded to the computer means by the serial cable.

10. The vehicle tracking and auditing system of claim 1 wherein the downloading means comprises an infrared transceiver.

11. The vehicle tracking and auditing system of claim 1 wherein the downloaded data comprises electronically stored records of the time and date of when a touch button and load ticket were scanned.

12. A method of tracking and auditing vehicles carrying construction material, comprising the steps of:

providing a sensing means adapted to read information;

reading an operator identifier code that identifies an operator of the sensing means;

reading a loading identifier code and an unloading identifier code that identifies the construction material as being loaded or unloaded at a designated site;

reading a job number identifier code that identifies the job number for the designated site;

reading a construction material identifier code that identifies the type of the construction material;

affixing a vehicle identification means to a vehicle, providing the vehicle identification means with a unique preprogrammed identification code so that the vehicle can be identified by a unique alphanumeric sequence;

reading a load ticket identifier code;

reading a vehicle identification means;

creating records from the operator identifier code, the loading and unloading identifier code, the job number identifier code, and the construction material identifier code, the records including a time and date when the vehicle identification means and the load ticket identifier code were read;

electronically storing the records;

downloading the electronically stored records; and

generating preselected reports by querying of the records.

13. The method as in claim 12, further comprising the step of:

identifying potentially fraudulent invoice amounts through a query of downloaded records.