Method for inferring useful information from position-related vehicular events

• US 6,862,521 B1
• Filed: 01/29/2003
• Issued: 03/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Fox, Lawrence J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Marc-Coleman, Marthe Y.
• Application Number:
  US10/354,457
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 701/209, 701/204, 701/210, 340/991, 340/994
• US Class Current: 701/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

A method for inferring useful information from position related vehicular events uses allows a vehicle to determine an arrival at a job site, without knowing the job site location in advance. Arrival information can be reported or downloaded later. The method predicts arrival using a series of implied rules. The rules are based on trigger events detected by a sensor and microprocessor installed in the vehicle monitors for the occurrence of a trigger event that indicates that work is about to commence. Such trigger events can also be unique vehicular activities indicative of work commencement.

Claims

1. In a dispatch environment having a dispatch site, a vehicle, and a job site, a method for determining an arrival of said vehicle at said job site, comprising:

a) receiving an indication that said vehicle engaged in a stop event;

b) storing a time and a position corresponding to a location of said stop event;

c) receiving an indication that said vehicle engaged in a trigger event;

d) in response to said c), logging said time and said position;

e) determining a window of value for said time wherein said window characterizes an earliest acceptable value and a latest acceptable value of said time; and

f) determining a range of distance from said job site wherein said range characterizes a maximum acceptable distance from said job site.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein a location of said job site is not known beforehand.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

g) logging a departure from said dispatch site, wherein said g) is performed prior to said a).

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said position comprises a geographic position.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said stop event, said trigger event, said time, and said position respectively comprise a first stop event, a first trigger event, a first time and a first position, further comprising:

h) queuing said first time and said first position in a queue;

i) receiving an indication that said vehicle engaged in a second stop event and an indication that said vehicle engaged in a second trigger event;

j) determining that said queue is full; and

k) replacing said first time and said first position in said queue respectively with said second time and said second position.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

l) determining that said time and said position respectively correspond to a value within said window and said range; and

m) logging said time and said position accordingly.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

n) storing a time and a position corresponding to said c);

o) determining that a value selected from the group consisting of said time and said position does not correspond to a value respectively within said window and said range; and

p) logging said time and said position corresponding to said c) accordingly.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

q) reporting said time and said position.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein said q) comprises an action selected from the group consisting essentially of communicating said information in real time and downloading said information subsequently.

10. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein said communicating is performed wirelessly.

11. The method as recited in claim 9 wherein said q) comprises directing said position to a party selected from the group consisting essentially of a dispatch center and another vehicle.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said trigger event comprises an occurrence selected from the group consisting essentially of:

an action taken by an operator of said vehicle;

a movement of a component of said vehicle;

an activity performed by said vehicle;

a re-positioning of a structure of said vehicle;

a change in the speed of operation of a part of said vehicle;

a change in the direction of operation of a part of said vehicle; and

an operation of a control mechanism of said vehicle.

13. On a vehicle operating within a dispatch environment, a system for inferring useful information from information related to a position of said vehicle, comprising:

a bus for interconnecting a plurality of components;

a processing device coupled to said bus for controlling said system;

a location determining component coupled to said bus for determining a position of said vehicle;

an event monitor coupled to said bus for receiving an input from an event monitoring device, wherein said event monitoring device generates said input upon the occurrence of an event undergone by said vehicle;

a clock coupled to said bus for determining time of occurrence of said event;

a data store coupled to said bus for storing said information; and

a reporting functionality coupled to said bus for reporting said information within said discharge environment wherein, within said dispatch environment, a process is performed for determining an arrival of said vehicle at a job site, said process comprising;

a) receiving an indication that said vehicle engaged in a stop event;

b) storing a time and a position corresponding to a location of said stop event;

c) receiving an indication that said vehicle engaged in a trigger event;

d) in response to said c), logging said time and said position;

e) determining a window of value for said time wherein said window characterizes an earliest acceptable value and a latest acceptable value of said time; and

f) determining a range of distance from said job site wherein said range characterizes a maximum acceptable distance from said job site.

14. The system as recited in claim 13 wherein said reporting functionality is selected from the group consisting essentially of a wireless transmitter and a data port.

15. The system as recited in claim 13 wherein said processing device is selected from the group consisting essentially of microprocessors and microcontrollers.

16. The system as recited in claim 13 wherein said location determining component comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS).

17. In a computer system operating in a dispatch environment having a dispatch site, a vehicle, and a job site, a computer usable medium having a computer readable program code embodied therein for causing said computer system to execute a method for determining an arrival of said vehicle at said job site, said method comprising:

a) receiving an indication that said vehicle engaged in a stop event;

b) storing a time and a geographic position corresponding to a location of said stop event;

c) receiving an indication that said vehicle engaged in a trigger event; and

d) in response to said c), logging said time and said position;

wherein a location of said job site is not known beforehand;

e) determining a window of value for said time wherein said window characterizes an earliest acceptable value and a latest acceptable value of said time; and

f) determining a range of distance from said job site wherein said range characterizes a maximum acceptable distance from said job site.

18. The computer usable medium as recited in claim 17 wherein said method further comprises:

g) logging a departure from said dispatch site, wherein said g) is performed prior to said a).

19. The computer usable medium as recited in claim 17 wherein said stop event, said trigger event, said time, and said position respectively comprise a first stop event, a first trigger event, a first time and a first position, and wherein said method further comprises:

h) queuing said first time and said first position in a queue;

i) receiving an indication that said vehicle engaged in a second stop event and an indication that said vehicle engaged in a second trigger event;

j) determining that said queue is full; and

k) replacing said first time and said first position in said queue respectively with said second time and said second position.

20. The computer usable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein said method further comprises:

l) determining that said time and said position respectively correspond to a value within said window and said range; and

m) logging said time and said position accordingly.

21. The computer usable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein said method further comprises:

n) storing a time and a position corresponding to said c);

o) determining that a value selected from the group consisting of said time and said position does not correspond to a value respectively within said window and said range; and

p) logging said time and said position corresponding to said c) accordingly.

22. The computer usable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein said method further comprises:

q) reporting said time and said position.

23. In a dispatch environment having a dispatch site, a vehicle, and a job site, a method for determining an arrival of said vehicle at said job site, comprising:

a) receiving an indication that said vehicle engaged in a trigger event;

b) in response to said a), logging a time and a position corresponding to a location of said trigger event;

c) receiving an indication that said vehicle engaged in a stop event;

d) storing a time and a position corresponding to a location of said stop event;

wherein c) and said d) are performed prior to said a);

e) determining a window of value for said time wherein said window characterizes an earliest acceptable value and a latest acceptable value of said time; and

f) determining a range of distance from said job site wherein said range characterizes a maximum acceptable distance from said job site.

24. The method as recited in claim 23 further comprising:

g) logging a departure from said dispatch site, wherein said g) is performed prior to said c).

25. The method as recited in claim 23 wherein said slop event, said trigger event, said time, and said position respectively comprise a first stop event, a first trigger event, a first time and a first position, further comprising

h) queuing said first time and said first position in a queue;

i) receiving an indication that said vehicle engaged in a second stop event and an indication that said vehicle engaged in a second trigger event;

j) determining that said queue is full; and

k) replacing said first time and said first position in said queue respectively with said second time and said second position.

26. The method as recited in claim 23 further comprising:

l) determining that said time and said position respectively correspond to a value within said window and said range; and

m) logging said time and said position accordingly.

27. The method as recited in claim 23 further comprising:

n) storing a time and a position corresponding to said a);

o) determining that a value selected from the group consisting of said time and said position does not correspond to a value respectively within said window and said range; and

p) logging said time and said position corresponding to said c) accordingly.

28. The method as recited in claim 23 further comprising:

q) reporting said time and said position.

29. The method as recited in claim 28 wherein said q) comprises an action selected from the group consisting essentially of communicating said information in real time and downloading said information subsequently.

30. The method as recited in claim 29 wherein said communicating is performed wirelessly.

31. The method as recited in claim 29 wherein said q) comprises directing said position to a party selected from the group consisting essentially of a dispatch center and another vehicle.

32. The method as recited in claim 23 wherein a location of said job site is not known beforehand.

33. The method as recited in claim 23 wherein said position comprises a geographic position.

34. The method as recited in claim 23 wherein said trigger event comprises an occurrence selected from the group consisting essentially of:

an action taken by an operator of said vehicle;

a movement of a component of said vehicle;

an activity performed by said vehicle;

a re-positioning of a structure of said vehicle;

a change in the speed of operation of a part of said vehicle;

a change in the direction of operation of a part of said vehicle; and

an operation of a control mechanism of said vehicle.