System and process to ensure performance of mandated inspections

• US 7,117,121 B2
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zonar Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Zonar Compliance Systems, LLC
• Inventors: McQuade, Charles Michael, Brinton, William Jr., Manegold, Eric S., Mayer, Daniel R., Brinton, Brett A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGHIEM, MICHAEL P
• Application Number:
  US10/862,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20050021283A1
• Time in Patent Office: 852 Days
• Field of Search: 702/94, 702/97, 702/150, 702/158, 702/182, 701/29, 701/33
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• 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 method and apparatus to provide evidence that a person who is intended to make a required inspection was actually physically present at a predefined location associated with the inspection, so that the inspection could have been done, and if not, to provide an indication of the failure to perform the inspection. This invention is particularly well suited to determine if required pre/post-trip inspections of vehicles have been performed. Detecting a triggering condition, such as powering on (or off) equipment, indicates the beginning of a period of time during which the inspection is to be performed. The monitoring system waits for a predetermined event to occur, which indicates the period of time has expired and determines if data corresponding to the inspection have been received. If not, it is concluded that the inspection has not been performed.

Claims

1. A method for verifying whether a post-trip inspection of a vehicle has been performed, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting that the vehicle has completed a trip;

(b) after the trip has been completed, transmitting a signal indicating that a person has moved through the vehicle to a predefined location within the vehicle, while nominally conducting the post-trip inspection of the vehicle; and

(c) determining whether the signal has been received before a predefined event occurs, and if not, determining that the person has not yet completed the post-trip inspection of the vehicle, wherein if it is determined that the person has not yet completed the post-trip inspection of the vehicle, performing at least one of the following functions;

(i) storing data indicating that the person has not yet completed the post-trip inspection of the vehicle;

(ii) displaying a status message indicating that the person has not yet completed the post-trip inspection of the vehicle; and

(iii) producing an alarm.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the alarm includes at least one of the following:

(a) an audible alarm that is audible outside the vehicle; and

(b) a visible alarm that is visible outside the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting that the vehicle has completed a trip includes the step of uniquely identifying the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of uniquely identifying the vehicle comprises the step of remotely reading a token on the vehicle, said token being uniquely associated with the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transmitting the signal occurs in response to at least one of the steps of:

(a) reading a token that is disposed in the predefined location;

(b) actuating a switch that is disposed in the predefined location, said switch being actuated by the person upon reaching the predefined location; and

(c) reading a unique identification code that is disposed proximate the predefined location, with a sensor.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the person carries a portable device when moving to the predefined location through the vehicle, farther comprising the step of using the portable device to read the unique identification code that is disposed at the predefined location.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of displaying at least one prompt to the person on the portable device regarding the post-trip inspection.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the predefined event comprises at least one of:

(a) a lapse of a predefined interval of time since detecting that the vehicle completed the trip;

(b) a lapse of a predetermined time after powering off the vehicle; and

(c) activating a switch that is external to the vehicle, where activation of the switch is intended to indicate that at least the post-trip inspection has been completed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting that the vehicle has completed the trip comprises the step of sensing the vehicle arriving at a location that corresponds to an end of the trip.

10. A system for verifying whether a post-trip inspection of a vehicle has been performed, comprising:

(a) a detector that detects when the vehicle has completed a trip, by producing a first signal indicative thereof

(b) a sensor that produces a second signal indicating that a person has reached a predefined location within the vehicle, said predefined location being accessible only by moving through an interior of the vehicle while nominally completing a post-trip inspection of the vehicle; and

(c) a monitor that receives the first signal from the detector and the second signal from the sensor, said monitor producing an indication that the person cannot yet have performed the post-trip inspection of the vehicle, if the second signal has not been received by the monitor before a predefined event occurs after the first signal was received by the monitor.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

(a) a transmitter for transmitting the second signal produced by the sensor; and

(b) a receiver that receives the second signal, producing an output in response thereto, the output signal being conveyed to the monitor.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the detector comprises one of the following:

(a) a pressure sensor disposed at a location corresponding to an end of the trip, said pressure sensor responding to a weight of the vehicle by producing the first signal;

(b) a light sensor disposed at a location corresponding to an end of the trip, said light sensor detecting passage of the vehicle past the light sensor, interrupting light received by the light sensor from a source, producing the first signal;

(c) a video camera disposed at a location corresponding to an end of the trip, said video camera producing an image of at least a portion of the vehicle that is indicative of the vehicle being at the location, causing the first signal to be produced;

(d) a radio frequency (RF) source and an RF detector, one of the RF source and the RF detector being disposed on the vehicle, and the other of the RF source and the RF detector being disposed at a location corresponding to an end of the trip, said RF detector responding to a radio signal from the RF source when the vehicle completes the trip, producing the first signal; and

(e) a token reading device that responds to a token disposed on the vehicle that is read by the token reading device when the vehicle has completed the trip, producing the first signal.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the first signal is conveyed to the monitor over at least one of:

(a) a wireless communication link; and

(b) a wired communication link.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the second signal is conveyed to the monitor over at least one of:

(a) a wireless communication link; and

(b) a wired communication link.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensor comprises a responder that responds by producing the second signal when the responder is proximate a token, one of the token and the responder being disposed at the predefined location within the vehicle, and the other of the token and the responder being portable and carried by a person moving to the predefined location within the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the responder includes a display on which at least one prompt regarding the post-trip inspection is displayed to a person.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the detector comprises a responder that responds by producing the first signal when the responder is proximate a token, one of the token and the responder being disposed proximate an area where the detector detects when the vehicle has completed a trip, and the other of the token and the responder being portable and carried by the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 10, further comprising an optically encoded identifier, wherein the sensor comprises an optical reader for reading the optically encoded identifier, at least one of the optical reader and the optically encoded identifier being disposed at the predefined location within the vehicle and the other of the optical reader and the optically encoded identifier being carried by a person moving to the predefined location within the vehicle.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensor comprises a switch that is actuated by a person arriving at the predefined location, causing the second signal to be produced.

21. The system of claim 10, wherein one of the first signal and the second signal uniquely identifies the vehicle.

22. The system of claim 10, wherein the indication is an alarm condition and comprises at least one of:

(a) a status message that is displayed on the monitor;

(b) an audible sound; and

(c) a visible light.

23. The system of claim 10, wherein the predefined event comprises at least one of:

(a) lapse of a predefined interval of time since detecting that the vehicle completed the trip;

(b) lapse of a predetermined time after powering off the vehicle; and

(c) activation of a switch that is external to the vehicle, wherein activation of the switch is intended to indicate that at least the post-trip inspection has been completed.

20. The system of further comprising a transmitter, wherein the switch actuates the transmitter, causing it to transmit the second signal.

24. A method for verifying whether at least one of a pre-trip inspection and a post-trip inspection of a vehicle has been performed, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a triggering condition, the triggering condition indicating at least one of the following;

(i) the vehicle is about to start at least a segment of a trip; and

(ii) the vehicle has completed at least the segment of the trip;

(b) after the triggering condition has been detected, transmitting a signal indicating that a person has been proximate at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle, while nominally conducting at least one of the pre-trip inspection and the post-trip inspection of the vehicle; and

(c) determining whether the signal has been received before a predefined event occurs, and if not, determining that the person cannot yet have completed the at least one of the pre-trip inspection and the post-trip inspection of the vehicle, wherein if it is determined that the person cannot have completed the at least one of the pre-trip inspection and the post-trip inspection of the vehicle, performing at least one of the following functions;

(i) storing data indicating that the person cannot have completed the at least one of the pre-trip inspection and the post-trip inspection of the vehicle;

(ii) displaying a status message indicating that the person cannot have completed the at least one of the pre-trip inspection and the post-trip inspection of the vehicle; and

(iii) producing an alarm.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the alarm includes at least one of:

(a) an audible alarm that is audible outside the vehicle; and

(b) a visible alarm that is visible outside the vehicle.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of detecting the triggering condition comprises the step of uniquely identifying the vehicle.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of uniquely identifying the vehicle comprises the step of remotely reading a token on the vehicle, said token being uniquely associated with the vehicle.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of transmitting the signal occurs in response to at least one of the steps of:

(a) reading a token that is disposed proximate the at least one predefined location;

(b) wherein the at least one predefined location comprises a plurality of predefined locations, reading a plurality of tokens, each of which is disposed proximate a different one of the plurality of predefined locations, such that the signal is not transmitted until the plurality of tokens have been read;

(c) actuating a switch that is disposed proximate the at least one predefined location, said switch being actuated by the person upon reaching the at least one predefined location;

(d) wherein the at least one predefined location comprises a plurality of predefined locations, actuating a plurality of switches, each of which is disposed proximate a different one of the plurality of predefined locations, each switch being actuated by the person upon reaching the predefined location to which the switch is proximate, such that the signal is not transmitted until the plurality of switches are activated;

(e) reading a unique identification code that is disposed proximate the at least one predefined location, with a sensor; and

(f) wherein the at least one predefined location comprises a plurality of predefined locations, reading a plurality of unique identification codes, each of which is disposed proximate a different one of the plurality of predefined locations, with a sensor, such that the signal is not transmitted until the plurality of unique identification codes are read.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the person carries a portable device when performing the at least one of the pre-trip inspection and the post-trip inspection of the vehicle, farther comprising the step of using the portable device to read each unique identification code that is disposed proximate the predefined locations.

30. The method of claim 29, farther comprising the step of displaying at least one prompt to the person on the portable device regarding the at least one of the pre-trip inspection and the post-tip inspection.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein the predefined event comprises at least one of:

(a) a lapse of a predefined interval of time since detecting that the vehicle is about to begin at least the segment of the trip;

(b) a lapse of a predetermined time after powering on the vehicle;

(c) activating a switch that is external to the vehicle, where activation of the switch is intended to indicate that at least the pre-trip inspection has been completed;

(d) a lapse of a predefined interval of time since detecting that the vehicle completed at least the segment of the trip;

(e) a lapse of a predetermined time after powering off the vehicle; and

(f) activating a switch that is external to the vehicle, where activation of the switch is intended to indicate that the at least one of the pre-trip and the post-trip inspection has been completed.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of detecting a triggering condition comprises at least one of the steps of:

(a) sensing that the vehicle is disposed at a location that corresponds to a beginning of at least the segment of the trip;

(b) sensing that the vehicle has departed from a location that corresponds to the end of a previous trip;

(c) sensing that the vehicle has been powered on; and

(d) determining that a predefined period of time has elapsed since a previous post-trip inspection.

33. The method of claim 24, wherein the step of detecting a triggering condition comprises at least one of the steps of:

(a) sensing that the vehicle has arrived at a location that corresponds to an end of at least the segment of the trip;

(b) sensing that the vehicle has been powered off; and

(c) determining that a predefined period of time has elapsed since a previous pre-trip inspection.

34. A system for producing an indication that at least one of a pre-trip inspection and a post-trip inspection of a vehicle has not been performed, comprising:

(a) a detector that detects a triggering condition and produces a first signal indicative thereof, the triggering condition indicating at least one of the following;

(i) the vehicle is about to start at least a segment of a trip; and

(ii) the vehicle has completed at least the segment of the trip;

(b) a sensor configured to produce a second signal indicating that a person has reached at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle, the at least one predefined location generally corresponding to an area to be inspected during the at least one of the pre-trip inspection and the post-trip inspection; and

(c) a monitor that receives the first signal from the detector and the second signal from the sensor, said monitor producing an indication that the person cannot yet have performed the post-trip inspection of the vehicle, if the second signal has not been received by the monitor before a predefined event occurs after the first signal was received by the monitor.

35. The system of claim 34, further comprising:

(a) a transmitter for transmitting the second signal produced by the sensor; and

(b) a receiver that receives the second signal, producing an output in response thereto, the output signal being conveyed to the monitor.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the detector comprises one of the following:

(a) a pressure sensor disposed at a location corresponding to at least one of an end of a segment of the trip and a beginning of a segment of the trip, said pressure sensor responding to a weight of the vehicle by producing the first signal;

(b) a light sensor disposed at a location corresponding to at least one of an end of a segment of the trip and a beginning of a segment of the trip, said light sensor detecting passage of the vehicle past the light sensor, interrupting light received by the light sensor from a source, producing the first signal;

(c) a video camera disposed at a location corresponding to at least one of an end of a segment of the trip and a beginning of a segment of the trip, said video camera producing an image of at least a portion of the vehicle that is indicative of the vehicle being at the location, causing the first signal to be produced;

(d) a radio frequency (RF) source and an RF detector, one of the RF source and the RF detector being disposed on the vehicle, and the other of the RF source and the RF detector being disposed at a location corresponding to at least one of an end of a segment of the trip and a beginning of a segment of the trip, said RF detector responding to a radio signal from the RF source when the vehicle completes the trip, producing the first signal; and

(e) a token reading device that responds to a token disposed on the vehicle that is read by the token reading device when the vehicle has completed the trip, producing the first signal.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein the detector comprises one of the following:

(a) a detector configured to determine that the vehicle has been powered up; and

(b) a detector configured to determine that the vehicle has been powered down.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein one of the first signal and the second signal uniquely identifies the vehicle.

39. The system of claim 34, wherein the predetermined event comprises at least one of:

(a) lapse of a predetermined time after powering up the vehicle;

(b) lapse of a predetermined time after powering down the vehicle; and

(c) activation of a switch that is external to the vehicle, wherein activation of the switch is intended to indicate that the at least one of the pre-trip and the post-trip inspection has been completed.

40. The system of claim 34, wherein the sensor comprises a responder that responds by producing the second signal when the responder is proximate a token, one of the token and the responder being disposed at the at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle, and the other of the token and the responder being portable and carried by a person moving to the at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle.

41. The system of claim 34, further comprising an optically encoded identifier, wherein the sensor comprises an optical reader for reading the optically encoded identifier, one of the optical reader and the optically encoded identifier being disposed at the at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle and the other of the optical reader and the optically encoded identifier being carried by a person moving to the at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle.

42. The system of claim 34, wherein the sensor comprises a switch that is actuated by a person arriving at the at least one predefined location, causing the second signal to be produced.

43. A method for verifying whether at least one of a pre-trip inspection and a post-trip inspection of a vehicle is likely to have been performed by a person, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a triggering condition, the triggering condition indicating at least one of the following;

(i) the vehicle is about to start at least a segment of a trip; and

(ii) the vehicle has completed at least the segment of the trip;

(b) waiting for a predefined event to occur;

(c) determining whether the person has been proximate at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle, while nominally conducting at least one of the pre-trip inspection and the post-trip inspection of the vehicle, based upon an indication provided when the person is proximate the at least one predefined location; and

(d) if it has been determined that the person has not been proximate at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle, then transmitting a signal indicating that the person has not yet completed the at least one of the pre-trip inspection and the post-trip inspection of the vehicle.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein a plurality of predefined locations is associated with the vehicle, and the step of transmitting the signal comprises the step of identifying those predefined locations for which no indication exists.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the step of determining that the person has been proximate the at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle comprises the step of determining if a switch disposed adjacent to the at least one predefined location has been activated, activation of the switch comprising the indication.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein the person carries a portable device, further comprising the step of using the portable device to activate the switch disposed at the at least one predefined location.

47. The method of claim 43, wherein the predefined event comprises at least one of:

(a) a lapse of a predefined interval of time since detecting the triggering condition; and

(b) activating a switch that is external to the vehicle, where activation of the switch is intended to indicate that the at least one of the pre-trip and the post-trip inspection has been completed.

48. A method for verifying whether at least one of a pre-trip inspection and a post-trip inspection of a vehicle has been performed, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a triggering condition, the triggering condition indicating at least one of the following;

(i) the vehicle is about to start at least a segment of a trip; and

(ii) the vehicle has completed at least the segment of the trip;

(b) waiting for a first predefined event to occur;

(c) determining if a second predefined event has occurred, and if not, determining that the person has not yet completed the at least one of the pre-trip inspection and the post-trip inspection of the vehicle; and

(d) transmitting a signal indicating that the person has not yet completed the at least one of the pre-trip inspection and the post-trip inspection of the vehicle.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the second predefined event comprises the activation of a switch disposed proximate the at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the person carries a portable device, further comprising the step of using the portable device to activate the switch disposed proximate the at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle.

51. The method of claim 48, wherein the person carries a portable device, and the second predefined event comprises the person using the portable device to read a token that is disposed proximate the at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle.

52. The method of claim 48, wherein the person carries a portable device, and the second predefined event comprises the person using the portable device to read a unique identification code that is disposed proximate the at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle.

53. The method of claim 48, wherein the first predefined event comprises at least one of:

(a) a lapse of a predefined interval of time since detecting the triggering condition; and

(b) activating a switch that is external to the vehicle, where activation of the switch is intended to indicate that the at least one of the pre-trip and the post-trip inspection has been completed.

54. A system for producing an indication when at least one of a pre-trip inspection and a post-trip inspection of a vehicle has not been performed, comprising:

(a) a detector that detects a triggering condition and produces a first signal indicative thereof, the triggering condition indicating at least one of the following;

(i) the vehicle is about to start at least a segment of a trip; and

(ii) the vehicle has completed at least the segment of the trip; and

(b) a sensor configured to receive the first signal, to produce a second signal, and to transmit the second signal, the second signal being a wireless communication not limited by a line of sight, the second signal being produced only if each of the following conditions are met;

(i) the first signal has been received;

(ii) a predefined event has occurred; and

(iii) the sensor has not detected that a person has been proximate at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle, the at least one predefined location generally corresponding to an area to be inspected during the at least one of the pre-trip inspection and the post-trip inspection, the second signal thus indicating that a person has not yet completed the at least one of the pre-trip inspection and the post-trip inspection of the vehicle.

55. The system of claim 54, further comprising a wireless receiver configured to receive the second signal, the wireless receiver being disposed at a location that is remote from the sensor, and producing an indication that a person has not yet completed the at least one of the pre-trip inspection and the post-trip inspection of the vehicle.

56. The system of claim 54, further comprising a monitor that receives the second signal from the sensor, said monitor producing an indication that a person has not yet performed the at least one of the pre-trip inspection and the post-trip inspection of the vehicle.

57. The system of claim 54, wherein the detector comprises one of the following:

(a) a pressure sensor disposed at a location corresponding to at least one of an end of a segment of the trip and a beginning of a segment of the trip, said pressure sensor responding to a weight of the vehicle by producing the first signal;

(b) a light sensor disposed at a location corresponding to at least one of an end of a segment of the trip and a beginning of a segment of the trip, said light sensor detecting passage of the vehicle past the light sensor, interrupting light received by the light sensor from a source, producing the first signal;

(c) a video camera disposed at a location corresponding to at least one of an end of a segment of the trip and a beginning of a segment of the trip, said video camera producing an image of at least a portion of the vehicle that is indicative of the vehicle being at the location, causing the first signal to be produced;

(d) a radio frequency (RF) source and an RF detector, one of the RF source and the RF detector being disposed on the vehicle, and the other of the RF source and the RF detector being disposed at a location corresponding to at least one of an end of a segment of the trip and a beginning of a segment of the trip, said RF detector responding to a radio signal from the RF source when the vehicle completes the trip, producing the first signal; and

(e) a token reading device that responds to a token disposed on the vehicle that is read by the token reading device when the vehicle has completed the trip, producing the first signal.

58. The system of claim 54, wherein the first signal is conveyed to the sensor over at least one of:

(a) a wireless communication link; and

(b) a wired communication link.

59. The system of claim 54, wherein the sensor is disposed proximate the at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle.

60. The system of claim 59, wherein the sensor comprises:

(a) a switch that can be activated by a person to verify a person was proximate the at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle;

(b) a wireless transmitter configured to transmit the second signal; and

(c) a processor logically coupled to the switch and the wireless transmitter, the processor determining if the conditions are met, and if so, controlling the wireless transmitter to transmit the second signal.

61. The system of claim 60, wherein the switch comprises at least one of a token and a responder, and the other of the token and the responder being portable and carried by a person moving to at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle, the switch being activated when the token and the responder are placed in proximity to each other.

62. The system of claim 61, wherein the responder is portable and includes a display on which at least one prompt regarding the at least one of the pre-trip and post-trip inspection is displayed to a person.

63. The system of claim 54, further comprising an optically encoded identifier, wherein the sensor comprises an optical reader for reading the optically encoded identifier, at least one of the optical reader and the optically encoded identifier being disposed proximate the at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle and the other of the optical reader and the optically encoded identifier being carried by a person moving to the predefined location within the vehicle.

64. The system of claim 54, further comprising an RF source, wherein the sensor comprises an RF detector, one of the RF source and the RF detector being disposed proximate the at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle and the other of the RF source and the RF detector being carried by a person moving to the predefined location within the vehicle.

65. The system of claim 54, wherein the sensor is portable and configured to be carried by a person performing the at least one of the pre-trip inspection and the post-trip inspection.

66. The system of claim 54, wherein the second signal uniquely identifies the vehicle.

67. The system of claim 54, wherein the second signal uniquely identifies the at least one predefined location associated with the vehicle that a person has not been proximate, and thus cannot yet have inspected.

68. A method for verifying whether an inspection has likely been performed, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a triggering condition, the triggering condition corresponding to the beginning of a period during which the inspection should be performed;

(b) after the triggering condition has been detected, transmitting a signal indicating that a person has been proximate at least one predefined location associated with the inspection, while nominally performing the inspection; and

(c) determining whether the signal has been received before a predefined event occurs, the predefined event corresponding to the end of a period during which the inspection should be, and if not, determining that the person cannot yet have completed the inspection, wherein if it is determined that the person cannot have completed the inspection, performing at least one of the following functions;

storing data indicating that the person cannot have completed the inspection;

(ii) displaying a status message indicating that the person cannot have completed the inspection; and

(iii) producing an alarm condition.

69. A system for verifying whether an inspection has likely been performed, comprising:

(a) a detector that detects a triggering condition, the triggering condition corresponding to the beginning of a period during which the inspection should be performed, the detector producing a first signal indicative thereof;

(b) a sensor that produces a second signal indicating that a person has reached a predefined location associated with the inspection, while nominally performing the inspection; and

(c) a monitor that receives the first signal from the detector and the second signal from the sensor, said monitor producing an indication that the person cannot yet have performed the inspection, if the second signal has not been received by the monitor before a predefined event occurs after the first signal was received by the monitor, the predefined event corresponding to the end of a period during which the inspection should be performed.

70. A method for verifying whether an inspection has likely been performed, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a triggering condition, the triggering condition corresponding to the beginning of a period during which the inspection should be performed;

(b) waiting for a predefined event to occur, the predefined event corresponding to the end of a period during which the inspection should be performed;

(c) determining whether a person has been proximate at least one predefined location associated with the inspection, while nominally performing the inspection, based upon an indication provided when the person is proximate the at least one predefined location; and

(d) if it has been determined that a person has not been proximate at least one predefined location, based upon a lack of the indication, then transmitting a signal indicating that the person has not yet performed the inspection.

71. A method for verifying whether an inspection has likely been performed, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a triggering condition, the triggering condition corresponding to the beginning of a period during which the inspection should be performed;

(b) waiting for a predefined event to occur, the predefined event corresponding to the end of a period during which the inspection should be performed;

(c) determining if a second predefined event has occurred, and if not, determining that a person has not yet completed the inspection; and

(d) transmitting a signal indicating that the person has not yet performed the inspection.

72. The method of claim 71, wherein the second predefined event comprises at least one of:

(a) the activation of a switch disposed proximate at least one predefined location associated with the inspection; and

(b) wherein the person carries a portable device, and the second predefined event comprises the person using the portable device to read a unique identification code that is disposed proximate at least one predefined location associated with the inspection.

73. A system for producing an indication when an inspection has not been performed, comprising:

(a) a detector that detects a triggering condition, the triggering condition corresponding to the beginning of a period during which the inspection should be performed, the detector producing a first signal indicative thereof; and

(b) a sensor configured to receive the first signal, to produce a second signal, and to transmit the second signal, the second signal being a wireless communication not limited by a line of sight, the second signal being produced only if all of the following conditions are met;

(i) the first signal has been received;

(ii) a predefined event has occurred, the predefined event corresponding to an end of a period during which the inspection should be performed; and

(iii) the sensor has not detected that a person has been proximate at least one predefined location generally corresponding to an area to be inspected during the inspection, the second signal thus indicating that a person has not yet completed the inspection.

74. The system of claim 73, wherein the sensor is disposed proximate the at least one predefined location, the sensor comprising:

(a) a switch that can be activated only when a person is proximate the at least one predefined location;

(b) a wireless transmitter configured to transmit the second signal; and

(c) a processor logically coupled to the switch and the wireless transmitter, the processor determining if the conditions are met, and if so, controlling the wireless transmitter to transmit the second signal.

75. The system of claim 73, further comprising a token, and wherein the sensor comprises a reader for reading the token, at least one of the reader and the token being disposed proximate the at least one predefined location, and the other of the reader and the token being carried by a person assigned to perform the inspection.

76. The system of claim 73, further comprising a token disposed proximate the at least one location, and wherein the sensor comprises a reader for reading the token, the reader being configured to be carried by a person assigned to perform the inspection.

77. The system of claim 76, wherein the sensor further comprises:

(a) a wireless transmitter configured to transmit the second signal; and

(b) a processor logically coupled to the switch and the wireless transmitter, the processor determining if the conditions are met, and if so, controlling the wireless transmitter to transmit the second signal.