Ensuring the performance of mandated inspections combined with the collection of ancillary data

• US 7,362,229 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2005
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• 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, Brett A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Previl; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/247,953
• Publication Number:
  US 20060081697A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/825.71, 340/825.72, 340/825.69, 340/825.62, 340/10.1, 340/10.6, 340/933, 340/431, 731/21, 736/32, 736/33, 736/40, 702/182, 702/127
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0479 Communicating with external units being not part of the vehicle, e.g. tools for diagnostic, mobile phones, electronic keys or service stations
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/0483 Wireless routers between wheel mounted transmitters and chassis mounted receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

During an inspection discrete checkpoints provide data to a portable reader, enabling a record to be generated identifying each checkpoint visited during an inspection. At least one checkpoint associated with the inspection will convey ancillary data to the portable device, either in lieu of, or in addition to, a checkpoint ID uniquely identifying a location or component inspected. The ID is not ancillary data, because the only function of the ID is to verify that an inspector was present at a particular location or component. In contrast, ancillary data are data that have an additional utility. For example, a sensor may be disposed in proximity of the component or location to be inspected. Data collected by such a sensor represents ancillary data, because such data does more than uniquely identify a particular location or component that was visited during an inspection.

Claims

1. A method for providing a record on a portable device that a location was visited during an inspection, while contemporaneously collecting ancillary data on the portable device, comprising the steps of:

(a) affixing a token adjacent to the location, the token having been selected from a group consisting of;

(i) a token comprising a radio frequency transponder that is excited by radio frequency energy emitted by the portable device, producing an altered radio frequency signal that is detected by the portable device;

(ii) a token comprising a pattern of magnetic flux, wherein the portable device detects the pattern of magnetic flux from the token to produce a signal indicative of a specific type of component associated with the token; and

(iii) a token comprising an optical pattern, wherein the portable device detects the optical pattern of a token to produce a signal indicative of a specific type of component associated with the token;

(b) enabling an operator to move the portable device proximate the location;

(c) in response to the portable device responding to the token to detect being moved proximate the location, automatically producing a record stored within the portable device that the portable device was proximate the location, said record providing evidence that the operator was sufficiently close to the location to perform an inspection at the location; and

(d) further in response to the portable device being moved proximate the location, automatically transferring and storing the ancillary data in the recording device, said ancillary data having been collected by a data collection device disposed proximate the location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of logically coupling the token to the data collection device, such that when the operator moves the portable device proximate the token, the portable device automatically produces the record and stores the ancillary data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of logically coupling the token to the data collection device comprises the step of coupling the token to at least one of:

(a) an odometer;

(b) an hour meter;

(c) a brake condition sensor;

(d) an engine sensor;

(e) a temperature sensor;

(f) a pressure sensor; and

(g) a position sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of affixing a plurality of tokens adjacent to a corresponding plurality of other locations that are to be visited during the inspection, each of the plurality of tokens being associated with and affixed adjacent to a different one of the plurality of other locations and causing the portable device to detect when it is proximate the other location associated with the token, to identify said other location, producing the record indicating that the operator was sufficiently close to the other location to perform an inspection at the other location.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the ancillary data relates to at least one of:

(a) an odometer reading;

(b) an hour meter reading;

(c) a brake condition;

(d) an engine condition;

(e) a temperature;

(f) a pressure; and

(g) a geographical position.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transferring the record and the ancillary data from the portable device to a storage that is separate from the portable device.

7. A method for using a portable device for collecting ancillary data that include data values of interest and indicate that a location was visited during an inspection, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a portable device for use in recording ancillary data related to the inspection, said portable device being capable of receiving the ancillary data from a data collection device that is disposed proximate the location, only when the portable device is also disposed proximate the location, the ancillary data having been collected by the data collection device; and

(b) enabling an operator to move the portable device proximate the location, such that the portable device automatically interrogates the data collection device, causing the ancillary data to be transferred to the portable device and thereby providing evidence that the operator was sufficiently close to the location to perform the inspection at the location.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the step of enabling the operator to move the portable device proximate the location comprises the step of automatically transferring ancillary data to the portable device relating to at least one of:

(a) an odometer reading;

(b) an hour meter reading;

(c) a brake condition;

(d) an engine condition;

(e) a temperature;

(f) a pressure; and

(g) a geographical position.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of transferring the ancillary data from the portable device to a storage that is separate from the portable device.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of logically coupling the data collection device configured to collect the ancillary data to at least one of:

(a) an odometer;

(b) an hour meter;

(c) a brake condition sensor;

(d) an engine sensor;

(e) a temperature sensor;

(f) a pressure sensor; and

(g) a position sensor.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of positioning the data collection device proximate the location before the inspection, the data collection device being coupled to a data transfer device to transfer the ancillary data to the portable device when interrogated, the data transfer device comprising at least one of:

(a) a radio frequency transponder that is excited by radio frequency energy emitted by the portable device, producing an altered radio frequency signal that is detected by the portable device;

(b) a token providing a pattern of magnetic flux, wherein the portable device detects the pattern of magnetic flux provided by the token to identify a specific type of component associated with the token; and

(c) an optically readable token having an optical pattern, wherein the portable device detects the optical pattern to produce a signal indicative of a specific type of component associated with the optically readable token.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of affixing a plurality of data transfer devices adjacent to a corresponding plurality of other locations that are to be visited during the inspection, each of the plurality of data transfer devices being associated with and affixed adjacent to a different one of the plurality of other locations, each data transfer device being configured to transfer at least one type of ancillary data collected by a data collection device with which the data transfer device is coupled and identification data to the portable device when the portable device is proximate the other location associated with the data transfer device to identify the other location, such that the at least one type of ancillary data and identification data received by the portable device while proximate to the other location provides evidence that the operator was sufficiently close to the other location to perform the inspection at the other location.

13. A system for providing evidence that a plurality of locations were visited during an inspection, comprising:

(a) a plurality of tokens, each token being associated with a different location that is to be visited during the inspection and affixed adjacent to the location, each token being configured to provide at least one of unique identification data that uniquely identifies the token, and at least one of the tokens being adapted to transfer ancillary data that have been collected by a data collection device to which the token is adapted to be coupled; and

(b) a portable device adapted to be transported to each location to be visited and inspected during the inspection, said portable device including;

(i) a housing;

(ii) a memory in which machine instructions and data are stored;

(iii) a sensor for detecting when the portable device is proximate each of the plurality of tokens, and thus within a predetermined maximum distance from each of the locations associated with the plurality of tokens, said sensor producing a signal indicating when the portable device is within the predetermined maximum distance from any of the locations;

(iv) a reader configured to collect ancillary data when the portable device is proximate any of the plurality of tokens that are coupled to a data collection device, and thus within the predetermined maximum distance from the location associated with the token, the reader responding to the signal that is produced by the sensor, by receiving the ancillary data from the token; and

(v) a controller coupled to the memory, the reader, and the sensor, said controller executing the machine instructions and, in response to the signal produced by the sensor, causing the memory to store data indicative of each location visited during the safety inspection, the stored data comprising the unique identification data and any ancillary data transferred from the token at the location.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor and reader are implemented as a single component.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the single component comprises a radio frequency receiver.

16. A system for providing evidence that a plurality of locations were visited during an inspection, comprising:

(a) a plurality of tokens, each token being associated with a different location that is to be visited during the inspection and affixed adjacent to the location, each token being configured to convey ancillary data collected by a data collection device adapted to be coupled to the token, the ancillary data conveyed by each token being uniquely discriminable and associated with only one of the plurality of locations to be inspected with which the token is associated; and

(b) a portable device adapted to be transported to each location to be visited and inspected during the inspection, said portable device including;

(i) a housing;

(ii) a memory in which machine instructions and data are stored;

(iii) a reader configured to collect ancillary data conveyed by any of the plurality of tokens when the portable device is proximate the token, and thus within a predetermined maximum distance from the location with which the token is associated, the reader receiving the ancillary data, said ancillary data being indicative that the portable device is within the predetermined maximum distance from said location; and

(iv) a controller coupled to the memory, the reader, and the sensor, said controller executing the machine instructions and, in response to the signal produced by the sensor, causing the memory to store the ancillary data that are indicative of each location visited during the inspection, as the ancillary data for the location are collected by the reader.

17. A method for providing a record on a portable device that a location was visited during an inspection, while contemporaneously collecting ancillary data on the portable device, comprising the steps of:

(a) affixing a plurality of tokens adjacent to a corresponding plurality of locations that are to be visited during the inspection, each of the plurality of tokens being associated with and affixed adjacent to a different one of the plurality of locations;

(b) enabling an operator to move the portable device proximate one of the plurality of locations;

(c) in response to the portable device responding to the token associated with said one of the plurality of locations in order to detect being moved proximate the location, automatically producing a record stored within the portable device that the portable device was proximate the location, said record providing evidence that the operator was sufficiently close to the location to perform an inspection at the location; and

(d) further in response to the portable device being moved proximate the location, automatically transferring and storing the ancillary data in the recording device, said ancillary data having been collected by a data collection device disposed proximate the location.

18. A method for providing a record on a portable device that a location was visited during an inspection, while contemporaneously collecting sensor data on the portable device, comprising the steps of:

(a) enabling an operator to move the portable device proximate the location;

(b) in response to the portable device being moved proximate the location, automatically producing a record stored within the portable device that the portable device was proximate the location, said record providing evidence that the operator was sufficiently close to the location to perform an inspection at the location; and

(c) further in response to the portable device being moved proximate the location, automatically transferring and storing the sensor data in the recording device.