Intelligent vehicle fleet systems and methods

• US 7,487,019 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: United States Postal Service (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Corey, William Wayne, Estes, Jacquelynn
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US10/956,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20050222723A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,587 Days
• Field of Search: 701/25, 701/29, 701/33, 701/36, 701/30, 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/439, 340/426.18, 340/426.19
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• 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

Methods and systems for intelligent vehicle fleets are disclosed. An intelligent vehicle may function as a mobile office reducing the need for users to perform work functions in a brick-and-mortar building. Methods or systems consistent with the invention may manage vehicle fleets, or provide intelligent vehicle subsystems, or acquire address information using an intelligent vehicle. A method to manage vehicle fleets may include receiving at a remote computer communicated maintenance data from information collection devices installed in the intelligent vehicle.

Claims

1. An intelligent vehicle subsystem for a vehicle, comprising:

a reading device configured to acquire address information from a tag attached to a reference point associated with a location;

a scanning device configured to scan information coded on one or more items to be delivered that were loaded onto the vehicle at the location;

a tag reader configured to read information contained in tags associated with containers for storing the one or more items to be delivered;

a global positioning sensor configured to determine a location of the vehicle; and

a user terminal configured to communicate with a remote computer at least one of the information coded on the one or more items to be delivered, at least a portion of the information contained in tags associated with the containers storing the one or more items to be delivered, or a location of the vehicle.

2. The intelligent vehicle subsystem of claim 1, wherein the scanning device is a handheld scanner.

3. The intelligent vehicle subsystem of claim 1 further comprising a maintenance module configured to acquire maintenance information concerning the status of at least one component of the vehicle.

4. The intelligent vehicle subsystem of claim 3, wherein the user terminal is further configured to automatically transmit to a remote computer maintenance information concerning the status of the at least one component of the vehicle.

5. The intelligent vehicle subsystem of claim 1, wherein the user terminal is further configured to communicate with a remote computer time and attendance information concerning at least one vehicle user.

6. The intelligent vehicle subsystem of claim 1, wherein the tag attached to the reference point is an RFID tag.

7. The intelligent vehicle subsystem of claim 1, wherein the reference point associated with the address is a mailbox.

8. The intelligent vehicle subsystem of claim 1, further comprising:

a transmitting device configured to transmit address information for a location where one of the containers is unloaded from the vehicle.

9. An intelligent vehicle subsystem for a vehicle, comprising:

a reading device configured to acquire address information from a tag attached to a reference point associated with a location;

a mail scanner configured to scan information coded on one or more mail pieces that were loaded onto the vehicle at the location;

a tag reader configured to read information contained in tags associated with mail containers;

a global positioning sensor configured to determine a location of the vehicle; and

a user terminal configured to communicate with a remote computer at least one of the information coded on the one or more mail pieces, at least a portion of the information contained in tags associated with the mail containers, or a location of the vehicle.

10. The intelligent vehicle subsystem of claim 9, wherein the mail scanner is a handheld scanner.

11. The intelligent vehicle subsystem of claim 9 further comprising a maintenance module configured to acquire maintenance information concerning at least one component of the vehicle.

12. The intelligent vehicle subsystem of claim 11, wherein the user terminal is further configured to communicate with a remote computer maintenance information concerning the at least one component of the vehicle.

13. The intelligent vehicle subsystem of claim 9, wherein the user terminal is further configured to communicate with a remote computer time and attendance information concerning at least one mail carrier.

14. The intelligent vehicle subsystem of claim 9, wherein the tag attached to the reference point is an RFID tag.

15. The intelligent vehicle subsystem of claim 9, wherein the reference point associated with the address is a mailbox.

16. The intelligent vehicle subsystem of claim 9, further comprising:

a transmitting device configured to transmit address information for a location where one of the containers is unloaded from the vehicle.

17. A system of intelligent delivery vehicles, comprising:

one or more delivery vehicles;

a reading device configured to acquire address information from a tag attached to a reference point associated with a location;

a scanning device configured to scan information coded on one or more items to be delivered that were loaded onto the vehicle at the location;

a tag reader configured to read information contained in tags associated with containers for storing items to be delivered;

a global positioning sensor configured to determine a location of the delivery vehicle;

at least one remote computer comprising a database to store communicated information; and

a user terminal configured to communicate with the at least one remote computer at least one of the information coded on the one or more items to be delivered, at least a portion of the information contained in tags associated with the containers for storing the one or more items to be delivered, or a location of the one or more delivery vehicles.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising:

information collection devices installed in at least one delivery vehicle and configured to communicate vehicle component status data to the user terminal in the delivery vehicle in which they are installed; and

the remote computer comprises a maintenance information table in which to store vehicle component status data that may be communicated from the user terminal.

19. The system of intelligent delivery vehicles of claim 17, wherein the tag attached to the reference point is an RFID tag.

20. The system of intelligent delivery vehicles of claim 17, wherein the reference point associated with the address is a mailbox.

21. The system of intelligent delivery vehicles of claim 17, further comprising:

a transmitting device configured to transmit address information for a location where one of the containers is unloaded from one of the one or more delivery vehicles.

22. An intelligent vehicle subsystem for a vehicle, comprising:

a reading device configured to acquire address information from a tag attached to a reference point associated with a location;

a scanning device configured to scan information coded on one or more items to be delivered that were loaded onto the vehicle at the location;

a tag reader configured to read information contained in tags associated with containers for storing the one or more items to be delivered; and

a global positioning sensor configured to determine a location of the vehicle.