Method and apparatus for preparing tax information in the trucking industry
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- electronically processing vehicle location data wherein the vehicle location data specifies a sequence of vehicle locations, wherein the processing determines if the sequence of vehicle locations form a sequence of the vehicle'"'"'s travel that is acceptable for the purposes of filing tax reports relating to the vehicle, wherein the acceptability of the sequence is determined according to one or more criteria;
identifying a part of the sequence as potentially or actually unacceptable, based on one or more gaps in distance or periods of time between the vehicle location data;
displaying to a user the identified potentially or actually unacceptable part of the sequence; and
providing the user one or more graphical user interface tools that the user can employ to assess the unacceptable part of the sequence.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus provide for electronically processing vehicle location data wherein the vehicle location data specifies a sequence of vehicle locations, and wherein the processing determines if the sequence of vehicle locations form a sequence of the vehicle'"'"'s travel that is acceptable for the purposes of filing tax reports relating to the vehicle. Processing further provides for determining the acceptability of the sequence according to one or more criteria, and provides a user tools that enable the user to accept or revise the vehicle location data for the unacceptable part of the sequence.
23 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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electronically processing vehicle location data wherein the vehicle location data specifies a sequence of vehicle locations, wherein the processing determines if the sequence of vehicle locations form a sequence of the vehicle'"'"'s travel that is acceptable for the purposes of filing tax reports relating to the vehicle, wherein the acceptability of the sequence is determined according to one or more criteria; identifying a part of the sequence as potentially or actually unacceptable, based on one or more gaps in distance or periods of time between the vehicle location data; displaying to a user the identified potentially or actually unacceptable part of the sequence; and providing the user one or more graphical user interface tools that the user can employ to assess the unacceptable part of the sequence. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method comprising:
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electronically processing digital vehicle location data specifying a sequence of vehicle locations; graphically displaying to a user a map showing the sequence of vehicle locations; highlighting on the map a part of the sequence that is questionable based on one or more gaps in distance or periods of time where digital vehicle location data is not available; and accepting input from the user to adjust the questionable part of the sequence. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
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11. A method comprising:
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electronically processing digital vehicle location data specifying a sequence of vehicle locations; identifying a part of the sequence as being questionable in accordance with one or more of a gap in distance between digital vehicle location data, a period of time between digital vehicle location data, or a computed vehicle fuel efficiency value being outside of a determined range of values; displaying to a user the identified part of the sequence that is questionable; offering the user one or more graphical user interface tools that can be used to analyze the questionable part of the sequence; and accepting input from the user to adjust the questionable part of the sequence. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A method comprising:
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electronically processing digital vehicle location data specifying a sequence of vehicle locations defining a trip; displaying to a user a series of geographic points on the trip that describe the trip'"'"'s path; highlighting to a user one or more of the geographic points as being of questionable accuracy or reliability; and accepting input from the user to adjust the questionable part of the sequence. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. An apparatus comprising:
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a computer programmed to electronically process vehicle location data wherein the vehicle location data specifies a sequence of vehicle locations, wherein the processing determines if the sequence of vehicle locations form a sequence of the vehicle'"'"'s travel that is acceptable for the purposes of filing tax reports relating to the vehicle, wherein the acceptability of the sequence is determined in accordance with one or more of a gap in distance between vehicle location data, a period of time between vehicle location data, or a computed vehicle fuel efficiency value being outside of a determined range of values; and the computer further programmed to identify a part of the sequence as being potentially or actually unacceptable, display to a user the potentially or actually unacceptable part of the sequence and to provide to the user one or more graphical user interface tools that the user can employ to assess the unacceptable part of the sequence. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus comprising a computer system including:
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a first software component operable on the computer to electronically process digital vehicle location data specifying a sequence of vehicle locations, said first software component further operable to identify a part of the sequence that is questionable based on one or more gaps in distance or periods of time where digital vehicle location data is not available; a second software component operable on the computer system to graphically display to a user a map showing the part of the sequence that is questionable; and a third software component operable on the computer system to accept input from the user to adjust the questionable part of the sequence. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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23. An apparatus comprising:
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a storage device storing digital vehicle location data specifying a sequence of vehicle locations; a display component that displays to a user a part of the sequence that is highlighted as questionable in accordance with one or more of a gap in distance between digital vehicle location data, a period of time between digital vehicle location data, or a computed vehicle fuel efficiency value being outside of a determined range of values; a user interface component that offers the user one or more graphical user interface tools that can be used to analyze the questionable part of the sequence; a user input component that receives data or command inputs from the user; and a data adjustment component that uses data or command inputs from the user to adjust the questionable part of the sequence. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. An apparatus comprising:
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a data storage unit that stores digital vehicle location data specifying a sequence of vehicle locations defining a trip; graphical display software operable on a computer that generates a display of a series of geographic points on the trip that describe the trip'"'"'s path; the graphical display software further operable on the computer to highlight one or more of the geographic points as being of questionable accuracy or reliability; and data input software operable on the computer to accept input from a user to adjust or accept the questionable part of the sequence. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable software program stored in a digital storage medium, wherein:
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the software program includes software operable on a computer to generate a display of a series of geographic points on a vehicle'"'"'s trip that describe the trip'"'"'s path; the software program includes software operable on the computer to highlight one or more of the geographic points as being of questionable accuracy or reliability; and the software program includes software responsive to input data or commands to adjust or accept the questionable part of the sequence. - View Dependent Claims (29)
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30. An apparatus comprising:
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a server programmed to electronically process vehicle location data wherein the vehicle location data specifies a sequence of vehicle locations, wherein the processing determines if the sequence of vehicle locations form a sequence of the vehicle'"'"'s travel that is acceptable for the purposes of filing tax reports relating to the vehicle, wherein the acceptability of the sequence is determined according to one or more of a gap in distance between digital vehicle location data, a period of time between digital vehicle location data, or a computed vehicle fuel efficiency value being outside of a determined range of values; and the server further programmed to generate display commands or data used by a client computer to identify a part of the sequence as being potentially or actually unacceptable, to display the potentially or actually unacceptable part of the sequence and to provide to the user one or more graphical user interface tools that the user can employ to assess the unacceptable part of the sequence. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. An article of manufacture comprising a computer readable software program stored in a digital storage medium, wherein:
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the software program includes software operable on a computer to generates display data or commands used by a client computer to display of a series of geographic points on a vehicle'"'"'s trip that describe the trip'"'"'s path; the software program includes software operable on the computer to cause the client computer to highlight one or more of the geographic points that are determined to be of questionable accuracy or reliability; and the software program includes software responsive to input data or commands from the client computer to adjust or accept the questionable part of the sequence. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37)
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Specification