System, method and odometer monitor for detecting connectivity status of mobile data terminal to vehicle

• US 8,977,427 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2013
• Issued: 03/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GeoTab Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Webtech Wireless Incorporated (GeoTab Incorporated)
• Inventors: Scott, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERNS, MICHAEL ANDREW
• Application Number:
  US14/047,248
• Publication Number:
  US 20140094995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/35, 701/36, 701/33.9
• US Class Current: 701/33.9
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/002 Analysing tachograph charts arrangements for graph-reading in general G06K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

An odometer monitor for monitoring the connectivity status of a mobile data terminal to a vehicle is a module defined in a data processor of the mobile data terminal. The monitor is operable to detect successive timed poll events originating in the mobile data terminal and listen for arrival of corresponding odometer update values from a vehicle tracking device connected to an information bus of the vehicle. Successive odometer updates are compared to calculate the distances travelled between updates, and to make a determination of connectivity status of the mobile data terminal relative to the vehicle based on whether or not the calculated distances are above or below a preset maximum distance. The odometer monitor can verify whether the mobile data terminal remains connected to the same vehicle by checking a vehicle identity module, which may be located in the vehicle tracking device.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring connectivity status of a mobile data terminal to a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle tracking device connectable to a vehicle information bus of a vehicle and operable to receive odometer update values from the vehicle via said bus;

a vehicle identity module in the vehicle tracking device for storing an identification of the vehicle;

a mobile data terminal connected to the vehicle tracking device and operable to receive odometer update values from the vehicle tracking device; and

a preset maximum distance defined in said mobile data terminal;

said mobile data terminal being operable to;

detect a series of timed poll events originating in the mobile data terminal;

receive an odometer update value from the vehicle tracking device corresponding to each poll event;

verify that a last and a penultimate of said odometer update values are from the vehicle;

calculate a distance between the last and penultimate odometer update values;

make a determination of connectivity status of said mobile data terminal relative to the vehicle based on whether the distance is greater than or less than the preset maximum distance; and

store the connectivity status.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the mobile data terminal is operable to transmit said connectivity status to a remote server.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the value of the preset maximum distance equals the value of the maximum expected distance the vehicle can travel during the time between two successive timed poll events.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said connectivity status is connected if the distance is less than the preset maximum distance.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein said connectivity status is disconnected if the distance is greater than the preset maximum distance.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said connectivity status indicates that said mobile data terminal is reconnected if the distance is less than the preset maximum distance and was previously calculated to be greater than the preset maximum distance.

7. A method for monitoring connectivity status of a mobile data terminal to a vehicle, comprising the steps of:

defining a preset maximum distance in a mobile data terminal connectable to a vehicle;

detecting a series of timed poll events originating in the mobile data terminal;

receiving an odometer update value from a vehicle tracking device corresponding to each poll event;

verifying that a last and a penultimate of said odometer update values are from the vehicle;

calculating a distance between the last and penultimate odometer update values;

making a determination of connectivity status of said mobile data terminal relative to the vehicle based on whether the distance is greater than or less than the preset maximum distance; and

storing the connectivity status.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the step of transmitting said connectivity status to a remote server.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the value of the preset maximum distance equals the value of the maximum expected distance the vehicle can travel during the time between two successive timed poll events.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said connectivity status is connected if the distance is less than the preset maximum distance.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein said connectivity status is disconnected if the distance is greater than the preset maximum distance.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein said connectivity status indicates that said mobile data terminal is reconnected if the distance is less than the preset maximum distance and was previously calculated to be greater than the preset maximum distance.

13. One or more non-transitory computer readable media comprising computer readable instructions, which, when executed by a processor cause a mobile data terminal in a vehicle to:

define a preset maximum distance;

detect a series of timed poll events;

receive an odometer update value from a vehicle tracking device corresponding to each poll event;

verify that a last and a penultimate of said odometer update values are from the vehicle;

calculate a distance between the last and penultimate odometer update values;

make a determination of connectivity status of said mobile data terminal relative to the vehicle based on whether the distance is greater than or less than the preset maximum distance; and

store the connectivity status.

14. The media of claim 13 wherein the mobile data terminal is further caused to transmit said connectivity status to a remote server.

15. The media of claim 13 wherein the value of the preset maximum distance equals the value of the maximum expected distance the vehicle can travel during the time between two successive timed poll events.

16. The media of claim 13 wherein said connectivity status is connected if the distance is less than the preset maximum distance.

17. The media of claim 13 wherein said connectivity status is disconnected if the distance is greater than the preset maximum distance.