System and method for determining equipment utilization changes based on ignition and motion status

• US 9,311,616 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2010
• Issued: 04/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: On Board Communications Incorporated
• Original Assignee: On Board Communications Incorporated
• Inventors: Westerlage, Kenneth R., Stricker, Larry V., Kennedy, William C. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Rotaru, Octavian
• Application Number:
  US12/814,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20110307141A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,129 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29.1, 701/29.8, 701/30.4, 701/31.4, 701/34.3, 701/66, 701/86, 701/97, 701/112, 701/113, 701/114, 701/123, 701/29.2, 701/29.3, 701/29.4, 701/33.6, 705/305, 705/7.25, 180/173, 180/174, 340/426.24, 340/426.25, 340/426.3, 340/995.28, 340/593, 340/615, 340/5.62
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/045 by limiting or cutting the electrical supply to the propulsion unit
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• 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: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• 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 for measuring vehicle utilization includes determining, with an ignition sensor, an ignition status of a vehicle and determining, with a motion sensor, a motion status of the vehicle. The method further includes determining a utilization of the vehicle based, at least in part, on the ignition status and the motion status. Additionally, the method includes transmitting status information to a location remote from the vehicle. The status information indicates at least one of the ignition status, the motion status, and the utilization.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for determining a utilization of a vehicle by monitoring both an ignition status and a motion status of the vehicle, the method comprising:

determining, by an ignition sensor coupled to the vehicle, an ignition status of a power supply of an engine of the vehicle;

determining, by a motion sensor coupled to the vehicle, a motion status of the vehicle, the motion sensor calibrated according to a predetermined sensitivity level and the motion status determined based on at least a movement of the vehicle;

transmitting, by one or more processors of the vehicle, the ignition status and the motion status from the vehicle to a monitoring station remotely located from the vehicle, wherein the ignition status indicates that the engine of the vehicle has been on for a first predetermined amount of time and the motion status indicates that the vehicle has not been moving for a second predetermined amount of time;

receiving, by the one or more processors of the vehicle, a request to change the ignition status of the vehicle from on to off when the ignition status received by the monitoring station indicates that the engine of the vehicle has been depleting the power supply for a first predetermined amount of time and the motion status received by the monitoring station indicates that the vehicle has not been moving for a second predetermined amount of time;

providing, by the one or more processors of the vehicle, an indication that the change request of the ignition status has been received during a third predetermined amount of time;

determining whether an override of the change request has been received at the vehicle during the third predetermined amount of time;

changing, by the one or more processors of the vehicle, the ignition status of the vehicle from on to off after the third predetermined amount of time has elapsed in response to the change request, unless the override has been received during the third predetermined amount of time;

determining the utilization of the vehicle based on the received ignition status, the received motion status, and the change in the ignition status over time; and

determining, based on the utilization, a maintenance schedule for the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the motion status is further determined based on vibrations of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting, to the monitoring station the determined utilization.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the motion status is further determined based on detected movements of parts of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, based on the utilization, an amount of water or fuel consumed by the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, based on the utilization, a billing amount for the utilization.

7. A system for determining a utilization of a vehicle by monitoring both an ignition status and a motion status of the vehicle, the system comprising one or more processors configured to:

determine an ignition status of a power supply of an engine of the vehicle based at least on an ignition sensor coupled to the vehicle,

determine a motion status of the vehicle based at least on a motion sensor coupled to the vehicle, the motion sensor calibrated according to a predetermined sensitivity level and the motion status determined based on at least a movement of the vehicle;

transmit, the ignition status and the motion status from the vehicle to a monitoring station remotely located from the vehicle, wherein the ignition status indicates that the engine of the vehicle has been on for a first predetermined amount of time and the motion status indicates that the vehicle has not been moving for a second predetermined amount of time;

receive a request to change the ignition status of the vehicle from on to off when the ignition status received by the monitoring station indicates that the engine of the vehicle has been depleting the power supply for a first predetermined amount of time and the motion status received by the monitoring station indicates that the vehicle has not been moving for a second predetermined amount of time;

provide an indication that the change request of the ignition status has been received during a third predetermined amount of time;

determine whether an override of the change request has been received at the vehicle during the third predetermined amount of time;

change the ignition status of the vehicle from on to off after the third predetermined amount of time has elapsed in response to the change request, unless the override has been received during the third predetermined amount of time;

determine the utilization of the vehicle based on the received ignition status, the received motion status, and the change in the ignition status over time; and

determine, based on the utilization, a maintenance schedule for the vehicle.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine the motion status of the vehicle based on vibrations of the vehicle.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the one or more processors are further configured to transmit to the monitoring station the determined utilization.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine the motion status of the vehicle based on detected movements of parts of the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine, based on the utilization, an amount of water or fuel consumed by the vehicle.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to determine, based on the utilization, a billing amount for the utilization.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising logic for determining a utilization of a vehicle by monitoring both an ignition status and a motion status of the vehicle, the logic operable, when executed by a processor, to:

determine an ignition status of a power supply of an engine of the vehicle based at least on an ignition sensor coupled to the vehicle;

determine a motion status of the vehicle based at least on a motion sensor coupled to the vehicle, the motion sensor calibrated according to a predetermined sensitivity level and the motion status determined based on at least a movement of the vehicle;

transmit, the ignition status and the motion status from the vehicle to a monitoring station remotely located from the vehicle, wherein the ignition status indicates that the engine of the vehicle has been on for a first predetermined amount of time and the motion status indicates that the vehicle has not been moving for a second predetermined amount of time;

receive a request to change the ignition status of the vehicle from on to off when the ignition status received by the monitoring station indicates that the engine of the vehicle has been depleting the power supply for a first predetermined amount of time and the motion status received by the monitoring station indicates that the vehicle has not been moving for a second predetermined amount of time;

provide an indication that the change request of the ignition status has been received during a third predetermined amount of time;

determine whether an override of the change request has been received at the vehicle during the third predetermined amount of time;

change the ignition status of the vehicle from on to off after the third predetermined amount of time has elapsed in response to the change request, unless the override has been received during the third predetermined amount of time;

determine the utilization of the vehicle based on the received ignition status, the received motion status, and the change in the ignition status over time; and

determine, based on the utilization, a maintenance schedule for the vehicle.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, the logic further operable to:

determine the motion status of the vehicle based on vibrations of the vehicle.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, the logic further operable to:

transmit to the monitoring station the determined utilization.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, the logic further operable to:

determine the motion status of the vehicle based on detected movements of parts of the vehicle.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, the logic further operable to:

determine, based on the utilization, an amount of water or fuel consumed by the vehicle.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, the logic further operable to:

determine, based on the utilization, a billing amount for the utilization.