Key control and related fleet management methods and systems

• US 9,329,588 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2011
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AssetWorks Incorporated (Constellation Software Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: AssetWorks Incorporated (Constellation Software Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ernsdorff, Paul, Simpson, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US13/040,813
• Publication Number:
  US 20110215897A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,887 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.1, 340/5.8, 340/5.81, 340/5.7, 705/1.1, 206/335, 235/385, 235/375
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/00 Programme-control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/00 Arrangements or apparatus for collecting fares, tolls or entrance fees at one or more control points handling coins or valuable papers, e.g. banknotes, G07D; apparatus for vending or hiring articles or services activated by coins, credit cards, paper currency or the like G07F7/00, G07F17/00

Abstract

A method and system for managing a fleet of vehicles including a reservation system for generating a reservation code; a key cabinet including user-entry means for entering said reservation code and one or more key compartments storing keys for each vehicle in the fleet; a control module in communication with the reservation system and the key cabinet for assigning an unlocked condition to at least one of the key compartments based on entry of a reservation code.

Claims

1. A system for managing a fleet of vehicles comprising:

i. a reservation system for generating a reservation code based on a vehicle assignment and comprising a server having a reservation module accessible via a network, wherein one or more users access said reservation module to indicate a desired use of a vehicle in the fleet, wherein said reservation system receives, from a control module, said vehicle assignment, said vehicle assignment being based on said desired use of a vehicle in the fleet;

ii. a key cabinet;

iii. including user-entry means for entering said reservation code and a plurality of key compartments storing keys for each vehicle in the fleet;

iv. the control module that assigns a vehicle in the fleet to a user based on said desired use of a vehicle in the fleet and communicates the vehicle assignment to said reservation system and said key cabinet for assigning an unlocked condition to a first key compartment of said key compartments holding the key to the vehicle, based on entry of said reservation code.

2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the desired use of a vehicle in the fleet indicated by the one or more users comprises at least one of a type of vehicle required and number of passengers.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said reservation system generates said reservation code based on a vehicle selected by said one or more users.

4. A system according to claim 2, wherein said reservation system is adapted to send said reservation code to a user.

5. A system according to claim 2, wherein said control module provides access to one of said key compartments based on said reservation code.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein said user-entry means comprises a keypad for entering said reservation code.

7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising data transmission means provided on each of the vehicles in the fleet.

8. A system according to claim 7, wherein said data transmission means is adapted to send information indicative of a vehicle leaving a vehicle lot upon detection of said vehicle leaving said lot.

9. A system according to claim 7, wherein said data transmission means transmits information to said control module;

wherein said information comprises one or more of mileage of a vehicle, gas level;

location of said vehicle, vehicle engine conditions, and number of passengers in said vehicle.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein said key cabinet further includes a user authentication module for confirming the identity of a user entering said reservation code.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein said key cabinet further includes signaling means for indicating the presence or absence of a key within each said key compartments.

12. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a return key indicator for providing an indication to a user showing one of said key compartments to which a key should be returned upon return of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the control module further communicates the reservation code, entered upon returning a vehicle, to the key cabinet for assigning an unlocked condition to a second key compartment of said key compartments, providing an indication to said user as to which of said key compartments said key should be returned.

21. A method according to claim 3, further comprising providing data transmission means on each of the vehicles in the fleet.

22. A method according to claim 21, further comprising sending information indicative of a vehicle leaving a vehicle lot upon detection of said vehicle leaving said lot.

23. A method according to claim 21, further comprising transmitting vehicle data to a control module;

wherein said data comprises one or more of mileage of a vehicle, gas level;

location of said vehicle, vehicle engine conditions, and number of passengers in said vehicle.

14. A method for managing a fleet of vehicles comprising:

i. providing a reservation system by which a user reserves a vehicle from said fleet of vehicles wherein said reservation system comprises a server having a reservation module accessible via a network;

ii. accessing said reservation module and indicating a desired use of a vehicle in the fleet;

iii. receiving a vehicle assignment based on the desired use of a vehicle in the fleet;

iv. generating a reservation code based on the vehicle assignment;

v. providing a key cabinet including user-entry means for entering said reservation code and a plurality of key compartments storing keys for each vehicle in the fleet;

vi. assigning an unlocked condition to a first key compartment of said key compartments holding the key to the vehicle for said user to remove, based on entry of said reservation code.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the desired use of a vehicle in the fleet comprises at least one of a type of vehicle required and number of passengers.

16. A method according to claim 15, further comprising assigning a vehicle to said reservation code.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein said vehicle assignment is determined by one of a control module and a user.

18. A method according to claim 15, further comprising sending said reservation code to a user.

19. A method according to claim 15, comprising providing access to one of said key compartments based on said reservation code.

20. A method according to claim 14, wherein said user-entry means comprises a keypad for entering said reservation code.

24. A method according to claim 14, further comprising providing a user authentication module for confirming the identity of a user entering said reservation code.

25. A method according to claim 14, further comprising providing a signal indicative of the presence or absence of a key within each said key compartments.

26. A method according to claim 14, further comprising providing an indication to a user showing one of said key compartments to which a key should be returned upon return of the vehicle.

27. The method of claim 14, further comprising assigning an unlocked condition to a second key compartment of said key compartments, providing an indication to said user as to which of said key compartments said key should be returned, based on entry of said reservation code entered upon returning a vehicle.