System for tracking bicycle commuter activity

• US 9,715,610 B2
• Filed: 01/20/2015
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Everlast Climbing Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Everlast Climbing Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Steege, Hans, Scholtz, Rolf, Klotzbach, Colin, Skoine, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Barakat, Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US14/600,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20150137947A1
• Time in Patent Office: 917 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B62H 5/20 indicating unauthorised use, e.g. acting on signalling devices alarm locks in general E05B45/00, e.g. alarm cable or chain lock E05B45/005
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 1/08 using electric transmission ; transformation of alarm signals to electrical signals from a different medium, e.g. transmission of an electric alarm signal upon detection of an audible alarm signal
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/015 with provision for distinguishing between two or more types of vehicles, e.g. between motor-cars and cycles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A method for tracking non-motorized vehicle commuting activity includes providing a tracking system having a tag reader at a commute destination, wherein the tag reader is adapted to detect the presence of an RFID tag, and to generate and transmit a detection signal indicating a time of detection and one or more attributes of the detected RFID tag. The RFID tag is secured to a non-motorized vehicle used in commuting to the commute destination, and is secured in a manner to enable detection by the tag reader at the commute destination, and to prevent tampering therewith. Information obtained by the tracking system is accessible by one or more of a system administrator and a commuting participant.

Claims

1. A method for tracking commuting activity of an employee, the employee being associated with a non-motorized vehicle to which an RFID tag is secured, the method comprising:

(a) an employer providing a tracking system having;

(i) a tag reader at a location of occupation of an employee, the tag reader being adapted to detect the presence of a RFID tag and to transmit a detection signal indicating one or more attributes of the detected RFID tag;

(ii) a computing device having a data processor and being communicatively coupled to the tag reader; and

(iii) a database communicatively coupled to the computing device, the one or more RFID tag attributes being stored in the database and associated with an employee log maintained by the employer;

(b) detecting the RFID tag when the non-motorized vehicle is moved to the location of occupation;

(c) recording a detection of the RFID tag by matching one or more attributes of the detection signal to one or more attributes stored in the database and updating the employee log with detection information; and

(d) the employer rewarding the employee when the employee exceeds one or more commuting performance thresholds, the one or more commuting performance thresholds comprising a number of non-motorized vehicle commutes.

2. The method of claim 1, in which the detection information comprises the date and time of detection.

3. The method of claim 1, in which the database is communicatively coupled to one or more terminals such that information within the database may be accessed through the one or more terminals.

4. The method of claim 3, in which the one or more terminals are communicatively coupled to the database through a computer network.

5. The method of claim 3, in which the one or more terminals are communicatively coupled to the database through the Internet.

6. The method of claim 5, in which a website provides a user interface for a user to review information within the database.

7. The method of claim 3, the tracking system further comprising software that formats information accessed from the database.

8. The method of claim 7, in which the software produces a commuting report.

9. The method of claim 8, in which the commuting report indicates periodic commuting performance of individual or grouped users.

10. The method of claim 8, in which the commuting report indicates aggregate commuting performance for designated groups of users having one or more respective employees.

11. The method of claim 8, in which the commuting report indicates commuting performance relative to a specific designated commute location.

12. The method of claim 7, in which the software provides a dashboard containing statistics, system operational information, or both.

13. The method of claim 3, in which information within the database may be accessed by the employee.

14. The method of claim 13, in which the information that may be accessed by the employee includes the detection information from the employee'"'"'s own log, information relating to the employee'"'"'s own commuting performance, or both.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein upon detecting an RFID tag, the tag reader emits a signal indicating to the employee that the tag reader has detected the RFID tag.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-motorized vehicle is a bicycle.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the RFID tag has tamper resistant properties.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the number of non-motorized vehicle commutes is within a defined period.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the defined period is a month.