Method and apparatus for implementing a vehicle inspection waiver program

• US 9,747,794 B1
• Filed: 05/26/2014
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zonar Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Zonar Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Oliver, Chris, McQuade, Charles Michael, Fakkema, Fred, Brinton, Brett, Brinton, Jr., William
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Brian
• Application Number:
  US14/287,184
• Time in Patent Office: 1,191 Days
• Field of Search: 340 52, 340 57, 340 58, 340 61, 3405391, 340928, 340933
• 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 9/00 Individual registration on entry or exit
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

Position data received wirelessly from a vehicle enrolled in an inspection waiver program are employed to determine when the enrolled vehicle is approaching an inspection station. After determining that the enrolled vehicle is approaching an inspection station, and if the enrolled vehicle has a valid inspection waiver, a bypass confirmation can selectively be provided to the vehicle operator, authorizing the operator to bypass the inspection station. The task of determining when an enrolled vehicle is approaching the location of an inspection station can be performed using a processor disposed in the vehicle, or at a remote location separate from both the vehicle and the inspection station, or at the inspection station. The inspection stations can be mobile so that their locations are varied to prevent operators from intentionally avoiding an inspection, as may occur with fixed inspection stations.

Claims

1. A method for administering a vehicle inspection program in which enrolled vehicles are authorized to bypass an inspection station, comprising the steps of:

(a) automatically determining a current geographical location for an enrolled vehicle while the enrolled vehicle is being operated;

(b) based upon the current geographical location for the enrolled vehicle, automatically determining if the enrolled vehicle is approaching the inspection station; and

(c) if the enrolled vehicle is approaching the inspection station, using a computing device to implement the function of determining a fleet operator of the enrolled vehicle and determining if the present time fits within a predesignated time window when all enrolled vehicles operated by the fleet operator are not permitted to bypass the inspection station, and if so, providing an indication to an operator of the enrolled vehicle to stop at the inspection station, even though the enrolled vehicle is enrolled in the vehicle inspection program would otherwise be permitted to bypass the inspection station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the inspection station comprises a mobile inspection station, whose geographical location is not fixed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of automatically determining if the enrolled vehicle is approaching the inspection station is performed at a location that is remote from both the inspection station and the enrolled vehicle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of automatically determining if the enrolled vehicle is approaching the inspection station is performed at the inspection station.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of automatically determining if the enrolled vehicle is approaching the inspection station is performed at the enrolled vehicle.

6. A system for managing vehicle inspections, so as to selectively allow authorized vehicles enrolled in a waiver program to bypass an inspection station, while requiring non-authorized vehicles to stop at the inspection station, comprising:

(a) a position sensing component for each respective enrolled vehicle, the positioning sensing component determining a geographical position for the enrolled vehicle during operation of the enrolled vehicle;

(b) a processing component to implement a function of automatically identifying each respective enrolled vehicle approaching the inspection station based on the respective geographical position of each respective enrolled vehicle, the processing component further implementing a second function of automatically determining a respective fleet operator of each respective enrolled vehicle and

automatically determining if the present time fits within a predesignated time window when all enrolled vehicles operated by the respective fleet operator are not permitted to bypass the inspection station even though each respective enrolled vehicle is enrolled in the waiver program and would otherwise be permitted to bypass the inspection station; and

(c) a communication link for providing an indication to each respective operator of each respective enrolled vehicle that is approaching the inspection station, the indication informing each respective operator whether or not the respective enrolled vehicle is authorized to bypass the inspection station.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the processing component is disposed at the inspection location.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the processing component is disposed at a location remote from both the inspection station and each of the respective enrolled vehicles.

9. A non-transitory computer readable medium having machine instructions stored thereon for processing a geographical position for a vehicle enrolled in an inspection waiver program, to determine if the enrolled vehicle is authorized to bypass an inspection station that the enrolled vehicle is approaching, the machine instructions, when executed by a processor, carrying out the functions of:

(a) automatically comparing the geographical position for the enrolled vehicle with a geographical location of the inspection station, to determine when the enrolled vehicle is approaching the inspection station; and

if so,

(b) determining whether the enrolled vehicle has a valid inspection waiver and an identity of a fleet operator of the enrolled vehicle and determining that the current time does not fall in a mandatory inspection time window for all enrolled vehicles operated by the fleet operator, so that the enrolled vehicle receives authorization to bypass the inspection station without stopping.