System, method, and apparatus for capturing telematics data with an active RFID tag

• US 20060055564A1
• Filed: 01/10/2005
• Published: 03/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: United Parcel Service Of America Incorporated (United Parcel Service Incorporated)
• Inventors: Jenkins, Rhesa, Olsen, John, Bradley, David
• Application Number:
  US11/032,992
• Publication Number:
  US 20060055564A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/994
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/101 Bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/105 Radio frequency identification data [RFID]
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/1004 Alarm systems characterised by the type of sensor, e.g. current sensing means using door lock sensors B60R25/1001
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/102 a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/07758 arrangements for adhering the record carrier to further objects or living beings, functioning as an identification tag
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0261 System arrangements wherein the object is to detect trespassing over a fixed physical boundary, e.g. the end of a garden
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0275 Electronic Article Surveillance [EAS] tag technology used for parent or child unit, e.g. same transmission technology, magnetic tag, RF tag, RFID
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/042 using inductive or magnetic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/202 Dispatching vehicles on the basis of a location, e.g. taxi dispatching

Abstract

The invention is directed to a data collection and evaluation system that includes an active RFID tag for collecting, time-stamping, and storing vehicle sensor data. Examples of the type of data collected include door data, ignition data, oil pressure data, temperature data, speed data, global positioning data, and diagnostic and trouble code data. The system further includes an external data acquisition device, such as a mainframe computer system or a hand-held data acquisition device like an iPAQ. The external data acquisition device includes an RFID interrogator for communicating with the RFID tag, which enables the RFID tag to transmit the time-stamped data wirelessly to the external data acquisition device. The ability of the system to automatically collect and transfer data allows for the automation of fleet management processes, vehicle maintenance and repair processes, and certain security features.

Claims

1. A system for automating the collection of vehicle sensor data for fleet operations of a parcel delivery service, said system comprising:

an active RFID tag comprising an input interface for collecting data from one or more sensors disposed within a vehicle, a processor for associating a time-stamp with at least a portion of said data, and a first memory for storing said time-stamped data, wherein said data includes a current global position of said vehicle; and

a portable data acquisition device accessible to a vehicle operator, said portable data acquisition device comprising an RFID interrogator for receiving said data from said first memory, a second memory for storing said data, and a data acquisition processor,

wherein said second memory is further configured for storing one or more pre-selected delivery positions and said data acquisition processor compares said current global position to said one or more pre-selected delivery positions.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said portable data acquisition device is configured to alert said operator of a nearest of said delivery positions to said current global position.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said portable data acquisition device is configured to provide an estimated time of arrival to each of said one or more pre-selected delivery positions to said operator.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said portable data acquisition device further comprises a data radio for communicating data over a wireless network, and wherein said portable data acquisition device is configured to provide an estimated time of arrival to a computer located at said one or more pre-selected delivery positions via said data radio.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said portable data acquisition device is further configured to alert said operator if a parcel associated with a particular delivery position is delivered to an incorrect delivery position.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the data the RFID tag is capable of collecting includes at least one of door data, electronic control module trouble and diagnostic codes, engine data, seat belt data, ignition data, mileage data, geographical position data, or combinations thereof.

7. A system for automating the collection of vehicle sensor data for fleet operations of a parcel delivery service, said system comprising:

an active RFID tag comprising an input interface for collecting data from one or more sensors that are disposed within a vehicle, a processor for associating a time-stamp with at least a portion of said data, and a first memory for storing said data; and

a portable data acquisition device accessible to a vehicle operator, said portable data acquisition device comprising an RFID interrogator for receiving said data from said first memory, a second memory for storing said data, a data acquisition processor, and a data radio for wirelessly communicating with a facility,

wherein said second memory stores threshold data parameters representative of normal vehicle operation conditions, and said data acquisition processor is configured for comparing said data collected by said RFID tag to said data parameters in said second memory and transmitting an alarm signal if said collected data is outside of said data parameters.

8. The fleet management system of claim 7 wherein said data acquisition processor is further configured to compare said collected data to said data parameters in said second memory over a time interval.

9. A fleet management system for automating security features of one or more vehicles in a fleet, said system comprising:

an active RFID tag comprising an input interface for collecting data from one or more sensors that are disposed within a vehicle, a processor for associating a time-stamp with at least a portion of said data, and a first memory for storing said data, wherein said data includes a current global position of said vehicle; and

a portable data acquisition device accessible to a vehicle operator, said portable data acquisition device comprising an RFID interrogator for receiving said data from said first memory, a second memory for storing said data, a data acquisition processor, and a data radio for wirelessly communicating with a facility, wherein said RFID interrogator receives data from said RFID tag when said RFID tag is within a certain geographical range from said RFID interrogator,

wherein, in response to said RFID interrogator moving outside of said certain geographical range for a particular time interval, said portable data acquisition device is configured to transmit a signal to said facility via said data radio.

10. A fleet management system for automating security features of one or more vehicles in a fleet, said system comprising:

an active RFID tag comprising an input interface for collecting data from one or more sensors that are disposed within a vehicle, a processor for associating a time-stamp with at least a portion of said data, and a first memory for storing said data, wherein said data includes a current global position of said vehicle; and

an external data acquisition device comprising an RFID interrogator, a second memory for storing said data, a data acquisition processor, and a data radio for communicating wirelessly with a facility;

wherein said external data acquisition device is configured to detect data indicating a security triggering event, and in response to detecting said security triggering event, said external data acquisition device is configured to transmit a signal to said facility via said data radio.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said external data acquisition device is a portable data acquisition device and said portable data acquisition device is configured to page said facility in response to detecting said security triggering event.

12. A system for managing traffic and equipment within a fleet facility hub, said system comprising:

an active RFID tag comprising an input interface for collecting data from one or more sensors that are disposed within a vehicle, a processor for associating a time-stamp with at least a portion of said data, and a first memory for storing said data; and

an external data acquisition device comprising an RFID interrogator, a second memory for storing said data, a data acquisition processor, and a data radio for communicating wirelessly with a facility, wherein said RFID interrogator can receive data from said RFID tag when said RFID interrogator is within a particular geographical range of said RFID tag,

wherein, in response to said RFID tag being within said particular geographical range of said RFID interrogator, said RFID tag is configured to transmit said data to said external data acquisition device.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said external data acquisition device utilizes said data to allocate equipment at said facility.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein said external data acquisition device utilizes said data to determine where in said facility said vehicle should park.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein said external data acquisition device utilizes said data to allow the vehicle to enter a facility or to exit a facility.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein a facility includes a parcel sorting hub facility, a railhead facility, or a seaport facility.

17. A system for detecting whether a vehicle is unsecured, said system comprising:

an active RFID tag comprising an input interface for collecting data from a one or more sensors disposed within a vehicle, a processor for associating a time-stamp with the data, and a first memory for storing the data, wherein said data from a door sensor indicates whether a door is unlocked or locked, data from an engine sensor indicates whether the engine is running, and data from a speed sensor indicates whether the vehicle is in motion; and

said portable data acquisition device including an RFID interrogator for receiving data from said RFID tag, a second memory for storing said data, and a data acquisition processor for analyzing said data,

wherein, in response to said data indicating that said door is unlocked, said engine is running and said vehicle is not in motion, said portable data acquisition device is configured for notifying an operator of said vehicle.

18. A system for automating the collection of vehicle sensor data for fleet operations of a parcel delivery service, said system comprising:

an active RFID tag comprising an input interface for collecting data from one or more sensors that are disposed within a vehicle, a processor for associating a time-stamp with at least a portion of said data, and a first memory for storing said data; and

an external data acquisition device at a facility, said external data acquisition device comprising an RFID interrogator for receiving said data from said first memory and a second memory for storing said data,

wherein said data and an identity of said vehicle are transmitted to said RFID interrogator upon said vehicle'"'"'s entry into or exit from said facility.

19. A method of collecting work study data for evaluating vehicle fleet operations, said method comprising the steps of:

providing an active RFID tag within one or more fleet vehicles, each said RFID tags configured for receiving data from one or more vehicle sensors disposed in each of said one or more vehicles;

collecting, time-stamping, and storing data received from said one or more vehicle sensors using said RFID tag;

in response to a pre-determined event, transmitting said data from said RFID tag to an RFID interrogator, said RFID interrogator in communication with an external data acquisition device; and

utilizing said data to perform work studies of vehicle and driver performance.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of utilizing said data to identify and send notification of vehicle repair and maintenance needs.

21. A method of automating security functions for one or more vehicles in a fleet, said method comprising the steps of:

providing an RFID tag in one or more fleet vehicles, said RFID tag configured for collecting data from one or more vehicle sensors;

providing a portable data acquisition device that includes an RFID interrogator for receiving data from said RFID tag when said portable data acquisition device is within a certain range of said RFID tag; and

sending a signal to a facility in response to said portable data acquisition device being moved from within said certain range to outside said certain range such that said RFID interrogator moves from a point where it is in communication with said RFID tag to a second point where said RFID interrogator is no longer in communication with said RFID tag for a certain predetermine time interval.