Driver activity and vehicle operation logging and reporting

• US 20070038343A1
• Filed: 12/13/2005
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Report On Board LLC
• Original Assignee: Report On Board LLC
• Inventors: Welch, James, Lesesky, Alan, Larschan, Bradley, Bishop, J.
• Application Number:
  US11/299,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20070038343A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 13/00 Taximeters measuring distance travelled G01C; measuring time G04
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/04 using counting means or digital clocks
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition

Abstract

A method for logging and reporting driver activity and vehicle operation includes identifying a driver of a vehicle, recording operating data with an on-board recorder that is hard-wired to an engine control module, coupled to a mileage sensing system, and linked to a global navigation satellite system, and recording duty status of the driver. An hours of service log and a fuel tax log are created from the operating data. The method includes comparing the driver'"'"'s hours of service log to an applicable requirement, indicating to the driver whether the driver is in-compliance or out-of-compliance with the applicable requirement, automatically uploading the logs to a receiver external to the vehicle using a wireless telecommunications network, and emitting a compliance signal representative of whether the driver is in-compliance or out-of-compliance with the applicable requirement to a second receiver external to the vehicle and under control of authorities.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

selectively displaying time remaining in a duty status and time within a duty status for a driver on a display of a system at least partially installed in a vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the display is formed in a face plate of an on-board recorder.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the system includes an on-board recorder including a data port, and an electronic tablet connected through the data port of the on-board recorder, the display being provided on the electronic tablet.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording, on a vehicle on-board recorder included in the system, vehicle mileage data from a vehicle mileage sensing system operatively connected to the on-board recorder.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording, on a vehicle on-board recorder included in the system, vehicle related data from an engine control module operatively connected to the on-board recorder.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording, on a vehicle on-board recorder included in the system, vehicle position data from a global navigation satellite system connected to the on-board recorder.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising downloading, to a vehicle on-board recorder included in the system, driver related data from a portable memory device or wireless communication network

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising selectively displaying time remaining in a duty status and time within a duty status for a second driver on the display, wherein the display is provided on a vehicle on-board recorder or electronic tablet provided in the system.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising supplying a power supply to a vehicle on-board recorder included in the system from a vehicle battery.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising logging the driver into the vehicle on-board recorder.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising disabling the vehicle if the driver is not logged into the vehicle on-board recorder.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising logging a second driver into the vehicle on-board recorder.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising downloading, to a vehicle on-board recorder included in the system, driver related data for a pair of drivers from one or more portable memory devices.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising downloading, to a vehicle on-board recorder included in the system, driver related data for a pair of drivers from a wireless communication network.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the system includes an on-board recorder connected to an electronic tablet through a data port of the vehicle on-board recorder, and selectively displaying time remaining in the duty status and time within the duty status for the driver comprises displaying time remaining in the duty status and time within the duty status on a display within a faceplate of the on-board recorder.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising displaying an hours of service log on a display of the electronic tablet.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the system includes an on-board recorder connected to an electronic tablet, and selectively displaying time remaining in the duty status and time within the duty status for the driver comprises displaying time remaining in the duty status and time within the duty status on a display of the on-board recorder or the electronic tablet.