Driver activity and vehicle operation logging and reporting

• US 20070038350A1
• 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:
  US11/299,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20070038350A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/35
• 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:

automatically electronically capturing fuel purchase price data; and

electronically linking the fuel purchase price data to vehicle mileage, and electronically linking the fuel purchase price data to location data of the site of fueling.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically electronically capturing fuel purchase price data includes:

automatically electronically capturing the fuel purchase price data at a fuel pump, and

electronically transferring the fuel purchase price data from the fuel pump to a vehicle supplied fuel from the fuel pump.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein electronically transferring the fuel purchase price data from the fuel pump to the vehicle comprises transferring the fuel purchase price data over a wireless connection.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the wireless connection comprises a WIFI connection.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the wireless connection comprises a BLUETOOTH connection.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the wireless connection comprises an infrared connection.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein electronically transferring the fuel purchase price data from the fuel pump to the vehicle comprises transferring the fuel purchase price data from the fuel pump to the vehicle by using a portable memory device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the fuel purchase price data includes fuel-use tax data.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising acquiring the location data from a Global Positioning System.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein acquiring the location data comprises acquiring the location data at periodic intervals.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising acquiring the vehicle mileage data from at least one of a vehicle mileage sensing system and a vehicle engine control module.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the vehicle mileage sensing system includes a speed sensor and a vehicle odometer.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein acquiring the vehicle mileage data comprises acquiring the vehicle mileage data at periodic intervals.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein electronically linking the fuel purchase price data to vehicle mileage data and location data comprises electronically processing the fuel purchase price data, the vehicle mileage data, and the location data at periodic intervals.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein processing at periodic intervals comprises processing in response to receipt of location data for the vehicle from a Global Positioning System.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein each interval period has a predetermined duration.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein each interval period has the same duration.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein electronically linking the fuel purchase price data to the vehicle mileage data and the location data includes processing the fuel purchase price data, vehicle mileage data, and location data for a vehicle to generate an International Fuel Tax Agreement report.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein processing the fuel purchase price data, vehicle mileage data, and location data for the vehicle includes processing the vehicle mileage data and location data for the vehicle to create an International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) log and processing the IFTA log and fuel purchase price data to generate the IFTA report.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein processing the IFTA log comprises processing the IFTA log on-board the vehicle.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein processing the IFTA log and fuel purchase price data to generate the IFTA report comprises processing the IFTA log and fuel purchase price data to generate the IFTA report at a host server external to the vehicle.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein processing the vehicle mileage data and location data to create the IFTA log comprises processing the vehicle mileage data and location data at periodic intervals to create the IFTA log.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein processing the vehicle mileage data and location data to create the IFTA log includes processing the vehicle mileage data with time data to determine distance data.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein processing the vehicle mileage data and location data to create the IFTA log comprises:

receiving a first location data for the vehicle;

determining a first time data associated with the first location data;

receiving a second location data for the vehicle;

determining a second time data associated with the second location data, the second time data being subsequent in time to the first time data,

in response to receipt of the second location data, calculating, using the vehicle mileage data, a distance traveled by a vehicle during the interval of time between the first time data and the second time data,

recording the distance traveled, the second location data, and the second time data in the IFTA log.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein receiving a first location data and determining a first time data associated with the first location data comprises receiving the first location data and the first time data from a Global Positioning System.

26. A method, comprising:

automatically electronically capturing fuel purchase data from a fuel pump; and

electronically linking the fuel purchase data to vehicle mileage and location data.