Apparatus, method & system for enforcing vehicle operator policy compliance

• US 20110046845A1
• Filed: 08/11/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jabaa, LLC
• Original Assignee: Douglas Everett Kozlay
• Inventors: Kozlay, Douglas Everett
• Granted Patent: US 8,103,402 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 Certifying business or products

Abstract

Apparatus, method, and system enforce compliance with Transportation Safety Policies (TSP) governing vehicle fleets, subways, trains, busses, airplanes, etc.

The apparatus identifies, authenticates, authorizes and logs-in all drivers/operators before enabling vehicle operation. Assigned privileges are granted to Transportation Safety System (TSS) enrolled drivers/operators. After drivers/operators log-in, the apparatus detects, reports, and alarms safety violations to the governing TSS. Biometric log-in precludes driver/operator repudiation.

In preferred embodiments, biometric readers and/or card-based fingerprint readers are mounted into vehicle dashboards for driver/operator authentication/log-in.

The invention helps reduce inattentiveness accidents due to unauthorized wireless use (phoning, texting, Internet, games, etc.). Unauthorized wireless usage by drivers/operators is detected in driving and control areas. All unauthorized activity is logged, alarmed and/or reported to Transportation Safety System administrators, depending on incident type, severity, and/or safety violation.

Remediation action varies from issuing warnings, to logging violations, to incapacitating vehicles forcing safety stops requiring supervisory intervention.

Claims

1. A Transportation Safety Apparatus (Version 1) (TSA), comprising an enclosure means for integrating electronic circuits and components, wherein said circuits and components include means for monitoring, detecting, sensing, logging, and reporting wireless transmission events occurring within the proximity of said apparatus and further include means for storing a time-stamped record of detected wireless transmission events and other predetermined detected events.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, additionally comprising at least one means for ensuring identification, authentication, authorization, and non-repudiation of “

on-duty”

login by at least one of a driver and a vehicle operator wherein said at least one means further comprises at least one of a biometric device a non-biometric identification device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said biometric identification device comprises at least one from (but is not limited to) the group of a fingerprint sensor, a hand geometry sensor, a retina sensor, an iris sensor, a face recognition sensor, a heartbeat sensor, a breathalyzer sensor, and a voiceprint.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising means to verify continuous compliance with at least one predetermined Transportation Safety Policy (TSP) in the immediate proximity of at least one of an identified “

logged-in”

driver and a vehicle operator.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising transceiver means for transmitting and receiving at least one of (1) a stored time-stamped record of at least one detected wireless transmission event;

(2) detected violations of restrictions of said Transportation Safety Policy (TSP);

(3) exception data; and

(4) other predetermined operational data and control information to at least one Transportation Safety System (TSS).

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said transceiver transmits (but is not limited to) real-time data and/or stored data including:

fuel level, consumption rate, and time to empty;

geographic location;

engine data including engine temperature, voltage, current, maintenance level, battery charge;

operational data including speed, acceleration, deceleration, braking, underway time, start/stop time, doors open/closed, climate control status; and

other control data including identified, authenticated, and authorized driver(s) and vehicle operator(s) “

log-in” and

“

log-out”

data.

7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said transceiver transmits and receives control information between said apparatus and said at least one Transportation Safety System.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 further including means for transmitting said record as a prioritized alarm record to at least one said Transportation Safety System (TSS) in accordance with said at least one Transportation Safety Policy (TSP).

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further including enabling means to enable operation and start-up of said vehicle after said at least one of a driver and a vehicle operator has been identified, authenticated, authorized, and logged-in.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said means to enable operation and start-up further comprises an enablement control circuit to permit said at least one of an authorized driver and vehicle operator to start up and operate said vehicle and wherein said means to enable further includes means for interfacing at least one vehicle operating system.

11. The apparatus of claim 5, further including means for counting and logging the count of unauthorized detected wireless communication spectrum emission events emitted from cell phones, portable computing devices, and other predetermined electronic devices.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further including means to count and log said wireless events occurring within a predetermined proximity of driver and operator control areas.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, also adapted to count and log emissions from the group of (but is not limited to) a predefined set of frequencies/frequency ranges, emitted above or below predefined power levels;

and emitted between predetermined time intervals.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said counting and logging means are further adapted to detect gaseous vapors including alcohol vapors and other predefined vapors detected within a predefined vicinity of said driver and vehicle operator control areas.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising (but not limited to) at least one component and circuit from the group of a microprocessor;

a microprocessor circuit with a non-volatile storage component;

an RF emission detection circuit;

at least one sensor means for sensing presence of (but is not limited to);

predetermined chemicals, gaseous vapors, predetermined temperature thresholds, illegal and/or controlled substances including (but not limited to) smoke from marijuana, hashish, and cocaine;

radio wave detection and processing means (including but not limited to) an antenna, a transceiver including (but not limited to) an amplifier, a receiver, a transmitter, a signal intelligence processor;

a data event counter circuit including (but not limited to) an accumulator, a buffer, a register, and a non-volatile memory for storing and retrieving data from an event database; and

at least one general-purpose processor including (but not limited to) an input/output interface including a communication interface and an enablement circuit interface for enabling a controlled target device including at least one from the group of (but not limited to) an engine, a motor, a transceiver, a power source, and a vehicle operating system.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein counted events comprise at least one of real-time count data and stored count data recorded in non-volatile memory and further includes (but is not limited to) said spectrum emission events, and other predetermined wireless and non-wireless events occurring throughout the entire time period that said at least one of a driver and a vehicle operator is logged-in as “

on duty”

.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means are further adapted to detect, log, store, and report the presence of predetermined violations of at least one Transportation Safety Policy by all proximate operating electronics devices to a Transportation Safety System (TSS) and wherein said apparatus further includes enforcement, management, and remediation means to enforce Transportation Safety Policies (TSP) by taking predetermined affirmative management and remediation actions in response to the severity of said violations.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further adapted to report to said Transportation Safety System (TSS) only when said devices are transmitting and receiving signals not in accordance with applicable Transportation Safety Policies (TSP).

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said enforcement, management, and remediation means and predetermined affirmative management and remediation actions include (but are not limited to) forcing an automatic vehicle stop when a predetermined number of predefined conditions occur and/or when the severity of said violations exceeds a predetermined threshold or a sufficiently server alarm occurs.

34. The apparatus of claim 1, also adapted for monitoring, detecting, sensing, logging and reporting presence of gaseous vapors to at least one of a Transportation Safety System and an external (non-TSS) system according to applicable Transportation Safety Policies.

35. The apparatus of claim 1, further adapted for monitoring, detecting, sensing, logging, and reporting to a Transportation Safety System, the presence or absence of Bluetooth wireless frequencies whenever a proximate cell phone transceiver is transmitting or receiving wireless transmissions to and from a cell phone tower antenna, said logging and reporting occurring as predefined in at least one Transportation Safety Policy.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein said device is further adapted for monitoring, detecting, sensing, logging and reporting the presence or absence of Bluetooth wireless frequencies whenever any other wireless transmissions are simultaneously present.

37. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said at least one means for ensuring identification, authentication, authorization, and non-repudiation is not integral to said apparatus.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein said at least one identity ensuring means not integral to said Transportation Safety Apparatus is individually-provided [by said at least one of a driver or vehicle operator] at time of “

on-duty”

log-in and “

off-duty”

log-out.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein said identity ensuring means not integral to said apparatus is at least one of physically and wirelessly coupled to said apparatus.

40. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said means for ensuring identification, authentication, authorization, and non-repudiation is integral to said apparatus

41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said identity ensuring means is insertable and removably-attachable to said Transportation Safety Apparatus and comprises at least one of a smartcard and a fingerprint identification device.

42. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein said identity ensuring means comprising at least one insertable and removably-attachable device includes a biometric fingerprint reader.

20. A method for ensuring compliance with Transportation Safety Policies (TSP) by at least one of a driver and a vehicle operator, comprising the steps of:

a. promulgating and establishing at least one Transportation Safety Policy (TSP);

b. providing, programming, and operating a Transportation Safety System (TSS) including means for controlling affirmative management and remediation actions in response to TSP violations and predetermined alarms therefrom; and

c. providing, programming, issuing, and operating at least one Transportation Safety Apparatus (TSA) for at least one of (but not limited to);

(1) identifying, authenticating, and authorizing said at least one of driver and an operator;

(2) monitoring, detecting, and logging driver and operator violations of said TSP;

(3) alarming, reporting, and communicating said violations to said TSS.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said step of promulgating and establishing said at least one Transportation Safety Policy (TSP) is executed by at least one from the group of (but is not limited to) a system administrator, technician, operator, and a system owner.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said step of promulgating and establishing said at least one Transportation Safety Policy is based on at least one prerequisite predetermined definition of specific rules, policies, restrictions, and violations that apply to said TSP.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said at least one Transportation Safety Policy (TSP) includes restrictions on unauthorized wireless spectrum emission events by said at least one of a driver and a vehicle operator.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of providing, programming, and operating said Transportation Safety System (TSS) includes (but is not limited to) sub-steps of integrating hardware, software, storage, and processor resources;

providing at least one of a wire-connected and a wireless communication resource;

programming into said TSS at least one governing Transportation Safety Policy (TSP) parameter defining said restrictions, violations, and alarms thereof;

communicating between said at least one Transportation Safety Apparatus (TSA) and said at least one TSS; and

bringing online and operating said TSS in combination with at least one TSA.

25. A Transportation Safety System (TSS) for ensuring compliance with applicable governing Transportation Safety Policies (TSP), comprising:

a. at least one promulgated and established governing TSP;

b. at least one of a wireless and a wire-connected communication resource for communicating between and among at least one said TSS and at least one Transportation Safety Apparatus (TSA) deployed aboard a TSP-governed vehicle operated by at least one of a “

logged-in”

operator and driver;

c. said at least one TSP-governed vehicle communicating with said TSS; and

d. said at least one Transportation Safety Apparatus communicating at least one TSS in accordance with said at least one governing TSP.

26. The Transportation Safety System (TSS) of claim 25, further adapted to operate in accordance with said at least one governing TSP determining operation, management, enforcement, and remediation actions of said TSS based on at least one from the group of (but is not limited to) time of day;

operational status of said at least one TSP-governed vehicle; and

the identity of said at least one of a driver and a vehicle operator operating said TSP-governed vehicle.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein said at least one governing TSP governs operation of said TSS based on predetermined events including alarmed and unalarmed events.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said events include at least one alert or alarm priority affecting communication periodicity between said at least one TSA to at least one TSS.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein said at least one of a wireless and a wire-connected communication resource is further adapted to communicate with at least one TSS in accordance with at least one governing TSP.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein said Transportation Safety System (TSS) is further adapted for communicating with one or more additional TSSs.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein said TSS is optionally adapted for connection to and communication with at least one predefined external (non-TSS) system.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein said Transportation Safety System (TSS) is adapted for communication with said at least one external (non-TSS) system including at least one from the group of (but is not limited to) a police system, a fire department system, and at least one of a private and a public security system.

33. The Transportation Safety System (TSS) of claim 25, wherein said TSS and said TSA are further adapted for reporting the operational status of said at least one TSA and said TSP-governed vehicle based on at least one of (but not limited to) whether said TSP-governed vehicle is (1) logged into said TSS as operational;

(2) not logged into said TSS as operational;

(3) logged in as underway, not making way;

(4) logged in as underway, making way; and

(5) determined as suddenly stopped with or without a reported alarm.

43. A Transportation Safety Apparatus (version 2) adapted for interfacing with at least one externally-provided means for ensuring identification of at least one of a driver and an operator, wherein said Transportation Safety Apparatus further comprises an enclosure means for integrating electronic circuits and components, wherein said circuits and components include means for monitoring, detecting, sensing, logging, and reporting wireless transmission events occurring within the proximity of said apparatus and further include means for storing a time-stamped record of detected wireless transmission events and other predetermined detected events.

44. The Transportation Safety Apparatus of claim 43, further adapted to interface with at least one of (but is not limited to) a wireless proximity card, a removably-insertable fingerprint identification device, and a removably-insertable smartcard device.

45. The Transportation Safety Apparatus of claim 43, further including at least one female fitting adapted to receive at least one of a USB male plug and a smartcard insertion from a removably-insertable device comprising at least one of a fingerprint identification device and a smartcard device.

46. The apparatus of claim 44, further adapted to receive wireless signals from at least one of (1) said wireless proximity card (with or without a biometric sensor) having a contactless transceiver for communicating with said apparatus;

(2) said removably-insertable fingerprint identification device (with or without a biometric sensor) having a contactless transceiver for communicating with said apparatus; and

(3) a contactless smartcard (with or without a biometric sensor) having a contactless transceiver for communicating with said apparatus.

47. A vehicle operating system (VOS) adapted for interfacing at least one of a Transportation Safety Apparatus (TSA) and a Transportation Safety System (TSS) and further adapted to implement and enforce restrictions and requirements of at least one applicable and governing Transportation Safety Policy (TSP).

48. The vehicle operating system (VOS) of claim 47, further comprising hardware including at least one general purpose processor executing at least one control program including instructions for implementing and enforcing requirements of said at least one Transportation Safety Policy (TSP) and for providing at least one physical hardware port means for interconnecting at least one of a wire-connected and a wireless input/output/control interface line into said VOS.

49. The vehicle operating system (VOS) of claim 47, additionally comprising at least one of a wire-connected and a wireless input/output/control interface line connected between at least one of a Transportation Safety Apparatus (TSA) and a Transportation Safety System (TSS) and said vehicle operating system (VOS) by means of said at least one physical hardware port means for access thereto.

50. The vehicle operating system (VOS) of claim 47, further adapted to interface at least one predefined vehicle subsystem from the group of (but is not limited to) a telematics subsystem(s), an “

information/entertainment”

subsystem(s), an electrical subsystem(s), a mechanical subsystem(s), an emergency subsystem(s), and a computer subsystem(s) including at least one of a processing subsystem(s), a logical subsystem(s), and an artificial intelligence system.