Information Transmission and Processing Systems and Methods for Freight Carriers

• US 20120105213A1
• Filed: 12/28/2011
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R+L Carriers, Inc.
• Original Assignee: R+L Carriers, Inc.
• Inventors: Roberts, Ralph L. Sr., Deck, Chris, Crandall, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 8,188,847 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/10.41
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

Methods and systems for remotely monitoring trailer or trailers attached to a vehicle is provided. The method includes associating an identification tag or ABS ECU that is configured to broadcast a trailer identification signal with a trailer. The method further includes receiving the trailer identification signal on-board the vehicle, associating the trailer identification signal with the vehicle, transmitting the trailer identification signal to a remote processor and receiving the trailer identification signal at the remote processor. The system comprises a mobile data terminal capable of generating and responding to telematic events comprising at least one processor, a graphical user interface, an input device, a memory and a set of executable instructions which may include a plurality of modules, such as a vehicle location module capable of receiving a GPS signal and transmitting the GPS signal to a remote processor for determining a location of a transportation unit.

Claims

1. A method of remotely monitoring at least one trailer attached to a vehicle comprising:

associating an identification tag with the trailer, wherein the identification tag is configured to broadcast a trailer identification signal;

receiving the trailer identification signal on-board the vehicle;

associating the trailer identification signal with the vehicle;

transmitting the trailer identification signal to a remote processor; and

receiving the trailer identification signal at the remote processor.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises transmitting a trailer location to the remote processor.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the steps of receiving the trailer identification signal, associating the identification signal with the vehicle and transmitting the trailer identification signal to a remote processor are performed by a mobile data terminal device positioned within the vehicle.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein:

a wired communication link electrically couples the identification tag to the mobile data terminal device; and

the trailer identification signal is broadcasted to the mobile transmission device through the wired communication link by way of parallel or serial communication.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the identification tag is configured as a programmable power line communication tag attached to the trailer that communicates with the mobile transmission device.

6. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the identification tag is configured to wirelessly broadcast at least the trailer identification signal to the mobile data terminal device.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the identification tag communicates directly with the mobile data terminal device.

8. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the identification tag communicates indirectly with the mobile data terminal device via a vehicle communication bus.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 wherein the communication bus comprises at least one of a J2497 PLC4Trucks Bus, J1708 bus and J1939 bus.

10. The method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the identification tag is configured as an RFID tag attached to the trailer that communicates with the mobile data terminal device.

11. The method as claimed in claim 4 wherein the wired communication link comprises at least one of a J2497 PLC4Trucks Bus, J1708 bus and J1939 bus.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:

generating a hook event at an initial communication between the mobile data terminal device and the identification tag; and

transmitting trailer information data to the remote processor upon the hook event.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein trailer information comprises a current trailer mileage, a current trailer location, a hook date and a hook time.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 wherein the identification tag comprises a programmable power line communication tag.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises polling the identification tag for a hooked or unhooked status signal.

16. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein upon generating a hook event, the method further comprises determining whether the at least one trailer is hooked to a correct vehicle.

17. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein upon receiving a hooked status signal, the method further comprises:

capturing trailer information comprising at least one of a starting trailer mileage, a starting trailer location, a date and a time; and

transmitting the trailer information to the remote processor.

18. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein upon receiving an unhooked status signal the method further comprises:

requesting current trailer information from the vehicle, and further wherein the current trailer information comprises at least one of a current trailer mileage, a current trailer location, a date and a time.

19. The method as claimed in claim 18 further comprising:

obtaining previously recorded trailer information that is associated with the trailer identification signal;

updating a virtual odometer of the trailer associated with the trailer identification signal by comparing the current trailer information with the previously recorded trailer information; and

generating virtual odometer data based at least in part on the virtual odometer.

20. The method as claimed in claim 19 wherein the requesting current trailer information from the vehicle, obtaining previously recorded trailer information, and updating a virtual odometer of the trailer steps are performed by the mobile data terminal device, and the mobile data terminal device wirelessly transmits the virtual odometer data to the remote processor.

21. The method as claimed in claim 19 wherein:

the mobile data terminal device obtains the trailer identification signal and trailer information;

the mobile data terminal device wirelessly transmits the trailer identification signal and the trailer information to the remote processor; and

the remote processor obtains the previously recorded trailer information and updates the virtual odometer of the trailer.

22. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein the method further comprises requesting periodic trailer information from the vehicle, and further wherein the trailer information comprises at least one of a trailer mileage, a trailer location, a date and a time.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the mobile data terminal device requests the periodic trailer information from the vehicle.

24. The method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the method further comprises transmitting the trailer information to a remote processor.

25. The method as claimed in claim 15 wherein:

upon receiving a hooked status signal, the method further comprises capturing a first vehicle odometer reading; and

upon receiving an unhooked status signal, the method further comprises;

capturing a second vehicle odometer reading;

calculating a trailer mileage from the first and second vehicle odometer readings; and

transmitting the trailer mileage to the remote processor.

26. The method as claimed in claim 25 wherein the method further comprises updating a trailer odometer with the trailer mileage.

27. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:

requesting the trailer identification signal and trailer information from the vehicle, and further wherein the trailer information comprises at least one of a trailer mileage, a trailer location, a date and a time;

receiving the trailer identification signal and the trailer information; and

generating an event based at least in part on the trailer identification signal and the trailer information.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27 wherein the steps of requesting the trailer identification signal and trailer information from the vehicle, receiving the trailer identification signal and the trailer information and generating an event are performed by the mobile data terminal.

29. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the method further comprises:

requesting the trailer identification signal and trailer information from the vehicle, and further wherein the trailer information comprises at least one of a trailer mileage, a trailer location, a date and a time;

transmitting the trailer identification signal and the trailer information from the vehicle to the remote processor;

receiving the trailer identification signal and the trailer information at the remote processor; and

generating an event based at least in part on the trailer identification signal and the trailer information.

30. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the method further comprises:

transmitting a vehicle identification signal and a vehicle information from the vehicle to the remote processor;

receiving the vehicle identification signal and the vehicle information at the remote processor; and

generating an event based at least in part on the vehicle identification signal and the vehicle information.

31. The method as claimed in claim 30 wherein the event comprises sending a rerouting dispatch signal from the remote processor to the vehicle.

32. The method as claimed in claim 30 wherein the event comprises generating a manifest when the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a terminal.

33. The method as claimed in claim 29 wherein the event comprises electronically sending an estimated time of arrival to a customer when the vehicle is within a predetermined distance of a customer.

34. The method as claimed in claim 3 wherein the method further comprises:

requesting the trailer identification signal and trailer information from the vehicle, and further wherein the trailer information comprises at least one of a trailer mileage, a trailer location, a date and a time;

transmitting the trailer identification signal and the trailer information from the vehicle to the remote processor;

receiving the trailer identification signal and the trailer information at the remote processor; and

calculating a trailer idle time based at least in part on the time identification signal and the trailer information.