METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPLEMENTING A VEHICLE INSPECTION WAIVER PROGRAM

• US 20160350986A1
• Filed: 08/10/2016
• Published: 12/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zonar Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Zonar Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: OLIVER, CHRIS, FAKKEMA, FRED, BRINTON, BRETT, MCQUADE, CHARLES MICHAEL, BRINTON, WILLIAM
• Granted Patent: US 10,706,647 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0818 Inactivity or incapacity of driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/0676 Engine temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2510/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/18 Roll
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction

Abstract

Position data received wirelessly from a vehicle enrolled in an inspection waiver program are employed to determine when the enrolled vehicle is approaching an inspection station. After determining that the enrolled vehicle is approaching an inspection station, and if the enrolled vehicle has a valid inspection waiver, a bypass confirmation can selectively be provided to the vehicle operator, authorizing the operator to bypass the inspection station. The task of determining when an enrolled vehicle is approaching the location of an inspection station can be performed using a processor disposed in the vehicle, or at a remote location separate from both the vehicle and the inspection station, or at the inspection station. The inspection stations can be mobile so that their locations are varied to prevent operators from intentionally avoiding an inspection, as may occur with fixed inspection stations.

Claims

1. A method of administering a vehicle inspection program, utilizing inspection stations, on an enrolled vehicle that produces vehicle operational data, comprising:

determining that the enrolled vehicle is within a catchment area for an inspection station;

analyzing the vehicle operational data, thereby creating analysis results; and

making a determination as to whether to permit the vehicle to bypass inspection, based at least in part on the analysis results.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the analysis results include a preliminary assessment of driver proficiency.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the preliminary assessment of driver efficiency, use at least one from a group of alerts, received during a preceding time period and consisting essentially of:

a hard braking alert;

a roll stability control alert; and

an anti-lock braking system alert.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the vehicle also produces accelerometer data and the preliminary assessment of driver proficiency includes an analysis of accelerometer data to arrive at an indication of driver steadiness within a preceding time period.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the analysis of accelerometer data includes a results include a computation of a sudden acceleration score.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the analysis results relate to vehicle integrity.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the analysis results relate to the presence of faults.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the analysis results relate to the presence of a brake system fault.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the analysis results relate to the presence of a safety fault.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the analysis results relate to the presence of a condition which could cause an on road failure, requiring the vehicle to pull to the side of the roadway.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the analysis results relate to the probability of engine overheating.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the analysis results also relate to vehicle integrity.

13. The method of claim 4, further wherein in instances in which the vehicle is inspected, inspection results are automatically compared with an accelerometer data history to determine the accuracy of analysis and improve the accuracy of analysis.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein inspection station utilization rate is an additional factor in determining whether to permit the vehicle to bypass inspection.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the analysis results relate to the presence of a condition which could cause an on road failure, requiring the vehicle to pull to the side of the roadway.

15. A system for granting bypass permission to an enrolled vehicle that produces vehicle operational data, the method comprising:

a mechanism for determining that the enrolled vehicle is within a catchment area for an inspection station; and

a data processing assembly, configured to analyze the vehicle operational data, thereby creating analysis results and to make a determination as to whether to permit the vehicle to bypass inspection, based at least in part on the analysis results.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the analysis results include a preliminary assessment of driver proficiency.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the preliminary assessment of driver efficiency, use at least one from a group of alerts, received during a preceding time period and consisting essentially of:

a hard braking alert;

a roll stability control alert; and

an anti-lock braking system alert.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the analysis results relate to vehicle integrity.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the analysis results relate to the presence of faults.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the analysis results relate to the presence of a brake system fault.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the analysis results relate to the presence of a safety fault.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the analysis results relate to the probability of engine overheating.

24. A method for administering a vehicle inspection waiver program in which enrolled vehicles can be authorized to bypass an inspection station, comprising the steps of:

(a) automatically determining a geographical location for an enrolled vehicle while the vehicle is being operated;

(b) automatically collecting vehicle operational data for the enrolled vehicle while the vehicle is being operated;

(c) based upon a current geographical location for the enrolled vehicle, automatically determining if the enrolled vehicle is approaching the inspection station; and

(d) if the enrolled vehicle is approaching the inspection station, using a computing device to analyze the vehicle operational data for an indication of a vehicle fault, and if so, providing an indication to an operator of the enrolled vehicle to stop at the inspection station, even though the vehicle is enrolled in the vehicle inspection waiver program.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein using the computing device to analyze the vehicle operational data for an indication of a vehicle fault comprises determining if a fault has been detected anytime in the last 24 hours, and if so, providing the indication to an operator of the enrolled vehicle to stop at the inspection station.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein using the computing device to analyze the vehicle operational data for an indication of a vehicle fault comprises determining if a fault related to a braking system associated with the vehicle, and if so, providing the indication to an operator of the enrolled vehicle to stop at the inspection station, but if not, providing the indication to an operator of the enrolled vehicle to bypass the inspection station.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein using the computing device to analyze the vehicle operational data for an indication of a vehicle fault comprises determining if a fault related to one of a braking system associated with the vehicle and a safety system associated with the vehicle, and if so, providing the indication to an operator of the enrolled vehicle to stop at the inspection station, but if not, providing the indication to an operator of the enrolled vehicle to bypass the inspection station.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein using the computing device to analyze the vehicle operational data for an indication of a vehicle fault comprises determining if a fault related to a pollution control system associated with the vehicle, and if so, providing the indication to an operator of the enrolled vehicle to stop at the inspection station.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein using the computing device to analyze the vehicle operational data for an indication of a vehicle fault comprises determining if a fault related to a pollution control system associated with the vehicle, and if so, providing the indication to an operator of the enrolled vehicle to stop at the inspection station.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the regulation is maximum vehicle speed.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the regulation is maximum hours on duty for an operator of the vehicle.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the regulation is maximum vehicle weight.

29-1. A method for administering a vehicle inspection waiver program in which enrolled vehicles can be authorized to bypass an inspection station, comprising the steps of:

(a) automatically determining a geographical location for an enrolled vehicle while the vehicle is being operated;

(b) automatically collecting vehicle operational data for the enrolled vehicle while the vehicle is being operated;

(c) based upon a current geographical location for the enrolled vehicle, automatically determining if the enrolled vehicle is approaching the inspection station; and

(d) if the enrolled vehicle is approaching the inspection station, using a computing device to analyze the vehicle operational data for an indication of whether the vehicle has violated any regulation in a predetermined time period before the vehicle approaches the inspection station, and if so, providing an indication to an operator of the enrolled vehicle to stop at the inspection station, even though the vehicle is enrolled in the vehicle inspection waiver program.