Satellite communication and truck driver bonus notification and awards system

• US 5,394,136 A
• Filed: 08/30/1993
• Issued: 02/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: MiX Telematics North America, Inc. (MiX Telematics Limited)
• Original Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
• Inventors: Lammers, David G., Gooch, Guy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US08/114,254
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/439, 340/441, 340/456, 340/905, 340/988, 340/989, 340/990, 340/991, 340/993, 340/995, 364/424.01, 364/424.03, 364/424.04, 364/436, 364/443, 364/406, 364/408
• US Class Current: 340/439
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A system for monitoring, reporting, encouraging and rewarding proper operation of a vehicle from a fixed location including the appropriate selection of speed sensor, tacometer, fuel flow sensor, gear shift position sensor and brake pedal pressure sensor coupled to a performance monitor which compares the information from the sensors with predetermined acceptable ranges and issues an excess report when the sensed signals exceed the predetermined ranges, a receiver/transmitter for transmitting the excess report to the fixed location where a decision regarding whether to issue a driver bonus reward is made and communicated back to the receiver/transmitter which is coupled to a printer, display/keyboard on board the vehicle for printing a bonus check or notification reward in response to the determination received from the fixed location.

Claims

1. A system for controlling the operation of a vehicle from a fixed location comprising:

a receiver/transmitter on board the vehicle for communicating information between said vehicle and the fixed location;

a speed sensor for generating electric speed signals representative of the speed of the vehicle;

a performance monitor, coupled to the speed sensor, for receiving the electric speed signals and comparing said electric speed signals with a predetermined range of acceptable signal levels and generating an excessive speed report when said electric speed signals exceeds said predetermined range;

the performance monitor coupled to said receiver/transmitter providing the reports to the fixed location for determining whether a driver bonus will be initiated by generating a bonus signal; and

an input/output unit coupled with said receiver/transmitter for providing a visual notification of said driver bonus in response to the bonus signal and further for providing a choice of receiving locations for receiving said bonus.

2. A system for improving the operation of a vehicle comprising;

a performance monitor;

a speed sensor, coupled to the performance monitor, for sensing the speed of the vehicle, and generating a speed signal representative of the speed of the vehicle;

an RPM sensor, coupled to the performance monitor, for sensing the engine RPM'"'"'s of the vehicle, and generating an RPM signal which is representative of the RPMs of the vehicle;

a fuel flow sensor, coupled to the performance monitor, for sensing the fuel being consumed by the vehicle, and generating a fuel flow signal in response thereto which is representative of the fuel consumption rate of the vehicle;

a gear shift position sensor, coupled to the performance monitor, for sensing the position of the gear shift lever and generating a gearshift position signal;

a brake pedal sensor, coupled to the performance monitor, for measuring a pressure exerted on a brake pedal on the vehicle and generating a brake pedal pressure signal in response thereto;

the performance monitor compares the speed signal, RPM signal, fuel flow signal, gear shift position signal, and brake pedal sensor signal, with predetermined acceptable ranges and issuing an excessive signal report when the predetermined acceptable ranges are exceeded;

a receiver/transmitter onboard the vehicle for communicating between the vehicle and a remote location; and

,

an input/output unit coupled with the receiver transmitter for displaying a notification of a driver bonus based upon conformance with a predetermined criteria based upon said excessive signal report and inputting a choice of location for receiving said driver bonus.

3. A system for providing a bonus to a truck driver for proper operation of a vehicle comprising;

a brake pedal pressure sensor for generating a brake pedal pressure signal representative of a brake pedal pressure signal representative of a brake pedal pressure of the vehicle;

a performance monitor for comparing the brake pedal pressure signal with a predetermined acceptable upper limit and generating a report when the upper limit is exceeded;

a receiver/transmitter for communicating data between the vehicle and a remote station, which is coupled to the performance monitor;

an input/output device coupled with the receiver/transmitter for displaying information to a truck driver and for providing driver input;

a speed sensor for generating a speed signal representative of a speed of the vehicle;

said performance monitor further for comparing the speed signal with a predetermined acceptable upper limit and generating a report when the upper limit is exceeded;

an RPM sensor, for generating RPM signal, representative of an engine RPM of the vehicle;

said performance monitor further for comparing the RPM signal with a predetermined acceptable upper limit in generating a report when the upper limit is exceeded;

a fuel flow sensor, for generating a fuel flow signal, representative of the rate of fuel consumption of the vehicle;

said performance monitor for comparing the fuel flow signal with a predetermined acceptable upper limit and generating a report when the upper limit is exceeded;

a gear shift position sensor, for generating a gear shift position signal, representative of a gear shift position of the vehicle;

said receiver/transmitter for transmitting said gear shift position signal to a remote base station; and

,

a printer coupled to the receiver/transmitter for printing bonus checks to a truck driver in response to signals received from the remote station.