System for remote monitoring of a vehicle and method of determining vehicle mileage, jurisdiction crossing and fuel consumption

• US 6,714,857 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2002
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NNT, Inc.
• Original Assignee: NNT, Inc.
• Inventors: Smith, Andrew, Chang, Sam, Kapolka, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUDE, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US10/082,847
• Publication Number:
  US 20030163249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 701/104, 701/123, 701/209, 701/204, 701/213, 701/219, 701/300, 340/902, 340/989, 340/991
• US Class Current: 701/123
• 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

A monitoring system that determines vehicle position and fuel consumption in a jurisdiction, and jurisdiction crossings. The system includes a vehicle having a fuel reservoir from which fuel is consumed as an energy source. The system also includes a positioning system for generating the present position information of the vehicle. The information includes latitude and longitude data points. Additionally, the system includes a fuel monitoring device in the fuel reservoir, whereby the fuel monitoring means generates information including the present level of fuel in the fuel reservoir. Also, a data collection device for collecting the present position information and the present level of fuel information. Finally, the system includes a processor located at a remote site from the vehicle, the processor receives data from the collecting device. The processor determines when the vehicle crosses a jurisdiction border and computes the fuel consumption in the jurisdiction, the fuel consumption data can then be later used to compute the fuel tax.

Claims

1. An electronic monitoring system that determines vehicle position, fuel consumption in a jurisdiction, and jurisdiction crossings, said system comprising:

a vehicle having a fuel reservoir from which fuel is consumed as an energy source;

a positioning system for generating present position information including latitude and longitude information of said vehicle;

a fuel monitoring means in said fuel reservoir, whereby said fuel monitoring means generates information including the present level of fuel in said fuel reservoir;

a data collection device for collecting said present position information and said present level of fuel information; and

a processor located remote from said vehicle, said processor receiving from said data collection device at least a portion of said present position information and said present level of fuel information and responsively determining when said vehicle crosses a jurisdiction border and computing said fuel consumption in said jurisdiction.

2. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said positioning system is a global positioning system receiver.

3. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said positioning system is a LORAN receiver.

4. The processor claimed in claim 1, wherein said processor receives said information from said data collection device through a wireless network.

5. The fuel monitoring means claimed in claim 1, wherein fuel monitoring means is parameter identification information.

6. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said positioning device further generates present bearing data of said vehicle.

7. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said data collection device further collects said bearing data.

8. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said processor receives said information from said data collection device through a wireless network.

9. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said positioning system comprises a global positioning system receiver.

10. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said positioning system comprises a LORAN receiver.

11. The processor claimed in claim 1, wherein said processor receives said data from said data collection device through a wireless network.

12. The fuel monitoring means claimed in claim 1, wherein fuel monitoring means comprises parameter identification information.

13. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said positioning device further generates present bearing data of said vehicle.

14. The system claimed in claim 1, wherein said collecting device further collects said bearing data.

15. An electronic monitoring system that determines vehicle position, fuel consumption in a jurisdiction, and jurisdiction crossings, said system comprising:

a vehicle having at least one vehicle controller for controlling at least one operation of said vehicle and having a fuel reservoir from which fuel is consumed as an energy source;

a positioning system for generating present position information including latitude and longitude information of said vehicle;

a fuel monitoring means in said fuel reservoir, whereby said fuel monitoring means generates information including the present level of fuel in said fuel reservoir;

a data collection device for collecting from at least one vehicle controller said present position information and said present level of fuel information; and

a processor located remote from said vehicle, said processor receives from said data collection device at least a portion of said present-position information and said present level-of-fuel information and responsively (1) determines when said vehicle crosses a jurisdiction border, and (2) computes said fuel consumption in said jurisdiction.

16. An electronic monitoring system that determines a jurisdictional crossing from a remote location, said system comprising:

a vehicle having at least one vehicle controller for controlling at least one operation of said vehicle;

a positioning system for generating present position information including latitude and longitude information of said vehicle;

a data collection device for collecting from at least one vehicle controller said present position information; and

a processor located remote from said vehicle, said processor receives from said data collection device at least a portion of said present-position information and responsively determines when said vehicle crosses a jurisdiction border.

17. The system claimed in claim 16, wherein said positioning system comprises a global positioning system receiver.

18. The system claimed in claim 16, wherein said positioning system comprises a LORAN receiver.

19. The system claimed in claim 18, wherein said processor receives at least a portion of said present-position information from said data collection device through a wireless network.

20. The system claimed in claim 19, wherein said positioning device further generates present bearing data of said vehicle.

21. The system claimed in claim 20, wherein said collecting device further collects said bearing data.