System and method for obtaining, transmitting and/or providing freight transportation information

• US 8,892,270 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2012
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Phaedrus, LLC
• Original Assignee: Phaedrus, LLC
• Inventors: Engstrand, Bradley W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cheung, Mary
• Assistant Examiner(s): BRUSHABER, FREDERICK M
• Application Number:
  US13/668,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20140129046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/12 having electrical weight-sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 3/125 wherein the weighing element is an optical member
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 7/045 with optical transmitting or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/00 Digital computers in general details G06F1/00 – G06F13/00; Data processing equipment in general

Abstract

An apparatus, a system and a method obtain, transmit and/or provide transportation information. A microprocessor is configured to receive and/or transmit real time information concerning the operation of a vehicle. Real time information, such as, for example, a weight of a vehicle, an air pressure of tires, a location of the truck and the trailer, brake wear of brakes of the truck and/or the trailer, and/or engine measurements may be obtained. The real time information may be encrypted and may be transmitted to a central location using Wi-Fi communication, a cellular telephone network, radio transmission, a transponder, and/or the like. The real time information may be accessed by a terminal communicatively linked to the microprocessor and/or the central location. The signal may indicate vehicle compliance and/or non-compliance with a private commercial requirement and/or state and federal regulations.

Claims

1. A system for obtaining real time information associated with a vehicle transporting freight wherein the vehicle has a compartment with a volume wherein the volume varies in the compartment, the system comprising:

a light source and a light detector associated with the vehicle wherein the light source provides a light in the compartment and the light detector measures an intensity of the light from within the compartment wherein the intensity of the light corresponds to the volume of the compartment and further wherein the light detector produces a signal indicative of the real time information associated with the vehicle; and

a microprocessor that receives the signal from the light detector to process the signal to determine the volume of the compartment wherein the volume of the compartment corresponds to the real time information and further wherein the microprocessor transmits the signal to a remote location.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the compartment is an interior of a tire of the vehicle and further wherein the real time information is pressure of the tire of the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the compartment is an interior of a fuel tank of the vehicle and further wherein the real time information is amount of fuel in the fuel tank of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the compartment is an interior of a brake chamber on the vehicle and further wherein the real time information is amount of brake wear to brakes of the vehicle.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a visual display in the vehicle to display the real time information.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the light source is

an LED associated with the light detector.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a freight placement indicator connected to the microprocessor wherein the microprocessor determines an optimal position for a piece of freight and causes the freight placement indicator to indicate where to position the freight within the vehicle.

8. A method for obtaining real time information associated with a variable parameter of a vehicle transporting freight wherein the vehicle has a region with a volume wherein the volume changes in the region, the method comprising the steps of:

transmitting light in the region of the vehicle;

detecting the light in the region to produce a signal associated with the transmitted light in the region of the vehicle;

processing the signal to determine a change in the variable parameter of the vehicle associated with the volume of the region; and

generating the real time information based upon the change in the variable parameter of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of:

encrypting the real time information.

10. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of:

transmitting the signal to a location remote from the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising the step of:

displaying the change in the variable parameter of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the region of the vehicle is an interior of a tire of the vehicle.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the region of the vehicle is a compartment holding freight transported by the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein the region of the vehicle is an interior of a fuel tank of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein the signal is indicative of weight in a compartment of the vehicle.

16. The method of claim 8 wherein the signal is processed to determine compliance with a regulation.

17. The method of claim 8 wherein the region of the vehicle is a brake chamber of the vehicle.

18. A system for obtaining real time information associated with a vehicle transporting freight wherein the vehicle has a compartment with a movable element within the compartment wherein a position of the movable element varies with a load carried in the compartment, the system comprising:

a light source and a light detector associated with the vehicle wherein the light source provides a light in the compartment and the light detector measures an intensity of the light from within the compartment wherein the intensity of the light corresponds to a position of the movable element within the compartment and further wherein the light detector produces a signal indicative of the real time information associated with the vehicle; and

a microprocessor that receives the signal from the light detector to process the signal to determine the position of the movable element within the compartment wherein the position of the movable element within the compartment corresponds to the real time information and further wherein the microprocessor transmits the signal to a remote location.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the movable element is connected to the vehicle and configured such that weight of the freight displaces the movable element within the compartment and further wherein the real time information is weight of the freight.