Methods and systems for selectively transmitting location data from an on-board recorder to an external device

• US 9,441,977 B1
• Filed: 04/10/2015
• Issued: 09/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: J J Keller & Associates Incorporated
• Original Assignee: J J Keller & Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Harter, Thomas C., Kuphal, Michael K., Lightner, Bruce D., Thome, Randel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sample, Jonathan L
• Application Number:
  US14/683,489
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• 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 transmitting location data from a collection device installed in a vehicle to an external device. One method includes receiving, with the collection device, a plurality of instances of location data for the vehicle, wherein each of the plurality of instances of the location data includes a coordinate, a time, and a quality value, and storing, in a memory module of the collection device, the plurality of instances of location data. The method also includes receiving, with the collection device, a request from the external device, the request associated with a time period, determining, with the collection device, a set of location data from the plurality of instances of location data based on the time period, and transmitting the set of location data to the external device.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting location data from a collection device installed in a vehicle to an external device, the method comprising:

receiving, with the collection device, a plurality of instances of location data for the vehicle, wherein each of the plurality of instances of the location data includes a coordinate, a time, and a quality value related to the degree of reliability of the location data;

storing, in a memory module of the collection device, the plurality of instances of location data;

receiving, with the collection device, a request from the external device, the request associated with a time period;

determining, with the collection device, a set of location data from the plurality of instances of location data based on the time period comprising

including at least one of the plurality of instances of location data in the set of location data when the time associated with the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data is within the time period;

comparing the quality value associated with the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data to a first threshold,

when the quality value does not exceed the first threshold, including the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data in the set of location data when a mileage uncertainty value associated with the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data does not exceed a second threshold; and

transmitting the set of location data to the external device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the first threshold from the external device.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the second threshold from the external device.

4. A system for logging location data, the system comprising:

a collection device installed in a vehicle and including a processing unit, a memory module, and a transceiver, wherein the processing unit is configured to

receive a plurality of instances of location data for the vehicle, wherein each of the plurality of instances of the location data includes a coordinate, a time, and a quality value,

store the plurality of instances of location data in the memory module,

receive a request from the external device, the request associated with a time period,

determine a set of location data from the plurality of instances location data based on the time period,

determine the set of location data by including at least one of the plurality of instances of location data in the set of location data when the time associated with the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data is within the time period,

include the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data in the set of location data when the quality value associated with the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data does not exceed a first threshold and when a mileage uncertainty value associated with the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data does not exceed a second threshold; and

transmit the set of location data to the external device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the processing unit is further configured to receive the first threshold from the external device.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the processing unit is further configured to receive the second threshold from the external device.

7. A method for transmitting location data from a collection device installed in a vehicle to an external device, the method comprising:

receiving, with the collection device, a plurality of instances of location data for the vehicle, wherein each of the plurality of instances of the location data includes a coordinate, a time, and a quality value related to the degree of reliability of the location data;

storing, in a memory module of the collection device, the plurality of instances of location data;

receiving, with the collection device, a request from the external device, the request associated with a time period;

determining, with the collection device, a set of location data from the plurality of instances of location data based on the time period, comprising

including at least one of the plurality of instances of location data in the set of location data when the time associated with the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data is within the time period,

comparing the quality value associated with the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data to a first threshold,

when the quality value exceeds the threshold, including the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data in the set of location data when the at least one of the plurality of instances represents a crossing of a geographic boundary; and

transmitting the set of location data to the external device.

8. A method for transmitting location data from a collection device installed in a vehicle to an external device, the method comprising:

receiving, with the collection device, a plurality of instances of location data for the vehicle, wherein each of the plurality of instances of the location data includes a coordinate, a time, and a quality value related to the degree of reliability of the location data;

storing, in a memory module of the collection device, the plurality of instances of location data;

receiving, with the collection device, a request from the external device, the request associated with a time period;

determining, with the collection device, a set of location data from the plurality of instances of location data based on the time period, comprising

including at least one of the plurality of instances of location data in the set of location data when the time associated with the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data is within the time period,

comparing the quality value associated with the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data to a first threshold,

when the quality value exceeds the first threshold, including the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data in the set of location data when a difference between the time associated with the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data and a last time included in the set of location data exceeds a second threshold; and

transmitting the set of location data to the external device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving the second threshold from the external device.

10. A system for logging location data, the system comprising:

a collection device installed in a vehicle and including a processing unit, a memory module, and a transceiver, wherein the processing unit is configured to

receive a plurality of instances of location data for the vehicle, wherein each of the plurality of instances of the location data includes a coordinate, a time, and a quality value related to the degree of reliability of the location data,

store the plurality of instances of location data in the memory module,

receive a request from the external device, the request associated with a time period,

determine a set of location data from the plurality of instances location data based on the time period,

determine the set of location data by including at least one of the plurality of instances of location data in the set of location data when the time associated with the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data is within the time period,

include the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data in the set of location data when the quality value associated with at least one of the plurality of instances of location data exceeds a first threshold and when the at least one of the plurality of instances represents a crossing of a geographic boundary; and

transmit the set of location data to the external device.

11. A system for logging location data, the system comprising:

a collection device installed in a vehicle and including a processing unit, a memory module, and a transceiver, wherein the processing unit is configured to

receive a plurality of instances of location data for the vehicle, wherein each of the plurality of instances of the location data includes a coordinate, a time, and a quality value related to the degree of reliability of the location data,

store the plurality of instances of location data in the memory module,

receive a request from the external device, the request associated with a time period,

determine a set of location data from the plurality of instances location data based on the time period,

determine the set of location data by including at least one of the plurality of instances of location data in the set of location data when the time associated with the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data is within the time period,

include the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data in the set of location data when the quality value associated with at least one of the plurality of instances of location data exceeds a first threshold and when a difference between the time associated with the at least one of the plurality of instances of location data and a last time included in the set of location data exceeds a second threshold; and

transmit the set of location data to the external device.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processing unit is further configured to receive the second threshold from the external device.