Abstract: A novel autonomous driving co-driver switch mode certification system securely determines and certifies an autonomous machine driving mode, which is activated in a permitted route under conditions approved by a regulatory agency. The autonomous driving co-driver switch mode, when enabled, allows a commercial vehicle driver to utilize the vehicle's autonomous driving capability as long as the commercial vehicle driver and the vehicle are also meeting the regulatory agency-defined safety and regulatory requirements before and during the autonomous machine driving mode. The autonomous driving co-driver switch mode is deemed trustworthy and certified by the regulatory agency, if the vehicle's ECU, ELD, and sensory readouts confirm a tamperproof validation of the agency-approvable state of the commercial vehicle driver and the vehicle.

Abstract: A novel privacy control-adjustable commercial vehicle ELD and trip data-sharing system and a related method of operation provide a dynamically-adjustable access grant or denial of privacy-sensitive and competitive intelligence-sensitive commercial fleet vehicle operations information to a third-party corporate partner entity of a transportation company, based on a trip data-share authorizer's response to an electronic request made by the third-party corporate partner entity.

Abstract: A vehicle electronic logging device (ELD) hour-of-service (HoS) audit and correction guidance system incorporates a commercial driver coaching mode to provide intelligent machine-determined proactive training instructions and warning messages to a chronically-offending driver who has repeatedly incurred or ignored pre-violation and violation alerts generated from the vehicle ELD HoS audit and correction guidance system. The commercial driver coaching mode also provides a messaging-based coaching interface to enable a fleet manager to communicate directly with the chronically-offending driver regarding specific pre-violation or violation alerts for commercial vehicle operations regulatory compliance. The vehicle ELD HoS audit and correction guidance system incorporates in-vehicle sensor data output values that are machine-interpreted by a vehicle OBD device, a driver's on-duty or off-duty confirmation entries, and other driver log adjustments to analyze an electronically-generated vehicle log.

Abstract: A vehicle electronic logging device (ELD) hour-of-service (HoS) audit and correction guidance system provides preemptive pre-violation and violation alerts and interactive vehicle log entry correction guidance for commercial vehicle operations regulatory compliance. The vehicle ELD HoS audit and correction guidance system incorporates in-vehicle sensor data output values that are machine-interpreted by a vehicle OBD device, a driver's on-duty or off-duty confirmation entries, and other driver log adjustments to analyze an electronically-generated vehicle log. Subsequently, the system determines whether some log entries are anomalous and indicative of driver log entry or adjustment errors, which may result in commercial vehicle regulatory violation if left uncorrected.

Abstract: A novel real-time OBD output parameter-based commercial fleet maintenance alert system performs an automated and intelligent analysis of each vehicle's OBD and vehicle sensor output parameters in real time during the operation of the vehicle to determine and alert each fleet vehicle's maintenance needs to an electronic device utilized by a driver or a commercial fleet operator. The commercial fleet maintenance alert system is also capable of performing a machine-level pattern analysis to correlate a previously-alerted maintenance need of a particular vehicle with a subsequent breakdown of the particular vehicle in a commercial fleet to predict a future probability of similar breakdowns by other vehicles in the commercial fleet.

Abstract: A novel commercial driver electronic logging rule compliance and vehicle inspection voice assistant system provides time-shared commercial drivers and auto mechanics a novel platform to initiate, update, share, and authorize an ELD log and driver vehicle inspection report (DVIR) associated with a time-shared commercial vehicle. The ELD log and/or DVIR intelligently and automatically incorporates in-vehicle sensor data output values that are machine-interpreted by a vehicle OBD device, a vehicle electronic logging device (ELD), and a commercial fleet vehicle maintenance and ELD database management system.

Abstract: A novel vehicle electronic logging authorization and handover system is configured to provide commercial vehicle driver log handover requests and authorizations to improve and preserve robustness and non-overlapping uniqueness of electronically-generated commercial vehicle driver log data among a plurality of drivers who time-share a vehicle. In one embodiment, the novel vehicle electronic logging authorization and handover system includes a vehicle OBD device, a vehicle ELD, a remote ELD log handover authorization application executed on a first driver's portable electronic device, a remote ELD log handover request application executed on a second driver's portable electronic device, and a commercial fleet operation vehicle electronic logging database and management system. The drivers are able to remotely request or authorize ELD log handovers to other drivers, even if they are not inside or near the time-shared vehicle at the time of ELD log handover request or authorization.

Abstract: A novel real-time cargo condition management system and a related method of operation utilizes a unique data synchronization between a remote real-time vehicle on-board diagnostics (OBD) monitoring architecture and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag attached to a cargo container to track real-time conditions of the cargo container. For example, the cargo container's currently-experienced acceleration and interior temperature can be accurately tracked by a remote monitoring station through a unique data synchronization among a vehicle OBD unit in a truck, an RFID reader installed in the cargo holding area of the truck that periodically scans the RFID tag attached to the cargo container, and an OBD data transceiver unit that wirelessly transmits vehicle OBD data correlated to the RFID tag attached to the cargo container. Similarly, the cargo container's location can be accurately tracked by synchronizing the RFID tag information to the OBD data transceiver unit.

Abstract: A novel fuel savings scoring system is capable of analyzing real-time on-board diagnostics (OBD) information of a vehicle from a remote monitoring station unit. The fuel savings scoring system can derive a novel fuel efficiency comparison metric called “driving score.” Preferably, the driving score represents a commercial vehicle driver's fuel efficiency driving performance relative to those of peer commercial drivers in a commercial vehicle fleet organization. The driving score takes account of a current real-time mileage achieved by a particular vehicle as well as the best empirical mileage achieved by the same make and model to the particular vehicle in the commercial vehicle fleet organization. Furthermore, in some embodiments of the invention, the driving score for the particular vehicle can even be route and traffic condition-sensitive, which further improves the realistic usefulness of the driving score as a comparative fuel efficiency driving performance measure among commercial vehicle drivers.

Abstract: A novel fuel savings training needs prediction and alert system is capable of calculating a probability of persistent future fuel waste of a particular driver based on recent driving patterns originating from real-time on-board diagnostics (OBD) information of a vehicle. The fuel savings training needs prediction and alert system is also configured to generate and transmit one or more action items and alerts to a vehicle fleet operations manager or another supervisory personnel for improving driving behaviors of the particular driver. The fuel savings training needs prediction and alert system is typically either linked to or incorporated into the fuel waste variable identification and analysis system, which is capable of analyzing the real-time on-board diagnostics (OBD) information of the vehicle from a remote monitoring station unit. Preferably, various fuel waste variables are normalized with a novel metric called “RPG,” or “engine rotation per minute per gallon of fuel.

Abstract: A novel fuel waste variable identification and analysis system is capable of analyzing real-time on-board diagnostics (OBD) information of a vehicle from a remote monitoring station unit. This novel system analyzes, quantifies, and/or predicts various fuel waste variables for a particular vehicle and its driver. Preferably, various fuel waste variables are normalized with a novel metric called “RPG,” or “engine rotation per minute per gallon of fuel.” Utilizing the RPG as a normalizing factor for fuel waste variable measurements uniquely enables a realistic representation of a driver's fuel wasting behaviors in context of the particular vehicle's inherent, native, and average fuel consumption characteristics.

Abstract: A novel on-board diagnostics (OBD) protocol interpreter and conversion system is capable of dynamically decoding commonly-known standard OBD formats as well as esoterically-customized and/or non-standard OBD formats that are initially unrecognized by a generic OBD data reader unit. The novel OBD protocol interpreter and conversion system includes an OBD protocol converter (OPC) unit that can be plugged to a vehicle OBD unit for seamlessly converting any types of standard and non-standard OBD formats to an OBD format compatible for real-time remote vehicle monitoring.

Abstract: An electronic alert system and a related method of operation for identifying, determining, and reporting chronically-problematic responses for service request and fulfillment between a service requester and a service performer are disclosed. In one embodiment, the electronic alert system identifies and determines a chronically-problematic response by analyzing two relational data sets. A first set of relational data set correlates time elapsed between a first service request bell press by a service requester from a service request device, and a confirmatory signal of successful service fulfillment from a service request reception device held by the service performer, or from the service request device. Furthermore, a second set of relational data set correlates a number of repeated service request bell presses by the service requester, a time interval between each bell press, and the confirmatory signal of successful service fulfillment from the service request device or the service request reception device.

Abstract: A novel privacy control-adjustable vehicle monitoring system and a related method of operation provide a dynamically-adjustable access grant or denial of privacy-sensitive vehicle information to a vehicle monitoring personnel based on a driver's response to an electronic request made by the vehicle monitoring personnel. In one embodiment, vehicle information is categorized into a mandatory disclosure dataset and a privacy-adjustable dataset, wherein the mandatory disclosure dataset is disclosed to the vehicle monitoring personnel at all times, while the privacy-adjustable dataset is accessible if the driver grants access via a driver's user interface on an onboard vehicle user interface, or on a mobile electronic device. Furthermore, a special wild card mode visible to the driver enables the vehicle monitoring personnel to access an entire set of vehicle information for a limited period per access and for a limited number of accesses per period, based on a pre-arranged consent with the driver.

Abstract: A novel privacy control-adjustable vehicle monitoring system and a related method of operation provide a dynamically-adjustable access grant or denial of privacy-sensitive vehicle information to a vehicle monitoring personnel based on a driver's response to an electronic request made by the vehicle monitoring personnel. In one embodiment, vehicle information is categorized into a mandatory disclosure dataset and a privacy-adjustable dataset, wherein the mandatory disclosure dataset is disclosed to the vehicle monitoring personnel at all times, while the privacy-adjustable dataset is accessible if the driver grants access via a driver's user interface on an onboard vehicle user interface, or on a mobile electronic device. Furthermore, a special wild card mode visible to the driver enables the vehicle monitoring personnel to access an entire set of vehicle information for a limited period per access and for a limited number of accesses per period, based on a pre-arranged consent with the driver.