Abstract: A handheld, portable device is used to facilitate inspection of vehicles, by generating an electronic vehicle inspection record that can be used by fleet operators to provide evidence of complying with required vehicle inspections. When the vehicle inspection record is generated, route identification data is added to the inspection record. The route identification data defines which of a plurality of predefined routes the vehicle has serviced, or will service, during a time period proximate the inspection of the vehicle. Fleet operators can thus use archived inspection records as evidence of compliance with inspection requirements, and to document what route a vehicle serviced at a particular time.

Abstract: Data is collected during the operation of a vehicle and used to produce a ranking of a driver's efficiency performance, and that ranking is shared on a hosted website, such that the drivers can compare their performance metrics to their peers. Fleet operators can use these performance metrics as incentives, by linking driver pay with efficiency performance. Individual fleet operators can host their own website, where driver rankings in that fleet can be compared, or the website can be hosted by a third party, and multiple fleet operators participate. The third party can offset their costs for operating the website by charging participating fleet operators a fee, and/or by advertising revenue. In some embodiments, all driver efficiency performance data is displayed in an anonymous format, so that individual drivers cannot be identified unless the driver shares their user ID.

Abstract: A remote user can define one or more zone based driver/vehicle behavior definitions. Current vehicle location is analyzed at the vehicle or remotely to determine if the vehicle is approaching or has arrived at a location for which a zone based driver/vehicle behavior has been defined. For zone based driver behavior definitions, a display in the vehicle automatically displays the zone based driver behavior definition to the driver. In some embodiments driver compliance is tracked and non-compliance is reported to the remote user. For zone based vehicle behavior definitions, a vehicle controller at the vehicle responsible for controlling the defined behavior is reprogrammed to impose the defined behavior (no regeneration at location, max speed at location, no idle over 2 minutes at location, etc.). Once the vehicle has left the zone, the controller programming reverts to its prior state, and/or zone based driver behavior definition is no longer displayed.

Abstract: A driver efficiency score is based on defining at least metric, collecting data related to the metric during the driver's operation of a vehicle, determining how often the driver's deviated from an optimal standard for that metric, and then reducing the efficiency score based on how often the driver's deviated from the optimal standard, to express the result as an efficiency score of 100% or less (100% meaning the driver never varied from the optimum). The efficiency score for a specific trip is reported along with a loss in dollars due to an efficiency score of less than 100%. Useful metrics include how often the driver deviated from an optimal RPM range (a sweet zone) for the vehicle being operated, how often the driver operated a vehicle at highway speeds without using cruise control, and how often the driver operated a vehicle in excess of a predetermined maximum speed.

Abstract: System and method for collecting object identification data from a plurality of objects that interact with a vehicle during operation of the vehicle, where the vehicle interacts with specific objects at specific geographical positions. An identification sensor is coupled to a geographical position sensor, and whenever an object is identified a record is generated, the record including the identification of the object, the position of the vehicle when the interaction between the object and the vehicle occurs, and the time of the interaction. Exemplary objects include passengers, containers, and documents. Exemplary interactions include loading/unloading an object from the vehicle, boarding a passenger, unloading a passenger, transferring a bulk material from the vehicle into a specific container, and/or transferring a bulk material from a specific container to the vehicle. The record may also include additional data about a parameter of the object (such as the object's weight, volume, or temperature).

Abstract: A fuel authorization system enables data to be exchanged between vehicles and a gated facility, to verify that the vehicle is authorized to enter the facility. The gated facility is equipped with a camera and a short-range radio (RF) component. Participating vehicles are equipped with fuel authorization component including a RF component that can establish a data link with the gated facility's RF unit. When the camera senses a vehicle in the fuel lane, an RF query is sent to the vehicle. Participating vehicles respond with an action perceivable by the camera. An RF data link is then established between the enrolled vehicle and the gated facility to verify that the vehicle is authorized to receive fuel. Once the verification is complete, the fuel dispenser is enabled.

Abstract: A fuel authorization system enables data to be exchanged between vehicles and a fuel vendor, to verify that the vehicle is authorized to receive fuel. Each fuel island is equipped with a camera and a short range radio (RF) component. Participating vehicles are equipped with fuel authorization component including an IR transmitter and a RF component that can establish a data link with the fuel island's RF unit. When the camera senses a vehicle in the fuel lane, an RF query is sent to the vehicle. Participating vehicles respond with an IR transmission. An RF data link is then established between the enrolled vehicle and the fuel vendor to verify that the vehicle is authorized to receive fuel. Once the verification is complete, the fuel dispenser is enabled. In some embodiments, the IR data link is not required, as the camera can distinguish between multiple fuel lanes.

Abstract: Described herein is a fuel authorization program that vehicles enrolled in the fuel authorization program to provide fuel tank sensor data in each fuel authorization request, so that an amount of fuel authorized will be limited to the amount needed to fill the vehicle's fuel tank, reducing a likelihood that fuel will be diverted. In at least some embodiments, the fuel authorization controller at the vehicle automatically uses the fuel tank sensor data and known tank size to include in a fuel authorization request sent to a fuel vendor data defining how much fuel is required to fill the vehicle fuel tanks. In at least some embodiments, the fuel vendor consults data from a source other than the vehicle (such as records maintained by the fuel authorization program) to determine how large the vehicles fuel tanks are, and to calculate how much fuel is required.

Abstract: System and method for collecting object identification data from a plurality of objects that interact with a vehicle during operation of the vehicle, where the vehicle interacts with specific objects at specific geographical positions. An identification sensor is coupled to a geographical position sensor, and whenever an object is identified a record is generated, the record including the identification of the object, the position of the vehicle when the interaction between the object and the vehicle occurs, and the time of the interaction. Exemplary objects include passengers, containers, and documents. Exemplary interactions include loading/unloading an object from the vehicle, boarding a passenger, unloading a passenger, transferring a bulk material from the vehicle into a specific container, and/or transferring a bulk material from a specific container to the vehicle. The record may also include additional data about a parameter of the object (such as the object's weight, volume, or temperature).

Abstract: System and method for collecting object identification data from a plurality of objects that interact with a vehicle during operation of the vehicle, where the vehicle interacts with specific objects at specific geographical positions. An identification sensor is coupled to a geographical position sensor, and whenever an object is identified a record is generated, the record including the identification of the object, the position of the vehicle when the interaction between the object and the vehicle occurs, and the time of the interaction. Exemplary objects include passengers, containers, and documents. Exemplary interactions include loading/unloading an object from the vehicle, boarding a passenger, unloading a passenger, transferring a bulk material from the vehicle into a specific container, and/or transferring a bulk material from a specific container to the vehicle. The record may also include additional data about a parameter of the object (such as the object's weight, volume, or temperature).

Abstract: System and method for enabling predefined events to be used to trigger the collection of vehicle position data. A combination GSM device and GPS device is used to collect vehicle position data and to convey that position data to a remote computing device for review and/or analysis. There is a tradeoff between collecting too much data (cell phone bill is too high) and collecting too little data (value added analytics cannot be achieved without sufficient data). The concepts disclosed herein relate to method and apparatus to enable the data collection/transmission paradigm of such a GSM/GPS to be varied (or triggered) based on the detection of one or more predefined events. This enables data which can contribute to value added analytics to be acquired, without wasting airtime on unimportant data.

Abstract: Described herein is a fuel authorization program that vehicles enrolled in the fuel authorization program to provide fuel tank sensor data in each fuel authorization request, so that an amount of fuel authorized will be limited to the amount needed to fill the vehicle's fuel tank, reducing a likelihood that fuel will be diverted. In at least some embodiments, the fuel authorization controller at the vehicle automatically uses the fuel tank sensor data and known tank size to include in a fuel authorization request sent to a fuel vendor data defining how much fuel is required to fill the vehicle fuel tanks. In at least some embodiments, the fuel vendor consults data from a source other than the vehicle (such as records maintained by the fuel authorization program) to determine how large the vehicles fuel tanks are, and to calculate how much fuel is required.

Abstract: Described herein is a fuel authorization program that requires data to be dynamically retrieved from a vehicle data bus during the fuel authorization process. This can be implemented using a smart cable that is installed in enrolled vehicles. The smart cable includes a housing suitable for commercial environments, a cable to logically couple the smart cable to the vehicle data bus, a second data link to be used to logically couple the smart cable to a fuel authorization “puck” in a vehicle, and a controller. The puck handles communication with the fuel vendor. The controller automatically implements the functions responding to a query from the puck received over the second data link by dynamically acquiring data from the vehicle data bus using the first data link, and conveying the data to the puck using the second data link.

Abstract: A fuel authorization program based on equipping fuel station, fuel pumps, and vehicles with components to enable automatic fuel authorization for enrolled vehicles. The program includes fuel pumps including a pump transmitting sensor that automatically emits a pump ID. As a vehicle pulls in next to the pump a vehicle coupling receiving sensor detects the pump ID signal and a proximity link is created. The vehicle sensor passes the pump ID via hardwire or Bluetooth to vehicle fuel authorization processor (which can be part of a telematics device). The vehicle processor transmits the pump ID (and any fuel authorization credentials needed, such as a PIN or VIN) via WI-FI to a Station processor for fuel vendor authorization. If approved, the pump is enabled. As the vehicle moves away the coupling sensor link is broken and the vehicle transmits a “disconnect” message via Wi-Fi and the pump is disabled.

Abstract: A fuel authorization system enables data to be exchanged between vehicles and a fuel vendor, to verify that the vehicle is authorized to receive fuel. Each fuel island is equipped with a camera and a short range radio (RF) component. Participating vehicles are equipped with fuel authorization component including an IR transmitter and a RF component that can establish a data link with the fuel island's RF unit. When the camera senses a vehicle in the fuel lane, an RF query is sent to the vehicle. Participating vehicles respond with an IR transmission. An RF data link is then established between the enrolled vehicle and the fuel vendor to verify that the vehicle is authorized to receive fuel. Once the verification is complete, the fuel dispenser is enabled. In some embodiments, the IR data link is not required, as the camera can distinguish between multiple fuel lanes.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques for implementing vehicle ECU reprograming, so the ECU programming, which plays a large role in vehicle performance characteristics, is tailored to current operational requirements, which may be different than the operational characteristics selected by the manufacturer when initially programming the vehicle ECU (or ECUs) with specific instruction sets, such as fuel maps. In one embodiment, a controller monitors the current operational characteristics of the vehicle, determines the current ECU programming, and determines if a different programming set would better suited to the current operating conditions. In the event that the current programming set should be replaced, the controller implements the ECU reprogramming. In a related embodiment, users are enabled to specify the ECU programming to change, such as changing speed limiter settings.

Abstract: Position data received wirelessly from a vehicle enrolled in an inspection waiver program are employed to determine when the enrolled vehicle is approaching an inspection station. After determining that the enrolled vehicle is approaching an inspection station, and if the enrolled vehicle has a valid inspection waiver, a bypass confirmation can selectively be provided to the vehicle operator, authorizing the operator to bypass the inspection station. The task of determining when an enrolled vehicle is approaching the location of an inspection station can be performed using a processor disposed in the vehicle, or at a remote location separate from both the vehicle and the inspection station, or at the inspection station. The inspection stations can be mobile so that their locations are varied to prevent operators from intentionally avoiding an inspection, as may occur with fixed inspection stations.

Abstract: Documents related to delivery of loads shipped by trucking operators can be scanned or otherwise captured using mobile computing devices having document capture and/or document delivery functionality. Load related data can be manually input by drivers during the capture process. Such data can be incorporated into the scanned document as metadata. The concepts disclosed herein encompass establishing a logical connection between the mobile computing device implementing the document capture functionality and a vehicle ECU or vehicle data bus. The document capture application is configured to extract data form the vehicle ECU or vehicle data base and incorporate that data into the document captured. Data, such as location data, can be similarly captured by establish a logical connection with a telematics device including a GPS component. Where the telematics device includes a wireless data link, the capture document can be wirelessly conveyed to a remote data center.

Abstract: A fuel authorization program based on equipping fuel station, fuel pumps, and vehicles with components to enable automatic fuel authorization for enrolled vehicles. The program includes fuel pumps including a pump transmitting sensor that automatically emits a pump ID. As a vehicle pulls in next to the pump a vehicle coupling receiving sensor detects the pump ID signal and a proximity link is created. The vehicle sensor passes the pump ID via hardwire or Bluetooth to vehicle fuel authorization processor (which can be part of a telematics device). The vehicle processor transmits the pump ID (and any fuel authorization credentials needed, such as a PIN or VIN) via WI-FI to a Station processor for fuel vendor authorization. If approved, the pump is enabled. As the vehicle moves away the coupling sensor link is broken and the vehicle transmits a “disconnect” message via Wi-Fi and the pump is disabled.

Abstract: A fuel authorization program based on equipping fuel station, fuel pumps, and vehicles with components to enable automatic fuel authorization for enrolled vehicles. The program includes fuel pumps including a pump transmitting sensor that automatically emits a pump ID. As a vehicle pulls in next to the pump a vehicle coupling receiving sensor detects the pump ID signal and a proximity link is created. The vehicle sensor passes the pump ID via hardwire or Bluetooth to vehicle fuel authorization processor (which can be part of a telematics device). The vehicle processor transmits the pump ID (and any fuel authorization credentials needed, such as a PIN or VIN) via WI-FI to a Station processor for fuel vendor authorization. If approved, the pump is enabled. As the vehicle moves away the coupling sensor link is broken and the vehicle transmits a “disconnect” message via Wi-Fi and the pump is disabled.