Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for validating that an operator has moved a portable device sufficiently close to an inspection point to enable the operator to perform an inspection. A first exemplary technique employs a first portable device that includes a sensor for detecting the inspection point, a speaker, and stored audible prompts to facilitate the inspection, but no display on which visual prompts for facilitating the inspection can be provided. An alternative second exemplary technique employs a second portable device having a sensor for detecting the inspection point, and a wireless transmitter. This second portable device generates and immediately transmits a signal to a remote receiver indicating that the operator has moved the portable device sufficiently close to the inspection point to enable the operator to perform the inspection. Accordingly, the second portable device need not include a memory for storing the signal.

Abstract: A handheld, portable device is used to store data that indicates an operator was sufficiently close to each of a plurality of components during a safety inspection to actually inspect the components. The portable device includes a sensor that detects tokens, such as radio frequency identification tags, which are affixed adjacent to the components. Messages appearing on a display of the portable device prompt the operator to proceed to each checkpoint, determine a state of the component disposed there, and if the component is not operating properly, indicate a plurality of predefined conditions from which the operator can choose to identify the observed condition of the component. The state and condition of each component entered during the safety inspection are stored as data that are subsequently transferred to a remote data storage site over a wire or wireless link.

Abstract: A system and method for verifying that an operator was sufficiently close to one or more items to be inspected during an inspection to actually inspect the components, and storing an indication to that effect in a memory accessible via a computer network. In addition to the indication, the memory can store other inspection related data, such as a starting time or ending time of the inspection, or maintenance information about the item that was input during the inspection. The system and method enable a third party application, such as an accounting program or a maintenance program, to access any of the inspection related data.

Abstract: Data collected in connection with operation of a vehicle can be used to automatically determine upon which one of a plurality of predefined routes a vehicle has been operating. In one exemplary embodiment, an operator inputs identification data into a data set that also includes other types of data. The route identification data uniquely identifies the specific one of the plurality of predefined routes, enabling the route the vehicle was operating on during that time period corresponding to the data set to be determined. In a second exemplary embodiment, rather than requiring the operator to provide the route identification data, geographical position data collected during operation of a vehicle are compared with geographical position data corresponding to each one of the plurality of predefined routes until a match is found, thereby identifying the route the vehicle was operating on during collection of the geographical position data.

Abstract: An accessory (502) removably attached to a portable computing device (504) and handheld, portable readers (578, 141, 143, and 632) are used to generate and store data that indicate an operator was sufficiently close to each of a plurality of components during an inspection to actually inspect the components. The portable device includes a sensor that detects tokens such as radio frequency identification tags, which are affixed adjacent to the components. Messages appearing on a display and/or audible instructions from the portable reader prompt the operator to proceed to each checkpoint where the state of the component at that location is determined. The date, time and coordinates of each component's inspection (and optionally, the component's state) are included in the data produced by the portable reader. The data are temporarily stored in the portable reader and subsequently transferred to a remote data storage site.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to provide evidence that a person who is intended to make a required inspection was actually physically present at a predefined location associated with the inspection, so that the inspection could have been done, and if not, to provide an indication of the failure to perform the inspection. This invention is particularly well suited to determine if required pre/post-trip inspections of vehicles have been performed. Detecting a triggering condition, such as powering on (or off) equipment, indicates the beginning of a period of time during which the inspection is to be performed. The monitoring system waits for a predetermined event to occur, which indicates the period of time has expired and determines if data corresponding to the inspection have been received. If not, it is concluded that the inspection has not been performed.

Abstract: During an inspection discrete checkpoints provide data to a portable reader, enabling a record to be generated identifying each checkpoint visited during an inspection. At least one checkpoint associated with the inspection will convey ancillary data to the portable device, either in lieu of, or in addition to, a checkpoint ID uniquely identifying a location or component inspected. The ID is not ancillary data, because the only function of the ID is to verify that an inspector was present at a particular location or component. In contrast, ancillary data are data that have an additional utility. For example, a sensor may be disposed in proximity of the component or location to be inspected. Data collected by such a sensor represents ancillary data, because such data does more than uniquely identify a particular location or component that was visited during an inspection.

Abstract: A vehicle with a positional tracking unit traverses a specific route while collecting actual route data that includes position data indicative of the actual route followed. The actual route data (including the position data) is stored as optimal route data for that specific route. Once the optimal route is defined and stored, future positional data (i.e., actual route data) collected during subsequent vehicle traversal of that specific route can be compared to the optimal route data. Whenever subsequently collected actual route data represents an improvement, as determined by one or more predefined criteria, the actual route data replaces the previously obtained optimal route data. Exception reports can be automatically generated by comparing the optimal route data to subsequently collected actual route data to determine when a deviation has occurred.

Abstract: Sensors on a vehicle are used to sense different data corresponding to a plurality of metrics, which are related to a performance of driver while operating the vehicle. Values are determined for the metrics that are thus collected. These values are added together and the resulting total is normalized to produce a driver performance value or performance ranking. The metrics that are collected can include, for example, idle time data, acceleration and deceleration data, times that a speed limit is exceeded, and other metrics of interest to an owner of the vehicle for evaluating driver performance. A weighting factor can be applied to any metric considered of greater importance. The driver performance value can be displayed in real-time to the driver to provide an immediate feedback of performance, or the collected metrics can be transmitted to a remote location for determination of driver performance rankings at a later time.

Abstract: Data collected in connection with operation of a vehicle can be used to automatically determine upon which one of a plurality of predefined routes a vehicle has been operating. In one exemplary embodiment, an operator inputs identification data into a data set that also includes other types of data. The route identification data uniquely identifies the specific one of the plurality of predefined routes, enabling the route the vehicle was operating on during that time period corresponding to the data set to be determined. In a second exemplary embodiment, rather than requiring the operator to provide the route identification data, geographical position data collected during operation of a vehicle are compared with geographical position data corresponding to each one of the plurality of predefined routes until a match is found, thereby identifying the route the vehicle was operating on during collection of the geographical position data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to provide evidence that a person who is intended to make a required inspection was actually physically present at a predefined location associated with the inspection, so that the inspection could have been done, and if not, to provide an indication of the failure to perform the inspection. This invention is particularly well suited to determine if required pre/post-trip inspections of vehicles have been performed. Detecting a triggering condition, such as powering on (or off) equipment, indicates the beginning of a period of time during which the inspection is to be performed. The monitoring system waits for a predetermined event to occur, which indicates the period of time has expired and determines if data corresponding to the inspection have been received. If not, it is concluded that the inspection has not been performed.

Abstract: During an inspection discrete checkpoints provide data to a portable reader, enabling a record to be generated identifying each checkpoint visited during an inspection. At least one checkpoint associated with the inspection will convey ancillary data to the portable device, either in lieu of, or in addition to, a checkpoint ID uniquely identifying a location or component inspected. The ID is not ancillary data, because the only function of the ID is to verify that an inspector was present at a particular location or component. In contrast, ancillary data are data that have an additional utility. For example, a sensor may be disposed in proximity of the component or location to be inspected. Data collected by such a sensor represents ancillary data, because such data does more than uniquely identify a particular location or component that was visited during an inspection.

Abstract: A handheld, portable device (20, 140 , or 140? ) is used to store data that indicate an operator was sufficiently close to each of a plurality of components during a safety inspection to actually inspect the components. The portable device includes a sensor (46) that detects tokens (12, 16, 24), such as radio frequency identification tags, which are affixed adjacent to the components. Messages (58) appearing on a display (40, 152) of the portable device prompt the operator to proceed to each checkpoint, determine a state of the component disposed there, and if the component is not operating properly, indicate a plurality of predefined conditions from which the operator can choose to identify the observed condition of the component. The state and condition of each component entered during the safety inspection are stored as data that are subsequently transferred to a remote data storage site over a wire or wireless link.

Abstract: An accessory (502) removably attached to a portable computing device (504) and handheld, portable readers (578, 141, 143, and 632) are used to generate and store data that indicate an operator was sufficiently close to each of a plurality of components during an inspection to actually inspect the components. The portable device includes a sensor that detects tokens such as radio frequency identification tags, which are affixed adjacent to the components. Messages appearing on a display and/or audible instructions from the portable reader prompt the operator to proceed to each checkpoint where the state of the component at that location is determined. The date, time and coordinates of each component's inspection (and optionally, the component's state) are included in the data produced by the portable reader. The data are temporarily stored in the portable reader and subsequently transferred to a remote data storage site.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to provide evidence that a person who is intended to make a required inspection was actually physically present at a predefined location associated with the inspection, so that the inspection could have been done, and if not, to provide an indication of the failure to perform the inspection. This invention is particularly well suited to determine if required pre/post-trip inspections of vehicles have been performed. Detecting a triggering condition, such as powering on (or off) equipment, indicates the beginning of a period of time during which the inspection is to be performed. The monitoring system waits for a predetermined event to occur, which indicates the period of time has expired and determines if data corresponding to the inspection have been received. If not, it is concluded that the inspection has not been performed.

Abstract: A handheld, portable device (20) is used to store data that indicates an operator was sufficiently close to each of a plurality of components during a safety inspection to actually inspect the components. The portable device includes a sensor (46) that detects tokens (12, 16, 24), such as radio frequency identification tags, which are affixed adjacent to the components. Messages (58) appearing on a display (40) of the portable device prompt the operator to proceed to each checkpoint, determine a state of the component disposed there, and if the component is not operating properly, indicate a plurality of predefined conditions from which the operator can choose to identify the observed condition of the component. The state and condition of each component entered during the safety inspection are stored as data that are subsequently transferred to a remote data storage site over a wire or wireless link.

Abstract: A handheld, portable device (20) is used to store data that indicates an operator was sufficiently close to each of a plurality of components during a safety inspection to actually inspect the components. The portable device includes a sensor (46) that detects tokens (12, 16, 24), such as radio frequency identification tags, which are affixed adjacent to the components. Messages (58) appearing on a display (40) of the portable device prompt the operator to proceed to each checkpoint, determine a state of the component disposed there, and if the component is not operating properly, indicate a plurality of predefined conditions from which the operator can choose to identify the observed condition of the component. The state and condition of each component entered during the safety inspection are stored as data that are subsequently transferred to a remote data storage site over a wire or wireless link.