Patents by Inventor Mark J. Davidson

Mark J. Davidson has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9799149
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a fleet management computer system configured for providing a fleet management user interface. According to various embodiments, the fleet management computer system is configured for assessing operational data to determine a vehicle travel path and one or more operational characteristics indicated by the operational data. In addition, according to various embodiments, the fleet management computer system is configured for generating a graphical user interface that includes an evaluation results display showing the operational characteristics and a geographical map showing the vehicle travel path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: United Parcel Service of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark J. Davidson
  • Patent number: 9778049
    Abstract: Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for forecasting travel delays corresponding to streets, street segments, geographic areas, geofenced areas, and/or user-specified criteria. And from the forecasted travel delays, speed and travel times that take into account such travel delays can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED PARCEL SERVICE OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Mark J. Davidson
  • Publication number: 20170278316
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, a fleet management system is provided for capturing, storing, and analyzing telematics data to improve fleet management operations. The fleet management system may be used, for example, by a shipping entity (e.g., a common carrier) to capture telematics data from a plurality of vehicle sensors located on various delivery vehicles and to analyze the captured telematics data. In particular, various embodiments of the fleet management system are configured to analyze engine idle data in relation to other telematics data in order to identify inefficiencies, safety hazards, and theft hazards in a driver's delivery process. The fleet management system may also be configured to assess various aspects of vehicle performance, such as vehicle travel delays and vehicle speeds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Mark J. Davidson, John A. Olsen, III
  • Publication number: 20170263059
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a fleet management system configured for capturing and evaluating vehicle telematics data, such as data captured from one or more vehicle telematics devices indicative of one or more vehicle dynamics, and service data, such as data captured from one or more portable data acquisition devices indicative of one or more service dynamics. In certain embodiments, the fleet management system is configured to associate captured vehicle telematics data with captured service data based on the contextual attributes of each, such as the time, date, and location of data capture. By synching the vehicle telematics data to the service data, the operational data can be uniquely assessed for various operational efficiencies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventor: Mark J. Davidson
  • Patent number: 9754484
    Abstract: In general, embodiments of the present invention provide methods, apparatus, systems, computing devices, computing entities, and/or the like for detecting possible traffic violations of vehicles. For example, in one embodiment, this may include receiving an indication that a school bus has entered or is entering a stopped position. After receiving an indication that the school bus has entered or is entering the stopped position, an area proximate the school bus can be monitored to detect possible traffic violations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED PARCEL SERVICE OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Christopher T. Schenken, Mark J. Davidson
  • Patent number: 9709402
    Abstract: Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for determining the accuracy of map data. In one embodiment, map data and collected telematics data can be compared. The difference between the map data and the telematics data can be used to determine the accuracy of the map data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED PARCEL SERVICE OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Mark J. Davidson
  • Patent number: 9704303
    Abstract: According to various embodiments, a fleet management system is provided for capturing, storing, and analyzing telematics data to improve fleet management operations. The fleet management system may be used, for example, by a shipping entity (e.g., a common carrier) to capture telematics data from a plurality of vehicle sensors located on various delivery vehicles and to analyze the captured telematics data. In particular, various embodiments of the fleet management system are configured to analyze engine idle data in relation to other telematics data in order to identify inefficiencies, safety hazards, and theft hazards in a driver's delivery process. The fleet management system may also be configured to assess various aspects of vehicle performance, such as vehicle travel delays and vehicle speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: United Parcel Service of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark J. Davidson, John A. Olsen, III
  • Patent number: 9691194
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a fleet management system configured for capturing and evaluating vehicle telematics data, such as data captured from one or more vehicle telematics devices indicative of one or more vehicle dynamics, and service data, such as data captured from one or more portable data acquisition devices indicative of one or more service dynamics. In certain embodiments, the fleet management system is configured to associate captured vehicle telematics data with captured service data based on the contextual attributes of each, such as the time, date, and location of data capture. By synching the vehicle telematics data to the service data, the operational data can be uniquely assessed for various operational efficiencies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: United Parcel Service of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark J. Davidson
  • Publication number: 20170160096
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a mapping management computer system. According to various embodiments, the mapping management computer system may be configured for updating geographical maps by assessing map data and operational data including vehicle telematics data to identify portions of a vehicle path that do not correspond to known travel paths. In various embodiments, the system is configured to define these identified portions as new known travel paths corresponding to a public road, private road, parking lot lane, or the like, and update the map data to reflect the new known travel paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2017
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Inventors: Mark J. Davidson, John A. Olsen, III
  • Publication number: 20170151917
    Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided for determining carbon emissions of one or more vehicles. For instance, in one example embodiment, an apparatus may calculate miles traveled by the vehicles along a predefined route and may calculate a fuel usage of the vehicles for traveling along the route to obtain one or more fuel values. The apparatus may also analyze data indicating the miles traveled and the fuel values to determine fuel efficiency values corresponding to the vehicles traveling the route. The apparatus may also determine an estimate of an amount of carbon emissions for each of the vehicles based in part on applying at least one carbon emission value to respective fuel values associated with corresponding determined fuel efficiency values.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Inventors: David L. Bradley, John A. Olsen, III, Mark J. Davidson
  • Patent number: 9626642
    Abstract: Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for forecasting travel delays corresponding to streets, street segments, geographic areas, geofenced areas, and/or user-specified criteria. And from the forecasted travel delays, speed and travel times that take into account such travel delays can be determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED PARCEL SERVICE OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Mark J. Davidson
  • Patent number: 9613468
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a mapping management computer system. According to various embodiments, the mapping management computer system may be configured for updating geographical maps by assessing map data and operational data including vehicle telematics data to identify portions of a vehicle path that do not correspond to known travel paths. In various embodiments, the system is configured to define these identified portions as new known travel paths corresponding to a public road, private road, parking lot lane, or the like, and update the map data to reflect the new known travel paths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: United Parcel Service of America, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark J. Davidson, John A. Olsen, III
  • Patent number: 9613470
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to a fleet management computer system configured for forecasting travel delays within a geographic area. According to various embodiments, the fleet management computer system is configured to assess operational data, including vehicle telematics data. In various embodiments, the fleet management computer system is further configured to determine, based on the operational data, a value indicative of the average amount of travel delay time per unit of distance within the geographic area, such as the average amount of idle time second per mile of travel with the geographic area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: United Parcel Service of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark J. Davidson
  • Publication number: 20170036817
    Abstract: A portable bag is provided, comprising: a plurality of surfaces configured to define an interior compartment, the surfaces including a front and rear surface connected by a pair of side surfaces; at least two handling extensions, a respective each of said at least two handling extensions being positioned adjacent to and extending outwardly relative to a respective one of said pair of side surfaces, and at least two handling openings, said at least two handling openings being integrally defined on at least one of said at least two handling extensions. An associated assembly is also provided, including the portable bag further comprising a set of eyelets positioned on each of the front and rear surfaces of the plurality of surfaces and the assembly further comprising a portable bag dispenser comprising at least two portions configured to slidably extend through the set of eyelets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventor: Mark J. Davidson
  • Publication number: 20170036816
    Abstract: A portable bag is provided, comprising: a plurality of surfaces; at least two handling openings, the at least two handling openings being integrally defined on at least one of the plurality of surfaces; and an interior liner further defining the interior compartment of the portable bag, the interior liner being positioned intermediate the interior compartment and the plurality of surfaces, at least two portions of the interior liner being inset relative to the plurality of surfaces to define respective cavities substantially aligned with the at least two handling openings. An associated assembly is also provided, including the portable bag further comprising a set of eyelets positioned on each of the front and rear surfaces of the plurality of surfaces and the assembly further comprising a portable bag dispenser comprising at least two portions configured to slidably extend through the set of eyelets.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventor: Mark J. Davidson
  • Patent number: 9562782
    Abstract: Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for defining travel paths in parking areas. In one embodiment, travel paths in parking areas are defined in a digital map by automatically, semi-automatically, and/or manually after the parking areas are identified from one or more captured images of the parking area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: UNITED PARCEL SERVICE OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Mark J. Davidson
  • Patent number: 9519658
    Abstract: Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatus, and computing entities are provided for determining the accuracy of map data. In one embodiment, map data and collected telematics data can be compared. The difference between the map data and the telematics data can be used to determine the accuracy of the map data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: UNITED PARCEL SERVICE OF AMERICA, INC.
    Inventor: Mark J. Davidson
  • Patent number: 9505526
    Abstract: A portable bag is provided, comprising: a plurality of surfaces constructed of a foldable material and comprising at least a front surface and a rear surface connected relative to each other by a pair of side surfaces, a bottom surface, and a top surface opposite the bottom surface; at least two handling openings, the at least two handling openings being integrally defined on at least one of the plurality of surfaces, the at least two handling openings being positioned substantially adjacent opposing sides of the at least one of the plurality of surfaces; and an interior liner further defining the interior compartment of the portable bag, the interior liner being positioned intermediate the interior compartment and the plurality of surfaces, at least two portions of the interior liner being inset relative to the plurality of surfaces to define respective cavities substantially aligned with the at least two handling openings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: United Parcel Service of America, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark J. Davidson
  • Publication number: 20160334221
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, systems, computer program products, and apparatuses for determining whether a street segment is a one-way street segment or a bi-directional segment, validating map data, and/or updating map data. In one embodiment, a method for determining whether a street segment is a one-way street segment or a bi-directional segment is provided. The method comprises receiving vehicle telematics data associated with one or more vehicles during one or more time periods, the vehicle telematics data indicating a street segment traveled by the one or more vehicles during the one or more time periods; and based at least in part on the vehicle telematics, determining whether the street segment is a one-way street segment or a bi-directional segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventor: Mark J. Davidson
  • Publication number: 20160334227
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, systems, computer program products, and apparatuses for determining whether a street segment is a one-way street segment or a bi-directional segment, validating map data, and/or updating map data. In one embodiment, a method for determining whether a street segment is a one-way street segment or a bi-directional segment is provided. The method comprises receiving vehicle telematics data associated with one or more vehicles during one or more time periods, the vehicle telematics data indicating a street segment traveled by the one or more vehicles during the one or more time periods; and based at least in part on the vehicle telematics, determining whether the street segment is a one-way street segment or a bi-directional segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Publication date: November 17, 2016
    Inventor: Mark J. Davidson