GB2432924A

GB2432924A - Method of inspecting a vehicle

Info

Publication number: GB2432924A
Application number: GB0519893A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ashley Robert Duddle
Original assignee: Airmax Group PLC
Current assignee: Airmax Group PLC
Priority date: 2005-09-30
Filing date: 2005-09-30
Publication date: 2007-06-06
Also published as: GB0519893D0

Abstract

A method of inspecting a vehicle (12) includes the steps of storing in a database (14) inspection data derived from inspection information created upon an inspection of the vehicle (12), extracting the inspection data from the database (14) and utilising the inspection data in preparing an inspection checklist (20) of vehicle items to be inspected, carrying out another inspection of the vehicle (12) utilising the inspection checklist including recording new inspection information relating to items inspected, processing the new inspection information to derive new inspection data, and uploading the new inspection data to the database (14) for storage for use in preparing an inspection checklist (20) for a subsequent vehicle (12) inspection.

Description

Title: Method of Inspecting a Vehicle

Description of Invention

This invention related to a method of inspecting a vehicle, and more particularly but not exclusively to a method of inspecting a commercial vehicle which is subject to mandatory regular inspections.

It is a legal requirement at least in the UK for a commercial vehicle such as a large lorry to be subject not only to mandatory annual testing in order to have a valid certificate of roadworthiness, but for such vehicles to undergo more frequent testing, in the form of planned periodic safety inspections, the criteria for which is laid down by regulation. The driver is also required to carry out a daily visual inspection or "walkround", or to ensure that vehicle items such as lamps, mirrors, tyres, windscreens etc. are in good working order.

Where vehicle operators are obliged to keep records of such inspections e.g. by law, this can present practical difficulties where for example a lorry may operate from different depots, and may be inspected by different personnel, and driven by various different drivers. Thus not only does the keeping of records in a central depository present difficulties, but the experience of an inspector or driver relating to for example a potential fault identified in an inspection, may not be readily available to an inspector/driver for consideration in a subsequent inspection.

Proposals have been made for the central storage of documents relating to vehicles so that these are available to persons in different geographical locations. For example in BRS patent application W003/100656 there is proposed a system for faxing vehicle documents to a central depository so that the documents can be made accessible from different locations e.g. over the Internet. Moreover this prior proposal suggests the use of an electronic diary to provide reminders when expected documents are not received by the central depository.

According to a first aspect of the invention we provide a method of inspecting a vehicle including the steps of storing in a database inspection data derived from inspection information created upon an inspection of the vehicle, extracting the inspection data from the database and utilising the inspection data in preparing an inspection checklist of vehicle items to be inspected, carrying out another inspection of the vehicle utilising the inspection checklist including recording new inspection information relating to items inspected, processing the new inspection information to derive new inspection data, and uploading the new inspection data to the database for storage for use in preparing an inspection checklist for a subsequent vehicle inspection.

Utilising the present invention, an inspection checklist may be created for use in an inspection, which may contain any pertinent historical data which may be required and/or useful for use in subsequent inspections. Thus where the vehicle may operate from different depots, and be inspected and or driven by different personnel, each inspection may utilise information relevant previously gathered inspection information.

The invention may be realised in different ways.

In a preferred arrangement, the inspection checklist may be created as an electronic document, for example on a computer terminal. The terminal may connect to a server on which the database is.provided, for the purpose of downloading the inspection data extracted from the database, on a network, such as a WAN or LAN. Connection may be wireless utilising WiFi, Bluetooth or similar wireless technologies. For example, where the network is a WAN, the WAN may use the Internet and may be a virtual private network if required.

For example, the inspection checklist may be created on a wireless hand held computer terminal device such as a personal digital assistant (PDA), which device may carried and used conveniently by an inspector during the vehicle inspection. Thus the new inspection information to be recorded on the inspection checklist may be recorded by the inspector, on screen.

It will be appreciated that the inspection checklist may generally be of a standard format, listing standard items to be inspected and if desired requiring new inspection information to be recorded in a prescribed order, but the inspection data extracted from the database may draw the inspector's attention to particular items.

The new inspection information recorded by the inspector may be uploaded to the network, and processed to provide the new inspection data, or the PDA or other computer terminal may process the new inspection information to provide the new inspection data which may then be uploaded to the network, in each case to provide for the storage of the new inspection data in the database. Uploading of the new inspection information or new inspection data may be achieved by connecting the PDA or other computer terminal to the network, either as the new inspection information is recorded, or the new inspection information or new inspection data may be uploaded as a file, subsequently to recordal of the new inspection data.

In another example, the inspection checklist may be created as a paper document on a printer local to where the vehicle is to be inspected. The printer may be controlled by a computer terminal which may connect to a server on which the database is provided, for the purpose of downloading the inspection data extracted from the database, on a network such as a WAN or LAN.

Again the WAN may use the Internet, and may be a virtual private network if required. 7 4

The new inspection information may be recorded on the paper document during a vehicle inspection, and then the paper document may be digitised, e.g. by scanning or faxing, to create an electronic document, and the digitised document may then be uploaded to the network. The new inspection information recorded on the checklist may be processed to extract new inspection data for storage on the database, or if desired, the digitised document may be processed locally to extract new inspection data which is uploaded to the network for storage on the database, thus to be available for use in creating an inspection checklist for use in a subsequent inspection.

According to a second aspect of the invention we provide an apparatus for performing the method of inspecting a vehicle of the first aspect of the invention, the apparatus including a database containing data derived from the processing of inspection information recorded during a previous inspection of the vehicle, a computer terminal, and a network via which the inspection data extracted from the database is downloadable to the computer terminal for use in preparing an inspection checklist, and to which one of I. new inspection information is uploadable for procething to provide the new inspection data for storage in the database; or ii. new inspection data derived from the new inspection information is uploadable for storage in the database.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described* with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatic illustration of an apparatus for use in performing the method of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, an example of an apparatus 10 for use in carrying out an inspection of a vehicle 12 is illustrated.

The apparatus 10 includes a server 13 which includes a memory 14 configured as a database, and a diarising software module 15 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The server 13 is connected to a network 16, which in this example is a WAN having remote connectivity over the Internet I. The WAN preferably is a VPN.

The apparatus 10 could alternatively include a LAN only. In each case, the network 16 provides connectivity with between the server 13 and a computer terminal 15. In another example, connectivity between the server 13 and the computer terminal 15 may be achieved otherwise than over a network 16, for example by direct transmission.

In the embodiment shown in the figure, the computer terminal 15 is a PDA which may connect to the network 16 via a desktop computer 17 for example, which has a suitable cradle or connecting lead, or the PDA 15 may connect to the network 16 via a mobile or fixed line telephone connection. In each case, the PDA 15 may upload and download data/information to and from the network 16.

The present invention enables a technically improved vehicle 12 inspection to be carried out compared with previous methods, as follows.

The database 14 contains various data relating to each vehicle 12 to be inspected including inspecticni data. For example, details of all of a vehicle fleet operator's or a plurality of vehicle fleet operators' vehicles 12, are stored, including standard data relating to each particular vehicle, such as registration numbers and details of the vehicles' insurance, and other non-standard data such as dates on which the vehicles' road tax expires, or the vehicles' are due to have their annual official roadworthiness checks etc. In accordance with the present invention, the database 14 also includes vehicle inspection data being data obtained from previously recorded inspection information, during a previous vehicle inspection.

For example, during a previous vehicle inspection, an inspector may have recorded that a tyre of the vehicle 12 was showing some signs of wear and that a careful watch needed to be kept on its operational state, or that another item inspected required attention. If on a previous inspection it was recorded that a vehicle lamp needed a bulb replacing, data corresponding to this information would have been stored in the database 14.

When an inspector is to carry out a vehicle 12 inspection, for example only, a daily walkround in which, along with the vehicle driver who is about to drive the vehicle 12, an inspector visually inspects various vehicle items, the PDA 15 is connected to the network 16 and data is extracted from the database 14 for use in the preparation of an electronic inspection checklist.

The inspection checklist is created and displayed as an electronic document on a screen of the PDA 15. The inspection checklist may beof a generally standard format, listing standard vehicle items to be inspected and requiring the recording by the inspector on screen, of information on the checklist, of new vehicle inspection information. The checklist would also indicate to the inspector, any data extracted from the database 14 relating to any particular vehicle 12 item which requires special attention.

For example, in the case of the previous inspection information indicating that a tyre is showing signs of wear, the inspection checklist would indicate to the inspector that the particular tyre requires particularly careful inspection, and the checklist may demand an entry by the inspector of new inspection information relating to this item.

In the case of the previously recorded inspection information indicating that a vehicle lamp needed a bulb replacing, the inspector may be required to indicate whether or not this repair had been attended to.

The new vehicle inspection information recorded by the inspector may be processed by the PDA 15 to provide new inspection data for uploading onto the network 16 and hence to the database 14, or the new inspection information may be uploaded to the network 16 and hence the server 13 for processing, so that new vehicle inspection data may be extracted and stored in the database 14.

In this way, even where such visual inspections may be carried out by different personnel at different locations, for example in different vehicle depots, upon each such vehicle inspection, previously recorded vehicle inspection data is made available to the inspector via the network 16. Thus the present invention provides considerable technical improvement to the quality of or at least continuity of inspections, and particularly but not exclusively, a technical improvement tothe quality of data entry, accessibility of data to a manager of a fleet of vehicles, and guidance for successive vehicle inspections.

The method of the invention may be performed where the computer terminal is not a PDA 15 although this is most convenient as an inspector may carry the PDA 15with him and record the new vehicle inspection information directly onto the PDA 15 during the inspection.

The electronic checklist may enable the vehicle inspector to record notes for use as explained below.

To upload the new vehicle inspection information or new vehicle inspection data, the PDA 15 may again be connected to the network 16, but it is within the scope of the present invention for there to be connectivity between the PDA 15 and the server 13 over the network 16 actually during the vehicle 12 inspection so that entries on the electronic checklist displayed on the PDA 15 are transmitted directly to the server 13 for processing.

The figure also shows how the invention may be performed using a paper inspection checklist 20, the relevant parts of the apparatus 10 being indicated in doffed lines only.

When an inspector is to perform an inspection, previous inspection data, and if desired any general vehicle data, may be extracted from the database 14 and downloaded to the network 16. A computer printer 19, which may be directly coupled to the network 16 or controlled by a local computer terminal 17, is used to create i.e. print out the inspection checklist 20. This may include a list of items to be inspected and selectable check boxes for each item. For example in its simplest format, where an item inspected is found to be satisfactory, a relevant tick box may be completed, whereas if the item requires maintenance/attention, another tick box may be completed.

The checklist 20 would include an indication of previously recorded vehicle inspection information from the downloaded previous inspection data from the database 14, to alert the inspector to any particular items to be more carefully inspected.

The checklist 20 may enable the vehicle inspector to record notes in manuscript detailing any item of particular concern.

Upon completion of the paper checklist 20, this may be digitised e.g. by scanning or faxing using a suitable scanning/fax machine 21, and the digitised electronic document containing the new vehicle inspection information is sent to the server 13 over the network 16, where the electronic document is processed.

This processing may involve the automatic analysis of the electronic document e.g. using character recognition software 22, in order to extract data relating to the vehicle inspection for storage in the database 14, for use in performing subsequent vehicle inspections. If desired, particularly where there is some manuscript notation relating to some detail of the vehicle inspection the manuscript notation of the electronic document may be machine read and automatically stored and/or displayed for manual audit to a system operator, before the database 14 is manually updated, or a graphic representation only of an inspector's notes may be stored.

In an alternative method, the paper checklist 20 may be used manually to input data locally to the inspection, or faxed or otherwise sent elsewhere for manual input of inspection data to the database 14, of data relating to the vehicle inspection.

In each case, data relating to the vehicle inspection is stored in the database 14 for subsequent use in providing management reports as well as inspection information for use in subsequent vehicle inspections.

In each case, the diarising module 15 may remind a manager of a fleet of vehicles, or an inspector, when vehicle inspection data is downloaded to the network 16 to the computer terminal or vehicle PDA 15, or paper checklist 20, that a date is due to be met, such as for example only, an up-and-coming due date for a vehicle's annual roadworthiness inspection.

In addition to the vehicle data already described, the server 13 may include a depository 23 for electronic versions of official vehicle documents for viewing when required, for example at a vehicle depot which primarily may be responsible for the maintenance etc. of the a particularly vehicle 12.

It will be appreciated that where there is provided a computer terminal 15 to receive and send vehicle inspection information/data to the network 16, this may be used to search the server 13 to extract vehicle inspection data, for example using a search key unique to the vehicle 12, such as a registration number. It is within the scope of the invention for the diarising module 15 of the server 13 to be arranged to send messages to inspectors concerning for example, when a vehicle inspection falls due. For example, where a paper checklist 20 is used in performance of the invention, this may be printed at a depot automatically in response to a reminder by the diarising module 15, when an inspection falls due. The diarising module 15 may be used to generate automatically or when called upon, an annual planner listing all vehicles in a fleet, and indicating inspection due dates.

Various modifications in addition to those already described may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example, the database 14 may store other data relating to the vehicle which may be collected other than as described above.

For example, the vehicle 12 may include a management system 24 which may collect operating data relating to the vehicle 12, such as the vehicles' mileage, fuel consumption, fault diagnostic information and any other information which may be sensed and/or derived from sensed information or by processing.

The database 14 may receive such information by connecting the management system 24 to the network 16 by a suitable wired or wireless connection, and/or the vehicle 12 may be provided with suitable telemetry equipment otherwise to transmit the operating data to the network 16 and/or to the server 13 for processing, and hence for storage of operating data in the database 14.

Thus in addition to previous vehicle inspection data being used in creation of the vehicle inspection checklist, such operating data may be used for example to draw to an inspector's attention, a fault diagnosed by the vehicles' management system 24.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A method of inspecting a vehicle including the steps of storing in a database inspection data derived from inspection information created upon an inspection of the vehicle, extracting the inspection data from the database and utilising the inspection data in preparing an inspection checklist of vehicle items to be inspected, carrying out another inspection of the vehicle utilising the inspection checklist including recording new inspection information relating to items inspected, processing the new inspection information to derive new inspection data, and uploading the new inspection data to the database for storage for use in preparing an inspection checklist for a subsequent vehicle inspection.

2. A method according to claim I in which the inspection checklist is created using the inspection data as an electronic document.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein the electronic document is created on a computer terminal which is connected to a server on which the database is provided for the purpose of downloading the inspection data extracted from the database.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the terminal is connected to the database on a network.

5. A method according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the computer terminal is a wireless hand held computer terminal device which is carried and used by the inspector during the vehicle inspection, and the new inspection information is recorded on the inspection checklist by the inspector on screen.

6. A method according to any one of the preceding claims in Which the new inspection information recorded by the inspector is uploaded to the network and processed to provide the new inspection data to provide for the storage of the new inspection data in the database.

7. A method according to any one of claims 3 to 5 wherein the computer terminal processes the new inspection information to provide the new inspection data which is then uploaded to the network to provide for the storage of the new inspection data on the database.

8. A method according to claim I wherein the inspection checklist is created as a paper document on a printer local to where the vehicle is to be inspected.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the printer is controlled by a computer terminal which may connect to a server on which the database is provided, for the purpose of downloading the inspection data extracted from the database.

10. A method according to claim 9 in which the computer terminal connects to the server on a network.

11. A method according to claim 9 or claim 10 wherein the new inspection information is recorded on the paper document during a vehicle inspection, and then the paper document is digitised to create an electronic document, and the digitised document is then uploaded to the network and the new inspection information recorded thereon is processed to extract new inspection data for storage on the database.

12. A method according to claim 9 or claim 10 wherein the new inspection information is recorded on the paper document during a vehicle inspection, and then the paper document is digitised to create an electronic document the method including processing the digitised document locally to extract new inspection data which is uploaded to the network for storage on the database.

13. A method of inspecting a vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

14. An apparatus for performing the method of inspecting a vehicle according to any one of the preceding claims, the apparatus including a database containing data derived from the processing of inspection information recorded during a previous inspection of the vehicle, a computer terminal, and a network via which the inspection data extracted from the database is downloadable to the computer terminal for use in preparing an inspection checklist, and to which one of i. new inspection information is uploadable for processing to provide the new inspection data for storage in the database; or ii. new inspection data derived from the new inspection information is uploadable for storage in the database.

15. An apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as shown in the accompanying drawing.

16. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or as shown in the accompanying drawing.