MXPA00004709A - Method and apparatus for automatic event detection in a wireless communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus and method for determining when a vehicle (108) has arrived or departed from a planned or an unplanned stop, while minimizing or completely eliminating driver intervention. The apparatus comprises a mobile communication terminal (202) located onboard a vehicle (108) for receiving destination information, generally using wireless means, from a central facility or hub (104). A speedometer (210) also located onboard the vehicle (108) determines the speed of the vehicle and a position sensor (212) onboard the vehicle (108) determines the vehicle position. The vehicle speed and position are provided to a processor (206), also located onboard the vehicle (108), which uses the speed and position information to determine a vehicle arrival or departure from a planned or unplanned stop. The processor (206) generates an indication of the event, either arrival or departure, directly to the central facility (104), to the vehicle operator, or both.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATIC DETECTION OF EVENTS IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I. Field of the Invention The present invention relates in general to wireless communication systems and more particularly to a method and apparatus for automatically detecting arrival and departure events of vehicles using a wireless communication system.

II. Description of Related Art It is well known to use wireless communication systems to transmit information between fixed stations and one or more scattered mobile receivers. For example, satellite communication systems in the trucking industry have been used for many years to provide messages and location information between the dispatch centers that own the fleets and their respective tractor-trailer vehicles. These systems offer significant benefits to fleet owners because they allow almost instantaneous communications and location information in real time. In addition, many of these systems provide remote monitoring of the performance characteristics of each vehicle in the fleet, for example, the average speed, RPM and idle time of each vehicle. An example of one of these satellite communication systems is set forth in U.S. Patent No. 4,979,170 entitled "ALTERNING SEQUENTIAL HALF DUPLEX COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND METHOD", U.S. Patent No. 4,928,274 entitled "MULTIPLEXED ADDRESS CONTROL IN A TDM COMMUNICATION SYSTEM "and U.S. Patent No. 5,017,926 entitled" DUAL SATELLITE NAVIGATION SYSTEM ", assigned to the assignee of the present invention, which is considered part of the present, as a reference. In the satellite communication system described by the aforementioned patents, the dispatch centers of the fleets communicate using land-based systems such as telephone or fiber optic networks to a hub, otherwise known as a network management unit ( network management facility, NMF for its acronym in English). The NMF acts as a central communication station through which all communications between vehicles and dispatch centers pass. The NMF comprises several computers for network management (NMCs), each NMC is responsible for providing a communication path from the NMF to vehicles geographically dispersed in the communication system using a geosynchronous satellite . The geosynchronous satellite comprises one or more transponders, which are electronic circuits well known in the art for relieving signals of high frequency satellite communication between remote locations. Each NMC is assigned to an individual transponder, each transponder operates at a single frequency to avoid interference with communication signals on other transponders. In the satellite communication system of the aforementioned patents, each transponder has the capacity to handle the communication needs of approximately 30,000 vehicles. Each vehicle in the communication system is equipped with a transceiver, otherwise known as a mobile communication terminal (MCT), for communicating messages and location information via the geosynchronous satellite to a NMC previously. designated. The MCT usually also comprises an interface device that displays text messages to one or more occupants of the vehicle and accepts messages either voice or text to be transmitted to the dispatch center owning the vehicle fleet. In addition, the MCT may also include a digital processor that communicates with one or more Electronic Control Units (ECUs) located at various points throughout the vehicle. Each ECU provides information related to the performance of the operation of the vehicle to the digital computer indicating characteristics, which include, but not limited to, vehicle speed, engine, RPM and miles traveled. The wireless communication system described above allows vehicle occupants to easily contact their respective dispatch centers to keep flotilla personnel informed of the various events throughout a typical delivery cycle. For example, upon arrival at a predetermined collection destination, the truck driver may contact a dispatch center associated with the vehicle to notify fleet personnel of the time and location of arrival. In the same way, after the truck has been loaded at the collection destination, the driver can send a message to the dispatch center indicating the departure time, the location where the departure occurred and a description of the goods that they are going to be transported. Another example in which the operator of a vehicle may transmit to the dispatch center a message of the state in which it is located, when an unscheduled stop has been made and / or when the vehicle leaves the unscheduled stop.

Although communications between drivers and dispatch centers have been much more convenient and reliable using satellite or land based communication systems, a variety of problems persist in the reporting process. For example, a driver may forget to send a message on arrival or departure from a planned collection destination, causing confusion at the dispatch center regarding the status of goods in transit. Or a driver could send a message long after he has left a collection point indicating that he is currently leaving the collection location, to avoid the possible negative consequences of forgetting to send a timely message. In addition, a driver may not want to inform the dispatch center when he makes a stop that is not scheduled, for a variety of reasons. The dispatch center depends to a great extent on the driver's messages to maximize the efficiency of the fleet. Therefore, a system is needed that can determine the status of a vehicle in transit without the intervention of the driver. The system must have the ability to distinguish various kinds of different events, such as arrivals and departures of planned and unplanned stops.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is an apparatus and method for determining the condition of a vehicle in transit. In particular, the present invention determines whether a vehicle has arrived or departed from a planned or unplanned stop while minimizing or completely eliminating the need for driver intervention. According to one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for determining arrivals and departures of vehicles comprises a mobile communication terminal located on board the vehicle to receive destination information, generally using wireless means from a central unit or hub. A speedometer also located on board the vehicle determines the speed of the vehicle and a position sensor on board the vehicle determines the position of the vehicle. The speed and position of the vehicle are provided to a processor, also located on board the vehicle, which is connected to the mobile communication terminal, the speedometer and the position sensor. The processor uses the vehicle speed provided by the speedometer, the position information provided by the position sensor, a time indication and a vehicle status to determine whether the vehicle has arrived at or departed from a planned stop specified by the vehicle information. destination. The processor generates an indication of the event, either an arrival or an exit from a planned stop and provides the indication directly to the central unit, the vehicle operator or both. In addition, the processor can determine when the vehicle has made an unplanned stop and when the vehicle leaves the unplanned stop. According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for determining arrivals and departures of vehicles comprises generating destination information in a central unit and transmitting the destination information to a vehicle equipped with a mobile communication terminal. The speed and position of the vehicle is determined on board the vehicle and is used in conjunction with the destination information received by a processor to determine whether the vehicle has arrived at or departed from the planned stop, as specified by the destination information. The processor generates an indication of the event, either an arrival or an exit at a planned stop and provides the indication to the central unit, the vehicle operator or both. In addition, the processor can determine when the vehicle has made an unplanned stop or an unplanned stop.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be more evident from the detailed description set forth below when taken considering the drawings, in which the references are used consistently and where: Figure 1 is an illustration of a satellite communication system in which the present invention is used; Figure 2 illustrates the components used to automatically determine the arrivals and departures of planned and unplanned stops, according to the present invention; Figure 3 is a flow diagram detailing the steps that are taken to determine if the vehicle has reached a planned stop; Figure 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the steps that are carried out to determine whether a vehicle has left a planned stop; Figure 5 is a flow diagram illustrating the steps that are carried out to determine whether a vehicle has reached an unplanned stop; Figure 6 is a flow chart illustrating the steps that are taken to determine if a vehicle has left an unplanned stop.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES The present invention is an apparatus and method for determining the condition of a vehicle in transit. In particular, the present invention determines whether a vehicle has arrived at or departed from a planned or unplanned stop, while minimizing or completely eliminating the need for driver intervention. The invention is described in the context of a mobile satellite communication system used in the trucking industry. However, it should be understood that the present invention may be used in other wireless communication systems such as cellular, PCS or land based GSM and may be used in other transport vehicles such as passenger vehicles, rail cars, cargo ship or aircraft. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to use in vehicles, but can also be placed inside a package, used as a personal monitoring device or used in any situation for which it is convenient to determine if there has been an arrival or an exit. Figure 1 is an illustration of a satellite communication system in which the present invention is used. A satellite communication system 100 is shown, comprising a dispatch center 102, a Network Management Unit (NMF) 104 (also known as a central unit or hub), a communication satellite 106 and a vehicle 108. Communications in the Text message and voice form are transmitted between the dispatch center 102 and a vehicle 108 using NMF 104 and a communication satellite 106. A mobile communication terminal or transceiver (MCT) (shown in Figure 2), within the vehicle 108 allows the messages to be transmitted and received by the vehicle 108 as it travels over a large geographic area within the coverage area of the satellite 106. The MCT is well known in the art to provide wireless communications between vehicles and a central station. A second transceiver (also not shown) is located within the NMF 104 which allows communications to be transmitted and received by the NMF 104. For clarity purposes only one vehicle 108 is shown in Figure 1. In a communication system real, a large number of vehicles equipped each with an MCT, are present in the system. Similarly, although only one dispatch center 102 is shown in Figure 1, in practice many dispatch centers can be linked to the NMF 104, each dispatch center with the ability to communicate with their respective vehicle fleets to through NMF 104 and satellite 106. One of the many functions of dispatch center 102 is to coordinate the activities of its vehicle fleet to maximize efficiency and minimize costs. As part of that coordination, information for each vehicle of the flotilla is generated by the dispatch center 102 and transmitted the respective vehicle. The information transmitted to the vehicles, known as "load assignment" or more generally, destination information, comprises one or more predetermined travel routes, along with other information as well. Travel routes will normally include one or more planned stops, for example, collection and delivery destinations, in which a given vehicle stops and negotiates. The destination information usually contains additional information regarding the travel route and the planned stops including the coordinates of the actual map, for example, latitude and longitude, for each planned stop, an expected time of arrival and / or departure for each stop planned, the average travel time between stops, peak time and traffic information and weather information. In general, the destination information may comprise any information generated by the dispatch center 104 that facilitates the control or monitoring of the vehicle 108. Typically, the stops are planned so that each delivery route of the vehicle maximizes efficiency and thus minimizes the costs of managing the fleet. The destination information is transmitted to the vehicle 108 using NMF 104 and satellite 106. The information is received by an MCT on board the vehicle 108 and is usually stored in a memory to be used by the automated electronic systems on board the vehicle. vehicle and / or by the vehicle operator. In a typical application, the destination information can be viewed at any time by the vehicle operator using a display device connected to the MCT. After viewing the destination information, the vehicle operator can then follow the calculated travel route provided by the dispatch center 102. The route information directs the vehicle operator to travel to the first destination for a pickup or delivery, to the next destination and so on. Using the present invention, as each destination is reached, an indication of the arrival and / or departure of the vehicle is generated to notify the event to the dispatch center 102. Figure 2 illustrates the components used to determine automatically the arrivals and departures of the planned and unplanned stops according to the present invention. In the exemplary embodiment, all the components are located on board the vehicle 108, however, in other embodiments, one or more of the components may be located away from the vehicle. For example, the position of the vehicle may be determined at NMF 104 using the position system described in U.S. Patent No. 5,017,926 entitled "DUAL SATELLITE NAVIGATION SYSTEM", assigned to the assignee of the present invention, which It is considered part of this, as a reference. In such a system, the position of the vehicle is determined at NMF 104, then it is transmitted to vehicle 108 for use in subsequent calculations. As shown in Figure 2, the on-board computer (OBC) 200 comprises memory 204 and timer 208, connected to a processor 206. Although these components are shown in Figure 2 as part of the OBC 200, each component, or a combination of components, they can be isolated from each other physically while continuing to work together using wired or wireless means. The timer 208 is shown as an individual component of the OBC 200, but could alternatively be integrated into the processor 206 if desired. The processor 206 is further connected to the MCT 202, the speedometer 210, the position sensor 212 and the device 1/0 214. The MCT 202 is located on board the vehicle 108 and allows communications to be made between the vehicle 108 and the vehicle. NMF 104. MCT 202 contains circuitry that is well known in the art for receiving modulated radio frequency (RF) signals, including destination information transmitted by NMF 104 using satellite 106 and providing destination information to processor 206. The processor 206 handles one or more computational functions on board vehicle 108 and typically comprises one or more digital microprocessors well known in the art, for example, any of the family of x86 microprocessors from Intel, Incorporated of Santa Clara, California. Coupled to processor 206 is memory 204 which may contain areas for data storage, as well as programs, maps, databases and other information required by processor 206 to perform its functions. The memory 204 may comprise one or more random access memories (RAM), one or more CD-ROMs, a removable memory device or any other device that allows storing and retrieving data. In addition, the memory 204 may be a separate component or an integral component of the OBC 200. In general, the destination information received by the processor 206 is stored in the memory 204 for later use. The destination information is considered "active" in the memory 204 if the travel route contained in the destination information has already been completed by the vehicle 108. The memory 204 stores the destination information for later use by other devices to board. For example, the destination information may be retrieved by the processor 206 when needed for parameter calculations. 0 device 1/0 214 may require all the destination information or a part of it when requested by the vehicle operator, for example, to see the destinations along the route to which the vehicle has been assigned . The position sensor 212 determines the position of the vehicle 108 as it is in operation along its route. The position information is provided to the processor 206 for use in subsequent calculations. In the exemplary embodiment, the position sensor 212 comprises a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver that has the ability to receive positioning signals between one or more NAVSTAR GPS satellites in geostationary earth orbit. In general, GPS receiver position data is calculated on a continuous basis. It should be understood that alternatively other systems can be used that determine the position, instead of the GPS positioning systems, such as the LORAN-C ground-based positioning system, a GLONASS spatial base system or a positional system to estimate which uses an orientation and displacement distance of the vehicle to determine the position of the vehicle. Depending on the type of position sensor 212 that is used, the position information is calculated either continuously, at predetermined time intervals or at any time obtained by the processor 206. In the exemplary embodiment, the position information is provides the processor 206 every five seconds. The speedometer 210 is used to determine the speed of the vehicle 108 during the operation. The speedometer 210 may be a device either analogue or digital, coupled to the processor 206 to report the instantaneous speed of the vehicle 108, as it travels along its route. In the case of an analog speedometer, analog to digital conversion may be required before the information reaches the processor 206. The speedometer 210 generally monitors the revolutions of the vehicle's wheels per period of time to calculate the vehicle speed, although Instead of these other methods known in the art may be used. The processor 206 uses the vehicle speed information of the speedometer 210, the position information of the position sensor 212 and the destination information either from the memory 204 or directly from the MCT 202 to detect an arrival or an exit from a stop. planned The location of the planned stops is contained in the destination information, usually represented by latitude and longitude coordinates, although other representations may be used. The arrivals and departures of the unplanned stops can also be determined by the processor 206, as explained below. To determine arrivals and departures, the processor 206 first determines which of the various states is functioning in the vehicle 108. In the exemplary embodiment, five states are identified, which include an "unassigned" state, a "wait movement" state. , a state "en route", a state "in a planned stop" and a state "in an unplanned stop". The state of the vehicle108 is usually stored in memory 204 for use in further processing. Below, the five vehicle states are described in detail. In general, the "unassigned" state refers to the state in which the vehicle 108 does not require to carry out a task for fleet management. For example, this state is assigned by processor 206 to vehicle 108 if not active destination information is stored in memory 204. As previously explained, the destination information is received by the MCT 202 and stored in the memory 204. As the vehicle 108 follows the travel route indicated by the destination information, several updates of the memory are provided to the memory 204. the destination information. For example, as a planned stop or exit is reached, the processor 206 may assign a different vehicle state to the vehicle 108. In another example, the processor 206 tracks the planned stops that have been made and the not. Updates may also include modifications to the original destination information, such as additional planned stops, which replaces the active information already stored in memory 204. When the travel route has been completed, for example, when the vehicle has reached the final destination in the travel path, the processor 206 assigns the status "unassigned" if no other destination information has been received in the MCT 202. The unassigned state is also assigned by the processor 206 to the vehicle 108 that has been put into service for the first time before receiving any destination information. When a vehicle 108 is equipped with OBC 200 for the first time, there is usually no destination information in the memory 204 and the processor 206 assigns the status "unassigned" to the vehicle 108. The state "waiting movement" is assigned by the state. processor 206 to the vehicle 108 after the destination information is received by the MCT 202 and before the vehicle 108 has moved from the position in which the destination information was received. When the destination information is received in the MCT 202, a vehicle position is determined using the position sensor 212. The position information may be stored in the memory 204, transmitted to the dispatch center 102, displayed to the occupant of a vehicle using device 1/0 214 or any combination of the above actions. In the exemplary embodiment, the movement is defined when the distance between the current position of the vehicle and the position of the vehicle in which the destination information was received is greater than a predetermined distance. The predetermined distance may be programmable locally, for example, by the operator of a vehicle or, more likely, remotely by the fleet dispatching personnel using wireless communication techniques. The present invention provides on-air programming of this and other limits defined by the user. The predetermined distance, as well as other variables defined by the user are stored in the memory 204 and can generally be changed at any time. Movement can also be defined in other ways. For example, in order to detect movement while in the "wait movement" state, the movement can be defined when the vehicle speed 108 exceeds a predetermined limit speed or a motion sensor on board the vehicle 108 detects movement of the vehicle or a combination of both. In the exemplary embodiment, the movement is defined when the vehicle 108 has traveled more than one mile after the destination information was received. The "en-route" state is assigned to vehicle 108 by processor 206 if active destination information is stored in memory 204 and vehicle 108 is in motion. Most often this state is assigned after the "wait movement" state that was described earlier. For state purposes "en route", the movement can be defined in any of the ways that were described before. It can also be defined, for example, defining as movement only the one that includes movement towards one of the stops defined along the travel route, for example, position reports that indicate a chronological decrease in the distance to planned stop. In addition, the movement can only be defined as the movement towards one of the planned stops in sequential order. The en-route status can also be assigned by the processor 206 to a vehicle in the "unassigned" state if the vehicle is traveling while receiving the destination information. In this case, the "waiting movement" is diverted. The movement in this case is defined as the vehicle travels at more than a predetermined speed for more than a predetermined amount of time, although alternative methods may be used, instead of these. In the exemplary embodiment, the predetermined speed is 2 miles per hour and the predetermined time is twenty seconds. The state "in a planned stop" represents the vehicle 108 that has arrived at a destination corresponding to one of the planned stops in a travel route stored in the memory 204. This status is assigned by the processor 206 to the vehicle 108 immediately after to determine that the vehicle 108 has reached one of the planned stops along the travel route. The method by which the processor 206 determines the arrival of the vehicle is described in detail below. The state "in a planned stop" is maintained until the vehicle 108 enters the "en route" state upon detection of vehicle movement or enters the "unassigned" state if other destinations on the travel route are not present, for example , when the vehicle 108 has completed the travel route assigned by the dispatch center 102. The state "at a planned stop" is assigned to the vehicle 108 by the processor 206 when the vehicle 108 has stopped at a location other than one of the planned stops that are contained in the 204. Memorial. These stops may include fuel stations, truck stops, rest stops, motels, etc., but will usually not include stops at the red lights, or stops due to traffic jams. heavy traffic conditions, for example, "stop-and-go" traffic. The arrivals and departures of unplanned stops are described below, in more detail. Figure 3 is a flow diagram detailing the steps performed by processor 206 to determine whether vehicle 108 has reached a planned stop, ie one of the planned stops along the travel route that is stored in the memory 204. In the exemplary embodiment, the steps of Figure 3 are only carried out by the processor 206 if the current state of the vehicle is the "en-route" state. However, in other modalities, the steps in Figure 3 can be performed continuously or in response to predefined events, depending on the specific application. Again with reference to Figure 3, the processor 206 receives information from the speedometer 210 to determine the speed of the vehicle 108 in step 300. The current speed of the vehicle is then compared to a predetermined speed in step 302 to determine whether the vehicle 108 has slowed down significantly or stopped. The reduced speed of the vehicle 108, in combination with the proximity to a planned stop (described below), is indicative that the vehicle 108 is approaching or has reached one of the planned stops along the travel route . The predetermined speed is stored in the memory 204 and can be configured locally by the vehicle occupant, the technician or the mechanic or remotely by the fleet manager. In the case of local configuration, the default speed can be entered using the 1/0 214 device. In the case of remote configuration, the predetermined speed is transmitted from the dispatch center 102 through the NMF 104 and the satellite 106 to the MCT 202. In any case, the predetermined speed is stored in the memory 204 together with other variables that can be configured by the user , which are described in more detail later. In the exemplary embodiment, the predetermined speed is five miles per hour. If the vehicle speed is higher than the predetermined speed, the stopwatch 208 stops and clears in step 301, if it has already been activated previously. The timer 208 is used to determine how long the vehicle speed remains below the predetermined speed. The steps 300, 301 and 302 are then repeated until the speed of the vehicle is less than the predetermined speed.

If the vehicle speed is lower than the predetermined speed as determined in step 302, the timer 208 starts at step 304. The longer the vehicle speed remains below the predetermined speed, the greater the probability that the vehicle 108 has reached a planned stop and it is less likely that the slowness is due to some other event, such as traffic delay. It should be understood that step 304 is only performed if timer 208 was previously stopped and has not started. In step 306, the elapsed time provided by the timer 208 is compared to a predetermined time to determine if the vehicle speed 108 has remained below the predetermined speed for the predetermined time period. If not, step 300 is performed, after a predetermined delay, in which the current speed of the vehicle 108 is determined once more. In the exemplary embodiment, the predetermined delay is 15 seconds. In other modalities, no delay is used. Steps 300, 302 and 306 are repeated until step 306 indicates that vehicle speed 108 has remained below the predetermined speed for the predetermined period of time. The predetermined period of time can be configured by the user, as the speed variable discussed previously and can be modified locally or remotely in a similar way. The predetermined time is stored in the memory 204. When the vehicle speed has remained below the predetermined speed for a time longer than the predetermined time, step 308 is performed. In step 308, the processor 206 receives information from the sensor 212 to determine the current position of the vehicle. The position of the vehicle may be determined at predefined time intervals, for example, every five seconds in the exemplary embodiment or each time the vehicle 108 travels a predetermined distance as indicated by an odometer or hub that is generally found in the majority vehicular. The position of the vehicle can also be determined in predefined events, for example, when the ignition system of the vehicle starts or stops or at any time when the vehicle occupant transmits a message. Any of the events just described or a combination thereof may be used to determine when the processor 206 determines the position of the vehicle, limited only by the ability of the processor 206 to perform all of the other processing tasks it has in charge. Once the position of the vehicle in step 308 has been determined, processor 206 performs step 310 which determines whether or not vehicle 108 is within a predetermined distance with respect to any of the planned stops defined in the destination information. stored in the memory 204. In another embodiment, the processor 206 only determines whether or not the vehicle 108 is within a predetermined distance with respect to the next planned stop along the travel route stored in the memory 204. The processor 206 determines if the vehicle 108 is within the predetermined distance with respect to a planned stop when comparing the current position of the vehicle with each planned stopping position contained within the memory 204 and calculating the distance between the two. In general, the position of the vehicle and the positions of the planned stops are presented to the processor 206 as latitude and longitude coordinates. The distance in a straight line between the two points is then a matter of geometric calculation well known in the art. The distance between the current position of the vehicle and a planned stop can be further refined using other methods. For example, instead of using the distance calculation in a straight line, you can also use a calculation that takes into account the curvature of the earth. This calculation, called orthodromic distance, is well known in the art to determine the actual displacement distance between two points on the earth. Another method to determine the distance between the current position of the vehicle and a planned stop is to use real miles between fixed signals close to the position of the vehicle and to the position of the planned stop. Fixed signs may include road crossings, state or national boundaries, cities, towns, etc. The actual mileage between the fixed signals is readily available in both printed and electronic form, the latter is stored in the memory 204 and is used by the processor 206 to approximate the distance between the positions. This is done by approaching the travel path of the vehicle 108 to the road segments having known distances between the segment end points. The distances of the segments are gathered by the processor 206 to determine the approximate differential distance between the actual position of the vehicle and the planned stop. The predetermined distance found in step 310 is a number that can be configured locally by the vehicle occupant, the technician or the mechanic or remotely by the fleet management, as described above. The predetermined distance is stored in the memory 204 and is equal to one mile in the exemplary embodiment. Again, the memory 204 may be a single memory device on board the vehicle 108 or several independent memory devices, each of these independent memory devices for storing particular types of data. For example, one memory device may store an executable program while another may store all the variables that the user can change. If the vehicle 108 is not within the predetermined distance with respect to one of the planned stops in the destination information, step 301 is performed in which the stopwatch 208 is stopped and cleared. Then, the speed of the vehicle 108 is determined again in step 300 and the process is repeated. Normally, a delay time is used before the next speed determination is made in step 300. In the exemplary embodiment, the delay time is 15 seconds. In other modalities, delay time is not used. When step 310 is completed satisfactorily, i.e. the position of the vehicle 108 is within a predetermined distance with respect to one of the planned stops in the destination information, the vehicle 108 is considered to have arrived at a planned stop. . Upon arrival at a planned stop, step 312 is performed by processor 206, which begins one or more actions in response to arrival. For example, the destination information stored in memory 204 is updated to reflect the arrival at the planned stop of which vehicle 108 is closer and the state of the vehicle is changed from "en route" to "arrival at a stop. planned "and stored in memory 204. Other actions can also be carried out. For example, the processor 206 may send a warning to the I / O device 214 that indicates to the vehicle occupant that an arrival at a planned stop has been determined. The estimated time of departure, the estimated position of the unplanned stop can also be provided to the I / O device 214. Alternatively or in addition, a message can be automatically transmitted to the dispatch center 102 advising the fleet management of the arrival of vehicle 108 at a planned stop and any details associated with it. In another embodiment, an automated message is not sent until the occupant of a vehicle has given authorization for the automatic message to be transmitted using the I / O device 214. In another mode, the vehicle occupant, in response to a notice sent from processor 206 to device 1/0 214, transmits to the fleet management a message generated by the user using the MCT 202, that informs them of the precise details of the arrival, for example, the time of arrival, the location of the stop or the merchandise that was collected or delivered.

If the processor 206 incorrectly determines an arrival, for example, if the vehicle is still in transit and no planned stop is near, the vehicle occupant may choose to ignore the indication. In another embodiment, if there is no response sent by the vehicle occupant, the processor 206 may send a message for the administration of fleets to the dispatch center 102 to notify them of the arrival and provide the pertinent details such as the position of the vehicle, a description of the planned stop and the time of arrival. In yet another embodiment, an automated log located on board vehicle 108 or remotely at NMF 104 or dispatch center 102 may be updated with arrival information. Automated logbooks are becoming a widespread way for vehicle operators to comply with government regulations, for example, the US Department of Transportation (DOT) road regulations, rather than using logbooks. Written, manually generated, that tend to be erroneous and complex. Figure 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the steps that processor 206 performs to determine whether or not a vehicle has departed from a planned stop. In the exemplary embodiment, the steps of Figure 4 are performed only when the vehicle 108 is in the "at a planned stop" state. However, it is considered that the processor 206 could carry out the steps of Figure 4 in other vehicle states. In another embodiment, the steps of Figure 4 could be performed at predetermined times or in response to predetermined events, without the use of vehicle statuses. To determine when the vehicle 108 has left a planned stop, the processor 206 receives speed information for the vehicle 108 of the speedometer 210 in step 400, either continuously or at predetermined time intervals. Alternatively, the speed information may be provided to the processor 206 from the speedometer 210 in response to a predefined event, for example, the time that passes after the ignition of the vehicle is started. Once the vehicle speed has been determined by the processor 206, the speed is compared to a predetermined speed in step 402 to determine whether or not the vehicle is currently moving. The predetermined speed in this scenario is a different and distinct variable from the predetermined speed variable used to determine whether or not the vehicle 108 has arrived at a planned stop, as already explained above. If the vehicle speed is higher than the predetermined speed, it is determined that the vehicle is moving and then step 404. If the vehicle speed is not higher than the predetermined speed, steps 400 and 402 are repeated until that the speed of the vehicle exceeds the predetermined speed. The current position of the vehicle is determined immediately in step 404 using a position sensor 212. The processor 206 receives position information from the position sensor 212 to determine the current location of the vehicle. Alternatively, the position sensor 212 provides a current vehicle position to the processor 206 in response to a predefined event. The position of the vehicle is usually determined immediately after step 402 is completed satisfactorily, i.e., immediately after the vehicle speed is greater than the predetermined speed. However, an immediate position determination is not crucial to the functionality of the present invention. Provided the position of the vehicle is determined within a reasonable amount of time after the vehicle speed exceeds the predetermined speed, for example five minutes, the processor 206 will have the ability to estimate correctly whether the vehicle 108 has whether or not it came from a planned stop. In step 406, the distance between the current position of the vehicle determined in step 404 and the map coordinates of the last planned stop in which the vehicle 108 was determined was compared to a predetermined distance. In another embodiment, the position of the vehicle 108 at the time an arrival at a planned stop is determined can be replaced by the map coordinates of the last planned stop at which the vehicle 108 was determined. The predetermined distance used in the step 406 is a variable that may or may not be equal to the predetermined distance used to calculate arrivals as explained in step 302 of Figure 3. However, the same as the predetermined distance used to calculate arrivals, the predetermined distance in step 406 it can be programmed locally or remotely and stored in memory 204 as explained above. The distance between the current position of the vehicle and the last planned stop at which it was determined was vehicle 108 can be measured using one of several alternative methods described above, including straight line methods, orthodromic distance as previously explained or distances real based on fixed signals. If the distance between the current position of the vehicle and the last planned stop at which it was determined was the vehicle 108 is greater than the predetermined distance, as determined in step 406, it is determined that the vehicle has left the last planned stop. . If the distance between the position of the vehicle and the last planned stopping position is not greater than the predetermined distance, the step 400 is repeated, at which the speed of the vehicle 108 is determined once more. When step 406 is completed in a satisfactory manner, it indicates that the vehicle 108 has left a planned stop. When the processor 206 detects the output, step 408 is performed, which initiates one or more actions in response to the output. For example, the destination information stored in the memory 204 is updated to reflect the output and the state of the vehicle changes from "at a planned stop" to "en route". If there are no other planned stops in the destination information, that is, the vehicle 108 has traveled to all the planned stops in the destination information, in the detection of the exit, the state of the vehicle changes from "in a planned stop" to "not assigned". Other actions performed by the processor 206 may include sending a warning to the 1/0 214 device that indicates to a vehicle occupant that an output of a planned stop has been determined and a description thereof. For example, the processor 206 may send a warning to the 1/0 214 device that indicates to a vehicle occupant that an unplanned stop output has been determined. Other information may also be transmitted, such as the estimated time of departure, the estimated position of the unplanned stop, etc. Alternatively or in addition, a message may be automatically transmitted to the dispatch center 102 advising the flotilla administration of the departure of the vehicle 108 of the planned stop and any details associated therewith. In another embodiment, an automated message is not sent until a vehicle occupant has given authorization for the automatic message to be transmitted using the 1/0 214 device. In another embodiment, the vehicle occupant, in response to a notice sent from the processor 206 to device 1/0 214, transmits a message generated by the user using an MCT 202 to the fleet management, informing them of the precise details of the departure, for example, the time of departure, the location of the planned stop or A description of the goods that are collected or delivered. If the processor 206 has incorrectly determined an output of a planned stop, for example, the vehicle has not yet left a planned stop, the vehicle occupant may choose to ignore the indication. In the exemplary mode, if there is not a response entered by the vehicle occupant in a certain amount of time, the processor 206 can automatically send a message to the dispatch center 102 that notifies the departure and provides the pertinent details thereof, such as location of the vehicle at the time the departure was estimated, a description of the planned stop from which the vehicle 108 is leaving and the estimated time of departure. In yet another embodiment, an automated log, located on board the vehicle 108, may be updated remotely at the NMF 104 or at the dispatch center 102, with the output information. The present invention also allows detection of vehicle arrivals and departures at unplanned stops, i.e., stops not identified by the destination information as a planned stop. As previously explained, unplanned stops can be defined as stops at fuel stations, rest stops, night stops and traffic delays, among others. Figure 5 is a flow chart illustrating the process performed by the processor 206 when determining whether or not the vehicle 108 has stopped at an unplanned stop. In the exemplary mode, the steps in Figure 5 are performed when there are still planned stops to be visited in the destination information, even when the vehicle is in the "at a planned stop" state. However, in an alternative embodiment, the steps of Figure 5 can be carried out whether or not there are planned stops remaining or also while the vehicle 108 is in other vehicle states. In step 500, the processor 206 receives velocity information from the speedometer vehicle 210. Alternatively, a signal indicative of the current speed of the vehicle is provided to the processor 206 from the speedometer 210 in response to one or more predefined events. In step 502, the current vehicle speed is compared against a predetermined speed to determine if the vehicle 108 has stopped. If the vehicle speed is higher than the predetermined speed, the stopwatch 208 stops and clears in step 501 if it has already been activated previously. The timer 208 is used to determine how long the vehicle speed remains below the predetermined speed. The steps 500, 502 and 501 are then repeated until the speed of the vehicle is less than the predetermined speed. The predetermined speed is a variable that is stored in the memory 204 and can be modified locally or remotely, as explained above. The predetermined speed for determining whether or not the vehicle 108 has made an unplanned stop can be the same predetermined speed variable used to determine whether or not the vehicle 108 has arrived at a planned stop. In the exemplary embodiment, the predetermined speed used in step 502 is a variable different from the predetermined speed for determining arrivals of the vehicle at planned stops and is equal to zero miles per hour. When the vehicle speed is equal to or less than the predetermined speed, the timer 208 starts or clears and restarts, in step 504. The purpose of the timer 208 is to measure the elapsed time in which the vehicle speed remains the same or less than the predetermined speed so that a brief decrease or stop of the vehicle 108 does not cause a false determination as to whether or not the vehicle has actually made an unplanned stop. The elapsed time is compared against a predetermined time in step 506. The predetermined time is a variable that is stored in memory 204 and can be programmed locally or remotely, as explained above. The predetermined time variable used in step 506 may be the same variable used in other calculations or a different variable may be used. In the exemplary mode, a single variable is used for the predetermined time of step 506 and initially set to five minutes. If the elapsed time is not greater than the predetermined time of step 506, steps 500 to 506 are repeated either until a new vehicle state is determined or the vehicle speed 108 remains less than or equal to the predetermined speed for the predetermined amount. of time at step 506. It should be understood that step 504 is performed only once and that timer 208 is reset only when step 502 fails, ie, the vehicle speed is higher than the predetermined speed. If the elapsed time equals or exceeds the time predetermined in step 506, it is declared that the vehicle 108 stops at an unplanned stop in step 508. In step 508, the processor 206 assigns a state "at a stop not "planned" to the vehicle 108 and stores the state of the vehicle in the memory 204. In addition, the processor 206 may perform one or more actions in response to the determination. For example, the processor 206 may send a warning to the 1/0 214 device that indicates to a vehicle occupant that an arrival to an unplanned stop has been determined. Other information can also be transmitted, such as the estimated time of arrival or the estimated position of the unplanned stop. Alternatively or in addition, a message may be transmitted automatically to the dispatch center 102 advising the flotilla administration of the unplanned stop and any details associated therewith. In another embodiment, an automated message is not sent until a vehicle occupant has given authorization for the automatic message to be transmitted using the I / O device 214. In another embodiment, the vehicle occupant, in response to a notice sent from the processor 206 to the device 1/0 214, transmits to the fleet management a message generated by the user using MCT 202, which informs them of the precise details of the stop, for example, the time of the stop, the location of the Stop or the reason for it. If the processor 206 has made a mistake in its determination of an unplanned stop, for example, if the vehicle is simply delayed in very heavy traffic, the operator may choose to ignore the indication or generate an invalidated signal, usually using the I / O device 214, to de-reference any reference to the erroneous determination of the unplanned stop in memory 204. Still in another embodiment, if there is no response entered by the vehicle occupant within a predetermined amount of time after that a warning has been presented to the I / O device 214, the processor 206 sends a message to the dispatch center 102 advising the stop and providing pertinent details thereof, as explained above. Figure 6 is a flow diagram illustrating the steps performed by the processor 206 when determining whether or not the vehicle 108 has left an unplanned stop. In the exemplary embodiment, the steps in Figure 6 are only carried out when the vehicle is in the "at an unplanned stop" state. In step 600, the processor 206 receives information from the speedometer 210 to determine the current speed of the vehicle 108. Alternatively, a signal indicative of the current vehicle speed is provided to the processor 206 of the speedometer 210 in response to a predefined event such as transmission of a message to dispatch center 102. Once the current vehicle speed has been determined, it is compared to a predetermined speed in step 602 to determine whether or not the vehicle is currently moving. The predetermined speed is a variable that is stored in memory 204, it can be modified locally or remotely as explained above. The predetermined velocity variable of step 602 may be the same predetermined velocity variable used in other calculations, as explained before or it can be a different variable. In the exemplary embodiment, a different predetermined velocity variable is used in step 602 to determine whether or not the vehicle 108 has left an unplanned stop. If the current speed of the vehicle is greater than the predetermined speed of step 602, it is determined that the vehicle is in motion and step 604 is performed later. If the current speed of the vehicle is not greater than the predetermined speed of step 602, steps 600 and 602 are repeated either until a new vehicle state is determined or the vehicle speed exceeds the predetermined speed of step 602. When the vehicle speed exceeds the predetermined speed, the vehicle is considered to be leaving an unplanned stop and the step 604 is carried out. In step 604, the processor 206 assigns the state "en route" to the vehicle 108 and stores this state in memory 204. In addition, processor 206 may perform one or more actions in response to the determination. For example, the processor 206 may send a warning to the 1/0 214 device that indicates to a vehicle occupant that an unplanned stop output has been determined. Other information can also be transmitted, such as the estimated time of departure, the estimated position of the unplanned stop, etc. Alternatively or in addition, a message may be automatically transmitted to the dispatch center 102 advising the fleet management of the departure of the vehicle 108 of the unplanned stop and any details associated therewith. In another embodiment, an automated message is not sent until an occupant of the vehicle has given authorization for the automatic message to be transmitted using the 1/0 214 device. In another mode, the vehicle occupant, in response to a warning sent from the processor 206 to the I / O device 214, transmits to the fleet administration a message generated by the user using MCT 202, which informs them of the precise details of the output, for example, the time of the departure, the location of the unplanned stop or the reason for it. If the processor 206 has made a mistake in its determination of an unplanned stop, for example, if the vehicle operator has simply moved the vehicle 108 to a truck parking lot, the operator may choose to ignore the indication or generate an invalidated signal, for example. generally, using device 1/0 214, to de-reference any reference to the erroneous determination of the output in memory 204. Still in another embodiment, if there is no response entered by the vehicle occupant within a certain amount of time after a warning has been presented to the device 1/0 214, the processor 206 sends a message to the dispatch center 102 advising the departure and providing pertinent details of the stop, as explained above. The above description of the preferred embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice or use the present invention. Various modifications to these modalities will be very evident to those skilled in the art and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other modalities without the use of the inventive faculty. Thus, it is not intended that the present invention be limited to the modalities shown herein but that it be consistent with the broadest scope consistent with the novel principles and features set forth herein.

Claims (7)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the present invention, it is considered as a novelty and, therefore, the content of the following CLAIMS is claimed as property: 1. A method for detecting when a vehicle has arrived at a planned stop, comprising the steps of: determining a vehicle speed and comparing the speed of the vehicle with a predetermined speed; determining a vehicle position and comparing the position of the vehicle with at least one planned stopping position; and generating an indication of a vehicle arrival at one of the planned stops when the vehicle speed is less than the predetermined speed by a predetermined amount of time and the vehicle position is less than the predetermined distance with respect to one of the stops planned.
2. 2. A method for determining when a vehicle has departed from a planned stop, comprising the steps of: determining that the vehicle has reached a planned stop; determine a vehicle speed and compare the speed of the vehicle with a predetermined speed; determining a vehicle position and comparing the position of the vehicle with a position corresponding to the planned stop; and generating an indication of a vehicle exit from the planned stop when the vehicle speed is higher than the predetermined speed and the vehicle position is greater than a predetermined distance from the planned stop.
3. 3. A method for detecting when a vehicle has arrived at an unplanned stop, comprising the steps of: determining a vehicle speed and comparing the speed of the vehicle with a predetermined speed; and generating an indication of a vehicle arrival to the unplanned stop when the vehicle speed is less than the predetermined speed for a predetermined amount of time.
4. 4. The method according to claim 3 further comprising the step of determining whether or not the vehicle is at a planned stop.
5. 5. A method to detect when a vehicle has left an unplanned stop, comprising the steps of: determining that the vehicle has reached the unplanned stop; determine a vehicle speed and compare the speed of the vehicle with a predetermined speed; and generating an indication of a vehicle exit from the unplanned stop when the vehicle speed is higher than the predetermined speed.
6. 6. An apparatus for detecting when a vehicle has arrived at a planned or unplanned stop or left thereof, comprising: a mobile communication terminal on board the vehicle to receive destination information; a speedometer on board the vehicle to determine a vehicle speed; a position sensor on board the vehicle to determine a position of the vehicle; a stopwatch to measure an elapsed time; a memory for storing the destination information; and a processor, connected to the mobile communication terminal, the speedometer, the position sensor, the stopwatch and the memory, the processor to determine a vehicle arrival or a vehicle departure from a planned or unplanned stop using destination information , the speed of the vehicle, the position of the vehicle and the time elapsed.
7. 7. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising: a 1/0 device, connected to the processor, to show the vehicle occupant the status information of the vehicle, which includes information of the arrival and departure of the vehicle and to receive information of a vehicle occupant.