Patent portfolio

Real time telematics data can enable deeper business insights to business analytics technology. One of the challenges to enable certain business analytics technology is the continuous real time communication of raw telematics data or at least an understanding when there is a disruption preventing the real time communication. Another challenge relates to telecommunication service providers where disruptions have occurred in certain network zones and the service provider is unaware of the disruption prevention real time communication. This innovative Geotab technology provides a mobile device including an active communication state and an inactive communication state. Each state has an expected communication rate wherein a network zone communication fault is identified based upon either one of the expected communication rates and the actual communication rate within the network zone.

Accelerometers provide an important capability to any telematics system. The accelerometer data may be used to identify situations of harsh operation of a vehicle such as acceleration, braking, cornering and indications of an accident. Appropriate accelerometer thresholds are therefore key to providing accurate indications of harsh operation or a vehicle accident. This Geotab innovation receives, decodes and analyses a vehicle identification number (VIN) to determine the particular makeup, configuration and options associated with the vehicle. Then, a vehicle specific weight is determined to calculate and establish a better set of accelerometer thresholds based upon each unique vehicle.

Commercial vehicles may include a minimum equipment list to be available with the vehicle. This equipment may also be subject to certain operational conditions to avoid damage. Transportation of packages and goods with a commercial vehicle may be sensitive and prone to damage. Identifying and tracking equipment, packages and goods to monitor their presence or absence with a vehicle and normal or out of normal conditions that may result in damage can be valuable to fleet management. This innovative Geotab technology provides an ability to monitor and track Bluetooth beacons associated with a vehicle, equipment, packages and goods. The Bluetooth beacons can provide data associated with acceleration, temperature, light, pressure and other parameters. This data can be processed to determine harsh conditions, hazardous conditions or out of limit conditions.

Accelerometers provide an important capability to any telematics system. The accelerometer data may be used to identify situations of harsh operation of a vehicle such as acceleration, braking, cornering and indications of an accident. One of the challenges is determining an appropriate accelerometer threshold for the many different types and configurations of vehicles. This Geotab innovation receives, decodes and analyses a vehicle identification number (VIN) to determine the particular makeup, configuration and options associated with the vehicle establish an appropriate accelerometer threshold for a particular vehicle.

Commercial vehicles may include a minimum equipment list to be available with the vehicle. This equipment may also be subject to certain operational conditions to avoid damage. Transportation of packages and goods with a commercial vehicle may be sensitive and prone to damage. Identifying and tracking equipment, packages and goods to monitor their presence or absence with a vehicle and normal or out of normal conditions that may result in damage can be valuable to fleet management. This innovative Geotab technology provides an ability to monitor and track Bluetooth beacons associated with a vehicle, equipment, packages and goods. The Bluetooth beacons can provide data associated with acceleration, temperature, light, pressure and other parameters. This data can be processed to determine harsh conditions, hazardous conditions or out of limit conditions.

Communication between a Geotab GO device and a vehicle bus permits monitoring and logging vehicle data. One of the challenges this form of communication is interference that impedes or disrupts communication between the GO device and the vehicle bus preventing monitoring and logging of vehicle data. This innovative Geotab technology provides an algorithm to monitor communication message transmission rates and establish thresholds to monitor and avoid interference that impedes or disrupts the communication.

Real time telematics data can enable deeper business insights to business analytics technology. One of the challenges to enable certain business analytics technology is the continuous real time communication of raw telematics data or at least an understanding when there is a disruption preventing the real time communication. Another challenge relates to telecommunication service providers where disruptions have occurred in certain network zones and the service provider is unaware of the disruption prevention real time communication. This innovative Geotab technology provides a system method. The system method includes an active communication state and an inactive communication state. Each state has an expected communication rate wherein a network zone communication fault is identified based upon either one of the expected communication rates and the actual communication rate within the network zone.

Real time telematics data can enable deeper business insights to business analytics technology. One of the challenges to enable certain business analytics technology is the continuous real time communication of raw telematics data or at least an understanding when there is a disruption preventing the real time communication. Another challenge relates to telecommunication service providers where disruptions have occurred in certain network zones and the service provider is unaware of the disruption prevention real time communication. This innovative Geotab technology provides a method. The method includes an active communication state and an inactive communication state. Each state has an expected communication rate wherein a network zone communication fault is identified based upon either one of the expected communication rates and the actual communication rate within the network zone.

Commercial vehicles may include a minimum equipment list to be available with the vehicle. This equipment may also be subject to certain operational conditions to avoid damage. Transportation of packages and goods with a commercial vehicle may be sensitive and prone to damage. Identifying and tracking equipment, packages and goods to monitor their presence or absence with a vehicle and normal or out of normal conditions that may result in damage can be valuable to fleet management. This innovative Geotab technology provides an ability to identify specific Bluetooth beacons associated with specific vehicles. The method discriminates against Bluetooth beacons associated with specific vehicles based upon comparing two different vehicle locations and a corresponding Bluetooth beacon identifier at both vehicle locations.

Vehicle manufacturers provide specifications associated with the vehicle. One of the challenges with vehicle specifications is that a published vehicle range may be optimistic or a best case scenario for the associated vehicle. This innovative Geotab technology provides an ability to simulate vehicle energy use and thereby provide a more accurate vehicle range. The method receives engine torque data, estimates the vehicle payload mass and estimates energy use based on drive cycle data, engine torque data and the estimated vehicle payload mass.

Commercial vehicles may include a minimum equipment list to be available with the vehicle. This equipment may also be subject to certain operational conditions to avoid damage. Transportation of packages and goods with a commercial vehicle may be sensitive and prone to damage. Identifying and tracking equipment, packages and goods to monitor their presence or absence with a vehicle and normal or out of normal conditions that may result in damage can be valuable to fleet management. This innovative Geotab technology provides an ability to preprocess raw Bluetooth beacon data for subsequent use in fleet management. The preprocessing of the raw Bluetooth beacon data translates the raw data into a useful format (for example, temperature readings, pressure readings, light readings, user defined sensor readings).

Providing an open platform permits expansion of the Geotab ecosystem and increases value through the addition of Marketplace devices and technology. One of the challenges such an expansion creates is the ability to communicate throughout the entire system with many different complex technologies. This Geotab innovation provides a system with an I/OX that self configures a multi-device interface with different devices and technology connected to the interface. This innovation further establishes a communication protocol in the system as either an active direct communication or an indirect passive communication between different components and devices in the system.

Vehicle manufacturers provide specifications associated with the vehicle. One of the challenges with vehicle specifications is that a published vehicle range may be optimistic or a best case scenario for the associated vehicle. This innovative Geotab technology provides an ability to simulate vehicle energy use and thereby provide a more accurate vehicle range. The system receives engine torque data, estimates the vehicle payload mass and estimates energy use based on drive cycle data, engine torque data and the estimated vehicle payload mass.

Real time telematics data can enable deeper business insights to business analytics technology. One of the challenges to enable certain business analytics technology is the continuous real time communication of raw telematics data or at least an understanding when there is a disruption preventing the real time communication. Another challenge relates to telecommunication service providers where disruptions have occurred in certain network zones and the service provider is unaware of the disruption prevention real time communication. This innovative Geotab technology provides a system including mobile devices and a remote device. The mobile device includes an active communication state and an inactive communication state. Each state has an expected communication rate wherein a network zone communication fault is identified based upon either one of the expected communication rates and the actual communication rate within the network zone.

Providing an open platform permits expansion of the Geotab ecosystem and increases value through the addition of Marketplace devices and technology. One of the challenges such an expansion creates is the ability to communicate throughout the entire system with many different complex technologies. This Geotab innovation provides a system with an I/OX that self configures a multi-device interface with different devices and technology connected to the interface. This innovation further establishes a communication protocol in the system as either an active direct communication or an indirect passive communication between different components and devices in the system.