Procedures for monitoring vehicles in a motor vehicle fleet

Abstract

Method for monitoring vehicles (1) of a motor vehicle fleet operated by a fleet operator, wherein for each vehicle (1) of at least part of the motor vehicle fleet: - vehicle-related data (SD) of the vehicle (1), including at least its geographical position (POS), are determined via sensors in the respective vehicle (1); - a number of maintenance parameters (WP) are determined using at least part of the vehicle-related data (SD), which describe the maintenance requirements of the respective vehicle (1), wherein the degree of soiling of an exterior surface of the vehicle (1) is determined as one of the maintenance parameters (WP); - using a data network through which the respective vehicle (1) and a user interface (P) assigned to the fleet operator communicate, the number of maintenance parameters (WP) and the geographical position (POS) of the respective vehicle (1) are output via the user interface (P).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method and a system for monitoring motor vehicles in a fleet operated by a fleet operator.

[0002] When a fleet operator manages a vehicle fleet, it is essential that the vehicles are regularly serviced to prevent breakdowns during rental periods. Furthermore, maintenance should also ensure that the vehicles' exteriors and interiors are kept as clean as possible to promote high customer acceptance and frequent rentals.

[0003] Nowadays, maintaining a fleet of vehicles requires that a service technician visits each vehicle at its designated location at regular intervals to assess its maintenance needs and then performs the necessary repairs. This process involves a considerable amount of manual labor.

[0004] The object of the invention is therefore to create a method and a system for monitoring vehicles in a motor vehicle fleet, thereby reducing the effort associated with vehicle maintenance.

[0005] This problem is solved by the method according to claim 1 or the system according to claim 16. Further developments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

[0006] Within the framework of the method according to the invention, vehicle-related data for at least a portion of a vehicle fleet is determined via sensors in the respective vehicle. This vehicle-related data includes at least the vehicle's geographical position. The term "vehicle-related data" is to be interpreted broadly and can encompass not only the geographical position but also other vehicle-related data or vehicle condition data. Embodiments of such condition data are described below. Using at least a portion of the vehicle-related data, which may not necessarily include the vehicle's geographical position, a number of maintenance parameters are determined that describe the maintenance requirements of the respective vehicle. Additional information not originating from the vehicle may also be included in the determination of these maintenance parameters.

[0007] According to the invention, using a data network through which the vehicle and a user interface assigned to the fleet operator communicate, the number of maintenance parameters and the geographical position of each vehicle are output via the user interface. The method according to the invention thus enables the automated determination of corresponding vehicle-related data and the maintenance parameters derived therefrom, which are provided to the fleet operator via a data network. This eliminates the need for service technicians to manually determine the maintenance requirements of individual vehicles. The vehicle-related data is preferably collected over a longer period, particularly starting from the time of the last maintenance, so that the maintenance parameters can also be determined, if necessary, based on vehicle-related data from a longer period.

[0008] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the data network through which the vehicle and the user interface communicate comprises the internet, so that the relevant vehicle information can be transmitted to user interfaces at any location. In a preferred variant, the vehicle is connected to the data network via a wireless interface, preferably a cellular interface. This allows the maintenance parameters to be retrieved for virtually any location of the vehicle.

[0009] In one variant of the method according to the invention, the vehicle-related data is transmitted from the respective vehicle to a central computer, which uses at least some of the vehicle-related data to determine the number of maintenance parameters. That is, the calculation of the corresponding maintenance parameters is not performed in the vehicle itself, but by a central computer, such as a backend server, which communicates with the vehicle via the internet. Alternatively or additionally, however, it is also possible for the respective vehicle to determine the number of maintenance parameters at least partially from at least some of the vehicle-related data and transmit this information to the data network. In this case, it is not necessary for further computers in the data network to perform calculations of maintenance parameters.

[0010] As mentioned above, external information not originating from the vehicle, such as weather data, can also be considered to determine the number of maintenance parameters, as explained in more detail below. The number of maintenance parameters can vary depending on the application. The essential point is that the maintenance parameters provide information about the vehicle's maintenance needs. Specifically, the maintenance parameters can indicate which maintenance measures are currently required and / or must be carried out within a predetermined future period.

[0011] The vehicle-related data, which is determined by sensors in the respective vehicle, preferably includes one or more of the following parameters in addition to the geographical position of the vehicle: – the condition of one or more operating resources in the vehicle, in particular the fuel level and / or the engine oil level and / or the coolant level and / or the tire pressure and / or the windshield washer fluid level; – the state of charge of the vehicle's on-board battery; – the vehicle's mileage; – the wear condition of one or more components in the vehicle, in particular the wear condition of the brakes; – Sensor data from the vehicle's rain sensor; – Data concerning the activity of the vehicle's windshield wipers; – Data concerning the condition of the vehicle's air conditioning system; – Data concerning the ambient air pressure and / or ambient temperature at the vehicle's location; – Data concerning the sound propagation inside the vehicle, originating from an anti-theft alarm system; – Image data of the vehicle's exterior, captured by the vehicle's camera system.

[0012] Depending on the application, all this data can be used to determine appropriate maintenance parameters. For example, regarding the condition of the equipment, a maintenance parameter could be whether or not there is a need to replenish the equipment and, if so, how much. Further examples of how the aforementioned parameters can be processed when determining maintenance parameters are described below.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the degree of soiling of the vehicle's outer skin is determined as one of the maintenance parameters using at least some of the vehicle-related data of the respective vehicle, wherein the geographical position of the vehicle is preferably also taken into account when determining the degree of soiling.

[0014] In a preferred variant, one or more of the following parameters are used to determine the degree of soiling of the vehicle's outer skin: – Image data of the vehicle's exterior, captured by the vehicle's camera system; – Sensor data from a rain sensor in the vehicle, which can be used to determine whether the vehicle has been heavily soiled by rain or snow; – Data concerning the activity of the vehicle's windshield wipers, from which it can be inferred whether the vehicle was exposed to heavy rain or snow; – Data concerning the ambient air pressure and / or the ambient temperature at the vehicle's location, which also allow conclusions to be drawn about the vehicle's level of soiling.

[0015] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the vehicle's geographical position determines which location category it falls into from a plurality of location categories that influence the degree of soiling. These location categories can be defined such that they relate to whether the vehicle is parked under a roof or in a parking garage, whether it is located on a busy or less busy street, or whether it is parked in a designated parking area. Undoubtedly, these location categories have a significant impact on whether the vehicle becomes more heavily soiled or not. For example, a vehicle parked in a parking garage will become considerably less soiled than a vehicle parked on the side of a busy street.

[0016] In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, weather data is taken into account as external information when determining the degree of soiling of the vehicle's exterior, whereby the weather data is used to determine the weather at the vehicle's geographical location. By linking the vehicle's position with the weather data, it is possible to determine very accurately which local weather conditions the vehicle was exposed to, from which, in turn, a meaningful maintenance parameter concerning the vehicle's external soiling can be derived.

[0017] In a further embodiment of the inventive method, the degree of soiling of the vehicle's interior is determined as one of the maintenance parameters using at least some of the vehicle-related data of the respective vehicle. Preferably, data concerning sound propagation in the vehicle's interior, originating from an anti-theft alarm system, are included. The anti-theft alarm system emits sound waves (e.g., ultrasonic waves) to detect the intrusion of persons into the vehicle's interior. The reflection behavior or travel time of the sound waves is analyzed. This information can also be used to determine the degree of soiling in the interior, since the reflection of the sound waves or their travel time changes with increased soiling.

[0018] The number of maintenance parameters determined by the method according to the invention, as well as the geographical position of the respective vehicle, can be displayed via the user interface in various ways. Preferably, this data is displayed on a visual user interface, wherein the assignment of the number of maintenance parameters to the respective vehicles is preferably visualized by means of a table and / or wherein the assignment of the respective vehicles to their geographical position is preferably visualized based on a road map.

[0019] In a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the user interface is designed such that the user can block individual vehicles from further rental. This prevents a vehicle with high maintenance requirements from being used by other users. Furthermore, it ensures that a service technician has access to the vehicle to carry out maintenance and that it is not rented out to other users in the meantime.

[0020] In addition to the method described above, the invention further relates to a system for monitoring vehicles in a motor vehicle fleet operated by a fleet operator. This system comprises: – a means of providing vehicle-related data of a given vehicle or at least part of the motor vehicle fleet, wherein the vehicle-related data includes at least the geographical position of the vehicle and is determined via sensors in the given vehicle; – a means of determining a number of maintenance parameters that describe the maintenance requirements of the respective vehicle, using at least some of the vehicle-related data; – a user interface assigned to the fleet operator, which is designed in such a way that, using a data network through which the respective vehicle and the user interface communicate, the number of maintenance parameters and the geographical position of the respective vehicle are output via the user interface.

[0021] The system according to the invention is preferably designed in such a way that one or more of the preferred embodiments of the method according to the invention can be carried out with the system.

[0022] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described below with reference to the attached Fig. 1 described in detail. This figure shows a schematic representation illustrating the process of a variant of the method according to the invention.

[0023] The method according to the invention is based on a fleet of motor vehicles which are made available for paid use by a large number of registered users. The vehicles can be used by the registered users within a specific business area, e.g., in the city center of a larger city, by authenticating themselves via an authentication unit on the vehicle and thereby gaining access to the vehicle, enabling them to subsequently use it for journeys. During use, journey-related data is recorded by the vehicle and transmitted via a telematics unit to the fleet operator, who then bills the user for the vehicle usage based on this journey-related data.The vehicles are equipped with a GPS navigation system that determines their geographical location, which is transmitted to the fleet operator via the telematics unit, so that the operator knows where the vehicles are located.

[0024] Traditionally, operating such vehicle fleets presents a challenge because the operator's service technicians must regularly visit the vehicles based on their known geographical locations to check for maintenance needs. This maintenance includes not only technical servicing but also general vehicle upkeep, such as cleaning the interior and exterior. If maintenance is required, the service technician performs it, for example, by taking the vehicle through a car wash, topping up fluids, or sending it for a technical inspection. Manually checking the maintenance needs of each vehicle is a significant time and effort within the fleet's operational framework.

[0025] The following is based on Fig. In the embodiment of the invention described in Figure 1, manual maintenance effort can be significantly reduced. A corresponding rental vehicle from the vehicle fleet is identified by reference numeral . 1The vehicle is described as follows: It includes a GPS module, in a manner known per se, which allows it to determine its geographic location through satellite-based positioning. Furthermore, the vehicle contains corresponding sensors that enable it to record not only the GPS position but also other vehicle-related data. This data can include, among other things, the condition of the vehicle's operating resources, such as the fuel level, engine oil level, brake fluid level, windshield washer fluid level, and the like. Further examples of such vehicle-related data are information on the wear of vehicle components, such as brake wear, data from the vehicle's rain / light sensor, image data from a camera system integrated into the vehicle, and the operating time of the vehicle's windshield wipers.The rain and light sensor determines the frequency and intensity of rainfall over a given period, which in turn influences the vehicle's soiling. The vehicle's camera system, which specifically monitors the rear and sides of the vehicle's exterior, assesses the level of soiling.

[0026] In the embodiment described here, the vehicle-related data determined in the vehicle are transmitted to a central computer via a mobile communication interface. 2 cleverly, it's part of the backbone network and therefore of the internet. In Fig. 1. Vehicle-related data is designated with the reference symbol SD (SD = sensor data), whereby this data also includes the vehicle's geographical position, which is again designated separately with the reference symbol POS. The computer 2A backend server, operated by the vehicle manufacturer, performs the determination of relevant maintenance parameters as described below. This backend server communicates with a corresponding frontend assigned to the fleet operator. The frontend features a user interface, including a monitor that displays a portal (P) via a web browser, allowing fleet operator employees to manage the vehicles. Multiple frontends can be located at different fleet operator stations, providing access to fleet information from various locations.

[0027] As mentioned above, the server determines 2Suitable maintenance parameters are derived from the transmitted vehicle-related data (SD). These maintenance parameters describe the vehicle's maintenance requirements. For example, a parameter might indicate whether maintenance is required to replenish the vehicle's operating fluids. In the embodiment described here, the degree of soiling on the vehicle's exterior is also determined as a maintenance parameter, allowing conclusions to be drawn about whether exterior cleaning is necessary. Furthermore, external information (EI), which can originate from any third-party provider, is taken into account, as indicated by a cloud symbol. In the embodiment according to... Fig. 1. External information includes weather data from a weather service. In addition to weather data, relevant data from the vehicle's light and rain sensor or camera system can also be used to determine the level of soiling on the vehicle's exterior.

[0028] The vehicle-related data is preferably collected over a longer period of time and stored on the backend server. 2 The data is analyzed to determine maintenance requirements with sufficient accuracy. External information can also cover a longer period. This is particularly relevant when incorporating weather information to determine the vehicle's level of soiling. In this process, the weather conditions the vehicle was exposed to at its various locations are tracked over an extended period to reliably determine the level of soiling.

[0029] Via a suitable algorithm in the server2The weather data is compared with the vehicle's geographical position to determine the weather conditions at that location during a predetermined period. If rain, thunderstorms, or hail occurred, a high degree of soiling of the vehicle and therefore a high maintenance requirement can be assumed. If necessary, the geographical position can also be factored into the soiling determination by comparing it to a street map to identify the type of location the vehicle is in (e.g., roadside, parking garage, 30 km / h zone, etc.). For example, if the vehicle is parked in a parking garage, maintenance requirements are lower because the vehicle is significantly less soiled compared to a vehicle parked on the side of a busy street. In a variation of the procedure described above, it may be possible to...The system also allows for the detection of interior soiling. For this purpose, additional sensor data (SD) is collected, including information on sound propagation within the vehicle. This information originates from the vehicle's anti-theft alarm system, which uses ultrasound to detect unauthorized entry. This sound propagation data can then be used to determine the level of soiling inside the vehicle based on the sound's reflection behavior and travel time.

[0030] After the relevant maintenance parameters have been determined, they are transferred to the aforementioned frontend, which is assigned to the fleet operator. This transfer is in Fig. 1 is indicated by a double arrow, where the maintenance parameters are designated with the reference symbol WP. The frontend is connected to the internet, so that the server 2Information originating from this portal can also be received and displayed via Portal P.

[0031] Fig.Figure 1 shows an example of a possible display of maintenance parameters via portal P. This portal comprises a table with numerous columns C1, C2, ... C7. The top row of the table, which is highlighted in bold, indicates the type of information to which each column refers. Column C1 relates to the vehicle or vehicle identification, column C2 to the vehicle type, column C3 to the last update of the information, column C4 to the vehicle's mileage, column C5 to the vehicle's engine oil level, column C6 to the vehicle's brake fluid level, and column C7 to the vehicle's degree of soiling. This representation is merely an example, and further columns with corresponding information may be provided. Preferably, the vehicles in the table are arranged from top to bottom according to the urgency of their maintenance needs, i.e.,Vehicles with more urgent maintenance needs are listed higher up in the table.

[0032] In portal P, each row displays the corresponding vehicles and their maintenance requirements, with the maintenance requirements listed in columns C5 to C7. These columns indicate the maintenance requirement using a color code. Red signifies a high maintenance requirement, yellow a medium requirement, and green no requirement. For example, in column C5, which relates to engine oil, red indicates that the engine oil needs to be topped up immediately, while yellow indicates that the level is acceptable but will require topping up soon. Green, on the other hand, indicates that the engine oil level is fine and no maintenance is required. The maintenance requirement for brake fluid in column C6 is displayed in the same way.In column C7, which concerns the degree of soiling of the vehicle, a red color indicates that the vehicle is heavily soiled and should be cleaned as soon as possible, whereas the color yellow represents a medium degree of soiling.

[0033] The color green, in turn, conveys that the vehicle is only slightly dirty and that no maintenance is required in terms of cleaning the vehicle.

[0034] In addition to the table, portal P also contains a map K, displayed within a square and only schematically indicated. This map represents at least part of the fleet operator's business area in the form of a street map. Appropriate pictograms on the map indicate the locations within the business area of ​​the corresponding vehicles listed in the table rows.

[0035] A suitable filter function allows users to filter the vehicles displayed in Portal P to show only those that are parked and not currently rented. The portal operator may also have the option to block vehicles from further rental use, meaning they can block vehicles with very high maintenance requirements. This allows a service technician to access the vehicle and perform the necessary maintenance without the vehicle being rented out again in the meantime. Once the service technician has completed the required maintenance, they can confirm the completion of the work via Portal P, which they can access, for example, from a mobile device. This changes the vehicle's status, making it available for rent again.

[0036] The embodiments of the method according to the invention described above offer a number of advantages. In particular, they enable the automated determination of the maintenance requirements of individual vehicles in a fleet, eliminating the need for a service technician to visit the vehicles to check their maintenance needs. This ensures that the vehicles are always well-maintained and serviced, which in turn leads to increased vehicle rentals.

Claims

[1] Methods for monitoring vehicles ( 1 ) a fleet of motor vehicles operated by a fleet operator, wherein for each vehicle ( 1 ) at least part of the motor vehicle fleet: – via sensors in the respective vehicle ( 1 ) vehicle-related data (SD) of the vehicle ( 1 ) comprehensively determine at least its geographical position (POS); – using at least some of the vehicle-related data (SD), a number of maintenance parameters (WP) are determined, which define the maintenance requirements of the respective vehicle ( 1 ) describe; – using a data network through which the respective vehicle ( 1 ) and a user interface (P) assigned to the fleet operator communicate the number of maintenance parameters (WP) and the geographical position (POS) of the respective vehicle ( 1) are output via the user interface (P). [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the data network comprises the Internet and / or the respective vehicle ( 1 ) is connected to the data network via a wireless interface, preferably a mobile communication interface. [3] Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the vehicle-related data (SD) is taken from the respective vehicle ( 1 ) to a central computer ( 2 ) transmitted, which determines at least partially the number of maintenance parameters (WP) using at least some of the vehicle-related data (SD). [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the respective vehicle ( 1 ) from at least part of the vehicle-related data (SD) determines at least partially the number of maintenance parameters (WP) and transmits them to the data network. [5] A method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, for determining the number of maintenance parameters (WP), external parameters not supplied by the vehicle ( 1 ) information originating from [6] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the number of maintenance parameters (WP) specify which maintenance measures are to be carried out now and / or in a predetermined future period. [7] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vehicle-related data (SD) of the respective vehicle ( 1 ) include one or more of the following sizes: – the condition of one or more of the vehicle's operating components ( 1 ), in particular the fuel level and / or the engine oil level and / or the coolant level and / or the tire pressure and / or the windshield washer fluid level; – the state of charge of the vehicle's on-board battery ( 1 ); – the vehicle's mileage ( 1 ); – the wear condition of one or more components in the vehicle ( 1 ), in particular the wear condition of the brakes; – Sensor data from a vehicle's rain sensor ( 1 ); – Data concerning the activity of the vehicle's windshield wipers ( 1 ); – Data concerning the condition of the vehicle's air conditioning system ( 1 ); – Data concerning the ambient air pressure and / or ambient temperature at the vehicle's location ( 1 ); – Data concerning sound propagation in the interior of the vehicle ( 1 ), which originate from an anti-theft alarm system; – Image data of the vehicle's exterior ( 1 ), which uses a camera system of the vehicle ( 1 ) are recorded. [8] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least a part of the vehicle-related data (SD) of the respective vehicle ( 1 ) the degree of soiling of the vehicle's outer skin ( 1 ) is determined as one of the maintenance parameters (WP), whereby the geographical position of the vehicle is preferably also taken into account when determining the degree of soiling ( 1 ) is incorporated. [9] Method according to claim 8, characterized in that to determine the degree of soiling of the outer skin of the vehicle ( 1 ) Image data of the vehicle's exterior ( 1 ), which uses a camera system of the vehicle ( 1 ) are recorded, and / or sensor data from a rain sensor of the vehicle ( 1 ) and / or data relating to the activity of the vehicle's windshield wipers ( 1) and / or data concerning the ambient air pressure and / or ambient temperature at the vehicle's location ( 1 ) are incorporated. [10] Method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the geographical position of the vehicle ( 1 ) is determined in which location category, from a plurality of location categories influencing the degree of pollution, the vehicle is located ( 1 ) is located. [11] Method according to claim 9 or 10 in combination with claim 5, characterized in that weather data are used as external information (EI) in determining the degree of soiling of the vehicle's outer skin ( 1 ) are taken into account, whereby the weather data is used to determine the weather at the geographical position of the vehicle ( 1 ) is determined. [12] Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least a part of the vehicle-related data (SD) of the respective vehicle ( 1 ) the degree of soiling of the vehicle's interior ( 1 ) is determined as one of the maintenance parameters. [13] Method according to claim 12, characterized in that to determine the degree of soiling of the interior of the vehicle ( 1 ) Data concerning sound propagation in the interior of the vehicle ( 1 ), which originate from an anti-theft alarm system. [14] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the number of maintenance parameters (WP) and the geographical position (POS) of the respective vehicle are displayed on a visual user interface (P), wherein the assignment of the number of maintenance parameters (WP) to the respective vehicles ( 1) preferably visualized by means of a table and / or wherein the assignment of the respective vehicles ( 1 ) whose geographical positions are preferably visualized based on a street map. [15] A method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the user interface is designed such that a user can select respective vehicles ( 1 ) can block further rentals. [16] Vehicle monitoring system ( 1 ) a fleet of motor vehicles operated by a fleet operator, the system comprising: – a means of providing vehicle-related data (SD) for a given vehicle ( 1 ) at least part of the motor vehicle fleet, wherein the vehicle-related data (SD) includes at least its geographical position (POS) and is transmitted via sensors in the respective vehicle ( 1 ) be determined; – a means of determining a number of maintenance parameters (MPs) that define the maintenance requirements of the respective vehicle ( 1 ) describe, using at least some of the vehicle-related data (SD); – a user interface (P) assigned to the fleet operator, which is designed in such a way that, using a data network through which the respective vehicle ( 1 ) and the user interface (P) communicate the number of maintenance parameters (WP) and the geographical position (POS) of the respective vehicle ( 1 ) are output via the user interface (P). [17] System according to claim 16, characterized in that the system comprises one or more means for carrying out a method according to any one of claims 2 to 15.

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