On-Board Recorder Data Source Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Commercial motor vehicle operators face challenges in complying with regulations such as hours-of-service requirements, as existing systems lack efficient methods for logging and managing data across various data sources and locations, leading to inconsistencies and compliance issues.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that utilize a telematics device with a processing unit, communication module, and transceiver to collect and transmit vehicle data and location data to an external device, selectively choosing active data sources and processing data for compliance, including drive events and location data selection based on predefined criteria.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data is collected from multiple data sources to ensure comprehensive compliance tracking, then data completeness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically identifies and selects active data sources without requiring manual configuration or intervention. The processing unit autonomously determines which data sources are currently active based on received data, enabling the system to self-adapt to changing vehicle configurations and maintain comprehensive compliance tracking while minimizing operational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adapts to changing data source availability by continuously monitoring which data sources are active and adjusting its data collection strategy accordingly. This dynamic approach allows the system to maintain reliable compliance tracking as vehicles are equipped with different combinations of telematics devices and sensors, without requiring fixed or complex pre-configuration
2Loss of information
If all vehicle data and location data is transmitted to external devices, then data availability is improved, but bandwidth usage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and transmits only the specific compliance-related data elements that are necessary for regulatory purposes, rather than transmitting all available vehicle data. By identifying and extracting only the relevant subset of data (such as hours-of-service information, driver identification, and location data), the system maintains full data availability for compliance tracking while significantly reducing bandwidth consumption compared to transmitting complete vehicle telemetry streams
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different data transmission strategies based on the specific requirements of compliance monitoring versus general vehicle telemetry. Critical compliance data is transmitted with high frequency and priority, while non-essential vehicle operational data is either transmitted less frequently or not at all. This localized quality approach ensures that data availability for compliance purposes is maintained while optimizing bandwidth usage by avoiding unnecessary transmission of non-compliance-related information
3Device complexity
If manual configuration of data sources is required, then system simplicity is improved, but ease of operation worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically identifies and configures active data sources without requiring manual intervention from operators or technicians. The processing unit autonomously determines which telematics devices and sensors are present and active in the vehicle, automatically establishing data collection from appropriate sources. This self-service capability eliminates the need for complex manual configuration while maintaining system simplicity in terms of hardware requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors feedback from various vehicle systems to automatically detect which data sources are active and functional. By analyzing incoming data streams and system status information, the system dynamically adjusts its configuration to utilize available data sources, eliminating the need for manual setup while maintaining operational simplicity. The automatic feedback-driven configuration ensures that the system adapts to different vehicle configurations without requiring complex pre-programming or manual intervention
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatuses, methods, and systems installed in a vehicle. One method includes identifying, with a processing unit installed in a vehicle, one of a plurality of data sources providing vehicle data over a communication interface in the vehicle, wherein the plurality of data sources provide vehicle data from at least two different vehicle control modules. The method also includes incrementing, with the processing unit, a counter associated with the one of the plurality of data sources, comparing, with the processing unit, the counter to a threshold, setting, with the processing unit, the one of the plurality of data sources as an active data source for receiving vehicle data when the counter exceeds the threshold, and processing the vehicle data received provided by the one of the plurality of data sources.