SE0950733A1 - Transfer of tachograph related information - Google Patents

Abstract

An improved method and system for establishing a connection between a vehicle and a data base is disclosed. The connection is to be used for transfer of tachograph related information. According to the present invention, the connection is established by utilizing a vehicle identity information for determining a user account in a tachograph service entity to be used for transfer of connection establishment information, wherein the user account is accessible by a remote user entity. Then, at least the connection establishment information is made available on the user account. Further, after the connection has been established, the transfer of the tachograph related information is transferred to a data base via the tachograph service entity.

Description

15 20 25 30 European countries. It is also mandatory to store the data registered by the digital tachographs in a safe place. The truck owner must also be able to retrieve and provide the stored data to the authorities within a reasonable time, if they require access to this data.

Figure 1 schematically shows a prior art system 100 for transferring data recorded by a digital tachograph (DTCO) 110, also called Vehicle Unit (VU), in a vehicle 101 to a database 150 external to the vehicle 101. According to this system 100, the DTCO 110 has a card reader 111, in which, for example, the driver card can be inserted, and registers data when a driver card is inserted in the card reader 111 in the DTCO. Thus, the driver card has normally been inserted when driving and data registered by the DTCO is stored in both the DTCO and the driver card. After data has been registered, data stored in the VU 110 must be transferred to a reading unit 120 that can be connected to the DTCO 110. In order for this data to be transferred, a Business Card must be inserted in the card reader 11 in the VU and the reading unit 120. be connected to the VU. Data is then transferred to the reading unit 120 and stored there.

Thereafter, the reading unit 120 is disconnected from the DTCO 110 and physically brought to a location 102 external to the vehicle 101. The physical movement of the reading unit 120 is here illustrated by the arrow 160, and is normally performed manually, so that a person disconnects the reading unit 120 from The DTCO 110 and transports it to an external location 102. At the external location 102, the reading unit 120 is connected to a desktop computer 130, which is connected to a DTCO service unit 140. The DTCO service unit 140 is connected to the database 150.

Data can hereby be stored in the database 150 and can later be retrieved from the database 150, if the authorities so request.

The data stored on the driver card is normally transmitted by physically bringing the driver card to the external location 102, inserting the driver card into a card reader 131 and storing data in the database 150. Thus, data on the driver card is not normally transmitted while the driver card is still in the DTCO card reader 111. : n. However, data on the driver card can also be transferred to the database in other ways. The prior art system 100 has a number of disadvantages, e.g. the need to manually perform the connection of the reading unit 120 to the DTCO 110, the manually performed physical execution of the reading unit 120 and the manually performed connection of the reading unit 120 to the desktop computer 130. All these manually performed operations are time consuming and therefore also costly. Likewise, the business card must be inserted into the card reader lll in the VU 110 when data stored in the VU is to be read. These manually performed actions and demands on the physical location of the business card result in an inexplicable system with a delay in the storage of data, since the vehicles, or at least the reading unit, must be physically brought to the external location. 102 and the business card must be inserted into the DTCO 110 to store data, which may take some time if the vehicle is out on a long trip, far away from the external location 102.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION AND MOST IMPORTANT FEATURES The present invention aims to provide a method and system for establishing a connection between a vehicle and a database, the connection being used for the transmission of tachograph-related information, which solves the above-mentioned problem.

The present invention aims to provide a more flexible establishment of the connection and a more flexible transmission of tachograph-related information than the transmission known according to the background of the invention.

The object is achieved by means of the above-mentioned method for establishing a connection between a vehicle and a database according to the characterizing part of claim 1.

The object is also achieved by means of the above-mentioned system for establishing a connection between a vehicle and a database according to the characterizing part of claim 14.

The object is also achieved by means of the aforementioned computer program and the aforementioned computer program product. The establishment of a connection between a vehicle and a database according to the present invention is characterized in that a vehicle identity information is used to deny a user account in a tachograph service unit, which is to be used for the transmission of information on the establishment of the connection. The defined user account must be accessible via a remote user device. Since at least the information about the establishment of the connection is then made available on the user account, the connection can be established and the transfer of the tachograph-related information to the database from the vehicle can be effected.

By means of the present invention, a completely flexible establishment of a connection for transmission of tachograph-related information is achieved, since the remote user unit can be located anywhere where internet access is available. By means of the present invention, an exchange of information on establishing a connection between a vehicle and a remote user unit, and therefore also between the DTCO and a company card inserted in the remote user unit, can take place regardless of where the remote user unit is located and regardless of where the vehicle is located. as long as the vehicle is within range of a wireless communication system that provides a wireless connection and the user unit has Internet access.

Likewise, the solution according to the present invention is very easy to expand, since there is essentially no limit to how many vehicles or company cards can be handled by the system according to the solution.

Furthermore, a business owner can, upon request, substantially without delay, provide updated tachograph-related information for a vehicle to the authorities, even if the vehicle is very far away from the user unit, which of course saves a lot of time and is appreciated by the authorities.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the tachograph service unit receives information about the vehicle identity associated with the vehicle together with at least a first message including information about the establishment of the connection.

The tachograph service unit then provides the first message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information to the defined user account. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the remote user unit periodically has access to the user account, and if at least a first message and the vehicle identity information is present in this user account, the remote user unit retrieves them.

This publishes the first message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information on the user account, i.e. they are not sent to the remote user unit by the tachograph service unit. Therefore, the system does not need to know the location or address of the remote user device to transmit the tachograph-related information to it, which dramatically reduces the complexity of the system.

Detailed examples of embodiments and advantages of the transmission of the tachograph-related information according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates some suitable embodiments.

Brief description of the drawing Figure 1 shows a system according to prior art.

Figure 2 shows a system according to the present invention.

Figure 3 shows a fate diagram for the procedure according to the invention.

Detailed Description of Suitable Embodiments Figure 2 shows a system 200 of the present invention for transferring tachograph-related information from a vehicle 201 to a database 250. In the system 200, a DTCO 210 records tachograph data when a driver card is inserted in its card reader 211.

Tachograph data is provided to a communication unit 220, via a communication line 212. The communication line 212 may have a standardized interface and may include essentially any cable connection, wireless connection or bus connection, such as a CAN bus ("Controller Area NetworkWbuss"), a MOST bus ( ”Media Orientated Systems Transportïbuss) or similar. The communication unit 220 is wirelessly connected via the antennas 221 and 241 222 to a tachograph service unit 240.

The tachograph service unit 240 is connected to a database 250 which is arranged to store tachograph-related information. The wireless connection 222 can use substantially any wireless communication technology that can transmit tachograph data, such as GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), 3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project), LTE (Long Term Evolution) or the like.

The system 200 also includes a remote user unit 260, which includes a data processing unit 261, such as a personal computer (PC), and a card reader 262. The card reader 262 may be internal to the data processing unit 261 or may be external to the data processing unit 261, and is arranged to receive a business card 263.

The remote user unit 260 is connected to the tachograph service unit 240 via an Internet connection 264, which may be a wired connection or a wireless internet connection.

The present invention establishes a connection between the DTCO 210 in the vehicle 201 and the database 250, so that tachograph-related information can be transferred between them in a safe and secure manner. Generally, only the DTCO owner, or at least one person with a Business Card, should be able to unlock the DTCO 210 and retrieve tachograph-related information from the DTCO 210. Thus, when a tertiary card 263 is inserted in the card reader 262 in the user unit 260, the tachograph-related information in the DTCO be accessible and possible to store in database 250.

In order to unlock the DTCO 210, so that the tachograph-related information becomes accessible to the DTCO owner, and in order to establish a connection between the DTCO 210 and the database 250, information on the establishment of the connection must be exchanged between the DTCO and the company card. 263 in the user unit 260. The connection establishment information may include substantially any type of information useful for unlocking the DTCO, such as one or two identification parameters, one or two handshake parameters, one or two signaling keys or the like.

To remedy the inconveniences of the prior art inaccessible systems, the location of the remote user unit 260 in the system of the present invention must be flexible. However, the exchange of information on establishing the connection between the DTCO in the vehicle 201 and the remote user unit 260 can be very complicated, especially if the vehicle 201 does not know the exact location of the remote user unit 260, and thus the exact location of the business card 263. 10 15 20 25 30 Therefore, in accordance with the method of the present invention, a vehicle identity information is used to define a user account in the tachograph service unit 240.

The user account is accessible by means of the remote user unit 260. Based on the information on the vehicle identity, a user account is thus selected in the tachograph service unit 240. Thereafter, the information on establishing the connection is made available on the selected account, accessible by the user unit 260. This includes the information establishing the connection. information required for unlocking the DTCO 210, accessible to the user unit 260, and exchanging information on establishing the connection between the DTCO 210 in the vehicle 201 and the company card 263 in the user unit 260 becomes possible. The connection between the DTCO 210 and the database 250 can then be configured by this exchange of information about the establishment of the connection.

The solution of the present invention has an advantage in that it offers total flexibility for the location of the remote user unit 260. Neither the DTCO 210 nor the tachograph service unit 240 need to know where the remote user unit 260 is physically located to exchange information about establishing the connection between the DTCO 210 in the vehicle. 201 and the user unit 260 to establish a connection between the vehicle 201 and the database 250. Thus, a business owner, or a person with a business card, can obtain information almost anywhere in the world on the establishment of the connection, which makes it possible to establish the connection between the DTCO 210 in a vehicle located substantially anywhere in the world and the database 250. The tachograph-related information stored in the database 250 will thus be updated and may also be accessible anywhere if requested, for example by the authorities.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle identity information comprises a vehicle identification number (VIN). This VIN may be based on information provided via the wireless connection 222, or may be based on parameters related to the wireless connection 222 per se, such as a telephone number or the like used by the communication unit 220 when establishing the wireless connection 222.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the tachograph service unit 240 defines the user account to be used for exchanging the connection establishment information by defining a company associated with the vehicle identity information, and then defining a user account associated with the defined company.

The tachograph service unit 240 here comprises two tables. One of these tables includes links between at least one vehicle identity information (1-10) and at least one company (A-C).

A schematic example of such a table is illustrated by Table 1 in the following.

VIN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 OOUUUJUJUJUJ> Table 1 The other of these two tables includes links between at least one company (A-C) and at least one user account (UA 1 ~ UA 3). A schematic example of such a table is illustrated by Table 2 below. Using these two tables, the user account to be used for the exchange of the connection establishment information can be easily defined by the tachograph service unit 240.

Business User Account A UA l B UA 2 C UA 2 Table 2 10 15 20 According to another embodiment of the present invention, the tachograph service unit 240 defines the user account to be used by directly defining a user account associated with the vehicle identity information.

The tachograph service unit 240 here includes a single table, which reduces the complexity of the implementation. The table includes the relationship between at least one vehicle identity information (1-10) and at least one user account (UA 1-10 10). A schematic example of such a table is illustrated by Table 3 below.

VIN User Account 1 UA 1 2 UA 2 3 UA 2 4 UA 4 5 UA 5 6 UA 6 7 UA 7 8 UA 8 9 UA 9 10 UA 10 Table 3 As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, these tables can be designed in a large number of ways and they the tables shown above are only examples of such designs. Likewise, the definition of the user account to be used can be made in a number of ways using a number of different tables of information. For example, a table may also be used which includes relationships between at least one vehicle identification number (VIN) and at least one telephone number used by the communication unit 220 when the wireless connection 222 is established. This allows VIN to be retrieved, which can be used to define a company and / or a user account using one or more of the tables shown above.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the tachograph service unit 240 receives from the vehicle 201 a vehicle identity information associated with the vehicle 201 together with at least a first message including information about the establishment of the connection.

The tachograph service unit 240 then provides the first message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information to the user account defined using the vehicle identity information.

By means of this embodiment of the invention, the information on the establishment of the connection and the information on the vehicle identity deriving from the vehicle 201 are made available on the selected user account in the tachograph service unit, regardless of the location of the vehicle.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the user unit 260 has periodic access to the user account defined to be used for transmitting the connection establishment information. Periodic here means that access to the user account takes place at appropriate intervals, whereby the intervals can have a duration in time that is the same, different or varying. If there is at least one first message and the vehicle identity information in this user account, the user unit 260 retrieves the first message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information from this user account.

Thus, here, the first message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information are not actively sent to the remote user unit 260. Instead, they are made available only, i.e. published only, in the user account. Thereafter, the remote user unit 260 is required to access the user account and retrieve the first message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information. This has an advantage in that the system does not have to know where the remote user unit 260 is physically located or imaginarily located, e.g. at which IP address, since it does not need to send the first message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information to this location or IP address. The only configuration that needs to be done is that the remote user unit 260 should be configured so that it finds the correct user account that it should have access to, i.e. the remote user unit 260 must be able to find the user account selected to be used for transmitting the connection establishment information. Configuring this in the remote user unit is accomplished very simply and cost-effectively, and then the remote user unit 260 can be connected to the Internet virtually anywhere and can retrieve the tachograph-related information. 10 1.5 20 25 30 ll Likewise, since the first message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information are only made available, i.e. published, on the user account, the system and method of establishing the connection for transferring tachograph-related information between the vehicle 201 and the database 250 is very robust, since the first message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information are stored, i.e. buffered, on this user account until the teacher user unit 260 retrieves them. Thus, for example, if the PC 261 in the remote user unit is turned off, or crashes, or if the Internet connection 264 is down, the first message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information will be stored in the user account of the PC 261 to be retrieved as soon as as the PC 261 is turned on again or as soon as the internet connection 264 works again.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, when the first message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information has been retrieved by the remote user unit 260, at least a second message and the vehicle identification transmission return to the user account in the tachograph service unit 240 used to exchange the information. of the connection. This second message, which is at least one, includes information used to unlock the DTCOzn, such as one or fl your identification parameters, one or fl your handshake parameters, one or fl your signaling keys or the like. Thus, the exchange of information about the establishment of the connection between the DTCO 210 and the business card 263 has now been configured.

Thus, the first message, which is at least one, and the second message, which is at least one, comprise one or more of your signaling keys or the like, which are exchanged between the DTCOzn 210 and the user unit 260. This exchange results in the DTCO 210 being unlocked and in that the connection between the DTCO 210 in the vehicle 201 and the database 250 is established. Once the connection has been established, the tachograph-related information is transferred from the DTCO 210 to the database 250 and stored in the database 250. Thus, as soon as the information on the establishment of the connection has been exchanged between the DTCO 210 and the scar user unit 260, i.e. as soon as the DTCO has been read out, the tachograph-related information in the database 250 by transmitting the tachograph-related information via the wireless connection 222 and the tachograph service unit 240 to the database 25 0. 10 1.5 20 25 30 12 Since the vehicle identity information is returned from the remote user unit 260 and provided to the user account, the tachograph service unit 240 is made aware that an exchange of connection establishment information is performed between this specific vehicle and this particular remote user unit 260. The tachograph service unit then knows that it must continue to provide connection establishment information intended for this remote user unit to the user account the connection between the DTCO 210 and the database 250 has been established.

As a result, more than one Business Card 263 can be connected to the PC 261. These business cards can be associated with different companies and / or with different vehicles. Likewise, more than one remote user unit 260 may be used in the system. Since the information about the establishment of the connection is only made available on the user account, i.e. is not sent, and since the vehicle identity information is also used and incorporated in the information transmission both to and from the remote user unit, fi independent fl flexibility is thus achieved by this embodiment of the invention.

When the second message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information is provided to the user account, the tachograph service unit 240 provides the second message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identification information from the user account to the DTCO 210 in the vehicle 201, thereby exchanging the connection establishment information. achieved.

Figure 3 shows a flow diagram of the method according to the present invention. In the first step after the start of the procedure, a vehicle identity information is used to define the user account of a tachograph service unit 240 to be used for transmitting the connection establishment information. As stated above, this user account shall be accessible by means of a remote user unit 260. In a second step according to the procedure, at least the connection establishment information is made available on the user account defined to be used to establish the connection between the DTCO 210 in the vehicle 201 and the database 250.

The present invention may be implemented by means of one or more of your data processing units, each of which one or more of your data processing units may be substantially any type of processor, such as a DSP processor (Digital Signal Processor), a ASIC processor (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or similar. Such a data processing unit is connected to a memory unit which stores program code, results of the calculations in the data processing units and the like. Thus, one or more of the DTCO 210, the communication unit 220, the tachograph service unit 240 and the remote user unit 260 may comprise such a data processing unit for implementing the method according to the invention.

Furthermore, the method according to the present invention can be implemented by means of a computer program with code tool, which when it is run in a computer causes the computer to perform the steps in the method. The computer program is incorporated into a computer readable medium in a computer program product. The computer readable medium may be of substantially any memory, such as a ROM (Read-Only Memory), PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable PROM), Flash memory, EEPROM (Electrically Erasable PROM) or a hard disk drive.

A system 200 according to the present invention includes a tachograph service unit 240, which contains a number of user accounts. The tachograph service unit 240 is arranged to use a vehicle identity information to define a user account to be used for transmitting the connection establishment information. Likewise, the system 200 is arranged to make at least the information about the establishment of the connection available on the user account. The user account is accessible via the user unit 260.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the tachograph service unit in the system 200 comprises at least one of Table 1, Table 2 and Table 3 above.

The system 200 of the present invention may be arranged to perform all the steps in the above-described methods of the invention. Likewise, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, a number of other implementations, modifications, variations and / or additions may be made to the examples of embodiments described above. It is obvious that the invention includes all such other implementations, modifications, variations and / or additions that are within the scope of the claims.

Claims (13)

10 15 20 25 30 14 Patent claims A method for establishing a connection between a vehicle (201) and a database (250), the connection being used for the transmission of tachograph-related information, characterized by the steps of: - using a vehicle identity information to define a user account in a tachograph service unit (240) to be used for transmitting the connection establishment information, the user account being accessible by a remote user unit (260) and - making at least the connection establishment information available on the user account, the tachograph service unit (240) performing the steps of: - receive the vehicle identity information associated with the vehicle and at least a first message including information on the establishment of the connection; - providing the first message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information to the user account, and wherein the remote user unit (260) performs the steps of: - periodically accessing the user account; and - if the first message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information is present on the user account, retrieve the first message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information from the user account. A method according to claim 1, wherein, if the first message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information has been retrieved, the user unit (260) performs the step of: - providing the vehicle identification information and at least a second message including information establishing the connection to the user account in the tachograph service unit (240). The method of claim 2, wherein the tachograph service unit (240) performs the step of: - providing the second message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identification information from the user account to the vehicle (201). A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the tachograph service unit (240) defines the user account by performing any definition in the group of: - defining a company associated with the vehicle identity information and then defining a user account associated with the affiliated company; and - definition of a user account associated with the vehicle identity information. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information are provided to the tachograph service unit (240) by the vehicle (201). The method of claim 5, wherein the vehicle identity information comprises a vehicle identification number (VIN). A method according to any one of claims 5-6, wherein the tachograph service unit (240) communicates with the vehicle (201) by means of an interface for wireless communication (222). A method according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the remote unit (260) provides at least a first message to a Business Card (263). A method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, once the connection has been established, the tachograph-related information is transmitted to a database via the tachograph service unit (240). Computer programs, characterized by code tools, which when run on a computer cause the computer to perform the method according to any one of claims 1-9. A computer program product comprising a computer readable medium and a computer program according to claim 10, wherein the computer program is incorporated in the computer readable medium. A system (200) for establishing a connection between a vehicle (201) and a database (250), the connection being used for transmitting tachograph-related information, characterized in that the system (200) comprises - a tachograph service unit (240) comprising a number of user accounts, the tachograph servo unit (240) being arranged to use a vehicle identity information to define a user account to be used for transmitting the connection establishment information, the user account being accessible by means of a user user unit (260), wherein - the system is arranged to make at least the connection establishment information available to the user account, the tachograph service unit (240) being arranged to: - receive the vehicle identity information associated with the vehicle and at least a first message including connection establishment information; and - providing the first message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information to the user account, and wherein the remote user unit (260) is arranged to: - periodically access the user account; and - if the first message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information is present in the user account, retrieve the first message, which is at least one, and the vehicle identity information from the user account. The system (200) of claim 12, wherein the tachograph service unit (240) comprises at least one of the tables in the group containing: - a table comprising relationships between at least one vehicle identity information and at least one company; - a table containing links between at least one company and at least one user account; and - a table comprising links between at least one vehicle identity information and at least one user account;