Method and apparatus for monitoring off-duty times of a driver

Abstract

A method for monitoring extra off-duty time intervals of a driver includes: obtaining on-duty time intervals and off-duty time intervals of a driver; and scanning the off-duty time intervals to identify extra off-duty time intervals having a length more than a second minimum length and less than a first minimum length, any identified extra off-duty time intervals being subtracted from a predefined threshold. If the threshold is greater than 0, a workshift reset time interval is analyzed and it is determined if the workshift reset time interval includes an extra off-duty time interval, which cannot be used as workshift reset time interval. Subsequently the analyzed extra off-duty time intervals are subtracted from the threshold. If the threshold is greater than 0, the workshift reset time interval is analyzed and, the workshift reset time interval is, at least partly, shifted from today to tomorrow to create extra off-duty time interval today.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring extra off-duty time intervals of a driver, comprising the following steps: obtaining (S1) on-duty time intervals and off-duty time intervals of a driver, wherein each off-duty time interval comprises a workshift reset time interval having a first minimum length and/or an extra off-duty time interval having a second minimum length, wherein the first minimum length is greater than the second minimum length; initializing (S2) a required extra off-duty time interval with a predefined value; scanning (S3) the off-duty time intervals to identify any extra off-duty time intervals that have a length more than the second minimum length and less than the first minimum length; subtracting (S4) any extra off-duty time intervals identified in the scanning step from the required extra off-duty time interval to obtain a first residual required extra off-duty time; if the first residual required extra off-duty time interval is greater than 0, analyzing (S5) the workshift reset time interval and determining if the workshift reset time interval comprises an extra off-duty time interval, which cannot be used as the workshift reset time interval; subtracting (S6) the analyzed extra off-duty time interval from the first residual required extra off-duty time interval to obtain a second residual required extra duty-off time; if the second residual required extra off-duty time interval is greater than 0, analyzing (S7) the workshift reset time interval and shifting, at least partly, the workshift reset time interval from today to tomorrow to create extra off-duty time interval today; subtracting (S8) the created extra off-duty time interval from the second required extra off-duty time interval to obtain a third residual required extra duty-off time interval; monitoring (S9), whether the third residual required extra off-duty time interval is greater than 0; summing the extra off-duty time intervals, comparing the sum to the third residual extra off-duty time interval and outputting a warning if the sum is not greater than the third required extra off-duty time interval; and outputting (S10) a warning if the third residual required extra off-duty time interval is greater than 0.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first minimum length is 8 hours.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second minimum length is 0.5 hours.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the required extra off-duty time interval is 2 hours.

5. A driver assistance system (1) for a vehicle (2), comprising: a tracking module (10) configured to track on-duty time intervals, during which the vehicle is operated, and off-duty time intervals, during which the vehicle is not operated or is operated for personal use; a calculation module (20) configured to calculate a start time, which indicates to the driver how much off-duty time the driver still needs to spend and/or a stop time, which indicates to the driver how much on-duty time the driver has remaining, the calculation module (20) being further configured to: obtain on-duty time intervals and off-duty time intervals of a driver, wherein each off-duty time interval comprises a workshift reset time interval having a first minimum length and/or an extra off-duty time interval having a second minimum length, wherein the first minimum length is greater than the second minimum length, initialize a required extra off-duty time interval with a predefined value, scan the off-duty time intervals to identify any extra off-duty time intervals that have a length more than the second minimum length and less than the first minimum length, subtract any extra off-duty time intervals identified in the scanning step from the required extra off-duty time interval to obtain a first residual required extra off-duty time, if the first residual required extra off-duty time interval is greater than 0, analyze the workshift reset time interval and determine if the workshift reset time interval comprises an extra off-duty time interval, which cannot be used as the workshift reset time interval, subtract the analyzed extra off-duty time interval from the first residual required extra off-duty time interval to obtain a second residual required extra duty-off time, if the second residual required extra off-duty time interval is greater than 0, analyze the workshift reset time interval and shift, at least partly, the workshift reset time interval from today to tomorrow to create extra off-duty time interval today, subtract the created extra off-duty time interval from the second required extra off-duty time interval to obtain a third residual required extra duty-off time interval, monitor whether the third residual required extra off-duty time interval is greater than 0, sum the extra off-duty time intervals, compare the sum to the third residual extra off-duty time interval and output a warning if the sum is not greater than the third required extra off-duty time interval, and output a warning if the third residual required extra off-duty time interval is greater than 0, wherein the calculated start time and/or stop time depends on duration and times of previously-tracked on-duty and off-duty time intervals; and an output module (30), configured to output the start time and/or stop time to the driver.

6. The driver assistance system (1) according to claim 5, wherein the calculation module (20) is configured to calculate the start time and/or stop time based on road conditions of a driven route.

7. The driver assistance system (1) according to claim 5, wherein the calculation module (20) is configured to calculate the start time and/or stop time based on an actual fuel level of the vehicle.

8. The driver assistance system (1) according to claim 5, wherein the calculation module (20) is configured to calculate the start time and/or stop time based on the availability of parking spaces along the driven route.

9. The driver assistance system (1) according to claim 5, wherein the output module (30) is configured to warn the driver and/or an operator, if a duration of one of the off-duty time intervals is less than a predefined target time interval.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program, that, when executed by a processor, is configured to carry out the method of claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary embodiments will be described in the following with reference to the following drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a flow chart of a method for monitoring extra off-duty time intervals for a driver;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a driver assistance system for a vehicle;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a vehicle comprising the driver assistance system;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a more detailed flow chart for a method for monitoring extra off-duty time intervals for a driver; and

(6) FIG. 5 shows an exemplary scheme of on-duty and off-duty time intervals of a driver and the analysis thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(7) FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram of a method for monitoring the extra off-duty time intervals of a driver. In step S1 on-duty time intervals and off-duty time intervals of the driver are obtained, for example by a tracking module. The off-duty time intervals comprise a workshift reset time interval, having a first minimum length, and/or an extra off-duty time interval, having a second minimum length, wherein the first minimum length is greater than the second minimum length. In step S2, a required extra off-duty time interval is initialized with a predefined value, e.g., 2 hours per 24 hours period. In step S3 the extra off-duty time intervals are searched, which have a greater duration as the second minimum length and less than the first minimum length. In step S4, the searched extra off-duty time intervals are subtracted from the required extra off-duty time interval. By doing so, a first residual required extra off-duty time is obtained. In step S5 the workshift reset time interval is analyzed when the first residual required extra off-duty time is greater than 0. During the analysis, it is determined if the workshift reset time interval comprise off-duty time intervals, which cannot be used (according to the requirements) as a workshift reset time interval but may be considered as an extra off-duty time interval. In step S6, the found extra off-duty time interval of step S5 is subtracted from the first residual required off-duty time. By doing so, a second residual required extra off-duty time is obtained. In step S7, the workshift reset time interval is analyzed when the second residual required extra off-duty time is greater than 0. In the analysis, the workshift reset time interval is shifted, at least partly, from today to tomorrow, to create an extra off-duty time interval today. In step S8, the created extra off-duty time is subtracted from the second residual required off-duty time to obtain a third residual required extra off-duty time. In step S9, the third required extra off-duty time is monitored such that it reaches 0. In step S10 a warning is outputted if the third residual required extra off-duty time is greater than 0.

(8) FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a driver assistance system 1. The driver assistance system 1 comprises a tracking module 10, a calculation module 20 and an output module 30. The tracking module 10 may be configured to track or to obtain on-duty time intervals, during which the vehicle is operated, and off-duty time intervals, during which the vehicle is not operated, of a driver. Alternatively or in addition, the tracking module may be a vector or a datasheet with driving and resting times of a driver. The calculation module 20 may be configured to determine if the driver fulfils the requirements of the regulator in view of the extra off-duty time intervals per day. Further, the calculation module 20 may be a processor-based system configured to calculate, based on the determined extra off-duty time interval, a start time at which the driver is permitted to start a new on-duty time interval and/or a stop time at which the driver has to start a new off-duty time interval. The determination of the extra off-duty time intervals may be done according to the preceding and hereinafter described method for monitoring the extra off-duty time intervals. The output module 30 may be configured as a display to output the calculated start time and/or stop time to the driver and/or to the fleet manager.

(9) Further, the calculation module 20 may be configured to include into the calculation of the start time and/or stop time different further parameters, such as the actual and the expected road conditions of the to be driven route, the actual fuel level of the vehicle or the availability of parking spaces along the to be driven route. Thus, a route may be scheduled in an even more economic, faster or efficient manner, wherein the legal requirements are still completely fulfilled.

(10) Further, the output module 30 may warn the driver about any deviations from the rules implied by the legislation—e.g., if the extra off-duty time interval is not yet fulfilled, such that the driver is informed and may take action.

(11) It should be noted, that the driver assistance system 1 may be a standalone device, a mobile device and/or a backend running an application, which when executed performs the preceding and hereinafter described method.

(12) FIG. 3 shows a vehicle 2 comprising the driver assistance system 1. The driver assistance system 1 is able to perform the preceding and hereinafter described method to monitor the extra off-duty time intervals of a driver.

(13) FIG. 4 shows a more detailed flow diagram of the method for monitoring the extra off-duty time intervals of the driver. In step S100, the method starts. In step S101, input data is obtained, containing all the on-duty and off-duty time intervals of the driver for a defined period, e.g., one day, one week and/or one month. The input data may be a container such as a list or a vector. Further, the driver day (a 24 hours period) is defined. In step S102 the beginning time and the end time of the input data to be processed is defined. In other words, it is defined over which time period the method should be executed. In step S103 the required off-duty time intervals are defined, further also the requirements for a workshift reset time interval and an extra off-duty time interval are defined in step S103. In step S104, the method scans the off-duty time intervals and subtracts all found extra off-duty time intervals from the required extra off-duty time, wherein the found extra off-duty time intervals have a duration longer as the second minimum length and less than the first minimum length. In step S105, the residual required extra off-duty time is compared to a predefined threshold, wherein the threshold is 0. If the residual extra off-duty time is 0 or less, the method continues with step S200, wherein the requirements are fulfilled and the method ends in step S116. If the residual extra off-duty time is greater than 0, the method continues with step S106. In step S106, the workshift reset time intervals are analyzed if they contain an off-duty time interval, which do not qualify as workshift reset time interval but as extra off-duty time interval, in particular, at the beginning or the end of the workshift reset time interval. The found extra off-duty time interval is subtracted from the residual required extra off-duty time interval. In step S107, the residual required extra off-duty time is compared to a predefined threshold, wherein the threshold is 0. If the residual extra off-duty time is 0 or less, the method continues with step S201, wherein the requirements are fulfilled and the method ends in step S116. If the residual extra off-duty time is greater as 0, the method continues with step S108. In step S108, the method scans the off-duty time interval in which the workshift reset time interval is located. In step S109 it is determined if the actual off-duty time interval start before the begin time of the method or not, if yes, the method continues in step S110, if not, the method continues in step S111. In step S110, the workshift reset time interval is put at the beginning of the off-duty time interval and the residual time is used as extra off-duty time interval. In step S111, the workshift reset time is shifted to the end of the off-duty time interval to create extra off-duty time at the beginning of the off-duty time interval. In step S112, the found or created extra off-duty time interval is subtracted from the residual required extra off-duty time interval. In step S113, the residual required extra off-duty time is compared to a predefined threshold, wherein the threshold is 0. If the residual extra off-duty time is 0 or less, the method continues with step S202, wherein the requirements are fulfilled and the method ends in step S116. If the residual extra off-duty time is greater as 0, the method continues with step S114. In step S114, the method continues to analyze the next off-duty time interval, in which a workshift reset time interval is located and the steps S108 to S113 are repeated. After all the off-duty time intervals have been processed by the method, the method continues in step S115 and the residual required extra off-duty time interval is outputted. The method ends in step S116.

(14) In the following, the steps of the method of FIG. 4 are summarized:

(15) S100: START

(16) S101: Input data: a container (e.g., list) of all rest periods that span over the required time frame (driver day—24 h period considering driver terminal offset).

(17) S102: Input data: the beginTime and endTime of the required time frame.

(18) S103: Input data: the required rest time (=remainingRequiredTime) besides the rest period that gives a workshift reset (=corePeriod) and the minimum rest period duration for a workshift reset (=minimumCoreDuration).

(19) S104: Step 1: Scan all rest periods that are not marked as ‘FullCore’ and decrease their duration (only the part that fits in the required time frame!) from the remainingRequiredTime until remainingRequiredTime becomes zero or all periods considered in this step are processed.

(20) S105: remainingRequiredTime is 0 ? yes: S200; no: S106

(21) S106: Step 2: Scan all rest periods that are marked as ‘FullCore’ but only consider the part of each period that does not qualify for a workshift reset (=restNotPartOfActualCore; e.g.: OFFS duty statuses) and decrease the duration of restNotPartOfActualCore found (only the part

(22) that fits in the required time frame!) from the remainingRequiredTime until remainingRequiredTime becomes zero or all periods considered in this step are processed.

(23) S107: remainingRequiredTime is 0 ? yes: S201; no: S108

(24) S108: Step 3: Scan a rest period from the list that is marked as ‘FullCore’ and consider only the part of this period that qualifies for a workshift reset (=actualCorePeriod; the period that was not considered in Step 2). Note: Only process such a period if its duration>minimumCoreDuration; For each period scanned in this step do the following sub-steps:

(25) S109: actualCorePeriod starts before the beginTime? Yes: S110; No: S111

(26) S110: Sub-step 3.1.a: Mark first the actualCorePeriod period as ‘CORE’ (if ‘CORE’ period is not already marked) with a duration of minimumCoreDuration; then mark the remaining time (<=remainingRequiredTime and fitting in the required time frame) as ‘USED’.

(27) S111: Sub-step 3.1.b: Mark first the period that is part of the remainingRequiredTime as ‘USED’ period (ensuring that enough time remains to be marked as ‘CORE’—i.e., minimumCoreDuration) and then mark the ‘CORE’ period (if ‘CORE’ period is not already marked).

(28) S112: Sub-step 3.2: Decrease the period marked as ‘USED’ from the remaining RequiredTime.

(29) S113: remainingRequiredTime is 0 ? yes: S202; no: S114

(30) S114: Sub-step 3.3: Go back to Step 3 (S108) and process the next rest period that is marked as ‘FullCore’ Note: Step 3 is executed until all periods marked as ‘FullCore’ are processed or remainingRequiredTime==0.

(31) S115: Output data: isRequiredRestTimeFound=false; updated value of remaining RequiredTime.

(32) S116: END

(33) S200: Output data: isRequiredRestTimeFound=true.

(34) S201: Output data: isRequiredRestTimeFound=true.

(35) S202: Output data: isRequiredRestTimeFound=true.

(36) FIG. 5 shows a schematic diagram of on-duty and off-duty time intervals of a driver during a typical driving period of the driver and how the method monitors that the extra off-duty time intervals are fulfilled. In the left upper corner different status types and different types of markings for on-duty and off-duty are exemplary defined. SB, OFF and OFFS are off-duty time intervals and ON and D are on-duty time intervals. Further, more status types and markings are possible:

(37) Time regarded as off-duty: off-duty (OFF), waiting at well site (OFFW), sleeper berth (SB), sleeping at well site (OFFS), time spent under personal use (PU); Time regarded as on-duty: on-duty not driving (ON), driving (D), time spent under yard moves (YM); Time regarded as driving: driving (D).

(38) Furthermore, in FIG. 5 a timeline is shown and the beginning and the end of the day. The first exemplary timeline start with 10 hours OFF, followed by 7 hours ON, 1 hour OFF, 5 hours D, 2 hours ON, 2 hours OFF and 8 hours SB. The 2 hours OFF and the 8 hours SB form an off-duty time interval of 10 hours in total. First, the method scans the off-duty time intervals and checks if an off-duty time interval is longer as the second minimum length and less than the first minimum length. In this case, the 1 hour OFF between the 7 hours ON and the 5 hours D. This found 1 hour OFF is subtracted from the required extra off-duty time interval, which is in this case 2 hours. Thus, 1 hour of extra off-duty time interval has to be found in the off-duty time intervals. Further, the method analyzes the off-duty time interval of 10 hours and defines the first hour as extra off-duty time interval followed by 8 hours of workshift reset time interval. Thus, the requirement of 2 hours of extra off-duty time interval can be met for this day. Further, the last hour of the 10 hours off-duty time interval is marked as “UNUSED” such that it can be used for the next day to be processed.

(39) The second exemplary timeline consists of 2 hours OFF, 8 hours SB, 6 hours ON, 8 hours D, 8 hours OFF and 1 hour ON. As defined in the first exemplary timeline, the last hour of the 10 hours off-duty time interval is marked as UNUSED and can now be used as an extra off-duty time interval. Thus, another 1 hour extra off-duty time interval should be found in the timeline. However, the residual timeline is 6 hours ON followed by 8 hours D and then 8 hours OFF. The 8 hours OFF at the end of the day are used as workshift reset time interval. Therefore, the extra off-duty time interval of 2 hours cannot be met for this day, and a warning may be outputted to the driver.

(40) The fields of FIG. 5 have the following functions: 501: Day n—Begin 502: Day n—End 503: Day n+1—Begin 504: Day n+1—End 510: R1 (Rest Period 1) 511: R2 (Rest Period 2) 512: R3 (rest Period 3) 515: Used as part of the daily rest required besides the ‘actual core rest’ for Day n (required time=2 h) 516: R2 after executing the algorithm for Day n: 1 h OFF duty marked as ‘USED’; 1 h OFF duty marked as ‘CORE’; 7 h SB marked as CORE′; 1 h SB marked as ‘UNUSED’ (default; free for further use). 517: R2 after executing the algorithm for Day n+1: 1 h OFF duty marked as ‘USED’ (used in Day n); 1 h OFF duty marked as ‘CORE’; 7 h SB marked as ‘CORE’; 1 h SB marked as ‘USED’ (used in Day n+1). 518: 1 h of SB Used as part of the daily rest required besides the ‘actual core rest’ for Day n+1 (required time=2 h). 519: R3 after executing the algorithm for day n+1: 8 h OFF duty marked as ‘CORE’(there is no OFF duty remaining to be used as part of the daily rest required besides the ‘actual core’. 520: Driver activity 521: Rest activities fed into the algorithm for day n. 522: Rest activities after executing the algorithm for day n. 523: The extra 2 h or rest required besides ‘core’ are found for day n. 525: Driver activity 526: Rest activities fed into the algorithm for day n+1. 527: Rest activities after executing the algorithm for day n+1. 528: The extra 2 h or rest required besides ‘core’ are NOT found for day n+1 (1 more hour is still required).

(41) Thus, while there have been shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.