Intelligent vehicle fleet systems and methods

Abstract

Methods and systems for intelligent vehicle fleets are disclosed. An intelligent vehicle may function as a mobile office reducing the need for users to perform work functions in a brick-and-mortar building. Methods or systems consistent with the invention may manage vehicle fleets, or provide intelligent vehicle subsystems, or acquire address information using an intelligent vehicle. A method to manage vehicle fleets may include receiving at a remote computer communicated maintenance data from information collection devices installed in the intelligent vehicle.

1 . A method for managing vehicle fleets, comprising: 
 receiving at least a portion of maintenance information acquired at least one vehicle using at least one device associated with at least some of the at least one vehicle; and    monitoring the at least one vehicle based on at least the portion of the acquired maintenance information.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising analyzing at least the portion of the acquired maintenance information to manage replacement component inventory for the at least one vehicle.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising scheduling maintenance activities for the at least one vehicle based at least on the portion of the acquired maintenance information.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the acquired maintenance information comprises at least one of a group consisting of a tire pressure, an engine information, a vehicle fluid information, and any other relevant maintenance information.  
   
   
       5 . A method for managing vehicle fleet maintenance, comprising: 
 receiving at a remote computer automatically-transmitted, vehicle component status data from an intelligent vehicle, the automatically-transmitted vehicle component status data acquired by a plurality of devices installed on the intelligent vehicle; and    monitoring the intelligent vehicle based on at least a portion of the automatically-transmitted, vehicle component status data.    
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising analyzing at least the portion of the automatically-transmitted, vehicle component status data to manage replacement components inventor for the intelligent vehicle.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising scheduling maintenance activities for the intelligent vehicle based at least on the portion of the automatically transmitted, vehicle component status data.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising transmitting a plan for one or more maintenance activities scheduled for a vehicle to a user terminal in the vehicle for which the one or more maintenance activities have been scheduled.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the automatically transmitted, vehicle component status data comprises at least one from the following data: a tire pressure, an engine information, and a vehicle fluid information.  
   
   
       10 - 19 . (canceled)  
   
   
       20 . A method for acquiring address information using a vehicle, comprising: 
 receiving address information corresponding to a location identifiable by location information; and    storing the address information corresponding to the location in at least one database.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein receiving address information comprises: 
 reading address information transmitted by an RFID tag associated with a mailbox; and    transmitting the address information to a user terminal in a vehicle.    
   
   
       22 - 23 . (canceled)