Cummins Inc.

Gregory P Murphy

Christopher S York

Jay Verner

Michael T Grunden

Allen F Muellenbach

A system for conducting wireless communications between a vehicle computer and a remote system includes a passive radio frequency tag attached to a vehicle and electrically connected to at least one vehicle computer via an information bus, and a tag interface unit electrically connected to a remote computer system. The remote system is operable to control communications with one or more of the vehicle computers via a radio frequency link established between the tag and tag interface unit. The tag preferably includes a microprocessor-based computer electrically connected to the information bus, wherein the tag computer operates as a gateway for communications between the remote computer and any of the onboard vehicle computers including a vehicle/engine control computer, an interface module computer and a transmission control computer. The system preferably includes means for notifying the vehicle operator of various statuses of the communications being conducted, wherein the remote system is operable to control such notifying means.

System for conducting wireless communications between a vehicle computer and a remote system

A system for determining fuel usage within a jurisdiction includes a control computer operable to control fueling of an internal combustion engine and an auxiliary computer coupled thereto, wherein the auxiliary computer forms part of an operator interface unit. The control computer is operable to broadcast current fuel usage information in a number of fuel usage categories, and the auxiliary computer is operable to accumulate such fuel usage information within each jurisdiction traveled by the vehicle. In one embodiment, a GPS receiver provides the auxiliary computer with information relating to a current vehicle jurisdiction, and in an alternate embodiment, an auxiliary switch is provided wherein manual actuation of the auxiliary switch indicates entrance into a new jurisdiction. In either case, the auxiliary computer is operable to accumulate information relating to the total fuel used in a number of fuel usage categories, for each jurisdiction traveled by the vehicle, whereby this information is particularly useful in subsequently computing state fuel tax data.

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Columbus, IN, United States of America

Gregory P Murphy