Event based GPS tracking

1. A method for generating non-position parameter encoded position data from a vehicle equipped with a geographical position system, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) collecting geographical position data from the vehicle during vehicle operation according to a defined logging paradigm, the geographical position data being time indexed;

(b) determining if a plurality of criteria are satisfied for a corresponding plurality of predefined parameters during vehicle operation, the plurality of criteria for the corresponding plurality of predetermined parameters is taken from a group consisting essentially of:

(i) an increase in an amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle;

(ii) a decrease in an amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle;

(iii) a change in a status of a cruise control component;

(iv) a change in a status of an accessory component associated with a parasitic load; and

(v) a change in throttle position;

(c) in response to detecting the satisfaction of the criterion for the predefined parameter during vehicle operation, modifying the defined logging paradigm to collect additional geographical position data at the time the satisfaction of the criterion is detected;

(d) collecting data corresponding to the corresponding plurality of predefined parameters, for which the plurality of criteria satisfaction has been detected;

(e) wherein the plurality of criteria for the corresponding plurality of predefined parameters includes an increase in the rate of fuel consumption of the vehicle as measured by a fuel flow sensor associated with a fuel injector of the vehicle, and the data corresponding to the predefined parameter specifies the increase in the rate of fuel consumption of the vehicle;

(f) wherein the plurality of criteria for the corresponding plurality of predefined parameters includes a decrease in the rate of fuel consumption of the vehicle as measured by the fuel flow sensor associated with a fuel injector of the vehicle, and the data corresponding to the predefined parameter specifies the decrease in the rate of fuel consumption of the vehicle; and

(g) analyzing the collected data corresponding to the corresponding plurality of predefined parameters for which the plurality of criteria satisfaction has been detected to determine at least one operating characteristic of the vehicle and displaying a route traversed by the vehicle with increases in fuel use as measured by the fuel flow sensor and decreases of fuel consumption as measured by the fuel flow sensor overlaid on the route, such that the displayed route includes a plurality of displayed route segments, wherein each displayed route segment displays, at the same time, one of a plurality of different fuel-consumption ranges, which include good, moderate, and poor, and for which a plurality of corresponding fuel-consumption-range definitions, specified in miles-per-gallon, of the plurality of fuel-consumption ranges is also displayed, and displaying the route start date and time, the route end date and time, the route distance, and the amount of fuel used to facilitate changing a start time of the route in the future to increase fuel economy, by avoiding heavy traffic, along the route, wherein the displayed plurality of different fuel-consumption ranges are determined, at least in part, by the increase in the rate of fuel consumption of the vehicle as measured by the fuel flow sensor associated with the fuel injector of the vehicle and by the decrease in the rate of fuel consumption of the vehicle as measured by the fuel flow sensor associated with the fuel injector of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of combining the parameter data and the geographical position data together at the vehicle to produce parameter encoded position data.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising the step of conveying the parameter encoded position data to a remote computing device that is physically spaced apart.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of criteria for a corresponding plurality of predefined parameters includes a change in a status of a cruise control component, and the data corresponding to the predefined parameter specifies the change in the status of the cruise control component.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of criteria for a corresponding plurality of predefined parameters includes a change in a status of an accessory component associated with a parasitic load, and the data corresponding to the predefined parameter specifies the change in the status of the accessory component associated with the parasitic load.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of criteria for a corresponding plurality of predefined parameters includes a change in throttle position, and the data corresponding to the predefined parameter specifies the change in throttle position.

7. A method for generating and using event encoded position data from a vehicle equipped with a geographical position system to determine at least one event based operational characteristic of the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) collecting geographical position data from the vehicle during vehicle operation;

(b) collecting non-position related parameter data from the vehicle during operation of the vehicle based on the detection of a predefined event, the non-position related parameter data being time indexed to correlate the non-position related parameter data to a specific point in time, the non-position related parameter comprising at least one of fuel consumption, cruise control status, accessory device status; and throttle position;

(c) conveying the geographical position data and the non-position related parameter to a remote computing device, such data collectively comprising event encoded position data; and

(d) analyzing the event encoded position data to determine at least one operating characteristic of the vehicle, wherein the step of analyzing the event encoded position data to determine at least one operating characteristic of the vehicle comprises the step of displaying a route traversed by a vehicle with transmission gear selection position data overlaid on the route, the transmission gear selection data having been included in the event encoded position data, such that the displayed route includes a plurality of displayed route segments, wherein each displayed route segment displays, at the same time, one of a plurality of different gear-selection-position values thereby indicating at which vehicle locations the driver has shifted gears, one of a plurality of different fuel-consumption ranges, which include good, moderate, and poor, and for which a plurality of corresponding fuel-consumption-range definitions, specified in miles-per-gallon, of the plurality of fuel-consumption ranges is also displayed, and the route start date and time, the route end date and time, the route distance, and the amount of fuel used are displayed to facilitate changing a start time of the route in the future to increase fuel economy, by avoiding heavy traffic, along the route, wherein the displayed plurality of different fuel-consumption ranges are determined, at least in part, by the increase in the rate of fuel consumption of the vehicle as measured by the fuel flow sensor associated with the fuel injector of the vehicle and by the decrease in the rate of fuel consumption of the vehicle as measured by the fuel flow sensor associated with the fuel injector of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of analyzing the event encoded position data to determine at least one operating characteristic of the vehicle comprises the step of displaying a route traversed by a vehicle with fuel use overlaid on the route, the fuel use being determined by fuel use included in the event encoded position data.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of analyzing the event encoded position data to determine at least one operating characteristic of the vehicle comprises the step of displaying a route traversed by a vehicle with cruise control use overlaid on the route, the cruise control use being determined by cruise control status included in the event encoded position data.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of analyzing the event encoded position data to determine at least one operating characteristic of the vehicle comprises the step of displaying a route traversed by a vehicle with accessory device use overlaid on the route, the accessory device use being determined by accessory device status included in the event encoded position data.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of analyzing the event encoded position data to determine at least one operating characteristic of the vehicle comprises the step of displaying a route traversed by a vehicle with throttle position data overlaid on the route, the throttle position data having been included in the event encoded position data.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of analyzing the event encoded position data to determine at least one operating characteristic of the vehicle comprises the step of enabling a user to define a geofence, such that only event encoded position data falling within the confines of the geofence are included within the analysis.