Kiosk Products
Gordon-Darby has developed and implemented many technical advances in pursuit of our corporate goal of being the premier I/M contractor. This includes a number of kiosk-type products aimed at improving the delivery of decentralized vehicle emissions and waiver issuance services. Specific Gordon-Darby kiosk products include:
As the industry leader in kiosk development, Gordon-Darby continues to pioneer new and innovative developments—all aimed at making the inspection process more user friendly, faster and more consistent for motorists.
Self-Serve OBD Kiosk
U.S. Patent No. 7,469,171, Method and System for Vehicle Emissions Testing at a Kiosk Through On-Board Diagnostics Unit Inspection is Gordon-Darby’s patented self-serve OBDII kiosk. This concept is designed for use by either motorists (in performing their own OBD emissions inspections) or relatively untrained attendants (in performing assisted serve inspections on motorist vehicles).
The Gordon-Darby OBDII kiosk provides visual and auditory prompts that are designed to walk motorists or inspectors through complete OBD inspections. Such kiosks could be deployed in various arrangements, including:
- Contracting with Gordon-Darby to deploy, maintain and oversee an areawide network throughout the program area.
- Licensing private business (e.g., typical vehicle repair shops, gasoline stations, mini-marts, etc.) to oversee self- or assisted-serve test kiosks supplied and maintained by Gordon-Darby.
Remote Inspection Monitoring System (RIMS™)
Gordon-Darby developed and trademarked the RIMS™ test technology, which involves remote oversight of OBDII kiosk inspections conducted in either decentralized or centralized inspection networks, and data exchange between the remote test kiosks and a centralized database. Using the RIMS™ inspection process / technology, inspection results (including a digital video display of the inspection as it is being performed) are transmitted via any of several possible communications networks (e.g., the Internet, leased phone line, dedicated phone line, satellite connection, etc.) to a central database and oversight location.
The inspector or motorist follows the prompts displayed on the hand-held unit to conduct the RIMS™ inspection, including the following inspection elements:
- Initial entry of any required vehicle information. The inspector/motorist is prompted to scan and/or train the video camera incorporated into the unit on both the vehicle license plate and barcoded VIN. (Barcode scanners are typically used for this purpose, but recent technological advances have made it now feasible to capture the barcode on video and then decode it using available software.)
- Connection of the OBDII connection cable to the vehicle diagnostic link connector (DLC). The mobile computing unit then performs the required on-board diagnostic system.
- Disconnection of the OBDII cable, which would be followed by display of the inspection results.
A series of “close-up” digital photographs is taken during the inspection. Each close-up photo also triggers an overhead photograph. The entire dataset (OBDII results and digital photographs) is then transmitted to the central database and remote overview location. Test supervisors monitor, review, and approve in-progress testing in real-time prior to the completion of the inspection, thereby providing an effective means to detect and deter so-called clean scanning. The data is also retained for audit purposes.
A relatively small number of supervisors can observe a large number of tests. In addition to observing and reviewing vehicle tests, they can provide assistance in conducting inspections. This latter element would parallel the “lead inspector” concept that is typically used to improve inspection performance in conventional centralized programs. An enhanced audit mode built into the RIMS™ software also allows the use of streaming video.
The RIMS™ approach combines the motorist convenience of decentralized inspections with a level of oversight similar to that found in centralized inspection networks, thus combining the best features of both networks. It also has considerable flexibility and can be readily adapted to other test environments. For example, the same approach could be used in centralized inspection facilities to eliminate possible test fraud.
Drive-Thru Waiver/Exemption Service Kiosk
This stand-alone kiosk is designed to deliver superior customer service in the issuance of program waivers, exemptions or extensions. Kiosk service personnel would be available during normal operating hours to provide drive-thru or walk-up service to motorists, thus allowing motorists to remain in their vehicles or avoid having to stand and wait in a service center line for assistance. Such kiosks can be located in the parking lots of vehicle registration agency offices or alternatively in high traffic commercial parking lots for increased customer convenience.
Interactive Self-Serve Exemption/Extension Kiosks
This ATM-style self-serve kiosk is designed to be located at vehicle registration agency office locations to allow motorists to complete needed exemption and extension transactions during all business hours when the offices are open. Each kiosk would be linked via the web to a centrally located full-time attendant who can provide as needed help to users in completing their transactions. The kiosks are designed to accept and copy all required documentation, with images of the documentation transmitted via the web and stored on the central program VID.