Pre-license development tool

• US 10,217,378 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2018
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Hsu-Hoffman, Chienlan, Gibbs, Evan, Dornadic, Alicia, Madigan, Regina
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher, Jerry-Daryl
• Application Number:
  US15/907,815
• Publication Number:
  US 20180190148A1
• Time in Patent Office: 363 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/167 Control of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied

Abstract

Methods, computer-readable media, software, and apparatuses provide a tool for use by drivers and/or coaches throughout the pre-license stage of obtaining a driver'"'"'s license. A pre-license program may control a computing device to collect drive data while a driver is driving a vehicle. This drive data may be used to detect a drive event. Then, the computing device may present coaching information associated with the detected drive event. The coaching information may provide a passenger, such as a coach or parent, with real-time advice for instructing the driver how to improve his/her driving skills. Moreover, the drive data collected may be used to prepare reports providing feedback to the drivers and coaches.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an accelerometer, gyroscope, or global positioning system receiver configured to detect drive data while a vehicle is being driven;

a display associated with the vehicle;

at least one processor; and

memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to;

activate the accelerometer, gyroscope, or global positioning system receiver to detect drive data;

receive a user request for first coaching information while the accelerometer, gyroscope, or global positioning system receiver is activated;

upon receiving the user request, present, on the display, the first coaching information while the accelerometer, gyroscope, or global positioning system receiver is activated, wherein the first coaching information includes a suggested route;

upon determining that a driver of the vehicle has started the suggested route, deactivate the display;

monitor the drive data to detect a drive event;

upon determining that the driver has ended the suggested route, activate the display; and

present, on the display, a drive summary including the first coaching information and second coaching information associated with the drive event.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the apparatus to:

in response to detecting the drive event, transmit the drive data to a computing device associated with a driving coach; and

receive, from the computing device associated with the driving coach, the second coaching information associated with the drive event.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the suggested route is determined based on at least one of driving conditions and driver information associated with the driver.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the apparatus to:

retrieve driver information from another computing device associated with the driver; and

transmit the first coaching information and second coaching information to the other computing device associated with the driver.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drive data includes at least one of acceleration data and location data.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drive event comprises at least one of a brake event and a turn event.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the apparatus to:

predict a future drive event; and

present third coaching information associated with the future drive event in response to predicting the future drive event.

8. A method, comprising:

activating a sensor system associated with a vehicle to detect drive data while a driver is driving the vehicle, the drive data including at least one of acceleration data and location data;

presenting, on a display associated with the vehicle, first coaching information while the sensor system is activated, wherein the first coaching information includes a suggested route;

upon detecting that the vehicle is being driven, deactivating the display;

receiving, by at least one processor, drive data while the sensor system is activated;

detecting a drive event based on the drive data;

upon detecting that the vehicle is no longer being driven, reactivating the display; and

providing, on the display, a drive summary including the first coaching information and second coaching information associated with the drive event.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sensor system includes at least one of an accelerometer, gyroscope and global positioning system receiver.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

in response to detecting the drive event, transmitting the drive data to a computing device associated with a driving coach; and

receiving, from the computing device associated with the driving coach, the second coaching information associated with the drive event.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein presenting the drive summary includes presenting a prompt requesting user input related to the first coaching information, the user input including whether the driver followed the first coaching information and a performance rating of the driver.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

retrieving driver information from another computing device associated with the driver; and

determining the first coaching information and the second coaching information based on the driver information.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the drive event comprises at least one of a brake event and a turn event.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

predicting a future drive event using map information of the suggested route,

wherein presenting the first coaching information includes presenting coaching information associated with the future drive event.

15. A non-transitory computer readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computing device to:

activate a sensor system to detect drive data while a driver is driving a vehicle;

present, on a display of the computer device, first coaching information while the sensor system is activated, wherein the first coaching information includes a suggested driving route;

upon determining that the driver has started the suggested route, deactivate the display;

monitor the drive data to detect a drive event;

upon determining that the driver has ended the suggested route, reactivate the display; and

present, on the display, a prompt requesting user input related to the first coaching information, the user input including whether the driver followed the first coaching information, and a performance rating of the driver.

16. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 15, wherein the sensor system includes at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope and a global positioning system receiver, and wherein the drive data includes at least one of acceleration data and location data.

17. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 15, wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the computing device to:

upon reactivating the sensor system, present, on the display, a drive summary including the first coaching information and second coaching information associated with the drive event.

18. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 15, wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the computing device to:

transmit the drive data to a computing device associated with a driving coach; and

receive, from the computing device associated with the driving coach, a performance evaluation of the driver associated with the drive data.

19. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 15, wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the computing device to:

in response to detecting the drive event, transmit the drive data and a prompt for second coaching information associated with the drive event to a computing device associated with a driving coach; and

receiving, from the computing device associated with the driving coach, the second coaching information associated with the drive event.

20. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 19, wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the computing device to:

retrieve driver information from another computing device associated with the driver; and

determine the second coaching information based on the driver information associated with the driver.