Automobile monitoring for operation analysis

• US 10,388,080 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2016
• Issued: 08/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Toronto-Dominion Bank
• Original Assignee: Strategic Design Federation W Incorporated
• Inventors: Crawford, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tan Q
• Application Number:
  US15/019,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20160163124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 701 85, 701 294, 701 305, 701 314, 701 315, 701 316, 340438
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0875 using magnetic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

An automobile monitoring arrangement tracks and records automobile operation for post-use automobile operation analysis and in a manner with default-operation modes that facilitate use by automobile owners/supervisors and by those supervised by the automobile owners/supervisors. In one specific embodiment, sounds from the vehicle are monitored while the vehicle is in operation. A sound type is identified as corresponding to the sounds, and a sound level of the sound types are determined. The sound level is compared to a threshold for the sound type, and a vehicle supervisor is notified when the sound level exceeds the sound level threshold for the sound type.

Claims

1. A method of generating an alert for monitoring operation of a vehicle via a wide-area network, wherein a target server device is distinct from the vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, by the target server device and from the vehicle via the wide-area network, vehicle-operation data obtained in real time as the vehicle is moving, the vehicle-operation data including real time vehicle location data and real time vehicle speed data;

comparing, by the target server device, a vehicle speed threshold to real time vehicle speed data;

generating, by the target server device, when the real time vehicle speed data exceeds the vehicle speed threshold, the alert indicating that the vehicle speed threshold is exceeded; and

providing, by the target server device, the alert to a designated supervisor of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the wide-area network is a wireless network.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing information describing the real time vehicle location data.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising displaying a graphical representation of the information describing the real time vehicle location data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the vehicle-operation data is recorded in memory as a driver history.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising providing information describing the driver history.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wide-area network is a cellular network.

8. A method of setting and generating an alert for monitoring operation of a vehicle via a wide-area network, wherein a target server device is distinct from the vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, by the target server device and from the vehicle via the wide-area network, vehicle-operation data obtained in real time as the vehicle is moving, the vehicle-operation data including real time vehicle speed data and real time vehicle location data;

comparing, by the target server device, a GPS-based threshold to real time vehicle location data;

generating, by the target server device, when the real time vehicle location data exceeds the GPS-based threshold, the alert indicating that the GPS-based threshold is exceeded; and

providing, by the target server device, the alert to a designated supervisor of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the wide-area network is a wireless network.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing information describing the real time vehicle location data.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising displaying a graphical representation of the information describing the real time vehicle location data.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the GPS-based threshold indicates one or more regions of prohibited travel.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the wide-area network is a cellular network.

14. A method of generating an alert for monitoring operation of a vehicle via a wide-area network, wherein a target server device is distinct from the vehicle, the method comprising:

establishing a vehicle acceleration threshold;

receiving, by the target server device and from the vehicle via the wide-area network, vehicle-operation data obtained in real time as the vehicle is moving, the vehicle-operation data including real time vehicle location data and real time vehicle speed data;

processing, by the target server device, vehicle-operation data to provide real time vehicle acceleration data;

comparing, by the target server device, the vehicle acceleration threshold to real time vehicle acceleration data;

generating, by the target server device, when the real time vehicle acceleration data exceeds the vehicle acceleration threshold, the alert indicating that the vehicle acceleration threshold is exceeded; and

providing, by the target server device, the alert to supervising personnel.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the vehicle-operation data is recorded in memory as a driver history.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising providing information describing the driver history.