System and method for evaluating drivers using sensor data from mobile computing devices

• US 10,402,771 B1
• Filed: 03/27/2017
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Uber Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: De, Nirveek, Tyagi, Dhruv, Sullivan, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Elchanti, Hussein
• Application Number:
  US15/470,748
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/55 using telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/012 from other sources than vehicle or roadside beacons, e.g. mobile networks
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0967 Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]

Abstract

A network computer system determines a driving ability of a driver using sensor data that is obtained from a mobile computing device of a driver. In some examples, the network computer system determines the driving ability by comparing the sensor data obtained from the mobile computing device of the driver with a set of sensor values that are based at least in part on sensor data obtained from one or more other drivers over a same or similar route.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for evaluating a first driver, the method being performed by a network system and comprising:

receiving a plurality of sets of sensor data from a plurality of mobile computing devices of a plurality of drivers, each of the plurality of sets of the sensor data being generated by a respective one of the plurality of mobile computing devices while a respective one of the plurality of drivers operates a corresponding vehicle;

determining whether to perform a driver evaluation of the first driver based, at least in part, on a set of feedback data of a driver profile maintained for the first driver, the set of feedback data corresponding to feedback of the first driver received from one or more requesters of a network-based service for which the first driver is registered as a service provider;

in response to determining to perform the driver evaluation of the first driver;

transmitting, to a first mobile computing device of the first driver, route data corresponding to at least a portion of an evaluation route for the first driver to follow during the driver evaluation of the first driver;

causing the first mobile computing device of the first driver to transmit a first set of sensor data to the network system, the first set of sensor data being generated by the first mobile computing device while the first driver operates a first vehicle along the evaluation route; and

determining a first metric for the first driver based on analyzing the first set of sensor data received from the first mobile computing device of the first driver and a computer-generated model based on a subset of the plurality of sets of sensor data received from the plurality of mobile computing devices.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining route segments of the evaluation route based on one or more of;

(i) a current location of the first driver as indicated by location data generated by the first mobile computing device, or (ii) the driver profile of the first driver.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first metric for the first driver includes identifying, based on analyzing the first set of sensor data and the computer-generated model based on the subset of the plurality of sets of sensor data, one or more unsafe driving actions that were performed by the first driver on the evaluation route.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the subset of the plurality of sets of sensor data based on respective metrics determined for the plurality of drivers.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the subset of the plurality of sets of sensor data based on respective ratings of the plurality of drivers in providing a transport service.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining the subset of the plurality of sets of sensor data based on respective routes of the plurality of drivers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first set of sensor data from the first mobile computing device of the first driver includes receiving data from at least one of an accelerometer, gyroscope or inertial mass unit (IMU) of the first mobile computing device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first metric includes evaluating a magnitude of a driving action performed by the first driver along the evaluation route.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein evaluating the magnitude of the driving action includes determining a severity of at least one of a braking action or turning action of the first driver when driving the first vehicle along the evaluation route.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

instructing the first driver to mount the first mobile computing device to face a cabin of the first vehicle, in front of the first driver; and

wherein receiving the first set of sensor data from the first mobile computing device includes receiving image data from the first mobile computing device, the image data capturing the first driver maneuvering one or more body segments while driving on the evaluation route.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a first route segment of the evaluation route based on a characteristic of the first route segment that is likely to cause a desired driving response from the first driver.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to perform the driver evaluation of the first driver is based further on data of the driver profile maintained for the first driver indicating the first driver as a new service provider for the network-based service.

13. A non-transitory computer readable medium that stores instructions which, when executed by one or more processors of a network computer system, cause the network computer system to perform operations that include:

receiving a plurality of sets of sensor data from a plurality of mobile computing devices of a plurality of drivers, each of the plurality of sets of the sensor data being generated by a respective one of the plurality of mobile computing devices while a respective one of the plurality of drivers operates a vehicle;

determining whether to perform a driver evaluation of a first driver based, at least in part, on a set of feedback data of a driver profile maintained for the first driver, the set of feedback data corresponding to feedback of the first driver received from one or more requesters of a network-based service for which the first driver is registered as a service provider;

in response to determining to perform the driver evaluation of the first driver;

transmitting, to a first mobile computing device of the first driver, route data corresponding to at least a portion of an evaluation route for the first driver to follow during the driver evaluation of the first driver;

causing the first mobile computing device of the first driver to transmit a first set of sensor data to the network computer system, the first set of sensor data being generated by the first mobile computing device while the first driver operates a first vehicle along the evaluation route; and

determining a first metric for the first driver based on analyzing the first set of sensor data received from the first mobile computing device of the first driver and a computer-generated model based on a subset of the plurality of sets of sensor data received from the plurality of mobile computing devices.

14. A computer system comprising:

a memory to store a set of instructions;

one or more processors to execute the instructions to;

receive a plurality of sets of sensor data from a plurality of mobile computing devices of a plurality of drivers, each of the plurality of sets of the sensor data being generated by a respective one of the plurality of mobile computing devices while a respective one of the plurality of drivers operates a corresponding vehicle;

determine whether to perform a driver evaluation of a first driver based, at least in part, on a set of feedback data of a driver profile maintained for the first driver, the set of feedback data corresponding to feedback of the first driver received from one or more requesters of a network-based service for which the first driver is registered as a service provider;

in response to determining to perform the driver evaluation of the first driver;

transmit, to a first mobile computing device of the first driver, route data corresponding to at least a portion of an evaluation route for the first driver to follow during the driver evaluation of the first driver;

cause the first mobile computing device of the first driver to transmit a first set of sensor data to the computer system, the first set of sensor data being generated by the first mobile computing device while the first driver operates a first vehicle along the evaluation route; and

determine a first metric for the first driver based on analyzing the first set of sensor data received from the first mobile computing device of the first driver and a computer-generated model based on a subset of the plurality of sets of sensor data received from the plurality of mobile computing devices.

15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to:

determine route segments of the evaluation route based on one or more of;

(i) a current location of the first driver as indicated by location data generated by the first mobile computing device, or (ii) the driver profile of the first driver.

16. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to determine the first metric by identifying, based on analyzing the first set of sensor data and the computer-generated model based on the subset of the plurality of sets of sensor data, one or more unsafe driving actions that were performed by the first driver on the evaluation route.

17. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to determine the subset of the plurality of sets of sensor data based on respective metrics determined for the plurality of drivers.

18. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to determine the subset of the plurality of sets of sensor data based on respective ratings of the plurality of drivers in providing a transport service.

19. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to determine the subset of the plurality of sets of sensor data based on respective routes of the plurality of drivers.

20. The computer system of claim 14, wherein determining whether to perform the driver evaluation of the first driver is based further on data of the driver profile of the first driver indicating the first driver as a new service provider for the network-based service.