Driving event data analysis

• US 10,636,291 B1
• Filed: 04/29/2019
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Brinkmann, Margaret A., Kraft, Daniel, Bryer, Nathan M., Huls, Eric D., Warden, Thomas Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiltey, Nicholas K
• Application Number:
  US16/397,276
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/582 of traffic signs
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/054 photographing overspeeding vehicles

Abstract

A driving analysis server may be configured to receive vehicle operation data from vehicle sensors, and may use the data to identify a potentially high-risk or unsafe driving event by the vehicle. The driving analysis server also may receive corresponding image data, video, or object proximity data from the vehicle or one or more other data sources, and may use the image, video, or proximity data to analyze the potentially high-risk or unsafe driving event. A driver score for the vehicle or driver may be calculated or adjusted based on the analysis of the data and the determination of one or more causes of the driving event.

Claims

1. A driving analysis system comprising a first vehicle on-board data recording system and a driving analysis server,

wherein the first vehicle on-board data recording system comprises:

one or more vehicle operation sensors configured to record vehicle operation data at a first vehicle; and

one or more telematics devices configured to transmit the vehicle operation data from the first vehicle to the driving analysis server,

wherein the driving analysis server comprises a processor and a memory unit storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the driving analysis server to;

receive a driver score specific to the first vehicle;

receive first vehicle operation data from the first vehicle on-board data recording system;

identify a first driving event of the first vehicle based on the first vehicle operation data;

identify at least a first cause of the first driving event and a second cause of the first driving event, wherein identifying the at least a first cause and a second cause comprises;

attempting to identify at least two external causes of the first driving event by analyzing the first vehicle operation data received from the first vehicle on-board data recording system corresponding to the first driving event;

identifying a first external cause and a second external cause;

based on the analysis of the first vehicle operation data received from the first vehicle on-board data recording system corresponding to the first driving event, determining a percentage of cause associated with each of the first external cause and the second external cause;

evaluating the determined percentage of cause of the first external cause and the second external cause to identify one of the first external cause and the second external cause as a primary cause, the primary cause being the cause having a percentage greater than a predetermined event cause threshold;

determining whether the primary cause was unsafe or high-risk driving;

responsive to determining that the primary cause was unsafe or high-risk driving, adjusting the driver score specific to the first vehicle;

responsive to determining that the primary cause was not unsafe or high-risk driving, maintaining the driver score specific to the first vehicle based on the first driving event; and

output at least the first cause of the first driving event.

2. The driving analysis system of claim 1, wherein identifying the first driving event comprises:

analyzing the first vehicle operation data to identify an occurrence of sudden braking by the first vehicle or an occurrence of swerving by the first vehicle.

3. The driving analysis system of claim 1, wherein identifying the first driving event of the first vehicle by the driving analysis server comprises:

determining an occurrence of a moving violation by the first vehicle, based on the first vehicle operation data.

4. The driving analysis system of claim 3, wherein determining the occurrence of the moving violation comprises:

receiving moving vehicle regulation data from one or more external data sources, corresponding to a location and time of the first driving event; and

comparing the first vehicle operation data received from the first vehicle on-board data recording system to the moving vehicle regulation data received from the one or more external data sources.

5. The driving analysis system of claim 1, wherein attempting to identify at least two external causes of the first driving event by the driving analysis server comprises:

using a location and time of the first driving event, retrieving at least one of traffic data, weather data, or road condition data corresponding to the location and time of the first driving event, from one or more external data sources; and

analyzing the traffic data, weather data, or road condition data retrieved from the one or more external data sources, along with the data received from the first vehicle on-board data recording system, to attempt to determine at least two external causes of the first driving event.

6. The driving analysis system of claim 1, wherein identifying the first cause of the first driving event comprises:

using the data received from the first vehicle on-board data recording system to calculate a driver reaction time associated with the first driving event; and

determining the at least a first cause of the first driving event based on the driver reaction time associated with the first driving event.

7. The driving analysis system of claim 1, wherein identifying the at least a first cause of the first driving event comprises:

using the data received from the first vehicle on-board data recording system to calculate a driver visibility level associated with the first driving event; and

determining the at least the first cause of the first driving event based on the driver visibility level associated with the first driving event.

8. The driving analysis system of claim 1, wherein identifying the at least a first cause of the first driving event comprises:

using the data received from the first vehicle on-board data recording system to calculate a traffic amount associated with the first driving event; and

determining the at least a first cause of the first driving event based on the traffic amount associated with the first driving event.

9. The driving analysis system of claim 1, the driving analysis server comprising further computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the driving analysis server to:

transmit a record of the first driving event to an external insurance system associated with the first vehicle only if the identified at least two causes correspond to high-risk or unsafe driving by a driver of the first vehicle,

wherein if the at least two identified causes of the first driving event correspond to something other than high-risk or unsafe driving, the driving analysis server is configured not to transmit a record of the first driving event to the external insurance system associated with the first vehicle.

10. A driving analysis system comprising a first vehicle on-board data recording system and a driving analysis server,

wherein the first vehicle on-board data recording system comprises:

one or more vehicle operation sensors configured to record vehicle operation data at a first vehicle; and

one or more telematics devices configured to transmit the vehicle operation data to the driving analysis server,

wherein the driving analysis server comprises a processor and a memory unit storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the driving analysis server to;

receive a driver score specific to the first vehicle;

receive first vehicle operation data from the first vehicle on-board data recording system;

identify a first driving event of the first vehicle based on the first vehicle operation data;

identify a first location and time associated with the first driving event;

receive data corresponding to the first location and time associated with the first driving event;

identify at least a first cause of the first driving event and a second cause of the first driving event, wherein identifying the first cause and the second cause comprises;

attempting to identify at least two external causes of the first driving event by analyzing the received vehicle operation data corresponding to the first location and time associated with the first driving event;

identifying a first external cause and a second external cause;

based on the analysis of the received data corresponding to the first location and time associated with the first driving event, determining a percentage of cause associated with each of the first external cause and the second external cause;

evaluating the determined percentage of cause of the first external cause and the second external cause to identify one of the first external cause and the second external cause as a primary cause, the primary cause being the cause having a percentage greater than a predetermined event cause threshold;

determining whether the primary cause was unsafe or high-risk driving;

responsive to determining that the primary cause was unsafe or high-risk driving, adjusting the driver score specific to the first vehicle;

responsive to determining that the primary cause was not unsafe or high-risk driving, maintaining the driver score specific to the first vehicle based on the first cause of the first driving event; and

output at least the first cause of the first driving event.

11. The driving analysis system of claim 10, wherein receiving the data corresponding to the first location and time associated with the first driving event comprises:

identifying one or more additional vehicles at locations and times corresponding to the first location and time of the first driving event; and

retrieving data collected by at least one or more vehicle on-board data recording systems of the one or more additional vehicles at locations and times corresponding to the first location and time of the first driving event.

12. The driving analysis system of claim 10, wherein receiving the data corresponding to the first location and time associated with the first driving event comprises:

using the first location and time associated with the first driving event, identifying a first external traffic camera in a vicinity of the first vehicle at the time of the first driving event; and

retrieving data from the first external traffic camera.

13. The driving analysis system of claim 10, the driving analysis server comprising further computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the driving analysis server to:

transmit a record of the first driving event to an external insurance system associated with the first vehicle only if the identified at least two causes correspond to high-risk or unsafe driving,

wherein if the at least two identified causes of the first driving event corresponds to something other than high-risk or unsafe driving, the driving analysis server is configured not to transmit a record of the first driving event to the external insurance system associated with the first vehicle.

14. A method comprising:

at a driving analysis server comprising a processor and memory unit storing computer-executable instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the driving analysis server to;

receive a driver score specific to a first vehicle;

receive first vehicle operation data from a first vehicle on-board data recording system, the first vehicle on-board data recording system including;

one or more vehicle operation sensors configured to record vehicle operation data at a first vehicle;

and

one or more telematics devices configured to transmit the first vehicle operation data from the first vehicle to the driving analysis server;

identify a first driving event of the first vehicle based on the first vehicle operation data;

identify at least a first cause of the first driving event and a second cause of the first driving event, wherein identifying the at least a first cause and a second cause comprises;

attempting to identify at least two external causes of the first driving event by analyzing the first vehicle operation data received from the first vehicle on-board data recording system corresponding to the first driving event;

identifying a first external cause and a second external cause;

based on the analysis of the first vehicle operation data received from the first vehicle on-board data recording system corresponding to the first driving event, determining a percentage of cause associated with each of the first external cause and the second external cause;

evaluating the determined percentage of cause of the first external cause and the second external cause to identify one of the first external cause and the second external cause as a primary cause, the primary cause being the cause having a percentage greater than a predetermined event cause threshold;

determining whether the primary cause was unsafe or high-risk driving;

responsive to determining that the primary cause was unsafe or high-risk driving, adjusting the driver score specific to the first vehicle;

responsive to determining that the primary cause was not unsafe or high-risk driving, maintaining the driver score specific to the first vehicle based on the first driving event; and

output at least the first cause of the first driving event.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein identifying the first driving event comprises:

analyzing the first vehicle operation data to identify an occurrence of sudden braking by the first vehicle or an occurrence of swerving by the first vehicle.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein identifying the first driving event of the first vehicle by the driving analysis server comprises:

determining an occurrence of a moving violation by the first vehicle, based on the first vehicle operation data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining the occurrence of the moving violation comprises:

receiving moving vehicle regulation data from one or more external data sources, corresponding to a location and time of the first driving event; and

comparing the first vehicle operation data received from the first vehicle on-board data recording system to the moving vehicle regulation data received from the one or more external data sources.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein attempting to identify at least two external causes of the first driving event by the driving analysis server comprises:

using a location and time of the first driving event, retrieving at least one of traffic data, weather data, or road condition data corresponding to the location and time of the first driving event, from one or more external data sources; and

analyzing the traffic data, weather data, or road condition data retrieved from the one or more external data sources, along with the data received from the first vehicle on-board data recording system, to attempt to determine at least two external causes of the first driving event.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein identifying the first cause of the first driving event comprises:

using the data received from the first vehicle on-board data recording system to calculate a driver reaction time associated with the first driving event; and

determining the at least a first cause of the first driving event based on the driver reaction time associated with the first driving event.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein identifying the at least a first cause of the first driving event comprises:

using the data received from the first vehicle on-board data recording system to calculate a driver visibility level associated with the first driving event; and

determining the at least the first cause of the first driving event based on the driver visibility level associated with the first driving event.