System & Method For Driver Training In A Controlled Driving Environment

• US 20110254655A1
• Filed: 04/15/2011
• Published: 10/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tiny Towne International LLC
• Original Assignee: Tiny Towne International LLC
• Inventors: Moussa, Georges, Maalouf, Pierre
• Granted Patent: US 8,598,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/3.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/167 Control of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/04 for teaching control of land vehicles

Abstract

A method and system for monitoring and controlling driver performance in a controlled driving environment. A portable information device is provided to a driver who registers with a server computer for controlling vehicle operation in the driving environment. A record for the driver is stored in a database associated with the server computer. A vehicle is activated using the portable information device for at least an amount of time exceeding a preset threshold value. A speed level and a safety level for the vehicle are dynamically set based on the driver'"'"'s performance in the driving environment. The driver'"'"'s performance is monitored in the controlled driving environment and each driving violation that occurs is determined. Violation points are assigned to the driver based on each driving violation and the violation points are added to the driver record stored in the database. The speed level is set to a value less than a threshold speed level if the violation points stored for the driver exceeds a threshold for violation points.

Claims

1. A method for monitoring and controlling driver performance in a controlled driving environment comprising:

generating and storing a record for each registered driver in a database associated with a server computer;

receiving a signal at the server computer from a vehicle controller to determine a driver'"'"'s performance level and driving time balance from the stored driver record;

activating a vehicle for at least an amount of time exceeding a preset threshold value based on the driving time balance;

dynamically setting a speed level and a safety level for the vehicle based on the driver'"'"'s performance level in the driving environment;

monitoring the driver'"'"'s performance in the controlled driving environment and determining each driving violation that occurs;

assigning violation points to the driver based on each driving violation and adding the violation points to the driver record stored in the database; and

setting the speed level to a value less than a threshold speed level if the violation points stored for the driver exceeds a violation points threshold.

2. The method for monitoring and controlling driver performance of claim 1 further comprising determining if an onboard reader in the vehicle recognizes a driver'"'"'s portable information device provided to the driver for enabling vehicle activation.

3. The method for monitoring and controlling driver performance of claim 1 further comprising providing a touch screen interface in the vehicle for displaying driving time remaining, accumulated violation points, and a safety level.

4. The method for monitoring and controlling driver performance of claim 1 wherein the safety level represents an accumulated amount of driving time without incurring any violation points.

5. The method for monitoring and controlling driver performance of claim 4 wherein dynamically setting the speed level comprises monitoring the safety level and automatically increasing the speed level when the safety level meets or exceeds a safety level threshold and automatically decreasing the speed level when the safety level falls below the safety level threshold.

6. The method for monitoring and controlling driver performance of claim 1 further comprising remotely activating a plurality of sensors positioned on or in proximity to a stop sign to detect the presence of an approaching vehicle in a driving zone near the stop sign.

7. The method for monitoring and controlling driver performance of claim 6 wherein the plurality of sensors detects a vehicle identifier and speed and transmits the vehicle identifier and speed to the server computer.

8. The method for monitoring and controlling driver performance of claim 7 wherein the server computer transmits a violation signal to the vehicle controller which generates a warning signal on the touch screen display and activates a signal light on the vehicle.

9. The method for monitoring and controlling driver performance of claim 1 further comprising activating a blind spot vision system in the vehicle automatically when the vehicle is activated by the vehicle controller.

10. The method for monitoring and controlling driver performance of claim 9 further comprising streaming live video signals of the driver'"'"'s blind spots from at least one camera positioned on the vehicle to an onboard processor for display on the touch screen display.

11. A system for monitoring and controlling driver performance in a controlled driving environment comprising:

at least one server computer and a wireless transceiver associated with the at least one server computer, the computer being configured to control operation of a vehicle in a driving environment via the wireless transceiver;

at least one storage device for storing driver records for each driver registered with the server computer; and

an embedded mobile client in the vehicle, the embedded mobile client including a microprocessor having monitoring and control firmware embedded in a memory,

a wireless transceiver configured to communicate with the server computer,

a speed controller device connected to the microprocessor and configured to automatically control a speed of the vehicle during operation in the driving environment,

a portable information device reader configured to receive driver information stored on a portable information device provided to each registered driver in order to activate the vehicle via a signal from the microprocessor, and

a touch screen user interface configured to display a driving time remaining, an accumulated violation points, and a safety level for the driver.

12. The system for monitoring and controlling driver performance of claim 11 wherein the server computer dynamically sets a speed level and a safety level for the vehicle based on the driver'"'"'s performance level in the driving environment.

13. The system for monitoring and controlling driver performance of claim 11 wherein the server computer monitors the driver'"'"'s performance in the controlled driving environment and determines each driving violation that occurs.

14. The system for monitoring and controlling driver performance of claim 11 wherein the server computer assigns violation points to the driver based on each violation and adds the violation points to the driver record stored in a database on the storage device via a wireless communications link.

15. The system for monitoring and controlling driver performance of claim 11 wherein the server computer transmits a signal to the microprocessor in the embedded client to set the vehicle speed level to a value less than a threshold level if the violation points stored for the driver exceeds a violation points threshold.

16. The system for monitoring and controlling driver performance of claim 12 wherein the server dynamically sets the safety level by determining an accumulated amount of driving time without incurring any violation points.

17. The system for monitoring and controlling driver performance of claim 16 wherein the server dynamically sets the speed level by monitoring the safety level and automatically increasing the speed level when the safety level meets or exceeds a safety level threshold and automatically decreasing the speed level when the safety level falls below the safety level threshold.

18. The system for monitoring and controlling driver performance of claim 11 further comprising a plurality of sensors positioned on or in proximity to a stop sign for detecting the presence of an approaching vehicle in a driving zone near the stop sign, wherein the plurality of sensors detects a vehicle identifier and speed and transmits the vehicle identifier and speed to the server computer.

19. The system for monitoring and controlling driver performance of claim 18 wherein the server computer transmits a violation signal to the microprocessor in the embedded client which generates a warning signal on the touch screen display and activates a signal light on the vehicle.

20. The system for monitoring and controlling driver performance of claim 11 further comprising a blind spot vision system in the vehicle which is activated automatically when the vehicle is activated by the vehicle controller.

21. The system for monitoring and controlling driver performance of claim 20 further comprising at least one camera positioned on the vehicle for streaming live video signals of the driver'"'"'s blind spots to the microprocessor for display on the touch screen display.

22. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium for monitoring and controlling driver performance in a controlled driving environment when executed on a computing system, the computer readable storage medium having computer readable code embedded therein, the computer readable storage medium comprising:

program instructions for generating and storing a record for each registered driver in a database associated with a server computer;

program instructions for processing a query from a vehicle controller to determine a driver'"'"'s performance level and driving time balance from the stored driver record;

program instructions for generating a signal to activate a vehicle for at least an amount of time exceeding a preset threshold value based on the driving time balance;

program instructions for generating a signal to dynamically set a speed level and a safety level for the vehicle based on the driver'"'"'s performance level in the driving environment;

program instructions for processing monitoring information on the driver'"'"'s performance in the controlled driving environment;

program instructions for assigning violation points to the driver based on each driving violation and adding the violation points to the driver record stored in the database; and

program instructions for generating a signal to set the speed level to a value less than a threshold speed level if the violation points stored for the driver exceed a violation points threshold.