SYSTEMS AND METHODS TO IDENTIFY AND PROFILE A VEHICLE OPERATOR

• US 20140278586A1
• Filed: 05/02/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Original Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Inventors: Sanchez, Kenneth J., Baker, Matthew R., Zettinger, Matthew, Fields, Brian Mark, Nepomuceno, John A., Chan, Aaron Scott
• Granted Patent: US 10,078,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A method for assessing risk associated with a driver of a vehicle includes receiving a plurality of risk variables associated with a driver, the plurality of risk variables being gathered when the driver operates the vehicle. A driver is then identified based on the plurality of risk variables, and a risk profile is developed for the driver. The development of the risk profile involves determining the risk associated with at least some of the risk variables and generating a risk index, the risk index being a collective measure of risk associated with the driver.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for assessing risk associated with a driver of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving, via a network interface, a plurality of risk variables,

the plurality of risk variables including measurements of at least two of driver behavior, driving times, driving environment measurements, motions sensor data, images of drivers, audio data, biometric sensor data, or geographic location data, and

at least some of the plurality of risk variables gathered when the driver operates the vehicle;

determining, by one or more processors, the driver from a plurality of drivers based on the plurality of risk variables including determining a correspondence between the driver and at least some of the risk variables; and

developing, by the one or more processors, a risk profile for the driver based on the at least some of the risk variables, wherein developing a risk profile for the driver includes;

determining a risk corresponding to the at least some of the risk variables, and

generating a collective measure of risk for the driver based on the risk corresponding to the at least some of the risk variables.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein causing the one or more processors to determine the driver from the plurality of drivers includes:

clustering the plurality of risk variables into a plurality of groups of risk variables, and

associating at least one of the plurality of groups of risk variables with the driver.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating, by the one or more processors, a report of the risk profile for an insurance customer, the report of the risk profile including at least one of risk indices, estimated insurance costs, insurance rates, or payment instructions;

communicating, via the network interface, the report of the risk profile to the insurance customer.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, by the one or more processors, insurance rates for an insurance product consistent with one or more risk profiles associated with the driver;

communicating, via the network interface, insurance costs for the insurance product according to the generated insurance rates; and

receiving, via the network interface, payment for the insurance product.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of risk variables includes at least one of passwords, identification codes, measurements of driver behavior, driving times, driving environment measurements, motions sensor data, images of drivers, audio data, biometric sensor data, or geographic location data.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of risk variables are gathered when the driver operates the vehicle and when the driver operates other vehicles.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least some of the plurality of risk variables are gathered when the driver operates the vehicle and when the driver completes at least one of cognitive ability tests or driving simulation tests.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising periodically adjusting, by the one or more processors, the risk profile based on newly accumulated or updated risk variables.

9. A computer device for assessing risk associated with a driver of a vehicle, the computer device comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors;

wherein the one or more memories include computer executable instructions stored therein that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computer device to;

receive, via a network interface, a plurality of risk variables,

the plurality of risk variables including measurements of at least two of driver behavior, driving times, driving environment measurements, motions sensor data, images of drivers, audio data, biometric sensor data, or geographic location data, and

at least some of the plurality of risk variables gathered when the driver operates the vehicle,

determine the driver from a plurality of drivers based on the plurality of risk variables including determining a correspondence between the driver and at least some of the risk variables, and

develop a risk profile for the driver including generating a collective measure of risk for the driver based on the at least some of the risk variables.

10. The computer device of claim 9, wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the computer device to:

generate insurance rates for an insurance product consistent with one or more risk profiles associated with the driver;

communicate, via the network interface, insurance costs for the insurance product according to the generated insurance rates; and

receive, via the network interface, payment for the insurance product.

11. The computer device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of risk variables includes at least one of passwords, identification codes, measurements of driver behavior, driving times, driving environment measurements, motions sensor data, images of drivers, audio data, biometric sensor data, or geographic location data.

12. The computer device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of risk variables are generated by devices that are:

(i) permanently installed in the vehicle, and (ii) temporarily disposed in the vehicle.

13. The computer device of claim 12, wherein the devices that are temporarily disposed in the vehicle include at least one of smartphones, tablet computers, personal digital assistants, laptop computers, or mobile phones.

14. The computer device of claim 9, wherein at least some of the risk variables are gathered when the driver operates the vehicle and when the one or more drivers complete at least one of cognitive ability tests or driving simulation tests.

15. The computer device of claim 9, wherein the risk profile is a current risk profile, and wherein the computer executable instructions further cause the computer device to replace a previously generated risk profile with the current risk profile, the previously generated risk profile generated based on historic risk variables received at a time prior to the time at which at least some of the plurality of risk variable is received.

16. The computer device of claim 9, wherein developing the risk profile for the driver includes:

determining a risk corresponding to the at least some of the risk variables, and

generating a collective measure of risk for the driver based on the risk corresponding to the at least some of the risk variables.

17. A computer readable storage medium comprising non-transitory computer readable instructions stored thereon for assessing risk associated with a driver of a vehicle, the instructions, when executed on one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive, via a network interface, a plurality of risk variables,

the plurality of risk variables including measurements of at least two of driver behavior, driving times, driving environment measurements, motions sensor data, images of drivers, audio data, biometric sensor data, or geographic location data, and

at least some of the plurality of risk variables gathered when the driver operates the vehicle,

determine the driver from a plurality of drivers based on the plurality of risk variables including determining a correspondence between the driver and at least some of the risk variables, and

develop a risk profile for the driver based on the at least some of the risk variables, wherein developing a risk profile for the driver includes;

determining a risk corresponding to the at least some of the risk variables, and

generating a collective measure of risk for the driver based on the risk corresponding to the at least some of the risk variables.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the non-transitory computer readable instruction further cause the one or more processors to:

generate insurance rates for an insurance product consistent with one or more risk profiles associated with the driver;

communicate, via the network interface, insurance costs for the insurance product according to the generated insurance rates; and

receive, via the network interface, payment for the insurance product.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein the plurality of risk variables includes at least one of passwords, identification codes, measurements of driver behavior, driving times, driving environment measurements, motions sensor data, images of drivers, audio data, biometric sensor data, or geographic location data.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, wherein at least some of the risk variables are gathered when the driver operates the vehicle and when the driver completes at least one of cognitive ability tests or driving simulation tests.