PRIVACY CONTROL-ADJUSTABLE VEHICLE MONITORING SYSTEM WITH A WILD CARD MODE
First Claim
1. A privacy control-adjustable vehicle monitoring system with a wild card mode, the privacy control-adjustable vehicle monitoring system comprising:
- a privacy control-adjustable onboard vehicle monitoring device capable of storing a vehicle information dataset collected from a vehicle'"'"'s onboard computer or another vehicle-attached equipment;
a computer server with a CPU and a memory unit, wherein the computer server is operated by a vehicle monitoring personnel;
a vehicle monitoring software module at least partially executed on the CPU and the memory unit of the computer server operated by the vehicle monitoring personnel, wherein the vehicle monitoring software module includes a mandatory disclosure dataset monitoring sub-module, a privacy-adjustable dataset monitoring sub-module, a privacy-adjustable dataset access request sub-module, and a wild card information sub-module;
a wireless transceiver unit either integrated into or operatively connected to the privacy control-adjustable onboard vehicle monitoring device for transmission of at least a portion of the vehicle information dataset from the privacy control-adjustable onboard vehicle monitoring device to the computer server operated by the vehicle monitoring personnel;
the vehicle information dataset comprising a mandatory disclosure dataset that includes wild card information, and a privacy-adjustable dataset, wherein the mandatory disclosure dataset is automatically and periodically transmitted to the computer server operated by the vehicle monitoring personnel, and wherein the privacy-adjustable dataset is not transmitted to the computer server, unless the privacy-adjustable dataset is currently flagged by a driver to grant access to the vehicle monitoring personnel; and
a driver'"'"'s user interface device configured to receive, grant, or deny a privacy-adjustable data access request by the computer server operated by the vehicle monitoring personnel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A novel privacy control-adjustable vehicle monitoring system and a related method of operation provide a dynamically-adjustable access grant or denial of privacy-sensitive vehicle information to a vehicle monitoring personnel based on a driver'"'"'s response to an electronic request made by the vehicle monitoring personnel. In one embodiment, vehicle information is categorized into a mandatory disclosure dataset and a privacy-adjustable dataset, wherein the mandatory disclosure dataset is disclosed to the vehicle monitoring personnel at all times, while the privacy-adjustable dataset is accessible if the driver grants access via a driver'"'"'s user interface on an onboard vehicle user interface, or on a mobile electronic device. Furthermore, a special wild card mode visible to the driver enables the vehicle monitoring personnel to access an entire set of vehicle information for a limited period per access and for a limited number of accesses per period, based on a pre-arranged consent with the driver.
28 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A privacy control-adjustable vehicle monitoring system with a wild card mode, the privacy control-adjustable vehicle monitoring system comprising:
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a privacy control-adjustable onboard vehicle monitoring device capable of storing a vehicle information dataset collected from a vehicle'"'"'s onboard computer or another vehicle-attached equipment; a computer server with a CPU and a memory unit, wherein the computer server is operated by a vehicle monitoring personnel; a vehicle monitoring software module at least partially executed on the CPU and the memory unit of the computer server operated by the vehicle monitoring personnel, wherein the vehicle monitoring software module includes a mandatory disclosure dataset monitoring sub-module, a privacy-adjustable dataset monitoring sub-module, a privacy-adjustable dataset access request sub-module, and a wild card information sub-module; a wireless transceiver unit either integrated into or operatively connected to the privacy control-adjustable onboard vehicle monitoring device for transmission of at least a portion of the vehicle information dataset from the privacy control-adjustable onboard vehicle monitoring device to the computer server operated by the vehicle monitoring personnel; the vehicle information dataset comprising a mandatory disclosure dataset that includes wild card information, and a privacy-adjustable dataset, wherein the mandatory disclosure dataset is automatically and periodically transmitted to the computer server operated by the vehicle monitoring personnel, and wherein the privacy-adjustable dataset is not transmitted to the computer server, unless the privacy-adjustable dataset is currently flagged by a driver to grant access to the vehicle monitoring personnel; and a driver'"'"'s user interface device configured to receive, grant, or deny a privacy-adjustable data access request by the computer server operated by the vehicle monitoring personnel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of operating a privacy control-adjustable vehicle monitoring system for a particular privacy control adjustment in a vehicle, the method comprising steps of:
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transmitting a permission request from a computer server operated by a vehicle monitoring personnel to a driver'"'"'s user interface device for requesting access to a private data field in a privacy-adjustable dataset of a vehicle information dataset, wherein the permission request is transmitted by a wireless data network; granting or denying the permission request using the driver'"'"'s user interface device, which wirelessly transmits a response signal to the computer server via the wireless data network for granting or denying access to the private data field; receiving the response signal in the computer server operated by the vehicle monitoring personnel; and if the response signal grants the access to the private data field; changing a data access flag for the private data field to additional monitoring allowed; and accessing the private data field, which is now allowed for additional monitoring by the computer server operated by the vehicle monitoring personnel; else if the response signal denies the access to the private data field; keeping the private data field private from information access by the computer server operated by the vehicle monitoring personnel. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of operating a wild card mode in a privacy control-adjustable vehicle monitoring system between a vehicle monitoring personnel'"'"'s computer server and a driver'"'"'s user interface device, the method comprising steps of:
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selecting a number of allowed wild card usage and a duration of each wild card usage for the wild card mode as an electronic consent with the vehicle monitoring personnel'"'"'s computer server from the driver'"'"'s user interface device, wherein the wild card mode temporarily allows the vehicle monitoring personnel'"'"'s computer server to bypass driver-specific privacy settings to access all of a vehicle information dataset, including a mandatory disclosure dataset and a privacy-adjustable dataset, from a privacy control-adjustable onboard vehicle monitoring device; if the wild card mode is activated by the vehicle monitoring personnel'"'"'s computer server in accordance with the electronic consent; opening most or all of private data fields in the privacy-adjustable dataset in the privacy control-adjustable onboard vehicle monitoring device to real-time monitoring by the vehicle monitoring personnel'"'"'s computer server; updating the number of allowed wild card usage and the duration of each wild card usage for the wild card mode; and informing the driver'"'"'s user interface device that the wild card mode is currently activated; else if the wild card mode is not activated due to restrictions associated with the electronic consent; disabling real-time monitoring of any private data fields by the vehicle monitoring personnel'"'"'s computer server. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification