Encouraging safe driving using a remote vehicle starter

• US 9,031,545 B1
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Srey, Rothana, Manzella, Matthew James
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, David Q
• Application Number:
  US13/791,362
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 455/410, 455/418, 455/419, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 340/3.1, 307/10.2
• US Class Current: 455/418
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2028/003 inhibiting the starter motor, e.g. by controlling ignition or park lock circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/02 responsive to conditions relating to the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2302/01 Preventing starting of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/101 for preventing engine starter actuation or engagement
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/10 said parameters being related to driver demands or status
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/02 Access restriction performed under specific conditions

Abstract

A method of encouraging safe driving of a vehicle using a remote starter device installed at a vehicle is provided. The remote starter device determines whether it is in signal communication with a remote starter application operating at a mobile computing device separate from the remote starter device. When the remote starter device is in signal communication with the remote starter application, the remote starter device permits ignition of the vehicle. When the remote starter device is not in signal communication with the remote starter application, the remote starter device prevents ignition of the vehicle. During operation of the vehicle, one or more communication features at the remote starter device may be restricted.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining, at a remote starter device installed at a vehicle, whether the remote starter device is in signal communication with a remote starter application operating at a mobile computing device separate from the remote starter device;

permitting ignition of the vehicle when the remote starter device is in signal communication with the remote starter application;

preventing ignition of the vehicle when the remote starter device is not in signal communication with the remote starter application; and

initiating restriction of at least one communication feature of the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one communication feature is a text messaging feature and a phone call feature and wherein restriction of the at least one communication feature of the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle includes:

restricted access to the text messaging feature of the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle; and

restricted access to the phone call feature of the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein restriction of the at least one communication feature of the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle further includes:

prevention of an indication from the mobile computing device that a text message has been received at the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle; and

prevention of an indication from the mobile computing device that a phone call has been received at the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein restriction of the at least one communication feature of the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle further includes:

permission to initiate a text message to an emergency contact during operation of the vehicle; and

permission to initiate a phone call to the emergency contact during operation of the vehicle.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein restriction of the at least one communication feature of the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle further includes:

permission of an indication from the mobile computing device that a text message has been received from an emergency contact during operation of the vehicle; and

permission of an indication from the mobile computing device that a phone call has been received from an emergency contact during operation of the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing an ignition confirmation message from the remote starter device to the remote starter application upon ignition of the vehicle; and

wherein receipt of the ignition confirmation at the mobile computing device initiates restriction of the one or more communication features at the mobile computing device.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

providing a shutoff confirmation message from the remote starter device to the remote starter application upon shutoff of the vehicle; and

wherein receipt of the shutoff confirmation message at the mobile computing device initiates removal of the restriction of the one or more communication features of the mobile computing device.

8. A device comprising:

an ignition interface configured for connection to an ignition system of a vehicle and configured to automatically initiate vehicle ignition;

a communication module configured to exchange communications with a remote starter application operating at a mobile computing device;

a processing module connected to the ignition interface and the communication module; and

a memory module storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor of the processing module, cause the device to;

i) determine whether a connection has been established with the remote starter application,

ii) permit ignition of the vehicle when a connection has been established with the remote starter application,

iii) prevent ignition of the vehicle when a connection has not been established with the remote starter application, and

iv) provide an ignition confirmation message to the remote starter application upon ignition of the vehicle,

wherein receipt of the ignition confirmation message at the remote starter application triggers restriction of at least one communication feature of the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle.

9. The remote starter device of claim 8 wherein receipt of the ignition confirmation message at the remote starter application triggers restriction of a text messaging feature of the mobile computing device such that a driver of the vehicle is restricted from accessing the text messaging feature of the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle.

10. The remote starter device of claim 8 wherein the computer-executable instructions stored at the memory module, when executed by the processor of the processing module, cause the processor to further provide a shutoff confirmation message to the remote starter application upon shutoff of the vehicle.

11. The remote starter device of claim 10 wherein receipt of the shutoff confirmation message at the remote starter application triggers removal of a restriction of the one or more communications features of the mobile computing device.

12. The remote starter device of claim 8 wherein the computer-executable instructions stored at the memory module, when executed by the processor of the processing module, cause the processor to further provide an ignition status message to the remote starter application in response to receipt of an ignition inquiry request from the remote starter application wherein the ignition status message indicates whether the vehicle is running or shut off.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a processor of a mobile computing device, cause the processor to perform steps for encouraging safe driving of a vehicle, the steps comprising:

providing an ignition request to a remote starter device installed at the vehicle wherein receipt of the ignition request at the remote starter device causes the remote starter device to initiate ignition of the vehicle;

restricting at least one communication feature at the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle in response to receipt of an ignition confirmation message from the remote starter device,

wherein the remote starter device permits ignition of the vehicle when the ignition request is received and prevents ignition of the vehicle when the ignition request is not received.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein one of the communication features is a text messaging feature and another one of the communication features is a phone call feature and wherein restricting one or more communication features of the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle includes:

restricting a driver from accessing the text messaging feature of the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle; and

restricting the driver from accessing the phone call feature of the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein restricting one or more communication features of the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle further includes:

preventing the mobile computing device from indicating that a text message has been received at the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle; and

preventing the mobile computing device from indicating that a phone call has been received at the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor of the mobile computing device, cause the processor to perform steps further comprising logging one or more communications received at the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle in a list of blocked communications.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor of the mobile computing device, cause the processor to perform steps further comprising displaying the list of blocked communications in response to a determination that the vehicle has shut off.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 14 wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor of the mobile computing device, cause the processor to perform steps further comprising:

permitting the mobile computing device to indicate that a text message has been received from an emergency contact during operation of the vehicle; and

permitting the mobile computing device to indicate that a phone call has been received from an emergency contact during operation of the vehicle.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein restricting one or more communication features at the mobile computing device during operation of the vehicle includes:

restricting the one or more communication features of the mobile computing device until a shutoff confirmation message is received from the remote starter device installed at the vehicle; and

removing restriction of the one or more communication features of the mobile computing device in response to receipt of the ignition shutoff message.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor of the mobile computing device, cause the processor to perform steps further comprising:

providing an ignition inquiry request to the remote starter device;

receiving an ignition status message from the remote starter device;

maintaining restriction of the one or more communication features at the mobile computing device when the ignition status message indicates the vehicle is running; and

removing restriction of the one or more communication features at the mobile computing device when the ignition status message indicates the vehicle is shut off.