Mobile driving condition detection

• US 9,210,547 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2013
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HERE Global B.V. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Tuukkanen, Marko Tapio, Beaurepaire, Jerome
• Primary Examiner(s): SHEDRICK, CHARLES TERRELL
• Application Number:
  US13/954,474
• Publication Number:
  US 20150038123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 340/426.11, 701/1, 701/5, 701/316
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/573 Mobile devices controlling vehicle functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 28/063 preventing starting of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2040/0836 due to alcohol
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/08 related to drivers or passengers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/025 using location based information parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/20 based on geographic position or location

Abstract

In one embodiment, user data is analyzed to determine whether a user may be in an impaired condition or demonstrating impairment related activity. The user data may reflect the location of the user or the behavior of the user. In response to the impairment related activity, a contact database is accessed for one or more other users. A communication session is initiated with the one or more other users. A poll of the one or more uses results in a sobriety assessment or a driving condition assessment of the potentially impaired user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

generating a warning message indicative of sobriety of a first user at a mobile device;

accessing a contact database of the first user for a plurality of users;

initiating a communication session between the mobile device and at least one of the plurality of users;

receiving a plurality of sobriety assessments for the first user from the plurality of users;

calculating an assessment score from the plurality of sobriety assessments; and

comparing the assessment score to a sobriety threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

analyzing impairment related activity of the first user, wherein the warning message is generated in response to the impairment activity of the first user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a sobriety score based on activity of the first user, wherein the activity includes at least one of a proximity to an alcohol vendor and a duration associated with the alcohol vendor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the warning message is configured to disable an automobile.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling the automobile in response to the sobriety assessment from the second user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the warning message states that an unsafe driving condition has been detected.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second user is selected based on a social distance as defined by a social networking service or a supervisory relationship stored in the contact database.

8. An apparatus comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

analyzing impairment related activity;

accessing a contact database based on the impairment related activity;

initiating a communication session with a plurality of users accessed from the contact database; and

receiving a sobriety assessment from the plurality of users;

calculating an assessment score from the sobriety assessment; and

comparing the assessment score to a sobriety threshold.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

generating a command message to disable or enable a vehicle based on the sobriety assessment.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the impairment related activity includes travel within a proximity of an alcohol related location for a predetermined amount of time.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following,

displaying a warning message in response to the impairment related activity or in response to the sobriety assessment.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the impairment related activity is derived from driving behavior of an on-board diagnostic sensor.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the impairment related activity includes travel from a first alcohol related location to a second alcohol related location.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that when executed by a processor, instruct the processor to:

perform an analysis of behavior data for a user, wherein the analysis indicates impairment related activity;

access a plurality of contacts for the user;

initiate a communication session between the user and at least one of the plurality of contacts;

receive a plurality of sobriety assessment from the plurality of contacts;

calculating an assessment score from the plurality of sobriety assessments; and

comparing the assessment score to a sobriety threshold.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the one or more contacts are selected based on a supervisory relationship between the user and the plurality of contacts.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, the instructions configured to instruct the processor to:

compare the sobriety assessment to a threshold level; and

generate a vehicle disablement control message when the sobriety assessment exceeds the threshold level.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, the instructions configured to instruct the processor to:

present a sobriety confirmation alternative to the user, wherein the sobriety confirmation alternative is a breathalyzer or an impairment test.

18. A method comprising:

generating a warning message indicative of sobriety of a first user at a mobile device;

accessing a contact database of the first user for a plurality of other users;

initiating a communication session between the mobile device and at least one of the plurality of other users;

receiving a plurality of sobriety assessments for the first user from the plurality of other users;

calculating an assessment score from the plurality of sobriety assessments; and

comparing the assessment score to a sobriety threshold.