Driving event data analysis

• US 9,535,878 B1
• Filed: 02/19/2013
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Brinkmann, Margaret A., Kraft, Daniel, Bryer, Nathan M., Huls, Eric, Warden, Thomas Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wiltey, Nicholas K
• Application Number:
  US13/770,634
• Time in Patent Office: 1,414 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/582 of traffic signs
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0112 from the vehicle, e.g. floating car data [FCD]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0116 from roadside infrastructure, e.g. beacons
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0175 by photographing vehicles, e.g. when violating traffic rules
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/054 photographing overspeeding vehicles

Abstract

A driving analysis server may be configured to receive vehicle operation data from vehicle sensors, and may use the data to identify a potentially high-risk or unsafe driving event by the vehicle. The driving analysis server also may receive corresponding image data, video, or object proximity data from the vehicle or one or more other data sources, and may use the image, video, or proximity data to analyze the potentially high-risk or unsafe driving event. A driver score for the vehicle or driver may be calculated or adjusted based on the analysis of the data and the determination of one or more causes of the driving event.

Claims

1. A driving analysis system comprising a first vehicle on-board data recording system and a driving analysis server:

wherein the first vehicle on-board data recording system comprises;

one or more vehicle operation sensors configured to record vehicle operation data at a first vehicle;

one or more cameras or object proximity sensors configured to record image, video, or proximity data at the first vehicle; and

one or more telematics devices configured to transmit the vehicle operation data and the image, video, or proximity data from the first vehicle to the driving analysis server,

wherein the driving analysis server comprises a processor and a memory unit storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the driving analysis server to;

receive a driver score associated with a driver of the first vehicle;

receive first vehicle operation data from the first vehicle on-board data recording system;

identify a first driving event of the first vehicle based on the first vehicle operation data;

receive at least one of image data, video data, and proximity data from the first vehicle on-board data recording system corresponding to the first driving event;

identify at least a first cause of the first driving event and a second cause of the first driving event, wherein identifying the at least a first cause and a second cause comprises;

attempting to identify at least two external causes of the first driving event by analyzing at least one of the image data, video data, or object proximity data received from the first vehicle on-board data recording system corresponding to the first driving event;

if at least two external causes can be identified;

identifying a first external cause and a second external cause;

based on the analysis of the at least one of image data, video data, or object proximity data corresponding to the first driving event, determining a percentage of cause associated with each of the first external cause and the second external cause;

evaluating the determined percentage of cause of the first external cause and the second external cause to identify one of the first external cause and the second external cause as a primary cause, the primary cause being the cause having a percentage greater than a predetermined event cause threshold;

determining whether the primary cause was unsafe or high-risk driving;

responsive to determining that the primary cause was unsafe or high-risk driving, adjusting the driver score;

responsive to determining that the primary cause was not unsafe or high-risk driving, maintaining the driver score based on the first driving event; and

if at least two external causes cannot be identified, determining that high-risk or unsafe driving by the driver of the first vehicle was the cause of the first driving event and adjusting the driver score based on the at least two external causes not being identified; and

output at least the first cause of the first driving event.

2. The driving analysis system of claim 1, wherein identifying the first driving event comprises:

analyzing the first vehicle operation data to identify an occurrence of sudden braking by the first vehicle or an occurrence of swerving by the first vehicle.

6. The driving analysis system of claim 1, wherein identifying the first driving event of the first vehicle by the driving analysis server comprises:

determining an occurrence of a moving violation by the first vehicle, based on the first vehicle operation data.

7. The driving analysis system of claim 6, wherein determining the occurrence of the moving violation comprises:

receiving moving vehicle regulation data from one or more external data sources, corresponding to the location and time of the first driving event; and

comparing the first vehicle operation data received from the first vehicle on-board data recording system to the moving vehicle regulation data received from the one or more external data sources.

8. The driving analysis system of claim 1, wherein attempting to identify at least two external causes of the first driving event by the driving analysis server comprises:

using the location and time of the first driving event, retrieving at least one of traffic data, weather data, or road condition data corresponding to the location and time of the first driving event, from one or more external data sources; and

analyzing the traffic data, weather data, or road condition data retrieved from the one or more external data sources, along with at least one of the image data, video data, or object proximity data received from the first vehicle on-board data recording system, to attempt to determine at least two external causes of the first driving event.

9. The driving analysis system of claim 1, wherein identifying the first cause of the first driving event comprises:

using at least one of the image data, video data, or object proximity data received from the first vehicle on-board data recording system to calculate a driver reaction time associated with the first event; and

determining the at least a first cause of the first driving event based on the driver reaction time associated with the first event.

10. The driving analysis system of claim 1, wherein identifying the at least a first cause of the first driving event comprises:

using at least one of the image data, video data, or object proximity data received from the first vehicle on-board data recording system to calculate a driver visibility level associated with the first event; and

determining the at least the first cause of the first driving event based on the driver visibility level associated with the first event.

11. The driving analysis system of claim 1, wherein identifying the at least a first cause of the first driving event comprises:

using at least one of the image data, video data, or object proximity data received from the first vehicle on-board data recording system to calculate a traffic amount associated with the first event; and

determining the at least a first cause of the first driving event based on the traffic amount associated with the first event.

18. The driving analysis system of claim 1, the driving analysis server comprising further computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the driving analysis server to:

transmit a record of the first driving event to an external insurance system associated with the first vehicle only if the identified at least two causes correspond to high-risk or unsafe driving by a driver of the first vehicle,

wherein if the at least two identified causes of the first driving event correspond to something other than high-risk or unsafe driving, the driving analysis server is configured not to transmit a record of the first driving event to the external insurance system associated with the first vehicle.

3. A driving analysis system comprising a first vehicle on-board data recording system, an external image, video, or proximity data source, and a driving analysis server:

wherein the first vehicle on-board data recording system comprises;

one or more vehicle operation sensors configured to record vehicle operation data at a first vehicle; and

one or more telematics devices configured to transmit the vehicle operation data to the driving analysis server,

wherein the external image, video, or proximity data source comprises;

one or more cameras or object proximity sensors configured to record image, video, or proximity data, wherein the cameras or object proximity sensors are separate from the first vehicle; and

one or more transmitters or network interfaces configured to transmit image, video, or proximity data to the driving analysis server,

wherein the driving analysis server comprises a processor and a memory unit storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the driving analysis server to;

receive a driver score associated with a driver of the first vehicle;

receive first vehicle operation data from the first vehicle on-board data recording system;

identify a first driving event of the first vehicle based on the first vehicle operation data;

identify a first location and time associated with the first driving event;

retrieve data from the external image, video, or proximity data source, corresponding to the first location and time associated with the first driving event;

identify at least a first cause of the first driving event and a second cause of the first driving event, wherein identifying the first cause and the second cause comprises;

attempting to identify at least two external causes of the first driving event by analyzing data retrieved from the external image, video, or proximity data source corresponding to the first location and time associated with the first driving event;

if at least two external causes can be identified;

identifying a first external cause and a second external cause;

based on the analysis of the data retrieved from the external image, video, or proximity data source corresponding to the first location and time associated with the first driving event, determining a percentage of cause associated with each of the first external cause and the second external cause;

evaluating the determined percentage of cause of the first external cause and the second external cause to identify one of the first external cause and the second external cause as a primary cause, the primary cause being the cause having a percentage greater than a predetermined event cause threshold;

determining whether the primary cause was unsafe or high-risk driving;

responsive to determining that the primary cause was unsafe or high-risk driving, adjusting the driver score;

responsive to determining that the primary cause was not unsafe or high-risk driving, maintaining the driver score based on the first cause of the first driving event;

if at least two external causes cannot be identified, determining that high-risk or unsafe driving by a driver of the first vehicle was the cause of the first driving event and adjusting the driver score based on the at least two external causes not being identified; and

output at least the first cause of the first driving event.

4. The driving analysis system of claim 3, wherein retrieving data from the external image, video, or proximity data source comprises:

identifying one or more additional vehicles at locations and times corresponding to the first location and time of the first driving event; and

retrieving image data, video data, or object proximity data collected by at least one or more vehicle on-board data recording systems of the one or more additional vehicles at locations and times corresponding to the first location and time of the first driving event.

5. The driving analysis system of claim 3, wherein retrieving data from the external image, video, or proximity data source corresponding to the first location and time associated with the first driving event comprises:

using the first location and time associated with the first driving event, identifying a first external traffic camera in the vicinity of the first vehicle at the time of the first driving event; and

retrieving image data, video data, or object proximity data from the first external traffic camera.

19. The driving analysis system of claim 3, the driving analysis server comprising further computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the driving analysis server to:

transmit a record of the first driving event to an external insurance system associated with the first vehicle only if the identified at least two causes correspond to high-risk or unsafe driving by a driver of the first vehicle,

wherein if the at least two identified causes of the first driving event corresponds to something other than high-risk or unsafe driving, the driving analysis server is configured not to transmit a record of the first driving event to the external insurance system associated with the first vehicle.

12. A driving analysis system comprising an on-board vehicle driving analysis device and a driving analysis server:

the on-board vehicle driving analysis device comprising a processing unit and a memory unit storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the processing unit, cause the on-board vehicle driving analysis device to;

receive driving data collected by vehicle operation sensors of a first vehicle, wherein the on-board vehicle driving analysis device is located on the first vehicle;

receive potential moving violation data identifying one or more potential moving violations in the proximity of the first vehicle;

determine, at the first vehicle, that a moving violation has been committed by the first vehicle, based on the received driving data and the potential moving violation data;

in response to the determination that a moving violation has been committed by the first vehicle, retrieve and analyze additional data relating to the moving violation; and

based on the analysis of the additional data relating to the moving violation committed by the first vehicle, determine whether high-risk or unsafe driving was a cause of the moving violation;

responsive to determining that high-risk or unsafe driving was the cause of the moving violation, transmit a report of the moving violation to the driving analysis server; and

responsive to determining that high-risk or unsafe driving was not the cause of the moving violation, not transmit a report of the moving violation to the driving analysis server,

the driving analysis server comprising a processing unit and a memory unit storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the processing unit, cause the driving analysis server to;

receive reports of moving violations from the on-board vehicle driving analysis device on the first vehicle, and one or more additional on-board vehicle driving analysis device on other vehicles.

13. The driving analysis system of claim 12, wherein the potential moving violation data comprises a speed limit at a current location of the first vehicle, and wherein determining that the moving violation has been committed comprises:

comparing, at the first vehicle, the speed limit at the current location of the first vehicle to a current speed of the first vehicle detected by vehicle operation sensors of the first vehicle; and

determining, at the first vehicle, that the first vehicle is exceeding the speed limit.

14. The driving analysis system of claim 12, wherein receiving the potential moving violation data comprises:

determining a first location of the first vehicle; and

receiving, at the first vehicle, moving vehicle regulation data from one or more external data sources, corresponding to the first location of the first vehicle.

15. The driving analysis system of claim 12, wherein receiving the potential moving violation data comprises:

using one or more external cameras of the first vehicle, capturing an image of a posted traffic sign in the proximity of the first vehicle; and

analyzing the captured image of the posted traffic sign to determine the potential moving violation data.

16. The driving analysis system of claim 12, wherein determining whether high-risk or unsafe driving was the cause of the moving violation further includes:

identifying a cause of the moving violation committed by the first vehicle, wherein identifying the cause comprises;

attempting to identify an external cause of the moving violation committed by the first vehicle by analyzing at least one of image data, video data, or object proximity data collected by one or more cameras or object proximity sensors of the first vehicle; and

if an external cause cannot be identified, determining that high-risk or unsafe driving by a driver of the first vehicle was the cause of the moving violation committed by the first vehicle; and

transmitting a record of the moving violation committed by the first vehicle to the driving analysis server only if the identified cause corresponds to high-risk or unsafe driving by a driver of the first vehicle,

wherein if the identified cause of the moving violation committed by the first vehicle corresponds to something other than high-risk or unsafe driving, the on-board vehicle driving analysis device is configured not to transmit a record of the moving violation to the driving analysis server.

17. The driving analysis system of claim 16, wherein determining whether a report of the moving violation should be transmitted to the driving analysis server further comprises:

determining a level of severity of the moving violation committed by the first vehicle; and

transmitting a record of the moving violation committed by the first vehicle to the driving analysis server only if the identified cause corresponds to high-risk or unsafe driving by a driver of the first vehicle, and if the determined level severity is greater than a predetermined threshold,

wherein if the identified cause of the moving violation corresponds to something other than high-risk or unsafe driving, or if the determined level of severity is not greater than the predetermined threshold, the on-board vehicle driving analysis device is configured not to transmit a record of the moving violation to the driving analysis server.

20. The driving analysis system of claim 12, wherein determining whether a report of the moving violation should be transmitted to the driving analysis server comprises:

identifying at least one cause of the moving violation committed by the first vehicle;

determining a level of severity of the moving violation committed by the first vehicle; and

calculating a total number of moving violations committed by the first vehicle during a period,

wherein the determination of whether a report of the moving violation should be transmitted to the driving analysis server is based on each of (i) the at least one cause of the moving violation, (ii) the severity level of the moving violation, and (iii) the total number of moving violations committed by the first vehicle during the period.