Mobile device distance tracking

• US 9,721,305 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2014
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mileiq, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mobile Data Labs, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Bomze, Daniel S., Bomze, Howard A., Goodwin, Daniel Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Iwarere, Seye
• Application Number:
  US14/449,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20160035042A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 701 2, 701532, 705 28, 705 31, 705 4
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0284 Time or distance, e.g. usage of parking meters or taximeters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/10 Tax strategies
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

In an example, the present invention provides a method for capturing vehicle mileage information. The method includes initiating an application program configured on the mobile wireless device without any user input required to start tracking a drive. The method includes initiating movement of the mobile wireless device. The method includes using a mapping module to track a start point of a route for the mobile wireless device. The method includes moving the mobile wireless device from the start point through one or more legs. The method includes using algorithms or traffic data to identify one or more of the legs as a route or drive.

Claims

1. A method for capturing vehicle mileage information, the method comprising:

detecting, by at least one sensor of a portable electronic device, at least one of motion or location, the at least one sensor including an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, or a global positioning system (GPS) sensor;

determining, via output of the at least one sensor, that the portable electronic device is in motion;

differentiating, without user input, between the motion corresponding to a drive and the motion corresponding to a non-driving activity;

automatically tracking a start point of the drive;

tracking movement of the portable electronic device from the start point through one or more legs of the drive;

identifying a stop point of the drive;

automatically inferring a purpose for the drive, the purpose selected from a business purpose and a personal purpose, the inferring based at least in part on GPS data relating to one or more previous drives;

storing information associated with the drive in a user'"'"'s account; and

outputting, on a display of the portable electronic device, a graphical representation of the drive.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining, tracking, differentiating, disabling, identifying, inferring, storing, and outputting are provided free from input from the user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the inferring the purpose for the drive is further based at least in part on a time and a date of the drive.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the inferring the purpose for the drive is further based at least in part on credit card information from a purchase using a credit card within a time frame associated with the drive.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

aggregating information related to the drive with information related to subsequent drives or previous drives.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the inferring the purpose for the drive is further based at least in part on information transmitted from a Bluetooth device to the portable electric device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the inferring the purpose for the drive is further based at least in part on toll data associated with the drive.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the inferring the purpose for the drive is further based at least in part on parking information associated with the start point or the stop point.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the inferring the purpose for the drive is further based at least in part on a preference set by the user or classification of previous drives.

10. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

receiving a touch input on the portable electronic device; and

classifying the drive as the business purpose or the personal purpose based at least in part on the touch input.

11. A portable electronic device comprising:

one or more processors;

a sensor comprising at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, or a global positioning system (GPS) sensor;

computer storage media storing executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

determining, via output of the sensor, that the portable electronic device is in motion;

differentiating, without user input, between the motion corresponding to a drive and the motion corresponding to a non-driving activity;

automatically tracking a start point of the drive;

tracking movement of the portable electronic device from the start point through one or more legs of the drive;

identifying a stop point of the drive; and

inferring a purpose for the drive, the purpose selected from a business purpose and a personal purpose, the inferring based at least in part on classification of GPS data corresponding to one or more previous drives.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 11, wherein the executable instructions are executed free from input from the user.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 11, wherein the inferring the purpose for the drive is further based at least in part on a time and a date of the drive.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 11, wherein the inferring the purpose for the drive is further based at least in part on credit card information from a purchase using a credit card within a time frame associated with the drive.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 11, the operations further comprising:

sending information related to the drive to a server remote from the portable electronic device; and

receiving information related to the purpose for the drive from the server.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 11, wherein the inferring the purpose for the drive is further based at least in part on information transmitted from a Bluetooth device to the personal electronic device.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 11, wherein the inferring the purpose for the drive is further based at least in part on toll data or parking information associated with the drive.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 11, wherein the inferring the purpose for the drive is further based at least in part on a preference set by the user or classification of previous drives.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 11, the operations further comprising:

classifying the drive as the business purpose or the personal purpose based at least in part on inputs from the user.

20. Computer-readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform operations comprising:

detecting, by at least one sensor of a portable electronic device, at least one of motion or location, the at least one sensor including an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, or a global positioning system (GPS) sensor;

determining, via output of the at least one sensor, that the portable electronic device is in motion;

differentiating, without user input, between the motion corresponding to a drive and the motion corresponding to a non-driving activity;

automatically tracking a start point of the drive;

tracking movement of the portable electronic device from the start point through one or more legs of the drive;

identifying a stop point of the drive; and

inferring a purpose for the drive, the purpose selected from a business purpose and a personal purpose, the inferring based at least in part on GPS data relating to one or more previous drives.

21. The computer-readable storage media of claim 20, wherein the instructions are executed free from input from the user.

22. The computer-readable storage media of claim 20, wherein the inferring the purpose for the drive is further based at least in part on a time and a date of the drive.

23. The computer-readable storage media of claim 20, wherein the inferring the purpose for the drive is further based at least in part on credit card information from a purchase using a credit card within a time frame associated with the drive.

24. The computer-readable storage media of claim 20, the operations further comprising:

aggregating information related to the drive with information related to subsequent drives or previous drives.

25. The computer-readable storage media of claim 20, wherein the inferring the purpose for the drive is further based at least in part on information transmitted from a Bluetooth device to the portable electronic device.

26. The computer-readable storage media of claim 20, wherein the inferring the purpose for the drive is further based at least in part on toll data or parking information associated with the drive.

27. The computer-readable storage media of claim 20, the operations further comprising:

classifying the drive as the business purpose or the personal purpose based at least in part on touch inputs from the user.