Systems and methods for managing and processing vehicle operator accounts based on vehicle operation data

• US 10,013,697 B1
• Filed: 09/02/2015
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Original Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Inventors: Cote, Kerry, Baker, Nicholas R., Clauss, Mark E., Binion, Todd, Rhoades, Andrea Lee, Balbach, Steven J., Fields, Brian Mark, Pott, Kyle
• Primary Examiner(s): Hamilton, Matthew L
• Application Number:
  US14/843,489
• Time in Patent Office: 1,035 Days
• Field of Search: 705 14
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/00 Input parameters relating to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/043 Identity of occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/10 Historical data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/45 External transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/55 using telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0208 Trade or exchange of goods or services in exchange for incentives or rewards
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

Methods and systems for analyzing vehicle operation data associated with a temporary or periodic usage of a vehicle by a driver. In aspects, the driver may associate with an electronic device within the vehicle that may record or collect the vehicle operation data. After the vehicle operation has concluded, the vehicle operation data may be analyzed to assess a performance of the driver during operation of the vehicle, whereby the performance may be influenced by positive or negative driving events. Based on the performance of the driver, a profile or account of the user may be processed accordingly such that the user may be incentivized to modify certain driving behaviors.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of processing driver accounts associated with detected driver events in a vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting, by an electronic device located within the vehicle, a driver of the vehicle via a short-range communication;

detecting, within an application executing on the electronic device, a selection by the driver to initiate a trip;

facilitating a login of the driver with a vehicle manager entity associated with the vehicle, the login resulting in a temporary association of the driver with the vehicle for the trip, wherein the driver has a cumulative driver rating reflective of at least one prior performance by the driver during at least one prior temporary association with the vehicle;

after facilitating the login, tracking, by one or more processors associated with the electronic device, operation of the vehicle by the driver during the trip, the tracking facilitated by a set of sensors associated with at least one of the electronic device and the vehicle and resulting in a set of vehicle operation data, the set of sensors including at least an accelerometer;

detecting a logout of the driver with the vehicle manager entity, the logout reflective of a conclusion of (i) the operation of the vehicle by the driver and (ii) the temporary association of the driver with the vehicle;

responsive to detecting the logout, analyzing, by the one or more processors associated with the electronic device the set of vehicle operation data to calculate, for the driver, a quantitative driving score associated with the operation of the vehicle;

adjusting the cumulative driver rating for the driver to reflect the quantitative driving score; and

determining, by the one or more processors associated with the electronic device, that the driver qualifies for a reward when the cumulative driver rating has maintained at least a threshold rating over a course of the temporary association and the at least one prior temporary association.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the facilitating the login comprises:

enabling the driver to log into the application executing on the electronic device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the tracking the operation of the vehicle by the driver comprises:

detecting initiation of the operation of the vehicle by the driver; and

responsive to detecting the initiation of the operation of the vehicle, tracking the operation of the vehicle by the driver.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the tracking the operation of the vehicle by the driver comprises:

retrieving, by the electronic device, the set of vehicle operation data from a telematics platform associated with the vehicle, the telematics platform connected to the set of sensors.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the logout of the driver comprises:

receiving, from the driver via the electronic device, a selection of the conclusion of the operation of the vehicle.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the analyzing the set of vehicle operation data to calculate the quantitative driving score for the driver comprises:

identifying a set of driving events from the set of vehicle operation data; and

calculating the quantitative driving score for the driver based on the set of driving events.

7. An electronic device associated with a vehicle for processing driver accounts associated with detected driver events in the vehicle, comprising:

a communication interface for collecting data;

a memory storing non-transitory computer executable instructions included in an application; and

a particularly programmed processor interfaced with the communication interface, wherein the processor executes the application to cause the processor to;

detect a driver of the vehicle via a short-range communication;

detect, within the application, a selection by the driver to initiate a trip;

facilitate a login of the driver with a vehicle manager entity associated with the vehicle, the login resulting in a temporary association of the driver with the vehicle for the trip, wherein the driver has a cumulative driver rating reflective of at least one prior performance by the driver during at least one prior temporary association with the vehicle;

after facilitating the login, track, via the communication interface, operation of the vehicle by the driver during the trip, the tracking facilitated by a set of sensors associated with at least one of the electronic device and the vehicle and resulting in a set of vehicle operation data, the set of sensors including at least an accelerometer;

detect a logout of the driver with the vehicle manager entity, the logout reflective of a conclusion of (i) the operation of the vehicle by the driver and (ii) the temporary association of the driver with the vehicle;

responsive to detecting the logout, analyze the set of vehicle operation data to calculate, for the driver, a quantitative driving score associated with the operation of the vehicle;

adjust the cumulative driver rating for the driver to reflect the quantitative driving score; and

determine that the driver qualifies for a reward when the cumulative driver rating has maintained at least a threshold rating over a course of the temporary association and the at least one prior temporary association.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein to facilitate the login, the processor is configured to:

enable the driver to log into the application.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein to track the operation of the vehicle by the driver, the processor is configured to:

retrieve, via the communication interface, the set of vehicle operation data from a telematics platform associated with the vehicle, the telematics platform connected to the set of sensors.

10. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein to detect the logout of the driver, the processor is configured to:

receive, from the driver, a selection of the conclusion of the operation of the vehicle.

11. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein to analyze the set of vehicle operation data to calculate the quantitative driving score for the driver, the processor is configured to:

identify a set of driving events from the set of vehicle operation data; and

calculate the quantitative driving score for the driver based on the set of driving events.