Electronics for remotely monitoring and controlling a vehicle

• US 10,023,114 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2016
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company (The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hartford Fire Insurance Company (The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Adams, Isaac D., Fernandes, Steven J., Natrillo, Marc J., Olson, Paul Brendan, Prakash, Pankaj
• Primary Examiner(s): Barakat, Mohamed
• Application Number:
  US15/181,237
• Publication Number:
  US 20170021764A1
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B

Abstract

A system and method configured to monitor use conditions of a vehicle and provide feedback to a user of the vehicle to maintain use within certain parameters is described. The description includes a plurality of sensors located proximate to the vehicle, each sensor configured to monitor at least one vehicle parameter, the plurality of sensors selected from an accelerometer, speed, temperature, mileage, oil level, oil pressure, run-time and location sensors, each sensor generating a signal encapsulating the monitored vehicle parameter and transmitting the generated signal to a control unit. The description includes a control unit that receives the generated signal from each of a plurality of sensors, the control unit including a memory that stores the received signal and selectively combines the received signal with other signals received from others of the plurality of sensors. The description includes a first transmitter coupled to the control unit capable of transmitting the combined signal. The description includes a second transceiver remote from the vehicle that receives a transmitted condition, and compares that condition to received conditions from other vehicles and provides feedback to adjust the use of the vehicle based on the comparison, and a user interface for providing feedback to a user including at least one of visual indication, audible indication, and physically altering the use of the vehicle. The description includes coupling of the plurality of sensors to the control unit with a controller area bus (CAN). The first transmitter may transmit over an RF network.

Claims

1. A system configured to monitor use conditions of a vehicle and provide feedback to a user of the vehicle to maintain use within certain parameters, said system comprising:

a plurality of sensors located proximate to the vehicle, each sensor configured to monitor at least one vehicle parameter, the plurality of sensors selected from an accelerometer, speed, temperature, mileage, oil level, oil pressure, run-time and location sensors, each sensor generating a signal encapsulating the monitored vehicle parameter and transmitting the generated signal to a control unit;

the control unit that received the generated signal from each of a plurality of sensors, the control unit including a control unit memory that stores the received signal and selectively combines the received signal with other signals received from others of the plurality of sensors;

a transmitter coupled to the control unit capable of transmitting the combined signal;

a transceiver remote from the vehicle that receives a transmitted combined signal, and stores the combined signal in a memory unit, and a processor that processes the combined signal to capture the signal from each of the plurality of sensors, and compares the condition identified by the captured signals to received conditions from other vehicles and provides a signal to the transceiver to broadcast to the vehicle providing feedback to adjust the use of the vehicle based on the comparison, wherein the comparison of the condition utilizes a plurality of relativity factors, wherein each of the relativity factors is a numerical value generated based on the comparison of the condition for the vehicle to the conditions for other vehicles corresponding conditions; and

a user interface for providing feedback to a user including at least one indication associated with the signal.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the feedback is at least one of a visual indication and an audible indication.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the feedback is provided to cause a physical alteration of the use of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein physically altering the use of the vehicle includes at least one of applying the brakes, shutting down cylinders, lowering the volume of the radio, reducing fuel consumption, and steering from a location.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors is an accelerometer, a speed sensor, and a location sensor.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors monitors distance traveled.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of sensors are coupled to the control unit with a controller area bus (CAN).

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the control unit utilizes a database for storage of the signal in the control unit memory.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the transmitter transmits over an RF network.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the comparison of the condition further includes initial conditions for the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein one of the plurality of relativity factors is a driving location relativity factor that is numerical based at least in part on a zip code in which the vehicle is located.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of relativity factors is a braking relativity factor that is a numerical value based at least in part on a measured number of braking events over a road segment.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of relativity factors is a speeding relativity factor that is a numerical value based at least in part on a measured speed of the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the speeding relativity factor is relative to a posted speed limit.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the speeding relativity factor is relative to other nearby drivers.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of relativity factors is a mileage relativity factor that is a numerical value based at least in part on a measured mileage driven over a predetermined time range.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the plurality of relativity factors is a time of day relativity factor that is a numerical value based at least in part on a measured time of day during which the vehicle is driven.

18. A method for monitoring use conditions of a vehicle and providing feedback to a user of the vehicle to maintain use within certain parameters, said method comprising:

monitoring at least one vehicle parameter with one of a plurality of sensors located proximate to the vehicle, the plurality of sensors selected from an accelerometer, speed, temperature, mileage, oil level, oil pressure, run-time and location sensors;

generating a signal encapsulating the monitored vehicle parameter;

transmitting the generated signal to a control unit;

receiving the generated signal at the control unit from each of a plurality of sensors, and storing the received signal in a control unit memory and selectively combining the received signal with other signals received from others of the plurality of sensors;

transmitting the combined signal with a transmitter coupled to the control unit;

receiving the combined signal by a transceiver remote from the vehicle;

storing the received combined signal in a memory unit;

processing the received combined signal to capture the signal from each of the plurality of sensors;

comparing, via a processor, the condition identified by the captured signals to received conditions from other vehicles, wherein the comparison of the condition utilizes a plurality of relativity factors, wherein each of the relativity factors is a numerical value generated based on the comparison of the condition for the vehicle to the conditions for other vehicle'"'"'s corresponding conditions;

providing a signal to the transceiver to broadcast to the vehicle to provide feedback to adjust the use of the vehicle based on the comparison;

providing feedback to adjust the use of the vehicle based on the comparison using a user interface that includes at least one indication associated with the provided signal.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the feedback is at least one of a visual indication and an audible indication provided to cause a physical alteration of the use of the vehicle including at least one of applying the brakes, shutting down cylinders, lowering the volume of the radio, reducing fuel consumption, and steering from a location.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the comparison of the condition further includes initial conditions for the vehicle.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein one of the plurality of relativity factors includes at least one of a driving location relativity factor that is numerical based at least in part on a zip code in which the vehicle is located, a braking relativity factor that is a numerical value based at least in part on a measured number of braking events over a road segment, a speeding relativity factor that is a numerical value based at least in part on a measured speed of the vehicle, a mileage relativity factor that is a numerical value based at least in part on a measured mileage driven over a predetermined time range and a time of day relativity factor that is a numerical value based at least in part on a measured time of day during which the vehicle is driven.