System for driver's education

• US 10,222,228 B1
• Filed: 04/07/2017
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Original Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Inventors: Chan, Leo Nelson, Gaudin, Kristopher Keith, Lyons, Roxane, Leise, William J., Nepomuceno, John A., Shah, Rajiv C., Matesevac, III, Edward P., Kellett, Jennifer Criswell, Cielocha, Steven C., Myers, Jeremy, Megyese, Matthew S., Crawford, Jennifer L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Tyler J
• Application Number:
  US15/482,512
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/32 Structuring or formatting of map data
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3667 Display of a road map G01C21/3614 takes precedence; guidance using 3D or perspective road maps G01C21/3635
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3691 Retrieval, searching and output of information related to real-time traffic, weather, or environmental conditions arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions G08G1/09
• 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: G01S 19/01 Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/052 characterised by provision for recording or measuring trainee's performance devices for psychotechnics, e.g. for vehicle drivers A61B5/16, A61B5/18

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for educating vehicle drivers. Auto insurance claim data may be analyzed to identify hazardous areas associated with an abnormally high amount or severity of vehicle collisions. A virtual navigation map of roads within the hazardous areas may be built or generated. A common cause of several vehicle collisions at a hazardous area may be identified, and a virtual reconstruction of a scenario involving the common cause and/or a road map of collisions locations of may be created. The virtual reconstruction of the scenario may be displayed on a driver education virtual simulator to enhance driver education and reduce the likelihood of vehicle collisions.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method to facilitate driver education, the method comprising:

analyzing, via one or more processors, auto insurance claim data to identify hazardous areas, the hazardous area being defined, at least in part, by GPS location or GPS coordinates, and associated with (1) an abnormally high amount of vehicle collisions, and/or (2) an abnormally high amount of vehicle collisions causing at least one of (i) vehicle damage in excess of a predetermined amount of vehicle damage, or (ii) personal injuries in excess of a predetermined amount of medical expenses or services;

building or generating, via the one or more processors, a virtual navigation map of roads within the hazardous areas, the virtual navigation map being visually depicted;

identifying, via the one or more processors, a common cause of vehicle collisions at a hazardous area from the identified hazardous areas;

creating, via the one or more processors, a virtual reconstruction of a scenario involving the common cause of the vehicle collisions at the hazardous area and/or a road map of vehicle collision locations; and

displaying, via the one or more processors, the virtual reconstruction of the scenario involving the common cause of the vehicle collisions at the hazardous area on a driver education virtual simulator.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein analyzing auto insurance claim data includes analyzing images of damaged vehicles.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the virtual reconstruction of the scenario involving the common cause of the vehicle collisions at the hazardous area includes at least one of physical surroundings, average traffic flow, and average amount of traffic during the vehicle collisions at the hazardous area.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the road map of vehicle collision locations includes one or more of an exit ramp, an on-ramp, a traffic sign or signal, or an average traffic flow at the vehicle collision locations.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, via the one or more processors, that a student driver has passed a course that employs the driver education virtual simulator; and

updating, via the one or more processors, an auto insurance premium for the student driver.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the hazardous areas are identified by at least one or more of a type of vehicle damaged, type of repairs needed, extent of vehicle damage, number of pedestrian or bicyclist injuries and/or extent thereof, or type of parts needed to repair the vehicle.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the virtual reconstruction of the scenario involving the common cause of the vehicle collisions at the hazardous area includes at least one of physical surroundings, average traffic flow, or average amount of traffic during the collisions at the hazardous area.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, via the one or more processors, that a student driver has passed a course that employs the driver education virtual simulator; and

updating, via the one or more processors, an auto insurance premium for the student driver.

9. A computer system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to;

analyze auto insurance claim data to identify hazardous areas, the hazardous areas being defined, at least in part, by GPS location or GPS coordinates, and associated with (1) an abnormally high amount of vehicle collisions, and/or (2) an abnormally high amount of vehicle collisions causing at least one of (i) vehicle damage in excess of a predetermined amount of vehicle damage, or (ii) personal injuries in excess of a predetermined amount of medical expenses or services;

build or generate a virtual navigation map of roads within the hazardous areas, the virtual navigation map being visually depicted;

identify a common cause of vehicle collisions at a hazardous area from the identified hazardous areas;

create a virtual reconstruction, via the one or more processors, of a scenario involving the common cause of the vehicle collisions and/or a road map of vehicle collision locations; and

display at a display device, via the one or more processors, the virtual reconstruction of the scenario involving the common cause of the vehicle collisions at the hazardous area on a driver education virtual simulator.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors analyze auto insurance claim data including images of damaged vehicles.

11. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors create the virtual reconstruction of the scenario involving the common cause of the vehicle collisions at the hazardous area including physical surroundings, average traffic flow, and average amount of traffic during the vehicle collisions at the hazardous area.

12. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the computer-executable instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the one or more processors to:

determine that a student driver has passed a course that employs the driver education virtual simulator; and

update an auto insurance premium for the student driver.

13. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the road map of vehicle collision locations includes one or more of an exit ramp, an on-ramp, a traffic sign or signal, or an average traffic flow at the vehicle collision locations.

14. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the hazardous areas are identified by at least one or more of type of vehicle damaged, type of repairs needed, extent of vehicle damage, number of pedestrian or bicyclist injuries and/or extent thereof, or type of parts needed to repair the vehicle.

15. A computer-implemented method comprising:

analyzing, via one or more processors, auto insurance claim data to identify hazardous areas, the hazardous areas being defined, at least in part, by GPS location or GPS coordinates, and associated with (1) an abnormally high amount of vehicle collisions, and/or (2) an abnormally high amount of vehicle collisions causing at least one of (i) vehicle damage in excess of a predetermined amount of vehicle damage, or (ii) personal injuries of a certain type or of an extent above a predetermined threshold or limit;

identifying, via the one or more processors, a common cause of vehicle collisions at a hazardous area from the identified hazardous areas;

creating, via the one or more processors, a virtual reconstruction of a scenario involving the common cause of the vehicle collisions at the hazardous area and/or a road map of vehicle collision locations; and

displaying, via the one or more processors, the virtual reconstruction of the scenario involving the common cause of the vehicle collisions at the hazardous area on a driver education virtual simulator.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising:

building or generating, via the one or more processors, a virtual navigation map of roads within the hazardous areas, the virtual navigation map being visually depicted.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein analyzing auto insurance claim data includes analyzing images of damaged vehicles.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the road map of vehicle collision locations includes one or more of an exit ramp, an on-ramp, a traffic sign or signal, or an average traffic flow at the vehicle collision locations.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the hazardous areas are identified by at least one or more of type of vehicle damaged, type of repairs needed, extent of vehicle damage, number of pedestrian or bicyclist injuries and/or extent thereof, and/or type of parts needed to repair the vehicle.