System and Method for Monitoring and Improving Driver Behavior

• US 20080319602A1
• Filed: 06/25/2007
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inthinc Technology Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Inthinc Technology Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: McClellan, Scott, Catten, Jonathan C., Follmer, Todd
• Granted Patent: US 9,129,460 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/33
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/052 with provision for determining speed or overspeed speed measuring in general G01P
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096708 where the received information might be used to generate an automatic action on the vehicle control

Abstract

System and method for providing feedback to drivers. The system monitors selected vehicle parameters while a vehicle is being driven, and detects one or more vehicle operation violations by comparing the selected vehicle parameters to predetermined thresholds. A mentoring message is provided to the driver if the threshold is exceeded. If a vehicle operation violation has not been corrected within a preselected time period, then a violation report may be sent to a third party or a central server and/or a different mentoring message may be provided to the driver. Vehicle parameter data may be monitored from an on-board vehicle diagnostic system. The mentoring message may be an audible warning, such as a spoken message, or a visual warning, such as a text message. The selected vehicle parameters may be a vehicle speed, a vehicle acceleration, or a vehicle seatbelt use.

Claims

1. A method for providing feedback to drivers, comprising:

monitoring selected vehicle parameters while a vehicle is being driven;

detecting a vehicle operation violation using the selected vehicle parameters; and

notifying the driver of a vehicle operation violation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if a vehicle operation violation has not been corrected within a time period, then sending a violation report to a third party.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if a vehicle operation violation has not been corrected within a time period, then sending a violation report to a central server.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

if a vehicle operation violation has not been corrected within a time period, then additionally notifying the driver.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring selected vehicle parameters further comprises:

monitoring vehicle parameter data from an on-board vehicle diagnostic system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the driver of a vehicle violation includes initiating an audible warning.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein notifying the driver of a vehicle violation includes playing a spoken message.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein notifying the driver of a vehicle violation includes initiating a visual warning.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein notifying the driver of a vehicle violation includes initiating a text message.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected vehicle parameters comprise a vehicle speed.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected vehicle parameters comprise a vehicle acceleration.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected vehicle parameters comprise a vehicle seatbelt use.

13. A method for monitoring vehicle operation, comprising:

using a monitoring device in a vehicle, wherein the monitoring device monitors vehicle operation parameters, and wherein the vehicle monitoring device is capable of providing feedback to a driver;

monitoring vehicle operation without providing the feedback during a baseline period; and

collecting baseline vehicle operation data for said baseline period.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

collecting said baseline vehicle operation data for multiple vehicles.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

monitoring vehicle operation and providing the feedback to the driver after the baseline period;

collecting vehicle operation data after said baseline period; and

comparing said vehicle operation data to said baseline vehicle operation data to identify changes in driving behavior.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

selecting vehicle operation parameters for monitoring during the baseline period.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting said baseline vehicle operation data to a central server.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

transmitting said vehicle operation data to a central server.

19. A method for establishing a vehicle operation profile, comprising:

using a monitoring device in a vehicle, wherein the monitoring device monitors vehicle operation parameters;

monitoring vehicle operation during a training period;

collecting vehicle operation training data for said training period; and

creating the vehicle operation profile based upon the vehicle operation training data.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

monitoring vehicle operation during a monitoring period; and

comparing vehicle operation data during said monitoring period to said vehicle operation profile.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

providing mentoring messages to a driver based upon differences between said vehicle operation data and said vehicle operation profile.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the vehicle operation profile includes driver safety criteria, and wherein vehicle operation data observed during the monitoring period is evaluated using the driver safety criteria.

23. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

selecting the vehicle operation parameters to be monitored during the training period.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

selecting the vehicle operation parameters to be monitored during the mentoring period.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein creating the vehicle operation profile further comprises:

establishing thresholds for vehicle operation parameters based upon the vehicle operation training data.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the thresholds correspond to an average observed value of the vehicle operation parameters.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the thresholds correspond to a maximum observed value of the vehicle operation parameters.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the thresholds correspond to a selected percentage above a value of the vehicle operation parameters.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

allowing a user to adjust the thresholds for vehicle operation parameters from an observed value.

30. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

allowing a user to adjust the thresholds for vehicle operation parameters from value established by the vehicle monitoring system.

31. A driver feedback device comprising:

a vehicle information interface;

an output interface; and

a processor in communication with the vehicle information interface and the output interface, such that the processor is operable to monitor data collected while a vehicle is being driven using the vehicle information interface, to detect one or more vehicle operation violations by comparing the collected data to a predetermined threshold, and to alert the driver if the predetermined threshold is exceeded using the output interface.

32. The driver feedback device of claim 31, wherein the vehicle information interface includes one or more of the group consisting of:

an on-board diagnostic system;

an accelerometer;

a geolocation device; and

a tire pressure sensor.

33. The driver feedback device of claim 31, wherein the output interface facilitates output to one or more from the group consisting of:

an audio output device;

a video output device; and

a haptic output device.

34. The driver feedback device of claim 31, further comprising a data communication interface in communication with the processor, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit an alert using the data communication interface.

35. The driver feedback device of claim 34, wherein the processor is configured to transmit an alert using the data communication interface upon detection of one or more vehicle operation violations.

36. The driver feedback device of claim 34, wherein the processor is configured to transmit an alert using the data communication interface upon detection of one or more vehicle operation violations occurring for at least a predetermined period of time.

37. A remote vehicle monitoring device comprising:

a data communication interface;

a data store; and

a processor in communication with the data communication interface and the data store, such that the processor is configured to receive an alert indicative of driver behavior, and to store the received alert in the data store.

38. The remote vehicle monitoring device of claim 37, wherein the data communication interface is one or more from the group consisting of:

a wireless communication interface; and

a wired communication interface.

39. The remote vehicle monitoring device of claim 37, wherein the processor is configured to receive an alert through the data communication interface, the alert indicative of a driver violation of a predetermined policy.

40. The remote vehicle monitoring device of claim 39, wherein the predetermined policy includes exceeding a speed limit.

41. The remote vehicle monitoring device of claim 39, wherein the predetermined policy includes exceeding an acceleration threshold.

42. The remote vehicle monitoring device of claim 41, wherein the predetermined policy includes exceeding an angular acceleration threshold.

43. A method for remote vehicle monitoring comprising:

receiving vehicle operation data collected during operation of a monitored vehicle;

evaluating the received vehicle operation data based on vehicle safety criteria to identify a vehicle operation violation; and

initiating notification of the vehicle operation violation.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein receiving vehicle operation data includes receiving data transmitted from a monitored vehicle using a wireless communication interface.

45. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

monitoring vehicles during a training period to baseline data; and

using the baseline data to create vehicle safety criteria.