Method and System for Logging Vehicle Behavior

• US 20160189442A1
• Filed: 03/04/2016
• Published: 06/30/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auto Telematics Ltd. (f/k/a Snoring Dog Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Gillian Switalski
• Inventors: Wright, Andrew William
• Granted Patent: US 9,633,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 17/00 Digital computing or data processing equipment or methods, specially adapted for specific functions information retrieval, database structures or file system structures therefor G06F16/00
• 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 5/02 Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/14 Traffic procedures, e.g. traffic regulations
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/02 with visual presentation of the material to be studied, e.g. using film strip
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6041 Portable telephones adapted for handsfree use
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72406 by software upgrading or downloading
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724098 Interfacing with an on-board device of a vehicle for hands-free speaking in vehicles H04M1/6075
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/36 Memories
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/74 with voice recognition means voice activated dialling H04M1/271; voice recognition algorithms G10L15/00

Abstract

Methods and systems for logging driving information associated with a vehicle when driven are disclosed. In one aspect, a mobile telecommunications device is provided that is adapted for installation to a vehicle and configured to log driving information associated with the vehicle when driven. The mobile device is arranged to register the start of a driving period during which the mobile device is installed to the vehicle and the vehicle is being driven by a driver. The mobile device is also arranged to process sensor data during the driving period to derive driving information associated with how the vehicle is driven. The mobile device is also arranged to store a selection of the driving information to a memory.

Claims

1. A method of logging driving information associated with a vehicle, when driven, comprising the steps of:

adapting and installing a mobile telecommunications device to a vehicle, the mobile telecommunications device comprising;

at least one sensor set comprising an image sensor, an audio sensor, an accelerometer, or a positioning module, or a combination thereof;

user interface;

processor;

memory;

determining, based on inputs received by the user interface and sensor data from the sensor set, a start of a driving period during which the mobile device is removably attached to the vehicle and the vehicle is in use;

deriving driving information associated with how the vehicle is driven by processing the sensor data from the sensor set during the driving period;

storing a selection of the driving information to the memory, wherein the driving information is derived without data from vehicle sensors; and

,

controlling the mobile telecommunications device by a downloaded application to register the start of the driving period in response to an initialization input generated automatically in response to the sensor data having predetermined values, wherein the initialization input is generated in response to sensor data reflecting a detected speed above a predetermined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile communications device registers the attachment of the mobile device to the vehicle and determines a match between a location of the mobile device and a location of the vehicle.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a downloaded application controls the mobile telecommunications device to down-sample sensor data from a first sampling rate to a second sampling and store the sensor data at said second sampling rate.

4. A method of logging driving information associated with a vehicle comprising the steps of:

adapting and installing a mobile telecommunications device comprising;

at least one sensor set comprising an image sensor, an audio sensor, an accelerometer, or a positioning module, or a combination thereof;

user interface;

processor;

memory;

determining, based on inputs received by the user interface and sensor data from the sensor set, a start of a driving period during which the mobile device is removably attached to the vehicle and the vehicle is in use;

deriving driving information associated with how the vehicle is driven by processing the sensor data from the sensor set during the driving period;

storing a selection of the driving information to the memory, wherein the driving information is derived without data from vehicle sensors; and

,

controlling the mobile telecommunications device by a downloaded application to process the sensor data from the sensor set during a plurality of driving periods and deriving driving information associated with how the vehicle is driven during the driving periods, processing the sensor data during a first set of driving periods defining a benchmark against which sensor data is compared during subsequent sets of driving periods.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

detecting occurrence of a predetermined event by correlating the sensor data against at least one event indication model, the at least one event indication model comprising a set of predetermined data values that are compared against corresponding sensor data; and

,

modifying the at least one event indication model in response to the benchmark.

6. A method for logging driving information received from a remote mobile telecommunications device, comprising the steps of:

storing in a database a plurality of accounts, each account having a unique identifier and the database being arranged to store driving information associated with at least one of a vehicle and a driver;

communicating through a communications interface arranged to communicate with the remote mobile telecommunications device, and receiving therefrom;

a unique identifier for association of the remote mobile telecommunications device with a corresponding one of the plurality of accounts; and

,

driving information to be logged to that corresponding account, the driving information derived based on inputs received by a user interface of the remote mobile telecommunications device and sensor data from a sensor set of the remote mobile telecommunications device, the driving information derived without data from vehicle sensors.

7. A method of logging driving information received from a remote mobile telecommunications device, comprising the steps of:

storing in a database a plurality of accounts, each account having a unique identifier and the database being arranged to store driving information associated with at least one of a vehicle and a driver;

communicating through a communications interface with the remote mobile telecommunications device, and receiving therefrom;

a unique identifier for association of the remote mobile telecommunications device with a corresponding one of the plurality of accounts;

driving information to be logged to that corresponding account, the driving information derived based on inputs received by a user interface of the remote mobile telecommunications device and sensor data from a sensor set of the remote mobile telecommunications device, the driving information derived without data from vehicle sensors;

wherein the driving information comprises at least one of a driving score and sensor data captured and processed by the remote mobile telecommunications device during a driving period during which the remote mobile telecommunications device is removably attached to the vehicle being driven by the driver; and

,

generating a driving score by processing the driving information logged to a corresponding account, the driving score used to determine a risk profile for at least one of the vehicle and driver.

8. A method for logging driving information received from a remote mobile telecommunications device, comprising the steps of:

storing in a database a plurality of accounts, each account having a unique identifier and the database being arranged to store driving information associated with at least one of a vehicle and a driver;

communicating through a communications interface with the remote mobile telecommunications device, and receiving therefrom;

a unique identifier for association of the remote mobile telecommunications device with a corresponding one of the plurality of accounts;

driving information to be logged to that corresponding account, the driving information derived based on inputs received by a user interface of the remote mobile telecommunications device and sensor data from a sensor set of the remote mobile telecommunications device, the driving information derived without data from vehicle sensors; and

,

wherein the driving information comprises at least one of a driving score and sensor data captured and processed by the remote mobile telecommunications device during a driving period during which the remote mobile telecommunications device is removably attached to the vehicle being driven by the driver;

generating a driving score by processing the driving information logged to a corresponding account, the driving score used to determine a risk profile for at least one of the vehicle and driver;

using the driving score to define an insurance premium associated with the account; and

,

communicating to the remote mobile telecommunication device an insurance offer generated in response to the driving information received from the remote mobile telecommunications device.