System and method for evaluating vehicle and operator performance

• US 7,356,392 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2004
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2003
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Speedgauge Incorporated (Pelmorex, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Landsonar, Inc. (Pelmorex, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hubbard, Jonathan, Kantarjiev, Christopher, Reid, Robert, Tash, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US10/845,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20040254698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,426 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/35, 701/93, 701/207, 701/213, 455/456.3, 340/441, 340/995.1, 340/539.13, 705/9, 705/10, 705/11, 702/3
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of safety management of one or more vehicles, and more particularly, to a system and method for analyzing information relating to a vehicle'"'"'s performance characteristics such as speed against environmental attributes such as speed limits to assess a vehicle and operator'"'"'s tendency to operate according to preset or other criteria.

Claims

1. A system for evaluating performance of an operator of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a map database configured to provide map data, wherein the map data comprises a plurality of thoroughfares, at least one of the plurality of thoroughfares including a plurality of road segments and wherein at least one road segment is associated with at least one road segment attribute;

a vehicle/operator database configured to provide vehicle and operator data, wherein the vehicle data includes information acquired during operation of the vehicle and the operator data identifies an operator of the vehicle during vehicle operation, the vehicle and operator data encompassing an entire instance of vehicle operation by the operator;

an analysis engine configured to analyze data from the map database, the map data including the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment with respect to the provided vehicle and operator data, the vehicle and operator of the vehicle having traversed the at least one road segment, the analysis engine further configured to generate an indication of operator performance of the vehicle with respect to the at least one road segment and the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment, wherein the operator, the at least one road segment and the at least one road segment attribute are identified as part of a user request; and

a report generator configured to generate evaluation information in accordance with the indication generated by the analysis engine, the evaluation information indicating performance of the operator with respect to the at least one road segment and the associated at least one road segment attribute identified by the user request, the evaluation information indicating performance over a time period identified by the user request.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a client device for making the user request for evaluation information from the report generator, and wherein the report generator is further configured to deliver the user requested evaluation information to the client device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein vehicle data includes data generated at the vehicle and transmitted via at least one relay and a network to the vehicle/operator database in real time, wherein the at least one relay includes a satellite and the network includes a proprietary network.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein vehicle data includes data generated at the vehicle and transmitted via at least one relay and a network to the vehicle/operator database at a certain interval of time, wherein the at least one relay includes a satellite and the network includes a proprietary network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the user request further identifies another operator and the analysis engine is further configured to generate an indication of operator performance of the vehicle for the another operator with respect to the at least one road segment and the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment, and wherein the report generator is further configured to rank the operator and the another operator with respect to operation of a series of vehicles and with respect to the at least one road segment and the associated at least one road segment attribute over the time period identified by the user request.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the operator and the another operator are ranked according to a propensity to violate a predetermined rule associate with the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the report generator provides the ranked evaluation information as part of report displaying the violated predetermined rule and a number of time that the predetermined rule was violated over the time period identified by the user request.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the analysis engine is further configured to predict future performance of the operator based on a trend for the operator identified over the time period identified by the user request.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the analysis engine is further configured to request real-time vehicle data from the vehicle operated by the operator of the vehicle if the vehicle data is not presently available in the vehicle/operator database.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein e analysis engine is further configured to request a batch of vehicle data from the vehicle operated by the operator at a regular interval.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the report generator is further configured to display the evaluation information as part of a map based report indicating a violated predetermined rule, the time and date the predetermined rule was violated, and a location of the violation of the predetermined rule on the map.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the evaluation engine is further configured to indicate performance of the operator with respect to operation of a series of vehicles.

13. A method for evaluating performance of a vehicle operator, the method comprising:

retrieving map data from a map database, wherein the map data comprises a plurality of thoroughfares, at least one of the plurality of thoroughfares including a plurality of road segments and wherein at least one road segment is associated with at least one road segment attribute;

retrieving vehicle data and vehicle operator data from a vehicle/operator database, wherein the vehicle data includes information acquired during operation of the vehicle and the operator data identifies an operator of the vehicle during vehicle operation, the vehicle and operator data encompassing an entire instance of vehicle operation by the operator;

analyzing the vehicle data and vehicle operator data against the map data, the map data including the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment with respect to the provided vehicle and operator data, the vehicle and operator of the vehicle having traversed the at least one road segment;

generating an indication of operator performance of the vehicle with respect to the at least one road segment and the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment, wherein the operator, the at least one road segment and the at least one road segment attribute are identified as part of a user request;

generating evaluation information in accordance with the generated indication, the evaluation information indicating performance of the operator with respect to the at least one road segment and the associated at least one road segment attribute identified by the user request, the evaluation information indicating performance over a time period identified by the user request; and

delivering the evaluation information to a client device in response to the user request.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising receiving vehicle data generated at the vehicle to the vehicle/operator database in real time, wherein the real-time vehicle data is added to the vehicle/operator database for subsequent analysis against the map data.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

receiving an identification of another operator in a user request and generating an indication of operator performance of the vehicle for the another operator with respect to the at least one road segment and the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment; and

ranking the operator and the another operator with respect to operation of a series of vehicles and with respect to the at least one road segment and the associated at least one road segment attribute over the time period identified by the user request.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the operator and the another operator are ranked according to a propensity to violate a predetermined rule associate with the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising predicting future performance of the operator based on a trend for the operator identified over the time period identified by the user request.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the evaluation information further includes an indication of performance of the operator with respect to operation of a series of vehicles.

19. A method for evaluating performance of an operator of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving vehicle data at a vehicle/operator database, the vehicle data including information acquired during operation of the vehicle, the vehicle data being associated with operator data that identifies an operator of the vehicle during vehicle operation, the vehicle and operator data encompassing an entire instance of vehicle operation by the operator;

retrieving map data from a map database, wherein the map data comprises a plurality of thoroughfares, at least one of the plurality of thoroughfares including a plurality of road segments and wherein at least one road segment is associated with at least one road segment attribute;

analyzing the vehicle data and vehicle operator data against the map data, the map data including the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment with respect to the provided vehicle and operator data, the vehicle and operator of the vehicle having traversed the at least one road segment;

generating an indication of operator performance of the vehicle with respect to the at least one road segment and the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment, wherein the operator of the vehicle, the at least one road segment and the at least one road segment attribute are identified as part of a user request;

generating evaluation information in accordance with the generated indication, the evaluation information indicating performance of the operator and another operator with respect to the at least one road segment and the associated at least one road segment attribute identified by the user request, the evaluation information indicating performance over a time period identified by the user request; and

delivering the evaluation information to a client device in response to the user request, wherein the evaluation information ranks the operator against the other operator with respect to a propensity to violate a predetermined rule associated with the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment.

20. A method for evaluating performance of the operator of a vehicle, the method comprising:

retrieving map data from a map database, wherein the map data comprises a plurality of thoroughfares, at least one of the plurality of thoroughfares including a plurality of road segments and wherein at least one road segment is associated with at least one road segment attribute;

attempting to retrieve vehicle and operator data from a vehicle/operator database, wherein the vehicle data includes information acquired during operation of the vehicle and the operator data identifies an operator of the vehicle during vehicle operation, the vehicle and operator having been identified as part of a user request, the vehicle and operator data encompassing an entire instance of vehicle operation by the operator;

determining that the vehicle/operator database does not include the vehicle data corresponding to the entire instance of vehicle operation by the operator identified as a part of the user request;

requesting vehicle data from the vehicle in real-time, the vehicle corresponding to the vehicle identified as a part of the user requests, wherein the identified operator is currently operating the identified vehicle;

storing the vehicle data at the vehicle/operator database, the vehicle data having been received in response to the request for the vehicle data;

analyzing the vehicle data and vehicle operator data against the map data in real-time, the map data including the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment with respect to the provided vehicle and operator data, the vehicle and operator of the vehicle having traversed the at least one road segment;

generating an indication of operator performance of the vehicle with respect to the at least one road segment and the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment, wherein the operator of the vehicle, the at least one road segment and the at least one road segment attribute are identified as part of a user request;

generating evaluation information in accordance with the generated indication, the evaluation information indicating performance of the operator with respect to the at least one road segment and the associated at least one road segment attribute identified by the user request, the evaluation information indicating performance over a time period identified by the user request; and

delivering the evaluation information to a client device in response to the user request.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the evaluation information ranks the operator against another operator with respect to a propensity to violate a predetermined rule associate with the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment.

22. A system for evaluating performance of an operator of a vehicle, the system comprising:

means for providing map data, wherein the map data comprises a plurality of thoroughfares, at least one of the plurality of thoroughfares including a plurality of road segments and wherein at least one road segment is associated with at least one road segment attribute;

means for providing vehicle and operator data, wherein the vehicle data includes information acquired during operation of the vehicle and the operator data identifies an operator of the vehicle during vehicle operation, the vehicle and operator data encompassing an entire instance of vehicle operation by the operator;

means for analyzing map data, the map data including the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment with respect to the provided vehicle and operator data, the vehicle and operator of the vehicle having traversed the at least one road segment, the means for analyzing further configured to generate an indication of operator performance of the vehicle with respect to the at least one road segment and the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment, wherein the operator, the at least one road segment and the at least one road segment attribute are identified as part of a user request; and

means for generating evaluation information in accordance with the indication generated by the means for analyzing, the evaluation information indicating performance of the operator with respect to the at least one road segment and the associated at least one road segment attribute identified by the user request, the evaluation information indicating performance over a time period identified by the user request.

23. A computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a computer program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for evaluating performance of a vehicle operator, the method comprising:

retrieving map data from a map database, wherein the map data comprises a plurality of thoroughfares, at least one of the plurality of thoroughfares including a plurality of road segments and wherein at least one road segment is associated with at least one road segment attribute;

retrieving vehicle data and vehicle operator data from a vehicle/operator database, wherein the vehicle data includes information acquired during operation of the vehicle and the operator data identifies an operator of the vehicle during vehicle operation, the vehicle and operator data encompassing an entire instance of vehicle operation by the operator;

analyzing the vehicle data and, vehicle operator data against the map data, the map data including the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment with respect to the provided vehicle and operator data, the vehicle and operator of the vehicle having traversed the at least one road segment;

generating an indication of operator performance of the vehicle with respect to the at least one road segment and the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment, wherein the operator, the at least one road segment and the at least one road segment attribute are identified as part of a user request;

generating evaluation information in accordance with the generated indication, the evaluation information indicating performance of the operator with respect to the at least one road segment and the associated at least one road segment attribute identified by the user request, the evaluation information indicating performance over a time period identified by the user request; and

delivering the evaluation information to a client device in response to the user request.

24. A computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for evaluating performance of an operator of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving vehicle data at a vehicle/operator database, the vehicle data including information acquired during operation of the vehicle;

the vehicle data being associated with operator data that identifies an operator of the vehicle during vehicle operation, the vehicle and operator data encompassing an entire instance of vehicle operation by the operator;

retrieving map data from a map database, wherein the map data comprises a plurality of thoroughfares, at least one of the plurality of thoroughfares including a plurality of road segments and wherein at least one road segment is associated with at least one road segment attribute;

analyzing the vehicle data and vehicle operator data against the map data, the map data including the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment with respect to the provided vehicle and operator data, the vehicle and operator of the vehicle having traversed the at least one road segment;

generating an indication of operator performance of the vehicle with respect to the at least one road segment and the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment, wherein the operator of the vehicle, the at least one road segment and the at least one road segment attribute are identified as part of a user request;

generating evaluation information in accordance with the generated indication, the evaluation information indicating performance of the operator and another operator with respect to the at least one road segment and the associated at least one road segment attribute identified by the user request, the evaluation information indicating performance over a time period identified by the user request; and

delivering the evaluation information to a client device in response to the user request, wherein the evaluation information ranks the operator against the other operator with respect to a propensity to violate a predetermined rule associate with the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment.

25. A computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program, the program being executable by a processor to perform a method for evaluating performance of the operator of a vehicle, the method comprising:

retrieving map data from a map database, wherein the map data comprises a plurality of thoroughfares, at least one of the plurality of thoroughfares including a plurality of road segments and wherein at least one road segment is associated with at least one road segment attribute;

attempting to retrieve vehicle and operator data from a vehicle/operator database, wherein the vehicle data includes information acquired during operation of the vehicle and the operator data identifies an operator of the vehicle during vehicle operation, the vehicle and operator having been identified as part of a user request, the vehicle and operator data encompassing an entire instance of vehicle operation by the operator;

determining that the vehicle/operator database does not include the vehicle data corresponding to the entire instance of vehicle operation by the operator identified as a part of the user request;

requesting vehicle data from the vehicle in real-time, the vehicle corresponding to the vehicle identified as a part of the user request, wherein the identified operator is currently operating the identified vehicle;

storing the vehicle data at the vehicle/operator database, the vehicle data having been received in response to the request for the vehicle data;

analyzing the vehicle data and vehicle operator data against the map data in real-time, the map data including the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment with respect to the provided vehicle and operator data, the vehicle and operator of the vehicle having traversed the at least one road segment;

generating an indication of operation performance of the vehicle with respect to the at least one road segment and the at least one road segment attribute associated with the at least one road segment, wherein the operator of the vehicle, the at least one road segment and the at least one road segment attribute are identified as part of a user request;

generating evaluation information in accordance with the generated indication, the evaluation information indicating performance of the operator with respect to the at least one road segment and the associated at least one road segment attribute identified by the user request, the evaluation information indicating performance over a time period identified by the user request; and

delivering the evaluation information to a client device in response to the user request.