Vehicle driver feedback device

• US 9,177,427 B1
• Filed: 08/24/2011
• Issued: 11/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Briggs, Ryan M., Bryer, Nathan M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaawat, Mussa A
• Application Number:
  US13/216,849
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/70, 701/99, 701/29.1, 701/33.2, 701/33.4
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/11 Instrument graphical user interfaces or menu aspects
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/166 Navigation
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/172 Driving mode indication
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/174 Economic driving
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/566 Mobile devices displaying vehicle information
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/573 Mobile devices controlling vehicle functions
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/589 Wireless data transfers
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/5899 Internet
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/5905 Wi-fi
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/592 Data transfer involving external databases
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/00 Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/65 Instruments specially adapted for specific vehicle types or users, e.g. for left- or right-hand drive
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/80 Arrangements for controlling instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/85 Arrangements for transferring vehicle- or driver-related data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0252 for personal computers, e.g. laptops, notebooks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 7/00 Methods or arrangements for processing data by operating upon the order or content of the data handled logic circuits H03K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 13/40 of characters, e.g. humans, animals or virtual beings
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/10 : Geometric effects
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/24 : involving graphical user interfaces [GUIs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2215/16 : Using real world measurements to influence rendering
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 : Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 : communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 : Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 : Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 : Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 : using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/00 : Services specially adapted for wireless communication networks; Facilities therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/48 : for in-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/84 : Data processing systems or methods, management, administration

Abstract

The disclosure relates generally to an in-vehicle feedback system, and more particularly, to an in-vehicle device with a display or graphical interface that collects driving data and provides feedback based on the driving data. The system may comprise an in-vehicle device that includes a graphical user interface and a processor and a data collection device wirelessly connected to the in-vehicle device. The in-vehicle device may be configured to receive vehicle telematics data from the data collection device and the processor may process the telematics data in real time and cause the telematics data to be displayed on the graphical user interface. The graphical user interface may include a speed display and an acceleration display.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an in-vehicle device that includes a graphical user interface and a processor; and

a data collection device wirelessly connected to the in-vehicle device, wherein the data collection device includes an accelerometer that collects and sends vehicle telematics data and acceleration data to the processor,

wherein the in-vehicle device is configured to receive the vehicle telematics data and the acceleration data from the data collection device, wherein the processor processes the telematics data and the acceleration data in real time and causes the telematics data and the acceleration data to be displayed on the graphical user interface, and further wherein the graphical user interface includes a speed display and an acceleration display for displaying the telematics data and the acceleration data,

wherein the acceleration display includes a two-dimensional rendering of a three-dimensional shape, wherein the two-dimensional rendering of the three-dimensional shape is located within a larger geometric shape and wherein based on the processed telematics data and the acceleration data, the two-dimensional rendering of the three-dimensional shape moves within the geometric shape,

further wherein the two-dimensional rendering of the three-dimensional shape and geometric shape is defined by a bubble centered on a concentric circle, wherein the bubble floats in the center of the concentric circle when the vehicle is motion and moves within the concentric circle based on the processed telematics data and the acceleration data,

wherein the bubble moves left within the concentric circle when the vehicle turns to the right, and the bubbles moves right within the concentric circle when the vehicle turns to the left and wherein the bubble grows larger within the concentric circle when the vehicle accelerates, and the bubble shrinks smaller within the concentric circle when the vehicle brakes, and further wherein the concentric circle includes a threshold circle that defines a threshold limit for acceleration and when the threshold limit is exceeded the bubble changes colors.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface includes a trip summary that displays historical speed data for a time period and includes speed displayed along the y-axis with the time period displayed along the x-axis.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the in-vehicle device is one of a smartphone and a tablet personal computer.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the data collection device comprises a datalogger that communicates with an on-board diagnostics port of a vehicle.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the datalogger includes a Bluetooth serial interface, and the datalogger wirelessly communicates with the in-vehicle device via a serial connection between the Bluetooth serial interface and the datalogger.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a windshield mounting bracket to hold the in-vehicle device in the vehicle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle telematics data includes at least one of:

vehicle hard braking, speeding, extreme acceleration, and sharp turns.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the threshold limit is an acceleration of approximately 0.5 g.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein when the threshold limit is exceeded the bubble blinks a set number of blinks.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein if the threshold is exceeded a pre-determined number of times, the bubble changes color for a remainder of the trip to indicate a bad driving trip.