Systems and methods for mobile mileage tracking

• US 9,576,407 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2015
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Original Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Inventors: Higgs, Joe, Leung, Corly, Nelson, Natalie, Hoffman, Ryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Holloway, Jason
• Application Number:
  US14/978,423
• Time in Patent Office: 427 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/12 Accounting
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/16 Use of wireless transmission of display information
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/003 Details of a display terminal, the details relating to the control arrangement of the display terminal and to the interfaces thereto specific for a CRT G09G1/165; for a flat panel G09G3/2092
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72448 with means for adapting the functionality of the device according to specific conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Abstract

A system and method allows a user to connect a mobile device, such as a smartphone, to a vehicle in order to track and record driving mileages incurred for a trip. Once a connection is established, the system and method may automatically begin mileage tracking. Upon termination of the connection, the system and method may sum up the tracked mileages to calculate a total mileage for the trip. The system and method may then display the total mileage for the trip to the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for automatic mileage tracking using a mobile device, the method comprising:

defining, by one or more processors of the mobile device, a trip type for a current trip based on a set of trip categorization rules configured specifically for a user;

establishing, by one or more processors of the mobile device, a wireless connection between the mobile device and a vehicle;

after establishing the wireless connection between the mobile device and the vehicle, executing, by one or more processors of the mobile device, mileage tracking for the current trip;

storing, by one or more processors of the mobile device, a plurality of tracked mileages from the mileage tracking for the current trip in a memory of the mobile device;

calculating, by one or more processors of the mobile device, a total mileage for the current trip using the plurality of tracked mileages; and

one or both of

(i) displaying to the user, by one or more processors of the mobile device, the total mileage for the current trip and an indication of the trip type defined for the current trip, and

(ii) submitting via a network, by one or more processors of the mobile device and for storage in a database, the total mileage for the current trip and the indication of the trip type defined for the current trip.

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

prior to defining the trip type for the current trip, configuring, by one or more processors of the mobile device and based on input from the user, the set of trip categorization rules.

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

receiving, by one or more processors of the mobile device, an input from the user indicating the total mileage for the current trip is to be submitted; and

submitting, by one or more processors of the mobile device, the total mileage for the current trip by transmitting the total mileage to a remote database.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the trip type for the current trip comprises one of a business trip, a personal trip, or a personal incidental trip.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the set of trip categorization rules defines a time period designated for the business trip, a time period designated for the personal trip, and a time period designated for the personal incidental trip.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein defining the trip type for the current trip comprises determining a time period in which the current trip occurs based on the set of trip categorization rules.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the wireless connection between the mobile device and the vehicle is established using Bluetooth.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein executing the mileage tracking comprises transmitting a plurality of signals to a location detection system at periodic intervals to determine the position of the mobile device.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein distance between each signal in the plurality of signals corresponds to each tracked mileage in the plurality of tracked mileages.

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

receiving, by one or more processors of the mobile device, an input from the user indicating that the current trip is to be split into a new trip;

in response to receiving the input from the user, terminating, by one or more processors of the mobile device, the mileage tracking on the current trip;

storing, by one or more processors of the mobile device, the plurality of tracked mileages for the current trip in the memory of the mobile device;

assigning, by one or more processors of the mobile device, a different trip type for the new trip; and

executing, by one or more processors of the mobile device, mileage tracking for the new trip.

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

activating, by one or more processors of the mobile device, a reminder alarm to remind the user to submit the total mileage for the current trip.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer-readable instructions to be executed on one or more processors of a mobile device for automatic mileage tracking, the instructions when executed causing the one or more processors to:

define a trip type for a current trip based on a set of trip categorization rules configured specifically for a user;

establish a wireless connection between the mobile device and a vehicle;

after establishing the wireless connection between the mobile device and the vehicle, execute mileage tracking for the current trip;

store a plurality of tracked mileages from the mileage tracking for the current trip in the memory of the mobile device;

calculate a total mileage for the current trip using the plurality of tracked mileages; and

one or both of

(i) display to the user the total mileage for the current trip and an indication of the trip type defined for the current trip, and

(ii) submit via a network, for storage in a database, the total mileage for the current trip and the indication of the trip type defined for the current trip.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

configure the set of trip categorization rules.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

receive an input from the user indicating the total mileage for the current trip is to be submitted; and

submit the total mileage for the current trip by transmitting the total mileage to a remote database.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the trip type for the current trip includes one of a business trip, a personal trip, or a personal incidental trip.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the set of trip categorization rules defines a time period designated for the business trip, a time period designated for the personal trip, and a time period designated for the personal incidental trip.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to define the trip type for the current trip at least by determining which time period in which the current trip occurs based on the set of trip categorization rules.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions cause the one or more processors to execute the mileage tracking at least by transmitting a plurality of signals to a location detection system at periodic intervals to determine the position of the mobile device.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein distance between each signal in the plurality of signals corresponds to each tracked mileage in the plurality of tracked mileages.

20. A mobile device comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the mobile device to;

define a trip type for a current trip based on a set of trip categorization rules configured specifically for a user;

establish a wireless connection between the mobile device and a vehicle;

after establishing the wireless connection between the mobile device and the vehicle, execute mileage tracking for the current trip;

store a plurality of tracked mileages from the mileage tracking for the current trip in the memory of the mobile device;

calculate a total mileage for the current trip using the plurality of tracked mileages; and

one or both of

(i) display to the user the total mileage for the current trip and an indication of the trip type defined for the current trip, and

(ii) submit via a network, for storage in a database, the total mileage for the current trip and the indication of the trip type defined for the current trip.