Method and system for logging vehicle behavior

• US 9,633,487 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2016
• Issued: 04/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auto Telematics Ltd. (f/k/a Snoring Dog Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Andrew William Wright, Gillian Switalski
• Inventors: Wright, Andrew William
• Primary Examiner(s): PAIGE, TYLER D
• Application Number:
  US15/061,910
• Publication Number:
  US 20160189442A1
• Time in Patent Office: 417 Days
• Field of Search: 701 334, 340 1331
• 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 mobile telecommunications device configured to log driving information associated with a vehicle, the mobile telecommunications device comprising:

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

a user interface;

a processor; and

a memory;

the mobile telecommunications device configured to;

determine, based on the inputs received by the user interface and sensor data from the device'"'"'s 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;

process the sensor data from the sensor set during the driving period to derive driving information associated with how the vehicle is driven;

store a selection of the driving information to the memory;

wherein the driving information is derived without data from vehicle sensors, and the mobile telecommunications device is controlled by a downloaded application to control the mobile device to detect occurrence of a predetermined event and in response take at least one predetermined action.

2. The mobile telecommunication device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined action is storing driving information associated with that event to the memory.

3. The mobile telecommunications device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined action comprises providing feedback to a user to indicate that an event has been detected, the mobile telecommunications device being configured to receive a user interaction to confirm or deny whether the detected event has actually occurred following said feedback.

4. The mobile telecommunications device according to claim 3, wherein the feedback comprises notifying a user that a further action has been scheduled, and will be taken within a predetermined period, the mobile telecommunications device being further configured to receive a user interaction to confirm or deny whether the further scheduled action should be taken within a predetermined period.

5. A mobile telecommunications device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined action comprises communicating to a remote system that an event has been detected, the mobile telecommunications device being further configured to receive from the remote system a request to transmit to the remote system selected portions of the driving information associated with the detected event.

6. The mobile telecommunications device according to claim 1, wherein the memory comprises:

a long term memory for persistently storing driving information and a short term memory for transiently storing driving information, wherein the short term memory receives driving information at a higher update rate than the long term memory, the mobile telecommunications device being further configured to;

write driving information to the short term memory at a predetermined update rate during the driving period in a predetermined sequence; and

,

overwrite the driving information previously written to the short term memory in accordance with the predetermined sequence.

7. The mobile telecommunications device according to claim 6, wherein the mobile communications device is controlled by the downloaded application to control the mobile device to detect an occurrence of a predetermined event and in response transfer data from the short term memory to the long term memory.

8. The mobile telecommunications device according to claim 1, further configured to:

interface with an external device, the external device having access to external driving information associated with a condition of the vehicle; and

,

to receive at least a portion of the external driving information from the external device.

9. The mobile telecommunications device according to claim 1, wherein the mobile communications device is controlled by the downloaded application to control the mobile device to process the driving information to generate a driving score associated with a particular driver.

10. The mobile telecommunication device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined action is storing driving information captured at a higher sampling rate than when an event is not detected.

11. The mobile telecommunication device according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined action is transmitting driving information via a wireless telecommunication module of the mobile telecommunication device to a remote system.

12. The mobile telecommunication device according to claim 11, wherein the mobile telecommunications device utilizes its own power supply.

13. The mobile telecommunication device according to claim 11, wherein the mobile telecommunications device is a smartphone.