Monitoring and combining mobile device data and vehicle use records

• US 9,715,713 B1
• Filed: 12/07/2015
• Issued: 07/25/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steven L. Zimmers, Thomas W. Humphrey
• Original Assignee: Steven L. Zimmers, Thomas W. Humphrey
• Inventors: Zimmers, Steven L., Humphrey, Thomas W.
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, NATHAN SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US14/961,296
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 4554141
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/08 Metering calls to called party , i.e. B-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/10 Metering calls from calling party , i.e. A-party charged for the communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/41 Billing record details, i.e. parameters, identifiers, structure of call data record [CDR]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/44 Augmented, consolidated or itemized billing statement or bill presentation
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/47 Fraud detection or prevention means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/58 based on statistics of usage or network monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2218 Call detail recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/2281 Call monitoring, e.g. for law enforcement purposes; Call tracing; Detection or prevention of malicious calls
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing

Abstract

The inappropriate use of a mobile device and/or a motor vehicle may be ameliorated through audit by a supervisor, parent or peer using a system that monitors vehicle movements and mobile device use and notifies the supervisor, parent or peer of potentially inappropriate use, such as simultaneous vehicle and mobile device use, use of the mobile device generally at times when such use is normally inappropriate according to a calendar of events, and use of the motor vehicle generally at a location or at a time and location that is normally inappropriate.

Claims

1. A method for auditing data relating to a vehicle, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

connecting to a mobile monitoring device in a motor vehicle of a custodial person, the monitoring device reporting records of the use of the motor vehicle during a period of time prior to the time the record is reported, and the time of creation of the record;

storing motor vehicle use records from the mobile monitoring device in a remote server, the stored motor vehicle use records being referenced to the specific custodial person and to a particular period of time;

storing mobile device use data for the mobile monitoring device in the remote server, the stored mobile device use data being referenced to the specific custodial person and time of creation of the data;

comparing motor vehicle use records and mobile device use data referenced to a common custodial person, to identify simultaneous use of the mobile device and motor vehicle based upon time correspondence of mobile device use data and one or more motor vehicle use records from corresponding times;

using reference data defining normal activity, comparing records of use of the mobile device and motor vehicle to said reference data; and

communicating a notice to an auditing person indicating any or all of the time, place or content of the corresponding motor vehicle use records and mobile device use data.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device use data reflects one or more of:

origination of a telephone connection at a particular time;

receipt of a telephone connection at a particular time;

continuation of a telephone connection over a particular time range;

origination of a text message at a particular time;

receipt of a text message at a particular time;

use of data service at a particular time;

use of data service over a particular time range; and

use of any one of telephone, text or data service in a particular location.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the motor vehicle use records reflect one or more of:

movement of the vehicle above a threshold speed;

position of the vehicle within a specific geographic area.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising accessing criteria of unacceptable simultaneous use of the mobile device and vehicle and based upon said criteria identifying whether a particular simultaneous use is acceptable according to said criteria.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing a record of a simultaneous use.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the mobile device use data is obtained from a cellular carrier to which the mobile device is subscribed.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein records of telephone, text or data use of the mobile device are obtained from a database maintained by the cellular carrier.

8. A method for auditing for abnormal or unexpected use of a mobile device and motor vehicle, comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

connecting to a mobile monitoring device in a motor vehicle, the mobile monitoring device reporting use of the motor vehicle to a remote server during a period of time prior to the time the record is reported;

storing records of motor vehicle use in said remote server, the records reflecting use occurring during a particular period of time;

storing records of use of the mobile monitoring device via a cellular carrier with which the device is subscribed for service;

storing reference data defining normal or expected activity of a motor vehicle and a mobile monitoring device;

comparing said stored records and reference data to identify an abnormal or unexpected use of the mobile device and motor vehicle that does not fit the normal or expected activity defined by the reference data, the comparison based at least in part upon the time of use of the mobile device or motor vehicle; and

communicating a notice to an auditing person indicating any or all of the time, place or content of the abnormal use of the mobile device and motor vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein records of telephone, text or data use of the mobile device are obtained from a database maintained by the cellular carrier.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said reference data is derived from geographical profiles or historical events.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the geographical profiles specify behavioral patterns and scenarios for a monitored person.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the historical events include movements of one or both of a vehicle and mobile device.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the historical events include telecommunication events using the cellular carrier.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the telecommunication events are identified as one or more of a voice connection, data connection or text messaging.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the telecommunication events are identified by one or more of the geographical source and geographical destination of the telecommunication.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the historical events include one or more of vehicle speed, vehicle engine RPM, vehicle engine running status, and vehicle diagnostic data.

17. The method of claim 8 wherein said reference data is comprises locations of interest.