Pre-license development tool

• US 9,940,848 B1
• Filed: 02/16/2017
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Hsu-Hoffman, Chienlan, Gibbs, Evan, Dornadic, Alicia, Madigan, Regina
• Primary Examiner(s): Utama, Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fletcher, Jerry-Daryl
• Application Number:
  US15/434,560
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/147 using display panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/167 Control of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/06 with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied

Abstract

Methods, computer-readable media, software, and apparatuses provide a tool for use by drivers and/or coaches throughout the pre-license stage of obtaining a driver'"'"'s license. A pre-license program may control a computing device to collect drive data while a driver is driving a vehicle. This drive data may be used to detect a drive event. Then, the computing device may present coaching information associated with the detected drive event. The coaching information may provide a passenger, such as a coach or parent, with real-time advice for instructing the driver how to improve his/her driving skills. Moreover, the drive data collected may be used to prepare reports providing feedback to the drivers and coaches.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an accelerometer, gyroscope, or global positioning system receiver configured to detect drive data while a vehicle is being driven;

a display;

at least one processor; and

memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to;

activate the accelerometer, gyroscope, or global positioning system receiver to detect drive data;

receive a user request for first coaching information while the accelerometer, gyroscope, or global positioning system receiver is activated;

upon receiving the user request, present, on the display, the first coaching information while the accelerometer, gyroscope, or global positioning system receiver is activated, wherein the first coaching information includes a suggested route based on driving conditions and driver information associated with a driver of the vehicle;

detect a drive event based on received drive data;

in response to detecting the drive event, present, on the display, second coaching information associated with the drive event;

present, on the display, a prompt requesting user input related to the second coaching information, the user input including whether the driver followed the second coaching information and a performance rating of the driver; and

present, on the display, a drive summary including the first coaching information and the second coaching information.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the apparatus to:

detect, based on received drive data, that the vehicle is no longer being driven; and

upon detecting that the vehicle is no longer being driven, deactivate the accelerometer, gyroscope, or global positioning system receiver.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second coaching information is based on driver information associated with the driver.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the apparatus to:

retrieve driver information from another computing device associated with the driver; and

transmit the first coaching information and second coaching information to the other computing device associated with the driver.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drive data includes at least one of acceleration data and location data.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drive event comprises at least one of a brake event and a turn event.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the apparatus to:

predict a future drive event; and

present third coaching information associated with the future drive event in response to predicting the future drive event.

8. A method, comprising:

activating a sensor system associated with a vehicle to detect drive data while a driver is driving the vehicle, the drive data including at least one of acceleration data and location data;

presenting, on a display associated with the vehicle, first coaching information while the sensor system is activated, wherein the first coaching information includes a suggested route based on a skill level of the driver and driving conditions;

receiving, by at least one processor, drive data while sensor system is activated;

detecting a drive event based on received drive data;

in response to detecting the drive event, presenting, on the display associated with the vehicle, second coaching information associated with the drive event;

presenting, on the display associated with the vehicle, a prompt requesting user input related to the first coaching information, the user input including whether the driver followed the first coaching information and a performance rating of the driver; and

providing, on the display, a drive summary including the first coaching information and the second coaching information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the sensor system includes at least one of an accelerometer, gyroscope and global positioning system receiver.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a user request for first coaching information while the sensor system is activated,

wherein the first coaching information is presented upon receiving the user request.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

detecting, based on the drive data, that the driver is no longer driving the vehicle; and

upon detecting that the driver is no longer driving the vehicle, deactivating the sensor system.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

retrieving driver information from another computing device associated with the driver; and

determining the second coaching information based on the driver information.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the drive event comprises at least one of a brake event and a turn event.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

predicting a future drive event using map information of the suggested route; and

in response to predicting the future drive event, presenting, on the display, third coaching information associated with the future drive event.

15. A non-transitory computer readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computing device to:

activate a sensor system to detect drive data while a driver is driving a vehicle;

present, on a display of the computer device, first coaching information while the sensor system is activated, wherein the first coaching information includes a suggested driving route based on a skill level of the driver and driving conditions;

detect a drive event based on received drive data while the driver is driving the vehicle;

in response to detecting the drive event, present, on the display of the computing device, second coaching information associated with the drive event; and

present, on the display, a prompt requesting user input related to the second coaching information, the user input including whether the driver followed the second coaching information, and a performance rating of the driver.

16. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 15, wherein the sensor system includes at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope and a global positioning system receiver, and wherein the drive data includes at least one of acceleration data and location data.

17. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 15, wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the computing device to:

detect, based on the drive data, that the driver is no longer driving the vehicle; and

upon detecting that the driver is no longer driving the vehicle, deactivate the sensor system.

18. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 17, wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the computing device to:

upon deactivating the sensor system, provide, on the display, a drive summary including the first coaching information and the second coaching information.

19. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 15, wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the computing device to:

receive a user request for coaching information while the sensor system is activated, wherein the first coaching information is presented upon receiving the user request.

20. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 19, wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the computing device to:

retrieve driver information from another computing device associated with the driver; and

determine the second coaching information based on the driver information associated with the driver.