Broadcasting telematics data to nearby mobile computing devices, vehicles, and infrastructure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10057312-B1
Application number	US-201715787293-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 18, 2017
Priority date	Jan 20, 2015
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

A computer-implemented method of generating and broadcasting telematics and/or image data is provided. Telematics and/or image data may be collected, with customer permission, in real-time by a mobile device (or a Telematics App running thereon) traveling within an originating vehicle. The telematics data may include acceleration, braking, speed, heading, and location data associated with the originating vehicle. The mobile device may generate an updated telematics data broadcast including up-to-date telematics data at least every few seconds; and then broadcast the updated telematics data broadcast at least every few seconds via wireless communication to another computing device to facilitate alerting another vehicle or driver of an abnormal traffic condition or event that the originating vehicle is experiencing. An amount that an insured uses or otherwise employs the telematics data-based risk mitigation or prevention functionality may be used with usage-based insurance, or to calculate or adjust insurance premiums or discounts.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
generating, via one or more sensors associated with an originating mobile computing device, telematics data including acceleration, braking, speed, compass heading, and location-related data associated with an operation of an originating vehicle that is associated with an originating driver, the telematics data being generated by the one or more sensors when the one or more sensors indicate that the originating mobile computing device is stationary with respect to the originating vehicle and is located within the originating vehicle;
periodically broadcasting, via the originating mobile computing device, the generated telematics data,
wherein the periodically broadcasted telematics data is received by a destination mobile computing device that is associated with a destination vehicle and a destination driver, and results in the destination mobile computing device directing corrective actions when an abnormal traffic condition or event indicated by the telematics data is found to be relevant to the destination vehicle or the destination driver, the relevance being based upon whether a location of the originating vehicle, as indicated by the telematics data, is within a threshold distance of a current location of the destination mobile computing device,
wherein the corrective actions include at least one of
(i) the destination mobile computing device issuing an alert regarding the abnormal traffic condition or event being experienced by the originating vehicle, the alert including a graphical user interface (GUI) display of
(a) an indication of a description of the abnormal traffic condition or event, the indication of the description of the abnormal traffic condition or event including at least one of a text indication of the description or a graphical indication of the description, and
(b) an indication of a location of the abnormal traffic condition or event, the indication of the location of the abnormal traffic condition or event including at least one of a text indication of the location, a graphical indication of the location, or a map indicating the location, or

(ii) at least one other corrective action, the at least one other corrective action affecting driving of the destination vehicle, and

wherein the periodic broadcasting of the telematics data results in the destination mobile computing device displaying insurance policy pricing adjustment information associated with the destination driver that is based upon a destination driver risk due to the abnormal traffic condition or event, so as to promote or reward risk averse behavior and safer driving via the displayed insurance policy pricing adjustment information.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors indicate that the originating mobile computing device is located within the originating vehicle based upon whether the originating mobile computing device is wirelessly connected to a communication system associated with the originating vehicle.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors indicate that the originating mobile computing device is stationary with respect to the originating vehicle based upon whether the originating mobile computing device is in use.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the telematics data indicates that the originating vehicle is experiencing one or more of high traffic conditions, congestion, road construction, and extreme weather conditions.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the telematics data is indicative of one or more of Global Positioning System (GPS) location, lane information associated with the originating vehicle, time, turning associated with the originating vehicle, a battery level associated with the originating mobile computing device, and telephone usage information associated with the originating mobile computing device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the corrective actions include generating an alternate travel route via the destination mobile computing device that avoids the location of the abnormal traffic condition or event, and presenting the alternate travel route via the GUI display.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the periodically broadcasted telematics data is received by a remote server, and then relayed from the remote server to the destination mobile computing device.

8. An originating mobile computing device, comprising:
one or more sensors configured to generate telematics data including acceleration, braking, speed, compass heading, and location-related data associated with an operation of an originating vehicle that is associated with an originating driver, the telematics data being generated by the one or more sensors when the one or more sensors indicate that the originating mobile computing device is stationary with respect to the originating vehicle and is located within the originating vehicle; and
a communication unit configured to periodically broadcast the generated telematics data,
wherein the periodically broadcasted telematics data is received by a destination mobile computing device that is associated with a destination vehicle and a destination driver, and results in the destination mobile computing device directing corrective actions when an abnormal traffic condition or event indicated by the telematics data is found to be relevant to the destination vehicle or destination driver, the relevance being based upon whether a location of the originating vehicle, as indicated by the telematics data, is within a threshold distance of a current location of the destination mobile computing device,
wherein the corrective actions include at least one of
(i) the destination mobile computing device issuing an alert regarding the abnormal traffic condition or event being experienced by the originating vehicle, the alert including a graphical user interface (GUI) display of
(a) an indication of a description of the abnormal traffic condition or event, the indication of the description of the abnormal traffic condition or event including at least one of a text indication of the description or a graphical indication of the description, and
(b) an indication of a location of the abnormal traffic condition or event, the indication of the location of the abnormal traffic condition or event including at least one of a text indication of the location, a graphical indication of the location, or a map indicating the location, or

(ii) at least one other corrective action, the at least one other corrective action affecting driving of the destination vehicle, and

wherein the periodic broadcasting of the telematics data results in the destination mobile computing device displaying insurance policy pricing adjustment information associated with the destination driver that is based upon a destination driver risk due to the abnormal traffic condition or event, so as to promote or reward risk averse behavior and safer driving via the displayed insurance policy pricing adjustment information.

9. The originating mobile computing device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more sensors are further configured to indicate that the originating mobile computing device is located within the originating vehicle based upon whether the originating mobile computing device is wirelessly connected to a communication system associated with the originating vehicle.

10. The originating mobile computing device of claim 8 , wherein the one or more sensors are further configured to indicate that the originating mobile computing device is stationary with respect to the originating vehicle based upon wheth

Assignees

• State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co

Inventors

• Hayward Gregory L

Classifications

• B60W50/14

  Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention · CPC title

• B60W40/10

  related to vehicle motion · CPC title

• G01S19/13

  Receivers · CPC title

• G06Q10/047

  Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem · CPC title

• G01C21/34

  Route searching; Route guidance · CPC title