Road segment safety rating system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11847667-B2
Application number	US-202117355685-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 23, 2021
Priority date	May 10, 2007
Publication date	Dec 19, 2023
Grant date	Dec 19, 2023

Abstract

Methods, computer-readable media, systems, and apparatuses for determining a safest road segment for traveling between two locations are provided. In some cases, a road segment safety rating may be determined for a plurality of road segments between the two locations based on historical data associated with the road segments and/or based on driving behavior data of an operator of the vehicle. An indication of the road segment determined as being the safest may be provided to the operator of the vehicle. An actual route of travel of the vehicle may be compared to the safest route. If the actual route of travel is different from the determined safest route, the operator may be notified that an award may be earned when the determined safest route is traveled. If the actual route of travel is determined to be safer than the determined safest route, an award may be earned.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile device comprising:
at least one processor; and
memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the mobile device to:
receive information identifying a first location located along a road segment being traveled by a vehicle;
while the vehicle is traveling on the road segment:
determine a plurality of road segments located between the first location and a current location of the vehicle, wherein the plurality of road segments comprise a first series of road segments and a second series of road segments, wherein the first series of road segments correspond to a first route between the current location and the first location, and the second series of road segments correspond to a second route between the current location and the first location, wherein the second route is different from the first route;
receive from at least one sensor, driving data associated with operation of the vehicle;
analyze the driving data to determine at least one driving behavior of an operator of the vehicle;
determine, based on the at least one driving behavior of the operator of the vehicle and a direction of travel of the vehicle through each road segment of the plurality of road segments, a safety rating for each road segment of the plurality of road segments;
determine, based on the safety rating for each road segment of the plurality of road segments, a safest route between the current location and the first location; and
output, via a display screen located in the vehicle, an indication of the determined safest route; and
output, via the display screen and based on determining that the vehicle is beginning to travel along a route different from the determined the safest route, a notification that the vehicle is traveling along a route different from the determined safest route.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the driving data associated with the operation of the vehicle comprises one or more of: speed data, acceleration data, braking data, or turning data.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one driving behavior of the operator of the vehicle comprises one or more of: a speed limit observation behavior of the operator of the vehicle, a speed relative to other drivers behavior of the operator of the vehicle, a braking distance behavior of the operator of the vehicle, or a following distance behavior of the operator of the vehicle.

4. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the memory stores additional computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the mobile device to:
transmit, to a remote server, information indicating the at least one driving behavior of the operator of the vehicle.

5. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the memory stores additional computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the mobile device to:
transmit, to a remote server, location information identifying the plurality of road segments; receive, from the remote server, historical accident data associated with the plurality of road segments; and
determine the safety rating for each road segment, of the plurality of road segments, further based on the historical accident data.

6. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the memory stores additional computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the mobile device to:
transmit, to a remote server, location information identifying the plurality of road segments; receive, from the remote server, traffic volume data associated with the plurality of road segments; and
determine the safety rating for each road segment, of the plurality of road segments, further based on the traffic volume data.

7. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the memory stores additional computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the mobile device to:
based on determining that the route that the vehicle is beginning to travel along is the determined safest route:
store the route that the vehicle is beginning to travel along; and
cause an award to be provided to the operator of the vehicle.

8. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the memory stores additional computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the mobile device to:
based on determining that the route that the vehicle is beginning to travel along is not the determined safest route, output a notification that an award may be earned when the vehicle travels along the determined safest route.

9. The mobile device of claim 8 , wherein the memory stores additional computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the mobile device to:
receive, from a remote server and upon confirmation that the vehicle traveled along the determined safest route, data identifying the award; and
output, via the display screen, information identifying the award.

10. A method comprising:
receiving, by a computing device, information identifying a first location located along a road segment being traveled by a vehicle;
while the vehicle is traveling on the road segment:
determining a plurality of road segments located between the first location and a current location of the vehicle, wherein the plurality of road segments comprise a first series of road segments and a second series of road segments, wherein the first series of road segments correspond to a first route between the current location and the first location, and the second series of road segments correspond to a second route between the current location and the first location, wherein the second route is different from the first route;
receiving from at least one sensor, driving data associated with operation of the vehicle;
analyzing the driving data to determine at least one driving behavior of an operator of the vehicle;
determining, based on the at least one driving behavior of the operator of the vehicle and a direction of travel of the vehicle through each road segment of the plurality of road segments, a safety rating for each road segment of the plurality of road segments;
determining, based on the safety rating for each road segment of the plurality of road segments, a safest route between the current location and the first location; and
outputting, via a display screen located in the vehicle, an indication of the determined safest route; and
outputting, via the display screen and based on determining that the vehicle is beginning to travel along a route different from the determined the safest route, a notification that the vehicle is traveling along a route different from the determined safest route.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
transmitting, to a remote server, information identifying the at least one driving behavior of the operator of the vehicle.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
transmitting, to a remote server, location information identifying the plurality of road segments;
receiving, from the remote server, historical accident data associated with the plurality of road segments; and
determining the safety rating for each road segment, of the plurality of road segments, further based on the historical accident data.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
transmitting, to a remote server, location information identifying the plurality of road segments;
receiving, from the remote server, traffic volume data associated with the plurality of road segments; and
determining the safety rating for each road segment, of th

Assignees

• Allstate Insurance Co

Inventors

• Ramirez Philip Peter
• Otten Derek
• Ferguson Dana
• Jordan Peters Julie A
• Madigan Regina
• Mckenna Thomas

Classifications

• G06Q30/0224 Primary

  based on user history · CPC title

• B60K35/00

  Instruments specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement of instruments in or on vehicles · CPC title

• G01C21/3461

  Preferred or disfavoured areas, e.g. dangerous zones, toll or emission zones, intersections, manoeuvre types or segments such as motorways, toll roads or ferries · CPC title

• G01C21/3697

  Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level (G01C21/3679 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G06Q10/04

  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 title