Monitoring vehicle usage

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9373200-B2
Application number	US-201414298667-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 6, 2014
Priority date	Jun 6, 2014
Publication date	Jun 21, 2016
Grant date	Jun 21, 2016

Abstract

A method for monitoring vehicle usage is described. In one embodiment, the method includes detecting a vehicle event and detecting a query from a mobile device. The query includes a Wi-Fi probe request or Bluetooth inquiry. The method includes identifying a mobile device identifier from the query and associating the mobile device identifier with the vehicle event.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for monitoring events within a vehicle, comprising:
detecting, by a processor, a vehicle event;
detecting, by the processor, a query from a first mobile device and a second mobile device, the queries each comprising a Wi-Fi probe request or Bluetooth inquiry;
identifying, by the processor, a mobile device identifier from each of the queries; and
associating, by the processor, each of the mobile device identifiers with the vehicle event.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mobile device identifier includes any combination of a device serial number, international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) number, mobile equipment identifier (MEID), cellular data number (CDN), integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID), Wi-Fi media access control (MAC) address, BLUETOOTH® MAC address, BLUETOOTH® global identifier, carrier information, mobile device model information, and a list of service set identifiers (SSIDs).

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle event comprises any combination of vehicle speed, vehicle acceleration, vehicle deceleration, vehicle braking, vehicle gravitational force (g-force), vehicle seat belt use, distance traveled, engine performance, vehicle occupancy, and vehicle location.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, by the processor, whether the first mobile device is within the vehicle, wherein determining whether the first mobile device is within the vehicle comprises any combination of satisfying a quantity of queries threshold, satisfying a query timing threshold, and satisfying a signal strength threshold.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying, by the processor, excessive behavior from the vehicle event, the excessive behavior comprising any combination of satisfying a speed threshold, satisfying an acceleration threshold, satisfying a deceleration threshold, satisfying a braking threshold, satisfying a g-force threshold, satisfying a revolutions per minute (RPM) threshold, and satisfying an audio system volume threshold.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:
associating, by the processor, each of the mobile device identifiers with the excessive behavior.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
associating, by the processor, each of the mobile device identifiers with an identity of a vehicle occupant.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
upon detecting a predetermined mobile device identifier, by the processor, altering an operation of the vehicle and generating an alert notification.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle event is detected in conjunction with an on-board diagnostic (OBD) connector.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing, by the processor, the mobile device identifier and data associated with the mobile device identifier in a cloud data service, wherein the mobile device identifier and associations of the mobile device identifier are communicated to the cloud data service via a cellular link.

11. A computing device configured for monitoring vehicle usage within a vehicle, comprising:
a processor;
memory in electronic communication with the processor, wherein the memory stores computer executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:
receiving a vehicle event history;
detecting a vehicle event;
detecting a query from a mobile device, the query comprising a Wi-Fi probe request or Bluetooth inquiry;
identifying a mobile device identifier from the query;
associating the mobile device identifier with the vehicle event; and
generating an alert notification based at least in part on the vehicle event history and the association.

12. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the mobile device identifier includes any combination of a device serial number, international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) number, mobile equipment identifier (MEID), cellular data number (CDN), integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID), Wi-Fi media access control (MAC) address, BLUETOOTH® MAC address, BLUETOOTH® global identifier, carrier information, mobile device model information, and a list of service set identifiers (SSIDs).

13. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the vehicle event comprises any combination of vehicle speed, vehicle acceleration, vehicle deceleration, vehicle braking, vehicle gravitational force (g-force), vehicle seat belt use, distance traveled, engine performance, vehicle occupancy, and vehicle location.

14. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:
determining whether the mobile device is within the vehicle, wherein determining whether mobile device is within the vehicle comprises any combination of satisfying a quantity of queries threshold, satisfying a query timing threshold, and satisfying a signal strength threshold.

15. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:
identifying excessive behavior from the vehicle event, the excessive behavior comprising any combination of satisfying a speed threshold, satisfying an acceleration threshold, satisfying a deceleration threshold, satisfying a braking threshold, satisfying a g-force threshold, satisfying a revolutions per minute (RPM) threshold, and satisfying an audio system volume threshold.

16. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:
associating the mobile device identifier with the excessive behavior.

17. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:
upon detecting the predetermined mobile device identifier, altering an operation of the vehicle and generating an alert notification.

18. The computing device of claim 11 , wherein the instructions executed by the processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:
storing the mobile device identifier and data associated with mobile device identifier in a cloud data service, wherein the mobile device identifier and associations of the mobile device identifier are communicated to the cloud data service via a cellular link.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer executable instructions that when executed by a processor cause the processor to perform the steps of:
detecting a vehicle event;
detecting a query from a first mobile device and a second mobile device, the queries each comprising a Wi-Fi probe request or Bluetooth inquiry;
identifying a mobile device identifier from each of the queries;
associating the mobile device identifiers with the vehicle event; and
determining whether the first mobile device is within the vehicle by at least one of satisfying a quantity of queries threshold, satisfying a query timing threshold, and satisfying a signal strength threshold.

20. The computer-program product of claim 19 , wherein the mobile device identifier includes any combination of a device serial number, international mobile equipment identity (IMEI) number, mobile equipment identifier (MEID), cellular data number (CDN), integrated circuit card identifier (ICCID), Wi-Fi media access control (MAC) address, BLUETOOTH® MAC address, BLUETOOTH® global identifier, carrier information, mobile device model information, and a list of service set identifiers (SSIDs).

Assignees

• Vivint Inc

Inventors

• Warren Jeremy B

Classifications

• H04W84/12

  WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] · CPC title

• B60W2540/30

  Driving style · CPC title

• B60W2710/30

  Auxiliary equipments · CPC title

• B60W2520/10

  Longitudinal speed · CPC title

• B60W2540/043

  Identity of occupants · CPC title