Pre-license development tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9607526-B1
Application number	US-201313826890-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 14, 2013
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

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.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, cause a computing device to:
activate an accelerometer, gyroscope, or global positioning system receiver to detect drive data while a driver is driving a vehicle, the drive data including at least one of acceleration data or location data;
receive the drive data while the driver is driving the vehicle;
detect a drive event based on the drive data;
automatically present, on a display of the computing device, coaching information associated with the drive event in response to detecting the drive event;
present, on the display, a prompt requesting user input related to the automatically presented coaching information, the user input including whether the automatically presented coaching information was provided to the driver, whether the driver followed the automatically presented coaching information, and a performance rating of the driver;
receive a user request for coaching information while the accelerometer, gyroscope, or global positioning system receiver is activated;
upon receiving the user request, present, on the display, the user-requested coaching information while the accelerometer, gyroscope, or global positioning system receiver is activated, wherein the user-requested coaching information includes a suggested driving route based on a skill level of the driver and driving conditions;
detect, based on the drive data, that the driver is no longer driving the vehicle;
upon detecting that the driver is no longer driving the vehicle, deactivate the accelerometer, gyroscope, or global positioning system receiver; and
provide, on the display, a drive summary including the automatically presented coaching information and the user-requested coaching information.

2. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 1 , wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the computing device to:
determine the automatically presented coaching information based on driver information associated with the driver.

3. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 2 , wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the computing device to:
retrieve the driver information from another computing device associated with the driver.

4. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 3 , wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the computing device to:
transmit the automatically presented coaching information to the another computing device associated with the driver.

5. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 1 , wherein the drive event comprises at least one of a brake event and a turn event.

6. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 1 , wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the computing device to:
predict a future drive event; and
present additional coaching information associated with the future drive event in response to predicting the future drive event.

7. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 1 , wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the computing device to:
determine an experience level associated with the driver based on the detected drive event; and
generate the suggested driving route based on the determined experience level associated with the driver.

8. The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 1 , wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the computing device to:
receive, by an input device of the computing device, user input indicating whether the automatically presented coaching information was provided to the driver; and
in response to receiving the user input, transmit information indicating that the automatically presented coaching information was provided to the driver.

9. An apparatus, comprising:
an accelerometer, gyroscope, or global positioning system receiver configured to detect drive data while a driver is driving a vehicle, the drive data including at least one of acceleration data or location data;
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 the drive data;
receive the drive data while the driver is driving the vehicle;
detect a drive event based on the drive data;
automatically present, on the display of the apparatus, coaching information associated with the drive event in response to detecting the drive event;
present, on the display, a prompt requesting user input related to the automatically presented coaching information, the user input including whether the automatically presented coaching information was provided to the driver, whether the driver followed the automatically presented coaching information, and a performance rating of the driver;
receive a user request for coaching information while the accelerometer, gyroscope, or global positioning system receiver is activated;
upon receiving the user request, present, on the display, the user-requested coaching information while the accelerometer, gyroscope, or global positioning system receiver is activated, wherein the user-requested coaching information includes a suggested route based on a skill level of the driver and driving conditions;
detect, based on the drive data, that the driver is no longer driving the vehicle;
upon detecting that the driver is no longer driving the vehicle, deactivate the accelerometer, gyroscope, or global positioning system receiver; and
provide, on the display, a drive summary including the automatically presented coaching information and the user-requested coaching information.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the apparatus to:
determine the automatically presented coaching information based on driver information associated with the driver.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the apparatus to:
retrieve the driver information from another computing device associated with the driver; and
transmit the automatically presented coaching information to the another computing device associated with the driver.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the drive event comprises at least one of a brake event and a turn event, and wherein said computer-executable instructions further cause the apparatus to:
predict a future drive event; and
present additional coaching information associated with the future drive event in response to predicting the future drive event.

13. A method, comprising:
activating an accelerometer, gyroscope, or global positioning system receiver to detect drive data while a driver is driving a vehicle, the drive data including at least one of acceleration data and location data;
receiving, by at least one processor, the drive data while a driver is driving a vehicle;
detecting a drive event based on the drive data;
automatically presenting, on a display of a computing device, first coaching information associated with the drive event in response to detecting the drive event;
presenting, on the display, a prompt requesting user input related to the first coaching information, the user input including whether the first coaching information was provided to the driver, whether the driver followed the first coaching information, and a performance rating of the driver;
receiving a user request for second coaching information while the accelerometer,

Assignees

• Allstate Insurance Co

Inventors

• Hsu-Hoffman Chienlan
• Evan Gibbs
• Dornadic Alicia
• Madigan Regina

Classifications

• G09B19/167 Primary

  Control of land vehicles · CPC title

• G06F3/147

  using display panels · CPC title

• G06F3/0346

  with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a three-dimensional [3D] space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors · CPC title

• G09B5/06

  with both visual and audible presentation of the material to be studied · CPC title