Methods of theft prevention or mitigation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9783159-B1
Application number	US-201514798769-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jul 14, 2015
Priority date	Jul 21, 2014
Publication date	Oct 10, 2017
Grant date	Oct 10, 2017

Abstract

In system and methods for theft prevention or mitigation, driver-related data associated with one or more authorized drivers of an insured vehicle may be collected over time. The authorized drivers and the insured vehicle may be covered by an insurance policy issued by an insurance provider. Based upon the collected driver-related data, a database associated with the authorized drivers may be built. Current driver-related data associated with an individual currently driving, attempting to start, or sitting in a seat of the insured vehicle may be collected. It may be determined, using both the database and the current driver-related data, that the individual is not among the authorized drivers. A disablement of an operation of the insured vehicle may be caused, and/or the individual may be caused to be prevented from starting or otherwise operating the insured vehicle, to facilitate preventing or mitigating theft of the insured vehicle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method of vehicle theft prevention or mitigation, the method comprising:
collecting, by one or more processors of (i) a vehicle controller or (ii) one or more remote servers associated with an insurance provider, driver-related data over time, the driver-related data being associated with one or more authorized drivers of an insured vehicle, and the authorized drivers and the insured vehicle being covered by an insurance policy issued by the insurance provider;
building, by the one or more processors, and based upon the collected driver-related data, a database associated with the authorized drivers covered by the insurance policy;
collecting, by the one or more processors, current driver-related data associated with an individual currently driving, attempting to start, or sitting in a seat of the insured vehicle;
determining, by the one or more processors, a current driving behavior pattern indicating a pattern of behavior by the individual in controlling the insured vehicle based upon the collected driver-related data;
determining, by the one or more processors by comparing the current driving behavior pattern with one or more driving patterns in the database, that the individual currently driving, attempting to start, or sitting in a seat of the insured vehicle is not among the authorized drivers covered by the insurance policy;
verifying, by the one or more processors and the current driver-related data, that the individual currently driving, attempting to start, or sitting in a seat of the insured vehicle is sitting in a driver seat of the insured vehicle by (i) identifying a signal from a mobile device associated with the individual, (ii) determining a location of the mobile device by triangulation using the signal, and (iii) determining the location of the mobile device is associated with the driver seat; and
causing, by the one or more processors and based upon determining that the individual is not among the authorized drivers and is sitting in the driver seat, one or both of (i) a disablement of an operation of the insured vehicle, and (ii) the individual to be prevented from starting or otherwise operating the insured vehicle, to facilitate preventing or mitigating theft of the insured vehicle.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the individual currently driving, attempting to start, or sitting in a seat of the insured vehicle is not among the authorized drivers covered by the insurance policy further includes:
comparing electronic signatures or signals of mobile devices of the authorized drivers with an unknown electronic signature or signal of the mobile device associated with the individual currently driving, attempting to start, or sitting in a seat of the insured vehicle.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the individual currently driving, attempting to start, or sitting in a seat of the insured vehicle is not among the authorized drivers covered by the insurance policy further includes:
comparing electronic signatures or signals of various mobile devices.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the individual currently driving, attempting to start, or sitting in a seat of the insured vehicle is not among the authorized drivers covered by the insurance policy further includes:
comparing visual images or weights of the authorized drivers with a visual image or a weight, respectively, of the individual currently driving, attempting to start, or sitting in a seat of the insured vehicle.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein collecting the driver-related data includes collecting data associated with, or generated by, one or more mobile devices.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein collecting the driver-related data includes collecting data associated with, or generated by, the insured vehicle or a computer system of the insured vehicle.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein collecting the driver-related data includes collecting data associated with, or generated by, one or more of (i) a vehicle other than the insured vehicle; (ii) vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication; or (iii) roadside equipment or infrastructure.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:
when it is determined that the individual currently driving, attempting to start, or sitting in a seat of the insured vehicle is not among the authorized drivers, generating a message and transmitting the message to a mobile device of one of the authorized drivers, or to authorities, to facilitate vehicle recapture or safety.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , the method further comprising one or both of:
tracking a GPS location of the insured vehicle; and
transmitting a present GPS location of the insured vehicle to a mobile device of one of the authorized drivers or to a third party remote server.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein:
the method comprises causing a disablement of an operation of the insured vehicle; and
causing a disablement of an operation of the insured vehicle includes slowing down the vehicle to a halt.

11. A system for vehicle theft prevention or mitigation, the system comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more memories storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to
collect driver-related data over time, the driver-related data being associated with one or more authorized drivers of an insured vehicle, and the authorized drivers and the insured vehicle being covered by an insurance policy issued by an insurance provider,
build, based upon the collected driver-related data, a database associated with the authorized drivers covered by the insurance policy,
collect current driver-related data associated with an individual currently driving, attempting to start, or sitting in a seat of the insured vehicle,
determine a current driving behavior pattern indicating a pattern of behavior by the individual in controlling the insured vehicle based upon the collected driver-related data,
determine, by comparing the current driving behavior pattern with one or more driving patterns in the database, whether the individual currently driving, attempting to start, or sitting in a seat of the insured vehicle is among the authorized drivers covered by the insurance policy,
verify that the individual currently driving, attempting to start, or sitting in a seat of the insured vehicle is sitting in a driver seat of the insured vehicle by (i) identifying a signal from a mobile device associated with the individual, (ii) determining a location of the mobile device by triangulation using the signal, and (iii) determining the location of the mobile device is associated with the driver seat; and
when determining that the individual is not among the authorized drivers covered by the insurance policy and is sitting in the driver seat, cause one or both of (i) a disablement of an operation of the insured vehicle, and (ii) the individual to be prevented from starting or otherwise operating the insured vehicle, to facilitate preventing or mitigating theft of the insured vehicle.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to determine whether the individual currently driving, attempting to start, or sitting in a seat of the insured vehicle is among the authorized drivers covered by the insurance policy at least by:
comparing electronic signatures or signals of mobile devices of the authorized drivers wi

Assignees

• State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co

Inventors

• Potter Thomas Michael
• Clauss Mark E
• Carter Dustin Ryan
• Graff Douglas Albert
• Baumann Megan Michal
• Bonnom Atlanta
• Cope Craig
• Lawyer Jennifer Luella
• Simpson Curtis
• Baumann Nathan W

Classifications

• B60R25/102 Primary

  a signal being sent to a remote location, e.g. a radio signal being transmitted to a police station, a security company or the owner · CPC title

• B60W40/09

  Driving style or behaviour · CPC title

• B60W2030/082

  Vehicle operation after collision · CPC title

• G08B21/02

  Alarms for ensuring the safety of persons · CPC title

• G08B25/00

  Alarm systems in which the location of the alarm condition is signalled to a central station, e.g. fire or police telegraphic systems · CPC title