Shared vehicle usage, monitoring and feedback

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9870649-B1
Application number	US-201615241826-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 19, 2016
Priority date	Aug 28, 2015
Publication date	Jan 16, 2018
Grant date	Jan 16, 2018

Abstract

Methods and systems are described for monitoring the use of a vehicle by multiple users. In various aspects, telematics data regarding operation of the vehicle may be collected by one or more sensors associated with a vehicle. The telematics data may be associated with a vehicle operator and also used to determine that a driving event has occurred. The driving event may indicate improper usage of the vehicle by the vehicle operator. A notification of the driving event may be generated and transmitted, via a network, to an interested party associated with the vehicle for presentation to the interested party.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method of monitoring use of a shared vehicle, comprising: collecting, from one or more sensors associated with a shared vehicle, telematics data regarding operation of the shared vehicle, the shared vehicle associated a shared vehicle operator and a shared vehicle stakeholder, wherein the shared vehicle stakeholder maintains an ownership interest with respect to the shared vehicle; associating, by one or more processors, the telematics data with the shared vehicle operator; determining, by the one or more processors, that a driving event has occurred based upon the telematics data, wherein the driving event is indicative of improper usage of the shared vehicle by the shared vehicle operator; generating, by the one or more processors, a notification regarding the driving event, the notification including a driver rating determined from the telematics data regarding operation of the shared vehicle by the shared vehicle operator; and transmitting, via a network, the notification to the shared vehicle stakeholder for presentation to the shared vehicle stakeholder.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising identifying, by one or more processors, the shared vehicle operator based upon data received from one or more of the following: a mobile computing device associated with the shared vehicle operator or one or more sensors associated with the shared vehicle.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the association of the telematics data with the shared vehicle operator includes associating the telematics data with a time period of vehicle usage and associating the time period of vehicle usage with the shared vehicle operator.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more sensors associated with the shared vehicle include one or more sensors disposed within a mobile computing device associated with the shared vehicle operator located within the shared vehicle during vehicle operation.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the improper usage includes improper driving behavior determined based upon the telematics data, such improper driving behavior including one or more of the following: excessive acceleration, excessive speed, hard braking, sharp turning, rolling stops, tailgating, lane departure, swerving, or approaching too near to another vehicle during operation of the shared vehicle.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the improper usage includes improper driving behavior determined based upon the telematics data, such improper driving behavior including one or more of the following: use of a mobile telephone during vehicle operation or excessive duration of vehicle operation during a reference period of time.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the improper usage includes prohibited vehicle usage by the shared vehicle operator determined based upon the telematics data, such prohibited vehicle usage including one or more of the following: operation of the shared vehicle during prohibited time periods, operation of the shared vehicle outside an approved geographic area, or exceeding a maximum allowable duration for a vehicle trip associated with the shared vehicle.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein generation of the notification includes determining a score indicating a quality of vehicle operation by the shared vehicle operator, and the notification includes a report regarding the quality of vehicle operation by the shared vehicle operator.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the notification includes an alert to the shared vehicle stakeholder indicating the driving event, and the notification is transmitted to the shared vehicle stakeholder while vehicle operation by the shared vehicle operator is ongoing.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9 , wherein the alert indicates an urgency level associated with the driving event based upon a risk of the occurrence of a vehicle accident associated with the improper usage.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, via the network, a feedback message from the shared vehicle stakeholder; and presenting, by one or more output devices within the vehicle, the feedback message to the shared vehicle operator during vehicle operation.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the shared vehicle stakeholder is one or more of the following: an owner of the shared vehicle or a fleet manager of the shared vehicle.

13. A computer system for monitoring use of a shared vehicle, comprising: one or more sensors associated with a shared vehicle, the shared vehicle associated a shared vehicle operator and a shared vehicle stakeholder, wherein the shared vehicle stakeholder maintains an ownership interest with respect to the shared vehicle; one or more processors; a program memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computer system to: collect telematics data regarding operation of the shared vehicle from the one or more sensors associated with the shared vehicle; identify the shared vehicle operator of the shared vehicle; associate the telematics data with the identified shared vehicle operator; determine that a driving event has occurred based upon the telematics data, wherein the driving event is indicative of improper usage of the shared vehicle by the shared vehicle operator; generate a notification regarding the driving event, the notification including a driver rating determined from the telematics data regarding operation of the shared vehicle by the shared vehicle operator; and transmit the notification to the shared vehicle stakeholder for presentation to the shared vehicle stakeholder via a communication network.

14. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more sensors associated with the shared vehicle include one or more sensors disposed within a mobile computing device associated with the shared vehicle operator located within the shared vehicle during vehicle operation.

15. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein the improper usage includes improper driving behavior determined based upon the telematics data, such improper driving behavior including one or more of the following: excessive acceleration, excessive speed, hard braking, sharp turning, rolling stops, tailgating, lane departure, swerving, approaching too near to another vehicle during operation of the shared vehicle, use of a mobile telephone during vehicle operation, or excessive duration of vehicle operation during a reference period of time.

16. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein the improper usage includes prohibited vehicle usage by the shared vehicle operator determined based upon the telematics data, such prohibited usage including one or more of the following: operation of the shared vehicle during prohibited time periods, operation of the shared vehicle outside an approved geographic area, or exceeding a maximum allowable duration for a vehicle trip associated with the shared vehicle.

17. The computer system of claim 13 , wherein the notification includes an alert to the shared vehicle stakeholder indicating the driving event, and the notification is transmitted to the shared vehicle stakeholder while vehicle operation by the shared vehicle operator is ongoing.

18. The computer system of claim 17 , wherein the alert indicates an urgency level associated with the driving event based upon a risk of the occurrence of a vehicle accident associated w

Assignees

• State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co

Inventors

• Fields Brian Mark
• Cielocha Steven C
• Alt Jacob J
• Uphoff Laura A
• Chan Leo Nelson
• Wazeer Mohamed A
• Gaudin Kristopher Keith
• Davis Justin
• Baumann Nathan W
• Roll Giles

Classifications

• G06Q50/00 Primary

  Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism (healthcare informatics G16H) · CPC title

• B60Q9/008

  for anti-collision purposes · CPC title

• G06F18/214

  Generating training patterns; Bootstrap methods, e.g. bagging or boosting · CPC title

• H04N23/65

  Control of camera operation in relation to power supply · CPC title

• G07C5/008 Primary

  communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C) · CPC title