Patent Issued for Facilitating safer vehicle travel utilizing telematics data (USPTO 11061408)

2021 JUL 29 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (Bloomington, Illinois, United States) has been issued patent number 11061408, according to news reporting originating out of Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx editors.

The patent’s inventors are Hayward, Gregory (Bloomington, IL, US).

This patent was filed on April 9, 2019 and was published online on July 13, 2021.

From the background information supplied by the inventors, news correspondents obtained the following quote: “Conventional telematics devices may collect certain types of data regarding vehicle operation. However, conventional telematics devices and data gathering techniques may have several drawbacks.”

Supplementing the background information on this patent, NewsRx reporters also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “In one aspect, telematics data and/or geographic location data may be collected, monitored, measured, and/or generated by one or more computing devices associated with a vehicle. The telematics data may include various metrics that indicate the direction, speed, and/or motion of the vehicle in which the data is associated. The geographic location data may include a geographic location of the vehicle, such as latitude and longitude coordinates, for example. The one or more computing devices may include a mobile computing device positioned within the vehicle, an on-board computer integrated within the vehicle, and/or a combination of these devices working in conjunction with one another. The one or more computing devices may broadcast the telematics data and/or the geographic location data to one or more other devices.

“The telematics data and/or the geographic location data may be received and/or processed by one or more other computing devices to determine whether an anomalous condition exists, such as a traffic accident, for example. These one or more other computing devices may be external computing devices (e.g., a remote server), another mobile computing device, a smart traffic infrastructure device (e.g., a smart traffic light), etc. If an anomalous condition is detected, the geographic location of the vehicle associated with the telematics data may be used as a condition to decide whether to generate an alert at (or send an alert notification to) the one or more other computing devices associated with nearby vehicles.

“In one aspect, a computer server (or smart infrastructure) configured to use telematics data associated with a first driver to facilitate safer vehicle travel for a second driver may be provided. The computer server may include (1) a communication unit configured to receive telematics data via wireless communication and/or data transmission, the telematics data being generated and transmitted from a first mobile device and/or first smart vehicle associated with a first driver; (2) a memory unit configured to store vehicle navigation information, virtual road maps, and/or computer-readable instructions; and (3) a processor configured to access the memory unit and to automatically identify or determine: (i) a travel or traffic event associated with the first mobile device and/or first vehicle, (ii) a Global Positioning System (GPS) location or other location of the travel event, and (iii) an estimated or actual geographical or temporal scope of the travel event from computer analysis of the telematics data, the processor further being configured to generate a travel event-related data transmission or wireless communication associated with or detailing the travel event, or location or extent thereof. The communication unit may be further configured to transmit the travel event-related data transmission or wireless communication to a second mobile device or second vehicle associated with the second driver to facilitate the second mobile device or second vehicle taking corrective action to enable safer vehicle travel for the second driver based upon the telematics data associated with the first driver. The remote server may include additional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

“In another aspect, a smart infrastructure component configured to use telematics data from a first driver to facilitate safer vehicle travel for a second driver may be provided. The smart infrastructure component may include (1) a communication unit configured to receive a data transmission or wireless communication containing or including telematics data, the telematics data being generated and transmitted from a first mobile device or a first vehicle associated with the first driver; (2) a memory unit configured to store vehicle navigation information, virtual road maps, and computer-readable instructions; and (3) a processor configured to access the memory unit to automatically identify or determine: (i) a travel event; (ii) a Global Positioning System (GPS) location or other location of the travel event; and (iii) an estimated or actual geographical or temporal scope of the travel event from computer analysis of the telematics data, the processor further being configured to generate a travel event-related data transmission or wireless communication associated with or detailing the travel event, or location or extent thereof. The communication unit may be further configured to transmit the travel event-related data transmission or wireless communication to a second mobile device and/or second vehicle associated with the second driver to facilitate the second mobile device or second vehicle taking corrective action to enable safer vehicle travel for the second driver based upon the telematics data associated with the first driver. The smart infrastructure component may be configured with additional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

“In yet another aspect, an intermediate mobile device or smart vehicle configured to use telematics and/or other data from a first driver to facilitate safer vehicle travel for a second driver, the intermediate mobile device or smart vehicle may be provided. The intermediate mobile device or smart vehicle may include (1) a communication unit configured to receive a data transmission or wireless communication containing or including telematics data, the telematics data being generated and transmitted from a first mobile device or first smart vehicle associated with the first driver; (2) a memory unit configured to store vehicle navigation information, virtual road maps, and/or computer-readable instructions; (3) a processor configured to access the memory unit to automatically identify or determine: (i) a travel event; (ii) a Global Positioning System (GPS) location or other location of the travel event; and (iii) an estimated or actual geographical or temporal scope of the travel event from computer analysis of the telematics data, the processor further being configured to generate a travel event-related data transmission or wireless communication associated with or detailing the travel event, or location or extent thereof. The communication unit may be further configured to transmit the travel event-related data transmission or wireless communication to a second or destination mobile device and/or a second smart vehicle associated with the second driver via peer-to-peer (P2P) communication to facilitate the second mobile device or second smart vehicle taking corrective action to enable safer vehicle travel for the second driver based upon the telematics data associated with the first driver. The intermediate mobile device or smart vehicle may be configured with additional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A remote server configured to use telematics data associated with a first vehicle to facilitate safer vehicle travel for a second vehicle, the remote server comprising: a communication unit comprising a transceiver and configured to receive the telematics data associated with the first vehicle; and a processor configured to (i) identify a travel event, and (ii) generate a travel event-related data transmission indicative of information associated with the travel event based upon an analysis of the telematics data, wherein the communication unit is further configured to transmit the travel event-related data transmission to a second computing device or the second vehicle, which is associated with a second driver, when the travel event is relevant to the second computing device or the second vehicle based upon a location of the travel event, to thereby cause at least one of the second computing device or the second vehicle to (1) at least one of: (i) provide, via the second computing device, a graphical user interface (GUI) including a display of: (a) an indication of a description of the travel event, the indication of the description of the travel event including at least one of a text indication of the description or a graphical indication of the description, and (b) an indication of the location of the travel event, the indication of the location of the travel event including at least one of a text indication of the location, a graphical indication of the location, or a map indicating the location, or (ii) direct at least one other corrective action that affects driving of the second vehicle, and (2) display insurance policy pricing adjustment information associated with the second vehicle that is based upon a driver risk due to the identified travel event, so as to promote or reward risk averse behavior and safer driving.

“2. The remote server of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the travel event is relevant to the second computing device or the second vehicle associated with the second driver when the travel event is located on a same road as that of the second computing device or the second vehicle.

“3. The remote server of claim 1, wherein the telematics data indicates that the first vehicle is experiencing one or more of high traffic conditions, congestion, road construction, and extreme weather conditions.

“4. The remote server of claim 1, wherein the telematics data is indicative of one or more of Global Positioning System (GPS) speed, GPS location, lane information associated with the first vehicle, time, turning associated with the first vehicle, GPS latitude and longitude, battery level associated with the first vehicle, and telephone usage information associated the first vehicle.

“5. The remote server of claim 1, wherein the communication unit is further configured to relay the telematics data to smart infrastructure.

“6. The remote server of claim 1, wherein the communication unit is configured to transmit the travel event-related data transmission to the second computing device or the second vehicle to thereby cause the at least one of the second computing device or the second vehicle to (i) generate an alternate travel route that avoids the location of the travel event, and (ii) present the alternate travel route via the GUI.

“7. The remote server of claim 1, wherein the second vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, and wherein the communication unit is configured to transmit the travel event-related data transmission to the second computing device or the second vehicle to thereby cause the second vehicle to autonomously follow an alternate travel route that avoids the location of the travel event.

“8. A smart infrastructure component configured to use telematics data from a first vehicle to facilitate safer travel for a second vehicle, the smart infrastructure component comprising: a communication unit comprising a transceiver and configured to receive the telematics data associated with the first vehicle; and a processor configured to (i) identify a travel event, and (ii) generate a travel event-related data transmission indicative of information associated with the travel event based upon an analysis of the telematics data, wherein the communication unit is further configured to transmit the travel event-related data transmission to a second computing device or the second vehicle, which is associated with a second driver, when the travel event is relevant to the second computing device or the second vehicle based upon a location of the travel event, to thereby cause at least one of the second computing device or the second vehicle to (1) at least one of: (i) provide, via the second computing device, a graphical user interface (GUI) including a display of: (a) an indication of a description of the travel event, the indication of the description of the travel event including at least one of a text indication of the description or a graphical indication of the description, and (b) an indication of the location of the travel event, the indication of the location of the travel event including at least one of a text indication of the location, a graphical indication of the location, or a map indicating the location, or (ii) direct at least one other corrective action that affects driving of the second vehicle, and (2) display insurance policy pricing adjustment information associated with the second vehicle that is based upon a driver risk due to the identified travel event, so as to promote or reward risk averse behavior and safer driving.

“9. The smart infrastructure component of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the travel event is relevant to the second computing device or the second vehicle associated with the second driver when the travel event is located on a same road as that of the second computing device or the second vehicle.

“10. The smart infrastructure component of claim 8, wherein the telematics data indicates that the first vehicle is experiencing one or more of high traffic conditions, congestion, road construction, and extreme weather conditions.

“11. The smart infrastructure component of claim 8, wherein the telematics data is indicative of one or more of Global Positioning System (GPS) speed, GPS location, lane information associated with the first vehicle, time, turning associated with the first vehicle, GPS latitude and longitude, battery level associated with the first vehicle, and telephone usage information associated the first vehicle.

“12. The smart infrastructure component of claim 8, wherein the communication unit is further configured to receive the telematics data relayed from a remote server, the remote server initially receiving the telematics data.

“13. The smart infrastructure component of claim 8, wherein the communication unit is configured to transmit the travel event-related data transmission to the second computing device or the second vehicle to thereby cause the at least one of the second computing device or the second vehicle to (i) generate an alternate travel route that avoids the location of the travel event, and (ii) present the alternate travel route via the GUI.

“14. The smart infrastructure component of claim 8, wherein the second vehicle is an autonomous vehicle, and wherein the communication unit is configured to transmit the travel event-related data transmission to the second computing device or the second vehicle to thereby cause the second vehicle to autonomously follow an alternate travel route that avoids the location of the travel event.

“15. An intermediate mobile computing device configured to use telematics data from a first vehicle to facilitate safer vehicle travel for a second vehicle, the intermediate mobile device comprising: a communication unit comprising a transceiver and configured to receive the telematics data associated with the first vehicle; and a processor configured to (i) identify a travel event, and (ii) generate a travel event-related data transmission indicative of information associated with the travel event based upon an analysis of the telematics data, wherein the communication unit is further configured to transmit the travel event-related data transmission to a second computing device or the second vehicle, which is associated with a second driver, when the travel event is relevant to the second computing device or the second vehicle based upon a location of the travel event, to thereby cause at least one of the second computing device or the second vehicle to (1) at least one of: (i) provide, via the second computing device, a graphical user interface (GUI) including a display of: (a) an indication of a description of the travel event, the indication of the description of the travel event including at least one of a text indication of the description or a graphical indication of the description, and (b) an indication of the location of the travel event, the indication of the location of the travel event including at least one of a text indication of the location, a graphical indication of the location, or a map indicating the location, or (ii) direct at least one other preventive or corrective action that affects driving of the second vehicle, and (2) display insurance policy pricing adjustment information associated with the second vehicle that is based upon a driver risk due to the identified travel event, so as to promote or reward risk averse behavior and safer driving.

“16. The intermediate mobile computing device of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to determine that the travel event is relevant to the second computing device or the second vehicle associated with the second driver when the travel event is located on a same road as that of the second computing device or the second vehicle.”

There are additional claims. Please visit full patent to read further.

For the URL and additional information on this patent, see: Hayward, Gregory. Facilitating safer vehicle travel utilizing telematics data. U.S. Patent Number 11061408, filed April 9, 2019, and published online on July 13, 2021. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=11061408.PN.&OS=PN/11061408RS=PN/11061408

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