Patent Issued for System And Method For Determining An Indication Of A Location Of A Device In A Vehicle (USPTO 10,600,125)

2020 APR 06 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- From Alexandria, Virginia, NewsRx journalists report that a patent by the inventor Christensen, Scott T. (Salem, OR), filed on December 28, 2016, was published online on April 6, 2020.

The patent’s assignee for patent number 10,600,125 is State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (Bloomington, Illinois, United States).

News editors obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “An insurance provider has an interest in receiving data regarding an insured party, with respect to a vehicle, that is sufficient for the insurance provider to reliably determine information needed to offer the insured party appropriate terms of insurance coverage with respect to the vehicle. Appropriate terms of insurance coverage may be affected by factors such as an indication of risk that the insured party will incur a loss with respect to the vehicle.

“Insurance providers in some cases have the ability to identify when an insured party is in a vehicle and to collect telematics data regarding the vehicle, but this information can be used to only a minimal extent. In other words, the fact that an insured party is in a vehicle, even in combination with telematics data regarding driving of the vehicle, may not be sufficient to allow an insurance provider to reliably determine information needed to offer the insured party appropriate terms of insurance coverage with respect to the vehicle.”

As a supplement to the background information on this patent, NewsRx correspondents also obtained the inventor’s summary information for this patent: “This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

“In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method for determining an indication of a location of a first device in a vehicle may be provided. The method may include receiving, using one or more processors, an indication of a direction of motion of the vehicle. The method may also include receiving, using the one or more processors, when a second device in the vehicle transmits a signal, an indication of a direction of orientation of the first device. The indication of the direction of orientation of the first device may be affected by the signal transmitted by the second device. The indication of the direction of orientation of the first device may be determined using the first device. The method may further include determining, using the one or more processors, the indication of the location of the first device in the vehicle based on the indication of the direction of motion of the vehicle and the indication of the direction of orientation of the first device. The first device may be associated with a party in the vehicle. The indication of the location of the first device may include an indication of whether the first device is associated with a driver seat of the vehicle or whether the first device is associated with a passenger seat of the vehicle to facilitate insuring of the party.

“In another embodiment, a system for determining an indication of a location of a first device in a vehicle may be provided. The system may include the first device. The first device may be associated with a party in the vehicle. The system may also include a second device in the vehicle. The second device may be configured to transmit a signal. The system may further include one or more processors and one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors. The one or more memories may include non-transitory computer executable instructions stored therein that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to receive an indication of a direction of motion of the vehicle. The non-transitory computer executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, may also cause the one or more processors to receive, when the second device transmits the signal, an indication of a direction of orientation of the first device. The indication of the direction of orientation of the first device may be affected by the signal transmitted by the second device. The indication of the direction of orientation of the first device may be determined using the first device. The non-transitory computer executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, may further cause the one or more processors to determine the indication of the location of the first device in the vehicle based on the indication of the direction of motion of the vehicle and the indication of the direction of orientation of the first device. The indication of the location of the first device may include an indication of whether the first device is associated with a driver seat of the vehicle or whether the first device is associated with a passenger seat of the vehicle to facilitate insuring of the party.

“In yet another embodiment, a computer readable storage medium may be provided that includes non-transitory computer readable instructions stored thereon for determining an indication of a location of a first device in a vehicle. The instructions, when executed on one or more processors, may cause the one or more processors to receive an indication of a direction of motion of the vehicle. The instructions, when executed on the one or more processors, may also cause the one or more processors to receive, when a second device in the vehicle transmits a signal, an indication of a direction of orientation of the first device. The indication of the direction of orientation of the first device may be affected by the signal transmitted by the second device. The indication of the direction of orientation of the first device may be determined using the first device. The instructions, when executed on the one or more processors, may further cause the one or more processors to determine the indication of the location of the first device in the vehicle based on the indication of the direction of motion of the vehicle and the indication of the direction of orientation of the first device. The first device may be associated with a party in the vehicle. The indication of the location of the first device may include an indication of whether the first device is associated with a driver seat of the vehicle or whether the first device is associated with a passenger seat of the vehicle to facilitate insuring of the party.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“What is claimed is:

“1. A computer-implemented method for determining an indication of a location of a first device in a vehicle, the method comprising: determining, using one or more processors, when a second device in the vehicle does not transmit a signal, an indication of a first direction of orientation of the first device; determining, using the one or more processors, when the second device transmits the signal; determining, using the one or more processors, when the second device transmits the signal, an indication of a second direction of orientation of the first device, the indication of the second direction of orientation of the first device corresponding to the indication of the first direction of orientation of the first device changed in response to the signal being transmitted by the second device; and determining, using the one or more processors, the indication of the location of the first device in the vehicle based on an indication of a direction of motion of the vehicle and the indication of the second direction of orientation of the first device, the indication of the location of the first device including an indication of whether the first device is associated with a driver seat of the vehicle.

“2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the first device being a device of a party in the vehicle, the second device including a magnetic device, wherein determining the indication of the location of the first device includes determining, using the one or more processors, a difference between (i) the indication of the first direction of orientation of the first device and (ii) the indication of the second direction of orientation of the first device.

“3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the first device being associated with a party in the vehicle, the method further comprising sending, using the one or more processors, the indication of the location of the first device in the vehicle to an additional device to determine updated insurance data associated with the party when the indication of whether the first device is associated with the driver seat is an indication that the first device is associated with the driver seat.

“4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, the updated insurance data associated with the party including at least one of information regarding a cost of insuring the party with respect to the vehicle or information regarding a cost of insuring the party with respect to another vehicle.

“5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the indication of the direction of motion of the vehicle being determined using the first device.

“6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, using the one or more processors, at least one of a location of the second device in the vehicle or an indication of a strength of the signal transmitted by the second device; and determining, using the one or more processors, the indication of the location of the first device further based on the at least one of the location of the second device in the vehicle or the indication of the strength of the signal transmitted by the second device.

“7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the first device being associated with a first party in the vehicle, the method further comprising: receiving, using the one or more processors, at least one of (i) at least one indication, unaffected by the signal transmitted by the second device, of at least one first direction of orientation of at least a third device in the vehicle that is associated with at least a second party in the vehicle, or (ii) when the second device transmits the signal, at least one indication of at least one second direction of orientation of the at least the third device, each one of the at least one indication of the at least one second direction of orientation of the at least the third device being affected by the signal transmitted by the second device and corresponding to a respective one of the at least the third device; and determining, using the one or more processors, for each one of the at least the third device, an indication of a location of the one of the at least the third device in the vehicle based on the indication of the direction of motion of the vehicle and based on at least one of the indication of the second direction of orientation of the first device, at least one of the at least one indication of the at least one first direction of orientation of the at least the third device, or at least one of the at least one indication of the at least one second direction of orientation of the at least the third device, the indication of the location of the one of the at least the third device including an indication of whether the one of the at least the third device is associated with the driver seat of the vehicle or whether the one of the at least the third device is associated with a passenger seat of the vehicle, to facilitate insuring of each of the at least the second party.

“8. A system for determining an indication of a location of a first device in a vehicle, the system comprising: the first device; a second device in the vehicle, the second device configured to transmit a signal; one or more processors; and one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memories including non-transitory computer executable instructions stored therein that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: determine, when the second device does not transmit the signal, an indication of a first direction of orientation of the first device; determine when the second device transmits the signal; determine, when the second device transmits the signal, an indication of a second direction of orientation of the first device, the indication of the second direction of orientation of the first device corresponding to the indication of the first direction of orientation of the first device changed in response to the signal being transmitted by the second device; and determine the indication of the location of the first device in the vehicle based on an indication of a direction of motion of the vehicle and the indication of the second direction of orientation of the first device, the indication of the location of the first device including an indication of whether the first device is associated with a driver seat of the vehicle.

“9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first device is a device of a party in the vehicle, wherein the second device includes a magnetic device, and wherein the non-transitory computer executable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to determine the indication of the location of the first device by determining a difference between (i) the indication of the first direction of orientation of the first device and (ii) the indication of the second direction of orientation of the first device.

“10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first device is associated with a party in the vehicle, the one or more memories further including non-transitory computer executable instructions that when executed cause the one or more processors to send the indication of the location of the first device in the vehicle to an additional device to determine updated insurance data associated with the party when the indication of whether the first device is associated with the driver seat is an indication that the first device is associated with the driver seat.

“11. The system of claim 10, the updated insurance data associated with the party including at least one of information regarding a cost of insuring the party with respect to the vehicle or information regarding a cost of insuring the party with respect to another vehicle.

“12. The system of claim 8, the indication of the direction of motion of the vehicle being determined using the first device.

“13. The system of claim 8, the one or more memories further including non-transitory computer executable instructions that when executed cause the one or more processors to: determine at least one of a location of the second device in the vehicle or an indication of a strength of the signal transmitted by the second device; and determine the indication of the location of the first device further based on the at least one of the location of the second device in the vehicle or the indication of the strength of the signal transmitted by the second device.

“14. The system of claim 8, wherein the first device is associated with a first party in the vehicle, the one or more memories further including non-transitory computer executable instructions that when executed cause the one or more processors to: receive at least one of (i) at least one indication, unaffected by the signal transmitted by the second device, of at least one first direction of orientation of at least a third device in the vehicle that is associated with at least a second party in the vehicle, or (ii) when the second device transmits the signal, at least one indication of at least one second direction of orientation of the at least the third device, each one of the at least one indication of the at least one second direction of orientation of the at least the third device being affected by the signal transmitted by the second device and corresponding to a respective one of the at least the third device; and determine, for each one of the at least the third device, an indication of a location of the one of the at least the third device in the vehicle based on the indication of the direction of motion of the vehicle and based on at least one of the indication of the second direction of orientation of the first device, at least one of the at least one indication of the at least one first direction of orientation of the at least the third device, or at least one of the at least one indication of the at least one second direction of orientation of the at least the third device, the indication of the location of the one of the at least the third device including an indication of whether the one of the at least the third device is associated with the driver seat of the vehicle or whether the one of the at least the third device is associated with a passenger seat of the vehicle, to facilitate insuring of each of the at least the second party.

“15. A computer readable storage medium comprising non-transitory computer readable instructions stored thereon for determining an indication of a location of a first device in a vehicle, wherein the instructions when executed on one or more processors cause the one or more processors to: determine, when a second device in the vehicle does not transmit a signal, an indication of a first direction of orientation of the first device; determine when the second device transmits the signal; determine, when the second device transmits the signal, an indication of a second direction of orientation of the first device, the indication of the second direction of orientation of the first device corresponding to the indication of the first direction of orientation of the first device changed in response to the signal being transmitted by the second device; and determine the indication of the location of the first device in the vehicle based on an indication of a direction of motion of the vehicle and the indication of the second direction of orientation of the first device, the indication of the location of the first device including an indication of whether the first device is associated with a driver seat of the vehicle.

“16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first device is a device of a party in the vehicle, wherein the second device includes a magnetic device, and wherein the non-transitory computer readable instructions, when executed on the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to determine the indication of the location of the first device by determining a difference between (i) the indication of the first direction of orientation of the first device and (ii) the indication of the second direction of orientation of the first device.

“17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first device is associated with a party in the vehicle, the computer readable storage medium further including non-transitory computer readable instructions stored thereon that when executed cause the one or more processors to send the indication of the location of the first device in the vehicle to an additional device to determine updated insurance data associated with the party when the indication of whether the first device is associated with the driver seat is an indication that the first device is associated with the driver seat.

“18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, the updated insurance data associated with the party including at least one of information regarding a cost of insuring the party with respect to the vehicle or information regarding a cost of insuring the party with respect to another vehicle.

“19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, further including non-transitory computer readable instructions stored thereon that when executed cause the one or more processors to: determine at least one of a location of the second device in the vehicle or an indication of a strength of the signal transmitted by the second device; and determine the indication of the location of the first device further based on the at least one of the location of the second device in the vehicle or the indication of the strength of the signal transmitted by the second device.

“20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the first device is associated with a first party in the vehicle, the computer readable storage medium further including non-transitory computer readable instructions stored thereon that when executed cause the one or more processors to: receive at least one of (i) at least one indication, unaffected by the signal transmitted by the second device, of at least one first direction of orientation of at least a third device in the vehicle that is associated with at least a second party in the vehicle, or (ii) when the second device transmits the signal, at least one indication of at least one second direction of orientation of the at least the third device, each one of the at least one indication of the at least one second direction of orientation of the at least the third device being affected by the signal transmitted by the second device and corresponding to a respective one of the at least the third device; and determine, for each one of the at least the third device, an indication of a location of the one of the at least the third device in the vehicle based on the indication of the direction of motion of the vehicle and based on at least one of the indication of the second direction of orientation of the first device, at least one of the at least one indication of the at least one first direction of orientation of the at least the third device, or at least one of the at least one indication of the at least one second direction of orientation of the at least the third device, the indication of the location of the one of the at least the third device including an indication of whether the one of the at least the third device is associated with the driver seat of the vehicle or whether the one of the at least the third device is associated with a passenger seat of the vehicle, to facilitate insuring of each of the at least the second party.”

For additional information on this patent, see: Christensen, Scott T. System And Method For Determining An Indication Of A Location Of A Device In A Vehicle. U.S. Patent Number 10,600,125, filed December 28, 2016, and published online on April 6, 2020. 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=10,600,125.PN.&OS=PN/10,600,125RS=PN/10,600,125

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