Patent Issued for System for monitoring and classifying vehicle operator behavior (USPTO 11667299): Depura Partners LLC

2023 JUN 22 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- A patent by the inventors Depura, Bhavna S. (Henrico, VA, US), Depura, Jamna Lal (Kolkata, IN), Memani, Shalini (Mumbai, IN), filed on February 28, 2019, was published online on June 6, 2023, according to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx correspondents.

Patent number 11667299 is assigned to Depura Partners LLC (Dublin, Ohio, United States).

The following quote was obtained by the news editors from the background information supplied by the inventors: “The described invention relates in general to systems and methods for monitoring, evaluating and classifying vehicle operator behavior, vehicle behavior, details of geography, details of environment or combinations thereof and more specifically to a system for monitoring, evaluating and classifying vehicle operator behavior, motor vehicle behavior, details of geography, details of environment or combinations thereof using a mobile device such as a cell phone, smartphone or the like; a personal tracking device or a wearable electronic device such as smartwatch, fitness tracker or the like; and classifying the behaviors and details into groups based on quantitative patterns, relationships and interrelationships.

“Conventional methods of monitoring the behavior of an operator typically require installation of one or more monitoring devices in the vehicle. Such devices may include an onboard computer and multiple sensors or data readers that plug into an on-board diagnostic port that collect vehicle operation data such as, for example, speed, location, and time of day. As such, these monitoring systems are not designed to be portable and cannot be easily transferred from one vehicle to another. Furthermore, incorrect installation may interfere with the normal and safe operation of the vehicle. Additionally, these monitoring systems may limit the monitoring and recording of data to the operation/function of the motor vehicle itself and may not monitor and record information regarding the operator’s own behavior (such as texting or phone usage while driving), which may cause distraction and diminish the operator’s ability to safely operate the motor vehicle. Furthermore, the systems are not designed to monitor the operator when the operator is not operating the vehicle or do not take into account lifestyle or health factors (such as sleep deprivation, shaky hands or blood alcohol level) that may further diminish operator’s ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. Furthermore, the systems are not designed to collect vehicle location or environment information when it is not being operated by the operator, limiting the comprehensiveness of information collected and are thus not able to predict the likelihood of damage due to events like vandalism, theft or hail-storm, among others. Furthermore, current systems to monitor operator behavior lack efficient mechanism to classify all combinations of the operator behavior, the vehicle behavior, the geographic details and the environment details due to the extremely high computational power required and thus, either do not consider the geography and the environment where the vehicle is operated or consider only specific characteristics of the geographical and the environmental conditions, thereby limiting comprehensiveness of the classification for various combinations of the operator behavior, the vehicle behavior, the geographic details and the environment details. Therefore, there is an ongoing need for a system for monitoring and classifying vehicle operator behavior that is portable; does not require installation in the vehicle; includes information when the operator is operating the vehicle; includes information when the operator is not operating the vehicle; and provides an efficient mechanism to include comprehensive combinations of the operator behavior, the vehicle behavior, the geographic details, the environment details and combinations thereof.”

In addition to the background information obtained for this patent, NewsRx journalists also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “The following provides a summary of certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention. This summary is not an extensive overview and is not intended to identify key or critical aspects or elements of the present invention or to delineate its scope.

“In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a system for monitoring and classifying driving behavior of an operator of a motor vehicle is provided. This system includes at least one personal monitoring device such as, for example, a smartwatch, a fitness tracker or other similar wearable portable electronic device; wherein the personal monitoring device includes one or more mechanisms for wearing the personal monitoring device by the operator; attaching the personal monitoring device to the operator or combinations thereof independently from the motor vehicle; wherein the personal monitoring device further includes hardware including a local memory, a battery, and sensors; wherein the sensors include a health and fitness sensor, an accelerometer, and a gyroscope; and the personal monitoring device provides functions including a Global Positioning System (GPS) function and a communication function; and wherein the personal monitoring device is operative to monitor and communicate information about the driving behavior of the operator, wherein the driving behavior includes speed, acceleration, and braking data that is solely collected by the personal monitoring device without receiving such driving data from vehicle sensors, calculated or derived based on data solely collected by the personal monitoring device without receiving such data from vehicle sensors, or combinations thereof; wherein the system further includes at least one application software resident on the personal monitoring device; wherein the at least one application software interfaces with the personal monitoring device hardware and functions to perform the monitoring and communicating information about the driving behavior of the operator; and wherein the at least one application software is activated and deactivated to perform at least one of the monitoring and communicating based on certain predetermined trigger events; wherein the system further includes at least one central control system including an information processor; wherein the central control system is operative to receive at least a portion of the communicated information about the driving behavior of the operator; the central control system is further operative to aggregate information including the information received about the driving behavior of the operator; and the central control system is further operative to communicate at least a portion of the aggregated information; and wherein the system further includes at least one algorithm that is operative to classify the driving behavior of the operator, wherein the algorithm includes at least a portion of information gathered by the personal monitoring device.

“In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an alternate system for monitoring and classifying driving behavior of an operator of a motor vehicle is provided. The system includes at least one mobile device, such as, for example, a smartphone; a cellular phone, personal digital assistant or the like; wherein the mobile device is not installed in the motor vehicle being monitored; and wherein the mobile device includes hardware including an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a local memory, and a battery, and provides functions including a Global Positioning System (GPS) function and a communication function; wherein the system further includes at least one personal monitoring device, wherein the personal monitoring device includes one or more mechanisms for wearing the personal monitoring device by the operator, attaching the personal monitoring device to the operator or combinations thereof independently from the motor vehicle; wherein the personal monitoring device further includes hardware including a local memory, a battery, and sensors; and wherein the sensors include a health and fitness sensor; wherein the personal monitoring device further provides functions including a Global Positioning System (GPS) function and a communication function; and wherein the mobile device and the personal monitoring device are operative to at least collect and communicate information about the driving behavior of the operator including at least driving data, wherein the driving data is collected solely by the mobile device and the personal monitoring device without receiving such driving data from vehicle sensors, calculated or derived based on data solely collected by the mobile device and the personal monitoring device without receiving such data from vehicle sensors, or combinations thereof; wherein the mobile device, personal monitoring device or combinations thereof collect information about the driving behavior of the operator when the operator is operating the motor vehicle and when the operator is not operating the motor vehicle; wherein the information about the driving behavior of the operator collected and/or derived when the operator is operating the motor vehicle includes time of day, acceleration, and braking; and wherein the information collected and/or derived by the mobile device and the personal monitoring device when the operator is not operating the motor vehicle includes accelerometer data, GPS data or combinations thereof; wherein the system further includes at least one central control system comprising an information processor, wherein the central control system is operative to receive at least a portion of the communicated information from the mobile device and the personal monitoring device about the driving behavior of the operator, aggregate information comprising the received information about the driving behavior of the operator, and communicate at least a portion of the aggregated information; and wherein the system further includes at least one algorithm, wherein the algorithm is operative to classify the driving behavior of the operator based at least on a portion of information collected by the mobile device and the personal monitoring device when the operator is operating the motor vehicle and when the operator is not operating the motor vehicle.

“In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an alternate system for determining qualification for insurance, cost of insurance or combinations thereof is provided. The system includes at least one mobile device, wherein the mobile device is disposed within a motor vehicle being monitored, but is not installed within the motor vehicle; wherein the mobile device includes hardware including a local memory, a battery, and sensors; wherein the sensors include an accelerometer and a gyroscope; the personal monitoring device further provides functions including a Global Positioning System (GPS) function and a communication function; wherein the hardware of the mobile device further includes at least one information processor; wherein the mobile device is operative to collect and communicate information used for determining qualification for insurance, cost of insurance or combinations thereof for an operator of the motor vehicle, including at least driving data that is collected when an operator is operating the motor vehicle; wherein the driving data includes speed, acceleration, and braking and is solely collected by the mobile device without receiving such information from vehicle sensors, calculated or derived based on data solely collected by the mobile device without receiving such data from vehicle sensors, or combinations thereof; and wherein additional information is collected by the mobile device when an operator is not operating the motor vehicle and used for determining qualification for insurance, cost of insurance or combinations thereof; wherein the additional information collected by the mobile device when the operator is not operating the motor vehicle includes accelerometer data, GPS data or combinations thereof; wherein the system further includes at least one application software resident on the mobile device, wherein the application software is activated and deactivated to perform at least one of the information collection and communication based on certain predetermined trigger events occurring both when the operator is operating the motor vehicle and when the operator is not operating the motor vehicle; wherein the system further includes at least one central control system comprising an information processor, wherein the central control system is operative to receive at least a portion of the communicated information used for determining qualification for insurance, cost of insurance or combinations thereof, to aggregate information comprising the received information used for determining qualification for insurance, cost of insurance or combinations thereof for the operator, and communicate at least a portion of the aggregated information; and wherein the system further includes at least one algorithm that is operative to determine qualification for insurance, cost of insurance or combinations thereof for the operator based on at least a portion of the information collected by the mobile device.

“Additional features and aspects of the present invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments. As will be appreciated by the skilled artisan, further embodiments of the invention are possible without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and associated descriptions are to be regarded as illustrative and not restrictive in nature.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A system for monitoring and classifying driving behavior of an operator of a motor vehicle without using information from vehicle sensors or other sensors installed in the vehicle, comprising: (a) at least one personal monitoring device for collecting driving information used for classifying the driving behavior of the operator, (i) wherein the personal monitoring device comprises one or more mechanisms for wearing the personal monitoring device by the operator; attaching the personal monitoring device to the operator; or combinations thereof; (ii) wherein the personal monitoring device is not installed in the vehicle to collect driving behavior data used for classifying the driving behavior of the operator, wherein the personal monitoring device is worn by the operator and/or attached to the operator when the operator is operating the motor vehicle and when the operator is not operating the motor vehicle; (iii) wherein the personal monitoring device includes at least one health and fitness sensor including a heart rate monitor; (iv) wherein the personal monitoring device further comprises hardware including a local memory, a battery, and sensors; wherein the sensors include an accelerometer, and a gyroscope; and the personal monitoring device provides functions including a Global Positioning System (GPS) function and a communication function; and (v) wherein the personal monitoring device is operative to at least monitor and communicate information about the driving behavior of the operator, wherein the driving behavior is solely collected by the personal monitoring device without receiving such driving data from vehicle sensors, calculated or derived based on data solely collected by the personal monitoring device without receiving such data from vehicle sensors, or combinations thereof; (b) at least one application software that is resident on the personal monitoring device, (i) wherein the application software interfaces with the personal monitoring device hardware and functions to perform said monitoring and communicating information about the driving behavior of the operator; (ii) wherein the application software is activated and deactivated to perform at least one of said monitoring and communicating based on certain predetermined trigger events; and (iii) wherein the application software comprises a setup subsystem; wherein the setup subsystem is at least initiated when the operator first starts using the system; wherein the setup subsystem determines at least one of the trigger events used to activate and deactivate the application software; © at least one central control system comprising an information processor; wherein the central control system is operative to receive and process at least a portion of the communicated information about the driving behavior of the operator; and (d) at least one algorithm, (i) wherein the at least one algorithm is operative to identify data issues in the information collected by the personal monitoring device used for classifying the driving behavior of the operator; wherein data issues identified comprise identifying presence of statistically insufficient data, duplicate data, and data gaps; and (ii) wherein the at least one algorithm is operative to classify the driving behavior of the operator, wherein the algorithm comprises at least a portion of information gathered by the personal monitoring device.

“2. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one mobile device, (a) wherein the mobile device comprises hardware including an accelerometer and provides functions including a Global Positioning System (GPS) function and a communication function; (b) wherein the mobile device hardware further includes at least one information processor; © wherein the mobile device further includes at least one application software resident on the mobile device; (d) wherein the mobile device is operative to at least communicate additional information about the driving behavior of the operator; and (e) wherein the application software resident on the mobile device is activated and deactivated to perform communication of the additional information by the mobile device based on additional predetermined trigger events.

“3. The system of claim 2, wherein the mobile device is a smartphone.

“4. The system of claim 1, wherein the personal monitoring device is a smartwatch; a fitness tracker; a portable medical, health and fitness device; or combinations thereof.

“5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is operative to determine employment decision, compensation decision or combinations thereof.

“6. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is operative to determine qualification for motor vehicle insurance, cost of motor vehicle insurance or combinations thereof.

“7. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is operative to determine qualification for health insurance, cost of health insurance or combinations thereof.

“8. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is operative to manage fleet operation, determine the cost of fleet operation or combinations thereof.

“9. A system for monitoring and classifying driving behavior of an operator of a motor vehicle without using information from vehicle sensors or other sensors installed in the motor vehicle, comprising: (a) at least one mobile device and at least one personal monitoring device for collecting driving information used for classifying the driving behavior of the operator, (i) wherein the mobile device and the personal monitoring device are not installed in the vehicle, when the vehicle is being operated, to collect the driving information used for classifying the driving behavior of the operator; (ii) wherein the mobile device comprises hardware including an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a local memory, and a battery, and provides functions including a Global Positioning System (GPS) function and a communication function; and (iii) wherein the personal monitoring device further comprises hardware including a local memory, a battery, and sensors; wherein the sensors include a health and fitness sensor; wherein the personal monitoring device further provides functions including a Global Positioning System (GPS) function and a communication function; (iv) wherein the personal monitoring device includes at least one health and fitness sensor including a heart rate monitor; wherein the personal monitoring device is worn by the operator and/or attached to the operator when the operator is operating the motor vehicle and when the operating is not operating the motor vehicle; (b) wherein the mobile device and the personal monitoring device are operative to at least collect and communicate information about the driving behavior of the operator including at least driving data, (i) wherein the driving data is collected solely by the mobile device and the personal monitoring device without receiving such driving data from vehicle sensors, calculated or derived based on data solely collected by the mobile device and the personal monitoring device without receiving such data from vehicle sensors, or combinations thereof; (ii) wherein the mobile device, personal monitoring device or combinations thereof collect information used for classifying driving behavior of the operator when the operator is operating the motor vehicle and when the operator is not operating the motor vehicle; (iii) wherein the information used for classifying driving behavior of the operator collected and/or derived when the operator is operating the motor vehicle comprises time of day, vehicle acceleration, and vehicle braking; and (iv) wherein the information collected and/or derived by the mobile device, the personal monitoring device, or combinations thereof, when the operator is not operating the motor vehicle comprises GPS data collected when the operator is performing physical activity and when the operator is not performing physical activity including when the operator is sleeping; and (v) wherein the mobile device and the personal monitoring device further comprises at least one application software; wherein the application software further comprises a setup subsystem that is at least initiated when the user first starts using the system; wherein the setup subsystem is operative to determine at least one trigger event used to monitor and communicate the information used to classify the driving behavior of the operator; wherein the setup subsystem is further operative to acquire information from the user about the different devices connected to the system to collect driving behavior of the operator; © wherein the system further comprises at least one central control system comprising an information processor, wherein the central control system is operative to receive and process at least a portion of the communicated information from the mobile device and the personal monitoring device about the driving behavior of the operator; and (d) wherein the system further comprises at least one algorithm, (i) wherein the at least one algorithm is operative to identify data issues in the information collected by the mobile device, personal monitoring device, or combinations thereof, used for classifying the driving behavior of the operator; wherein the data issues identified comprise presence of statistically insufficient data, duplicate data, and data gaps; and (ii) wherein the at least one algorithm is operative to classify the driving behavior of the operator based at least on a portion of information collected by the mobile device and the personal monitoring device when the operator is operating the motor vehicle and when the operator is not operating the motor vehicle.

“10. The system of claim 9, wherein the mobile device is a smarttphone, and wherein the personal monitoring device is a smartwatch; a fitness tracker; a portable medical, health and fitness device; or combinations thereof.”

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

URL and more information on this patent, see: Depura, Bhavna S. System for monitoring and classifying vehicle operator behavior. U.S. Patent Number 11667299, filed February 28, 2019, and published online on June 6, 2023. Patent URL (for desktop use only): https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/external.html?q=(11667299)&db=USPAT&type=ids

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