Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • G07C5/00—Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
  • G07C5/08—Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
  • G07C5/0841—Registering performance data
  • G07C5/085—Registering performance data using electronic data carriers
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • G07C5/00—Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
  • G07C5/008—Registering or indicating the working of vehicles communicating information to a remotely located station
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
  • G07C—TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
  • G07C5/00—Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
  • G07C5/08—Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time
  • G07C5/0841—Registering performance data
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
  • G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
  • G08G1/01—Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled
  • G08G1/052—Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled with provision for determining speed or overspeed
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G08—SIGNALLING
  • G08G—TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEMS
  • G08G1/00—Traffic control systems for road vehicles
  • G08G1/09—Arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions
  • G08G1/0962—Arrangements for giving variable traffic instructions having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
  • G08G1/0967—Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits
  • G08G1/096708—Systems involving transmission of highway information, e.g. weather, speed limits where the received information might be used to generate an automatic action on the vehicle control

Definitions

• the present invention relates generally to a system and method for monito ⁇ ng d ⁇ ver behavior and vehicle d ⁇ ving conditions and, more particularly, to a system and method for monitoring d ⁇ ving against minimum standards and for improving dnver behavior
• the present invention relates to a system and method for monitoring driver behavior for use by companies, government agencies, consumers, or the general public.
• the present invention allows parents to remotely mentor the driving habits of their teen children as well as allow for monitoring of geographic areas into which their children may enter.
• the present invention may also be used by fleet operators to monitor and mentor the driving behavior of experienced drivers.
• the vehicle behavior monitoring system disclosed herein provides for real-time reconfiguration of driver performance and vehicle operation parameters and which allows for reporting of such data in order to generate driver profiles and trends.
• the present invention provides a unique vehicle monitoring system specifically adapted to mentor driver performance in order to improve driver safety and reduce accident rates and formulate various methods to establish and/or delineate "good” driving behavior from "bad” driving behavior.
• the invention is directed to a system and method for providing feedback to drivers.
• the system monitors selected vehicle parameters while a vehicle is being driven, and detects one or more vehicle operation violations by comparing the selected vehicle parameters to predetermined thresholds.
• a mentoring message is provided to the driver if the threshold is exceeded. If a vehicle operation violation has not been corrected within a preselected time period, then a violation report may be sent to a third party or a central server. If a vehicle operation violation has not been corrected within a preselected time period, then a different mentoring message may be provided to the driver.
• Vehicle parameter data may be monitored from an on-board vehicle diagnostic system.
• the mentoring message may be an audible warning, such as a spoken message, or a visual warning, such as a text message.
• the selected vehicle parameters may be a vehicle speed, a vehicle speed for the specific road conditions, a vehicle acceleration, an errant lane departure, following too close to a subsequent vehicle, a vehicle seatbelt use, the use of a mobile phone, the detection of unlawful ethanol concentrations, the detection of fatigue (blink rate) and/or other traceable, detectable activities, elements, and/or behaviors.
• a system and method for monitoring vehicle operation comprises installing a monitoring device in a vehicle, wherein the monitoring device monitors vehicle operation parameters, and wherein the vehicle monitoring device is capable of providing mentoring feedback to a driver. The vehicle operation is monitored without providing the mentoring feedback during a baseline period and baseline vehicle operation data is collected for the baseline period. Baseline vehicle operation data may be collected for multiple vehicles.
• vehicle operation is monitored and mentoring feedback is provided to the driver.
• Mentored vehicle operation data is collected after the baseline period.
• the mentored vehicle operation data is compared to the baseline vehicle operation data to determine driving improvement.
• the vehicle operation parameters for monitoring during the baseline period may be selected by the user.
• the baseline vehicle operation data and/or mentored vehicle operation data can be transmitted to a central server.
• a system and method for establishing a vehicle operation profile comprises installing a monitoring device in a vehicle, wherein the monitoring device monitors vehicle operation parameters, monitoring vehicle operation during a training period, collecting vehicle operation training data for the training period, and creating the vehicle operation profile based upon the vehicle operation training data. The vehicle operation is then monitored during a monitoring period; and vehicle operation data during the monitoring period is compared to the vehicle operation profile.
• Mentoring messages can be provided to a driver based upon differences between the vehicle operation data and the vehicle operation profile.
• the vehicle operation profile comprises thresholds for the vehicle operation parameters, and vehicle operation data observed during the monitoring period is compared to the thresholds.
• the vehicle operation parameters to be monitored during the training period and/or during the mentoring period may be selected by a user.
• Thresholds are established for vehicle operation parameters based upon the vehicle operation training data.
• the thresholds correspond to an average observed value of the vehicle operation parameters, a maximum observed value of the vehicle operation parameters, or a selected percentage above a value of the vehicle operation parameters.
• the user may adjust the thresholds for vehicle operation parameters from an observed value.
• a user may adjust the thresholds for vehicle operation parameters from value established by the vehicle monitoring system.
• FIG. l is a diagram of a system incorporating embodiments of the invention mounted in a vehicle
• Figure 2 is a diagram of possible locations of cameras and/or other technologies used in embodiments of the invention.
• FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating one process for implementing the present invention
• Figure 4 illustrates a process for measuring baseline data
• Figure 5 illustrates a process for creating an acceptable driving profile.
• the monitoring device maybe self contained, such as a single unit mounted on a windshield 105 or dashboard 106.
• the monitoring device may include multiple components, such as a processor or central unit mounted under a car seat 103 or in a trunk 104.
• the monitoring device may have a self-contained antenna in the unit (105), or may be connected to remotely mounted antennas 107.
• the vehicle monitoring units may be connected to an on-board diagnostic (OBD) system or bus in the vehicle.
• OBD on-board diagnostic
• Information and data associated with the operation of the vehicle may be collected from the OBD system, such as engine operating parameters, vehicle identification, seatbelt use, door position, etc.
• the OBD system may also be used to power the vehicle monitoring device.
• the vehicle monitoring device is of the type described in U.S. Patent Application No. 11/755,556, filed on May 30, 2007, entitled “System and Method for Evaluating Driver Behavior," the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
• Information may be exchanged between the vehicle monitoring system and a central monitoring system or server in real-time or at intervals
• the vehicle operation parameters may be transmitted to server 109 via communication network 108, which may be a cellular, satellite, WiFi, Bluetooth, infrared, ultrasound, short wave, microwave or any other suitable network.
• Server 109 may process the parameters and/or store the data to database 110, which may be part of server 109 or a separate device located nearby or at a remote location Users can access the data on server 109 and database 1 10 using terminal 111, which may be co- located with server 109 and database 110 or coupled via the Internet or other network connection.
• the data captured by the monitoring system in vehicle 101 may be transmitted via a hardwired communication connection, such as an Ethernet connection that is attached to vehicle 101 when the vehicle is within a service yard or at a base station.
• the data may be transferred via a flash memory, diskette, or other memory device that can be directly connected to server 109 or terminal 111.
• Data such as driving performance or warning thresholds, may also be uploaded from the central server to the vehicle monitoring device in a similar manner
• the data captured by the vehicle monitoring system is used to monitor, mentor or other wise analyze a d ⁇ ver's behavior during certain events. For example, if the vehicle is operated improperly, such as speeding, taking turns too fast, colliding with another vehicle, or d ⁇ ving in an unapproved area, then a supervisor may want to review the data recorded du ⁇ ng those events to determine what the dnver was doing at that time and if the d ⁇ ver's behavior can be improved Additionally, if the d ⁇ ver's behavior is inapprop ⁇ ate or illegal, such as not wea ⁇ ng a seatbelt or using a cell phone while d ⁇ ving, but does not cause the vehicle to operate improperly, a supervisor may also want to review the data recorded du ⁇ ng those events.
• exemplary mounted locations for the vehicle monito ⁇ ng system are illustrated, such as on a dashboard 201 , windshield 202, or headlmer 203. It will be understood that all or parts of the vehicle monitoring system may be mounted in any other location that allows for audio and/or visual feedback to the dnver of the vehicle while the vehicle is in operation
• Monito ⁇ ng device 201 is illustrated as being coupled to OBD 102, from which it may receive inputs associated with vehicle operating parameters.
• Monito ⁇ ng devices 202 and 203 may be similarly coupled to OBD 102 (connections not shown)
• the vehicle monitoring system may be coupled to other sensors, such as a sensor for detecting the operation and use of a cellular or wireless device in the vehicle.
• the vehicle monitoring system includes an accelerometer module (XLM) that includes at least one accelerometer for measuring at least one of lateral (sideways), longitudinal (forward and aft) and vertical acceleration in order to determine whether the driver is operating the vehicle in an unsafe or aggressive manner.
• XLM accelerometer module
• excessive lateral acceleration may be an indication that the driver is operating the vehicle at an excessive speed around a turn along a roadway.
• the driver may be traveling at a speed well within the posted speed limit for that area of roadway.
• excessive lateral acceleration defined herein as "hard turns,” may be indicative of aggressive driving by the driver and may contribute to excessive wear on tires and steering components as well as potentially causing the load such as a trailer to shift and potentially overturn.
• monitoring and mentoring such driver behavior by providing warnings to the driver during the occurrence of aggressive driving such as hard turns can improve safety and reduce accidents.
• mentoring such aggressive driver behavior can reduce wear and tear on the vehicle and ultimately reduce fleet maintenance costs as well as reduce insurance costs and identify at risk drivers and driving behavior to fleet managers.
• the vehicle monitoring system may further include a self-contained and tamper- resistant event data recorder or crash data recorder (CDR), such as, for example, the CDR which is shown and disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,266,588 and 6,549,834 issued to McClellan et al., (the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety) and which is commercially known as "Witness” and commercially available from Independent Witness, Inc. of Salt Lake City, Utah.
• CDR crash data recorder
• the CDR is adapted to continuously monitor vehicle motion and begin recording upon supra-threshold impacts whereupon it records the magnitude and direction of accelerations or G- forces experienced by the vehicle as well as recording an acceleration time-history of the impact event and velocity change between pre- and post-impact for a configurable duration following the impact.
• the CDR may be separate from the accelerometer module (XLM) or may be the same device.
• the vehicle monitoring system may be in data communication with an on board diagnostic (OBD) II system of the vehicle such as via a port.
• OBD on board diagnostic
• the vehicle monitoring system is in data communication with a controller area network (CAN) system (bus) to allow acquisition of certain vehicle operating parameters including, but not limited to, vehicle speed such as via the speedometer, engine speed or throttle position such as via the tachometer, mileage such as via the odometer reading, seat belt status, condition of various vehicle systems including anti-lock-braking (ABS), turn signal, headlight, cruise control activation and a multitude of various other diagnostic parameters such as engine temperature, brake wear, and the like
• CAN controller area network
• ABS anti-lock-braking
• the OBD or CAN allows for acquisition of the above-mentioned vehicle parameters for processing thereby and/or for subsequent transmission to the central server 109
• the vehicle momto ⁇ ng system may also include a GPS receiver (or other similar technology designed to track location) configured to track the location and directional movement of the vehicle in either real-time or over-time modes.
• GPS signals may be used to calculate the latitude and longitude of a vehicle as well as allowing for tracking of vehicle movement by inferring speed and direction from positional changes. Signals from GPS satellites also allow for calculating the elevation and, hence, vertical movement, of the vehicle.
• Embodiments of the vehicle momto ⁇ ng system may further include a mobile data terminal (MDT) mounted for observation and manipulation by the driver, such as near the vehicle dash
• the MDT preferably has an operator interface such as a keypad, keyboard, touch screen, display screen or any suitable user input device and may further include audio input capability such as a microphone to allow voice communications.
• the MDT may include at least one warning mechanism such as a speaker and/or a warning light for warning the d ⁇ ver of violation of posted speed limits and/or exceeding acceleration thresholds in lateral, longitudinal and vertical directions as an indication of hard turns, hard braking or hard vertical, respectively
• the vehicle monito ⁇ ng system receives inputs from a number of internal and external sources.
• the OBD II/CAN bus which provides data from the vehicle's on-board diagnostic system, including engine performance data and system status information.
• a GPS receiver provides location information
• the CDR, XLM, or accelerometers provide information regarding the vehicle's movement and d ⁇ ving conditions. Any number of other sensors, such as but not limited to, a seat belt sensor, proximity sensor, d ⁇ ver monito ⁇ ng sensors, or cellular phone use sensors, also provide inputs to the vehicle monitoring system.
• the vehicle monito ⁇ ng system compares these inputs to preset thresholds and determines when an exception condition occurs or when a threshold is exceeded that requires an alarm to be generated in the vehicle.
• the alarm may be an audible and/or visual warning for the vehicle occupants
• any of the data collected may be passed on to server 109 or database 110 where it may be further processed or accessed.
• the vehicle operation thresholds may be entered directly into the vehicle monitoring system or may be received as updated, revised, or corrected rule sets, commands or logic from server 109.
• the vehicle monitoring system may have any type of user interface, such as a screen capable of displaying messages to the vehicle's driver or passengers, and a keyboard, buttons or switches that allow for user input.
• the system or the user interface may have one or more status LEDs or other indicators to provide information regarding the status of the device's operation, power, communications, GPS lock, and the like. Additionally, the LEDs or other indicators may provide feedback to the driver when a driving violation occurs. Additionally, monitoring system may have a speaker and microphone integral to the device.
• the monitoring system may be self-powered, such as by a battery, or powered by the vehicle's battery and/or power generating circuitry. Access to the vehicle's battery power may be by accessing the power available on the vehicle's OBD and/or CAN bus.
• the vehicle monitoring system may be self-orienting, which allows it to be mounted in any position, angle or orientation in the vehicle or on the dashboard.
• the vehicle monitoring system determines a direction of gravity and a direction of vehicle movement and determines its orientation within the vehicle using this information.
• the present invention filters gravitational effects out of the longitudinal, lateral and vertical acceleration measurements when the vehicle is on an incline or changes its horizontal surface orientation.
• Driver performance is monitored and mentored using the accelerometer module, which preferably will be a tri-axial accelerometer. Acceleration is measured in at least one of lateral, longitudinal and/or vertical directions over a predetermined time period, which may be a period of seconds or minutes. An acceleration input signal is generated when a measured acceleration exceeds a predetermined threshold.
• the present invention may be used for both fleets of vehicles and for individual drivers.
• the vehicle monitoring system described herein may be used by insurance providers to monitor and/or mentor the driving behavior of customers and to use collected data to set insurance rates.
• a private vehicle owner may also use the present invention to monitor the use of the vehicle.
• a parent may use the system described herein to monitor a new driver or a teenaged driver.
• An embodiment of the invention provides real-time mentoring, training, or other feedback to a driver while operating the vehicle. The mentoring is based upon observed operation of the vehicle and is intended to change and improve driver behavior by identifying improper or illegal operation of the vehicle. Using preset criteria or thresholds, the vehicle monitoring system identifies when the vehicle is operated outside the criteria or beyond the preset thresholds to determine that a violation has occurred.
• Speeding criteria such as driving above a maximum speed limit, violation of a posted speed limit in a speed-by-street database, or violating a speed limit in a designated zone, may cause the vehicle monitoring system to warn the driver.
• Speeding criteria such as driving above a maximum speed limit, violation of a posted speed limit in a speed-by-street database, or violating a speed limit in a designated zone, may cause the vehicle monitoring system to warn the driver.
• aggressive driving events may be detected, such as exceeding acceleration thresholds in a lateral, longitudinal, or vertical direction, hard turns, hard acceleration or jackrabbit starts, hard braking, and/or hard vertical movement of the vehicle.
• Visual and/or audible warnings may be played or displayed to the driver upon a violation of an acceleration threshold.
• Other violations such as operating the vehicle outside or inside a specific area or off of a specific route can trigger a visual or audible mentoring message to the driver.
• Areas and routes may be defined, for example, using a geofence that is compared to the vehicle's current location as determined by the GPS system.
• Seat belt use violation such as failing to use a seatbelt while driving, may be detected, for example, via the OBD bus and may trigger a mentoring message to use the seatbelt.
• Sensors that detect exposure to ethanol (EtOH) vapor and/or detect blood EtOH levels may be used to determine if a driver has been drinking and may have a blood alcohol level that is illegal.
• the vehicle momto ⁇ ng device may provide mentoring feedback to the d ⁇ ver or may disable the vehicle Other sensors may detect the use of wireless devices, such as cell phones, in the vehicle. Upon detecting cell phone use, the vehicle monitoring system may issue a warning to the driver to stop using the cell phone.
• the present invention provides real-time automatic exception alerts and reporting in the form of e-mail, phone calls, or pages to facilitate intervention and to change d ⁇ ver behavior. Such reporting, such as to a parent, fleet manager, supervisor, or other authority, may be made immediately upon detection of the violation or may occur if the violation is not corrected within a predetermined pe ⁇ od of time.
• the alerts may contain, for example, d ⁇ ver performance reports such as a speeding index, "harsh” d ⁇ ving (e g acceleration, braking, turning, vertical indices) conditions, a seatbelt index and the like.
• the vehicle monito ⁇ ng system may be configured to provide an immediate alert, or a grace pe ⁇ od may be configured to allow the driver to correct the violation. If the violation is corrected by the d ⁇ ver, then no alert is sent to report the violation, thereby allowing the vehicle monito ⁇ ng system to mentor the driver without human intervention.
• the present invention to combines trigge ⁇ ng events with visual and/or audible warning to change dnver behavior.
• the mento ⁇ ng messages may be configured by event or violation
• a user may configure one or more thresholds that, when exceeded, trigger a mentoring message
• the type and content of the mentoring messages are also configurable
• audible and/or visual warnings may be assigned to each threshold crite ⁇ a so that, upon reaching the threshold speed, for example, a selected warning is played or displayed.
• the warnings may be further configured to change over time. For example, audible warnings, such as tones or buzzers, may increase in volume or frequency or may change to different sound if the tngge ⁇ ng violation is not corrected.
• a spoken message warning such as "speeding violation” or “slow down,” may be repeated more frequently and/or louder if the speeding violation is not corrected.
• the spoken message may change to a different message and/or a different voice if the t ⁇ gge ⁇ ng event is not stopped
• Visual messages such as warning lights, may change from flashing to steady (or visa versa) if the violation continues Text warning messages may also be displayed to the user and may change over time.
• FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating one process for implementing the present invention
• a user selects and configures one or more threshold levels for parameters associated with vehicle operation and d ⁇ ver behavior
• these parameters may be a speeding parameter, an acceleration parameter, a seatbelt notice parameter, or any other parameter that may be measured by the vehicle monitoring system.
• Multiple thresholds may be assigned to a parameter, such as multiple levels of speeding thresholds to detect progressively worse speeding violations.
• the user assigns audible and visual mentoring messages to each threshold level that was selected in step 301.
• a visual mentoring message such as a warning light
• the warning light may be assigned to flash if a second speeding threshold is exceeded
• an audible message may be played if a third speeding threshold is exceeded.
• a grace period is assigned in step 303.
• the grace period may be a number of seconds or minutes.
• the grace period corresponds to a period of time in which the driver is allowed to correct a violation without triggering a report to a third party.
• the grace period may also be zero (i.e. no time for correction of the violation).
• alerts are selected for the thresholds assigned in step 301.
• the alerts are messages or reports to be sent to third parties, such as a fleet manager, parent or supervisor, if the grace period expires and the violation has not been corrected.
• step 305 the vehicle monitoring device monitors vehicle parameters and thereby monitors the driver's performance while operating the vehicle.
• a vehicle parameter exceeds the corresponding threshold set in step 301 the violation is detected in step 306.
• the vehicle monitoring system broadcasts the selected mentoring message to the driver.
• the mentoring message may be played and/or displayed one time or may be configured to repeat. If the violation has not been corrected, and the parameter is not back within the threshold criteria upon expiration of the grace period, then the selected alert is sent to the designated recipient in step 308.
• the threshold criteria, mentoring messages, grace periods, and alerts selected and configured in steps 301-304 may be specific to a particular vehicle or driver.
• the variables may be selected for a group of drivers based on employer, age, experience or other criteria, for a type of vehicle, for an entire fleet of drivers or vehicles, or for any other group of one or more vehicles or drivers.
• the threshold criteria may be manually entered into the monitoring system on a vehicle-by-vehicle basis.
• an operator may select the threshold criteria on terminal 111 , for example, and then transmit the criteria wirelessly or by wireline connection to the monitoring system in one or more vehicles.
• a baseline measurement is made for driver performance before the vehicle monitoring system begins providing mentoring to the driver.
• the baseline data can later be used to measure improvement in driver performance.
• the baseline data may be specific to single driver or to individual drivers. Alternatively, the baseline data may represent information from a fleet of drivers.
• FIG. 4 illustrates a process for measuring baseline data.
• vehicle monitoring systems are installed in one or more vehicles. Multiple vehicles in a fleet with many drivers or a single vehicle driven by a single driver may be used to determine the baseline data.
• all driver warnings, mentoring messages and alerts are disabled or turned off so that the drivers will not receive any feedback during the baseline measurement. It is important for the drivers to operate their vehicles "normally" during the baseline measurement and for them to drive as they have historically. By turning off all feedback from the monitoring devices, the driver will be less likely to change his usually driving behavior during the baseline period.
• the vehicle monitoring system monitors the driver's performance and the vehicle's parameters while the vehicle is being driven.
• step 404 data is collected during the baseline period for selected vehicle parameters. Data for all of the measurable or detectable parameters may be collected during this period, or data for only selected parameters may be recorded.
• step 405 the data from multiple vehicles, trips, or users is collected and compiled to create a baseline measurement for a fleet of vehicles.
• the monitoring system will have collected information such as an average number of seatbelt violations for a driver per day, an average number of speeding violations per day, an average amount of excess speed (MPH) per speeding violation, an average number of jackrabbit starts per trip, and similar measurements.
• MPH average amount of excess speed
• the collected data may be analyzed in any number of ways depending upon the requirements of a user. For example, data such as the total number of violations per parameter, an average number of violations per time period, or an average number of violations per driver, may be determined. Additional data, such as the amount of time elapsed until a violation is corrected, may also be collected.
• the baseline data may be collected by individual vehicle monitoring systems and then uploaded, such as wirelessly, by wireline connection or by memory device, to server 109. A user can then review and analyze the baseline data via terminal 1 11. By reviewing the baseline data, the user may be able to identify violations that occur most frequently, that take the longest to correct, or that are most dangerous.
• the baseline data can then be used to determine and set mentoring thresholds for drivers.
• the mentoring thresholds may be set as single standard for an entire fleet, or may be tailored to individual drivers. For example, if the baseline data shows few incidents of seatbelt violations, the user may decide not to provide mentoring feedback for seatbelt violations or that a low-key mentoring message would be used. On the other hand, if speeding violations were more common than expected, the user could set multiple speeding thresholds with progressively shrill mentoring message to focus the driver feedback on the speeding violations.
• the monitoring system or device installed in a vehicle may be placed in a training mode. While in the training mode, the vehicle monitoring device observes the operation of the vehicle over a period of time and establishes a profile of good or acceptable driving behavior.
• the training mode allows the vehicle monitoring system to learn how the vehicle should be operated by observing an experienced d ⁇ ver, for example.
• the vehicle monitoring system is switched to a monitoring mode. In the monitoring mode, the vehicle monitoring system provides feedback to the driver based upon the driving profile observed and recorded while in the training mode.
• the training mode may be used, for example, by a parent who has installed a vehicle monitoring device in a family car. After installation, the vehicle monitonng device is set to training mode and the parent drives the car for sufficient time, such as for several days or weeks, to create a profile of acceptable driving. After the device has observed sufficient vehicle use in the training mode, the vehicle monitoring system is set to monitoring mode and a new driver, teen driver, or any other family members will get feedback and mentoring from the vehicle monitoring system based upon the driving behavior observed in the training mode Similarly, a vehicle monitoring device installed in a commercial, government, or fleet vehicle may be placed in a training mode while an experienced driver, supervisor, or driving instructor operates the vehicle. Once a driving profile has been created for the vehicle, the monitoring system is switched to monitoring mode and other drivers will receive feedback and mentoring from the device based upon the learned profile.
• the parameters observed during a training mode may be a default standard for all users or may be selected by individual users, thereby allowing each user to highlight particular areas of interest.
• the vehicle monitoring system may observe the experienced driver's compliance with speed limits as compared to a speed-by-street database, the average and maximum speeds driven on various types of roads, the typical starting and braking accelerations, typical lateral acceleration in turns, and occurrences seatbelt or cellular phone use.
• the vehicle monitoring system stores or remembers the measured parameters, such as acceleration, deceleration, signaling in lane changes, degree of aggressiveness in turns, and the like.
• the vehicle monitoring system collects this data and establishes thresholds for various vehicle operation parameters, such as speeding and acceleration thresholds.
• the vehicle monitoring device may or may not be notified that different drivers are using the vehicle.
• the vehicle monitoring device may create a single acceptable driving profile based upon all users of the vehicle. Alternatively, multiple acceptable profiles may be created, such as one per driver in the training mode. One of the training profiles may then be selected for use in the monitoring mode.
• the present invention allows the vehicle monitoring system to provide appropriate feedback to drivers based upon the typical use of that vehicle by experience drivers. For example, during a training mode, if a parent typically exceeds speed limits by 5 MPH, uses the seatbelt for each drive, never does jackrabbit starts, and tends to brake hard in stops, then those parameters will be applied to a teen driver in the monitoring mode. For example, the vehicle monitoring system may set a first speeding threshold at 5 MPH above posted speed limits. If the teen driver operates the vehicle in the same manner as the parent, few or no mentoring messages would be broadcast to the teen driver. However, if the teen driver does not use a seatbelt and tends to do jackrabbit starts, then those events will trigger mentoring messages or warnings from the vehicle monitoring system.
• the vehicle monitoring system When the training mode is completed, and the vehicle monitoring system has created a profile of acceptable driving parameters, those parameters are stored in memory in the monitoring device.
• the acceptable driving parameters may be reviewed by the experienced driver, such as via a display on the vehicle monitoring system.
• the acceptable driving parameters may also be sent to central server 109 or other computer for review by the experienced driver or others, such as via terminal 111.
• the parameters and thresholds observed during the training mode may be reviewed at any time during the training period or after the training is completed.
• the parent, supervisor or experienced driver accept all of the parameters and thresholds established during the training period for use during the monitoring mode, or those parameters and thresholds may be used as initial values that can be further adjusted for use in the monitoring mode.
• a parent reviewing his driving parameters captured during training period may determine that certain features of his driving should not be emulated, such as excessive speeding violations or failure to use seatbelts.
• the parent may adjust the thresholds for these elements to require more strict compliance by the teen driver in the monitoring mode.
• FIG. 5 illustrates a process for creating an acceptable driving profile.
• a vehicle monitoring system is installed and the training mode is started.
• the vehicle is operated by a parent, driving instructor or other experienced driver in the training mode during a training period.
• the vehicle monitoring system observes all or selected vehicle parameters during the training period.
• the observed parameters may be all of the parameters measurable by the monitoring system or a default subset of those parameters, or a user may select specific parameters to be observed, hi step 504, the vehicle monitoring system creates an acceptable driving profile based upon the observed parameters.
• the parent or experienced driver may review the acceptable driving profile parameters and thresholds in step 505.
• the parent, experienced driver or other authority may change the selection of parameters to be observed during the training period.
• the thresholds generated by the vehicle monitoring system during the training mode may also be adjusted, if, for example, those thresholds are too strict or lenient.
• the training mode ends and a profile representing acceptable driving behavior is selected.
• the monitoring mode is started in step 507, and from that point on , in step 508, the monito ⁇ ng device provides mentoring and warning messages to the driver based upon selected acceptable driving profile.
• the vehicle monitoring system does not immediately apply the thresholds set in the training mode. Instead, when the monitoring mode starts, the vehicle monitoring device sets the mentoring and warning thresholds at values 30%, for example, above those set during the training mode. Then after some period of time, such as after one week, the thresholds are moved to 20%, for example, of the training mode values.
• the vehicle monitoring system may set the thresholds to the values established during a training mode, or the monitoring mode thresholds may always remain at some value above the training mode, such as 5-10% higher than what was observed during the training mode.

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