System for monitoring vehicle and operator behavior

Abstract

A system for monitoring operator and motor vehicle behavior, including at least one mobile device; application software resident on the mobile device, wherein the application software is operative to gather and record information relevant to both the behavior of a motor vehicle and the behavior of an operator of the motor vehicle, and wherein the application software is activated or deactivated based on certain predetermined trigger events; and at least one information processor in communication with and/or resident on the mobile device, wherein the information processor is operative to process and characterize the information gathered by the application software and communicate the processed and characterized information to a user of the system.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A system for monitoring the behavior of a motor vehicle and the behavior of an operator of that motor vehicle, comprising:
 (a) at least one mobile device,
 (i) wherein the mobile device is not physically installed in the motor vehicle being monitored; 
 (ii) wherein the mobile device further includes hardware, software, sensors, and communication functions; 
 (iii) wherein the mobile device further includes at least one information processor resident on the mobile device or in communication with the mobile device; and 
 (iv) wherein the hardware, software, sensors, communication functions and the information processor are operative to gather, record, characterize and communicate information about the behavior of motor vehicle; behavior of the operator of the motor vehicle; details of the geography where the motor vehicle is being operated; details of the environment in which the motor vehicle is being operated; or combinations thereof; and 
   (b) at least one application software resident on the mobile device,
 (i) wherein the at least one application software interfaces with the hardware, software, sensors, communication functions and the information processor to gather, record, characterize and communicate information about the behavior of the motor vehicle; behavior of the operator of the motor vehicle; details of the geography where the motor vehicle is being operated; details of the environment in which the motor vehicle is being operated; or combinations thereof; and 
 (ii) wherein the at least one application software is activated and deactivated based on certain predetermined trigger events. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one central control system that further includes hardware, software, databases, algorithms and communication functions;
 (a) wherein the database further includes information collected from the at least one mobile device and additional information about the operator, motor vehicle, geography, environment, or combinations thereof;   (b) wherein the central control system is operative to aggregate and augment data collected from at least one mobile device;   (c) wherein the hardware, software, databases, algorithms and communication functions are operative to gather, record, characterize and communicate information about the operator, vehicle, geography, environment, or combinations thereof; and   (d) wherein the central control system includes at least one information processor resident on the central control system.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one information processor resident on the central control system further includes a computer. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one information processor further includes a computer. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one mobile device is a smartphone. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one algorithm that classifies or provides ratings to motor vehicles, motor vehicle operators, geographies, environments or combinations thereof; wherein the classifications or ratings further include:
 (a) information relevant to individual motor vehicles, motor vehicle operators, geographies, environments, combinations thereof, or changes in this information over time; and   (b) comparative information regarding other motor vehicles, motor vehicle operators, geographies, environments, combinations thereof, or changes in this comparative information over time.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system is operative to provide feedback to the user of the system. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the feedback further comprises:
 (a) information about the operators, vehicles, geographies, environments, system, or combinations thereof;   (b) information about a single user, multiple users, or a combination thereof;   (c) wherein the feedback format is aural, numerical, graphical, tabular, pictorial, or combinations thereof; and   (d) wherein the feedback is provided through the mobile device, the central control system, devices connected to the mobile device or the central control system, or combinations thereof   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the information about the behavior of the motor vehicle, behavior of the operator of the motor vehicle, the details of the geography where the motor vehicle is being operated, the details of the environment in which the motor vehicle is being operated further includes: vehicle make, vehicle model, vehicle model year, vehicle identification number, vehicle use, vehicle passenger capacity, vehicle cargo capacity, vehicle location, vehicle speed, vehicle direction of motion, vehicle history, operator driving history, operator accident history, operator violation history, demographic information, mobile device usage as a telephone while operating the motor vehicle, mobile device usage for internet access while operating the motor vehicle, latitude, longitude, speed limit, elevation, traffic conditions, traffic accidents, presence of construction, presence of hazardous conditions, type of terrain, amount of precipitation, type of precipitation, weather conditions, seasons, presence of other motor vehicles, presence of other vehicle operators, date, time, change in variables over time, combinations thereof, or other information derived from these variables. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein system is used for determining cost of insurance. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein system is used for educating drivers. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein system is used for managing fleets of vehicles; regulatory administration of motor vehicles in a geographic region; law enforcement; providing emergency services; or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . A system for monitoring the behavior of a motor vehicle and the behavior of an operator of that motor vehicle, comprising:
 (a) at least one mobile device,
 (i) wherein the mobile device is not physically connected to the motor vehicle being monitored; 
 (ii) wherein the mobile device includes hardware, software, sensors, and communication functions; 
 (iii) wherein the hardware, software, sensors, and communication functions included in the mobile device are operative to gather, record, characterize and communicate information about the behavior of motor vehicle, the behavior of the operator of the motor vehicle, details of the geography where the motor vehicle is being operated, details of the environment in which the motor vehicle is being operated, or combinations thereof; 
   (b) at least one central control system that includes additional hardware, software, databases, algorithms, and communication functions;
 (i) wherein the databases further include information collected from the at least one mobile device and additional information about the operator, the motor vehicle, geography, environment, or combinations thereof; 
 (ii) wherein the central control system is operative to aggregate and augment data collected from the at least one mobile device; 
 (iii) wherein the additional hardware, software, databases, algorithms and communication functions included in the central control system are operative to gather, record, characterize and communicate information about the operator, vehicle, geography, environment, or combinations thereof; and 
   (c) at least one information processor.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein at least one mobile device is a smartphone. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one information processor further includes a computer. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 13 , further comprising at least one algorithm that classifies or provides ratings to motor vehicles, motor vehicle operators, geographies, environments or combinations thereof; wherein the classifications or ratings further include:
 (a) information relevant to individual motor vehicles, motor vehicle operators, geographies, environments, combinations thereof, or changes in this information over time; and   (b) comparative information regarding other motor vehicles, motor vehicle operators, geographies, environments, combinations thereof, or changes in this comparative information over time.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the system provides feedback to the user of the system, and wherein the feedback further comprises:
 (a) information about the operators, vehicles, geographies, environments, system, or combinations thereof;   (b) information about a single user, multiple users, or a combination thereof;   (c) wherein the feedback format is aural, numerical, graphical, tabular, pictorial, or combinations thereof; and   (d) wherein the feedback is provided through the mobile device, the central control system, devices connected to the mobile device or the central control system, or combinations thereof.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the information about the behavior of the motor vehicle, behavior of the operator of the motor vehicle, the details of the geography where the motor vehicle is being operated, the details of the environment in which the motor vehicle is being operated further includes: vehicle make, vehicle model, vehicle model year, vehicle identification number, vehicle use, vehicle passenger capacity, vehicle cargo capacity, vehicle location, vehicle speed, vehicle direction of motion, vehicle history, operator driving history, operator accident history, operator violation history, demographic information, mobile device usage as a telephone while operating the motor vehicle, mobile device usage for internet access while operating the motor vehicle, latitude, longitude, speed limit, elevation, traffic conditions, traffic accidents, presence of construction, presence of hazardous conditions, type of terrain, amount of precipitation, type of precipitation, weather conditions, seasons, presence of other motor vehicles, presence of other vehicle operators, date, time, change in variables over time, combinations thereof, or other information derived from these variables. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein system is used for determining the cost of insurance. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein system is used for educating drivers; managing fleets of vehicles; regulatory administration of motor vehicles in a geographic region; law enforcement; providing emergency services; or combinations thereof.