U.S. patent application number 12/547800 was filed with the patent office on 2010-05-27 for real time insurance generation.
Invention is credited to Himanshu S. Amin, Brian Asquith, Fred Collopy, Ronald Charles Krosky, Craig Allen Nard, Gustavo Arnaldo Narvaez, David Noonan, Seyed Vahid Sharifi Takieh, Gregory Turocy.
Application Number | 20100131304 12/547800 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42197144 |
Filed Date | 2010-05-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100131304 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Collopy; Fred ; et
al. |
May 27, 2010 |
REAL TIME INSURANCE GENERATION
Abstract
An on-board monitoring system in conjunction with a mobile
device can be employed to gather real-time information regarding
how a vehicle is being operated by the owner of the mobile device.
The mobile device has information stored thereon that allows the
user to be identified by the on-board monitoring system. The
real-time information is forwarded to a remote insurance provider
system that, based upon the gathered real-time information,
determines an insurance rate. The determined insurance rate can be
transmitted to the owner allowing them to see how their driving
style is affecting their insurance rate and can adjust their
driving style accordingly.
Inventors: |
Collopy; Fred; (Cleveland
Heights, OH) ; Nard; Craig Allen; (Shaker Heights,
OH) ; Amin; Himanshu S.; (Solon, OH) ; Turocy;
Gregory; (Moreland Hills, OH) ; Sharifi Takieh; Seyed
Vahid; (Broadview Heights, OH) ; Krosky; Ronald
Charles; (Lakewood, OH) ; Noonan; David;
(Webster Groves, MO) ; Narvaez; Gustavo Arnaldo;
(Solon, OH) ; Asquith; Brian; (Cleveland Heights,
OH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TUROCY & WATSON, LLP
127 Public Square, 57th Floor, Key Tower
CLEVELAND
OH
44114
US
|
Family ID: |
42197144 |
Appl. No.: |
12/547800 |
Filed: |
August 26, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61118400 |
Nov 26, 2008 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
705/4 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06Q 30/0269 20130101;
G06Q 40/08 20130101; G06Q 30/06 20130101; G06Q 30/0224 20130101;
G06Q 30/0251 20130101; G06Q 30/0201 20130101; G06Q 30/0265
20130101; G06Q 30/0273 20130101; G06Q 30/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
705/4 |
International
Class: |
G06Q 40/00 20060101
G06Q040/00 |
Claims
1. A computer implemented system for real-time gathering insurance
information, comprising: a collection component that gathers
operation data from a vehicle, the operation data is gathered in
real-time; an identification component that obtains information
from which an identity of an operator of the vehicle is
established; and an analysis component that determines an insurance
rate based upon the operation data and operator identity.
2. The system of claim 1, the operation data is gathered from a
monitoring system where the monitoring system is located on the
vehicle.
3. The system of claim 1, the operator identity is obtained from a
mobile device associated with the operator.
4. The system of claim 1, further comprising an authentication
component that authenticates the operator based at least in part on
information provided by the mobile device.
5. The system of claim 4, the authentication component compares the
information provided by the mobile device with operator account
information stored in a database.
6. The system of claim 1, further comprising an authorization
component that based upon at least feedback provided by the
operator determines whether the operator is allowed to operate the
vehicle.
7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a driving analysis
component that receives the operation data, the operation data
indicates how the vehicle is being driven.
8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a dynamic rate
determination component that calculates insurance rates based upon
the results received from the data analysis component.
9. A method for gathering real-time data for determination of
insurance rates, comprising: employing a processor executing
computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable
storage medium to implement the following acts: identifying a
potential driver of a vehicle based upon identification information
stored on a device associated with the driver; and gathering
real-time data from the vehicle being driven by the driver.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising forwarding the
real-time data to an external insurance rate determination
system.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving from the
external insurance rate determination system an insurance rate
determined at least in part on the real-time data.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising presenting the
determined insurance rate to the driver.
13. The method of claim 9, the device is a cell phone belonging to
the driver.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising monitoring usage of
the cell phone by the driver.
15. The method of claim 9, the real-time data is employed to
facilitate reconstruction of an accident.
16. A computer implemented system for determining insurance rates
in real-time, comprising: means for identifying a driver from
information stored on a device associated with the driver; and
means for gathering real-time data regarding how the driver is
driving a vehicle.
17. The system of claim 16, further comprising means for
transmitting the real-time data to a remote computer system that
determines an insurance rate based at least in part on the
real-time data.
18. The system of claim 17, further comprising means for receiving
an insurance rate from a remote computer system.
19. The system of claim 18, further comprising means for presenting
the insurance rate to the driver.
20. The system of claim 16, means for determining usage of the
device while the vehicle is being operated by the driver.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Patent Application
Ser. No. 61/118,400, filed on Nov. 26, 2008, entitled "INSURANCE
OPTIMIZER AND REAL TIME ANALYTICS", the entirety of which is
incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The subject specification relates generally to insurance
rates and in particular to disclosing real-time insurance rates to
a vehicle operator.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Insurance coverage is a commodity that many people purchase
for peace of mind and/or because local laws require such coverage.
Thus, most people might consider insurance as something that is
necessary and, at times, undesirable due to high cost of insurance
premiums. A person can pay an insurance premium at one instance for
coverage over a block of time, such as making a payment
semi-annually for six months of coverage. Once the premium is paid,
the driver commonly does not think about insurance until the next
payment is due or an incident occurs that brings the premium to the
driver's consciousness (e.g., being in an automobile accident).
With limited and infrequent thought to insurance premiums, drivers
can be less likely to perform actions that are beneficial to
lowering their premiums as well as their risk factor.
[0004] Insurance companies calculate premiums for coverage through
complex models based upon a variety of factors. The goal of these
models is to determine a risk level associated with a driver or
vehicle--based upon the risk level, an amount for the premium can
be ascertained. Age, driver citation history, and other factors can
be used in determining the risk level and thus ascertaining the
amount for a premium.
SUMMARY
[0005] The following discloses a simplified summary of the
specification in order to provide a basic understanding of some
aspects of the specification. This summary is not an extensive
overview of the specification. It is intended to neither identify
key or critical elements of the specification nor delineate the
scope of the specification. Its sole purpose is to disclose some
concepts of the specification in a simplified form as a prelude to
the more detailed description that is disclosed later.
[0006] With the disclosed innovation, data regarding a driver's
driving skills and habits can be obtained in real time. The data
can be subsequently analyzed and an appropriate insurance rate
determined. The insurance rate or other information pertaining to
the driver's driving style can be forwarded to the driver in real
time while they are still driving the vehicle thereby allowing the
driver to adjust their driving technique, where such an adjustment
can result in lower insurance rates being determined.
Alternatively, the new insurance rates and associated data can be
forwarded to the driver at a later time, e.g., upon completion of a
journey.
[0007] The driver is identified to an on-board monitoring system
using a device that has unique identification information stored
thereon to allow the driver to be uniquely identified. Such a
device can be a cell phone, where the IMSI information stored on
the cell phone SIM can be employed to identify the driver.
Alternative embodiments, for example, can include a RFID device,
cards with information stored in a magnetic strip, etc.
[0008] The on-board monitoring system is in communication with an
insurance provider system. Data gathered by the on-board monitoring
system can be forwarded to the insurance provider, the data
analyzed and an insurance rate determined. The determined rate can
then be forwarded to the on-board monitoring system allowing the
driver to see immediately what effect their driving style is having
upon their insurance rate.
[0009] An authentication process can be performed to ensure that
the driver is who they say they are. In one embodiment,
authentication can involve comparing shared digital keys between an
identification device and the on-board monitoring system. In an
alternative embodiment, an external database can be accessed and a
shared digital key can be obtained to compare with one stored on a
cell phone SIM.
[0010] Authorization of the driver can be carried out, whereby once
the driver has been identified, information is obtained as to
whether the driver is allowed to drive a particular vehicle, for
example, in a fleet of company vehicles. Alternatively, the driver
may be deemed to be unsuitable for driving certain passengers in a
vehicle and is thus prevented from driving them. The authorization
process can include immobilization of a particular vehicle, and/or
informing the driver that they are not able to drive that
particular vehicle or certain passengers.
[0011] A third party system and database can be accessed to
facilitate identification of the driver. In one embodiment a
database operated by the cell phone system provider can be queried
and information identifying the owner of the cell phone
accessed.
[0012] A contextual system can be included that interacts with
other applications such as a calendar on a cell phone. The
contextual system can prompt the driver of an upcoming trip, e.g.,
to the airport, and allow them sufficient time to make the trip in
a safe manner.
[0013] A global positioning system GPS can be included in the
system allowing the location of the driver and vehicle to be
determined which can be forwarded to the insurance provider to
allow rates based on location to be provided. An accelerometer can
also be included to provide feedback regarding whether the driver
is accelerating or braking excessively.
[0014] Further, the on-board monitoring system can be connected to
any on-board diagnostic system(s) available on the vehicle. Data
received from the on-board diagnostic system can be employed to
help determine how the vehicle is being driven, whether the driver
and passengers are wearing their seatbelts, road worthiness of the
vehicle, etc.
[0015] Insurance rate determination applications can be installed
and operating on the insurance provider system. Applications
providing similar functionality, either in a comprehensive or
limited manner, can be installed and operating local to the
on-board monitoring system. The applications can be employed in
conjunction with buffer memory such that in the event of
communication failure between the on-board monitoring system and
the insurance provider system any gathered/processed data can be
stored in the buffer until communications are re-established and
the data is downloaded to the respective device.
[0016] The real-time insurance rate determination system can be
incorporated into a "mesh" comprising of other drivers, GPS based
location information, traffic systems, etc. The mesh allows the
driver to interface with the transport infrastructure and have
their attention drawn to speed limits, other vehicles, illegal
maneuvers, etc.
[0017] Data gathered by the on-board monitoring system, GPS,
on-board diagnostic systems, etc., can be employed in the
reconstruction of accidents, and if required, provided to legal
entities for legal proceedings.
[0018] Also, the real-time insurance determination system addresses
the issue of drivers owning multiple vehicles and having to insure
them all even though only one vehicle is driven at any given time.
As the system is focused on the driver it is possible to determine
an insurance coverage based upon the frequency with which each
vehicle is driven.
[0019] A cell phone can be used to identify a driver and provide a
means for communication between the on-board monitoring system and
the remote insurance provider system. Hence it is possible to
determine whether the driver uses their cell phone while driving,
e.g., they talk or send text with the cell phone while driving.
Appropriate insurance rates can be charged based on cell phone
usage.
[0020] The driver can also opt to allow third party companies to
have access to their data, allowing the third party companies to
forward advertisements etc. that the third party company determines
pertains to the driver based on their data.
[0021] The insurance provider system can be available to a
plurality of insurance companies allowing the driver to benefit
from quotes the companies, where the driver can switch from one
insurance coverage to another in real time.
[0022] The following description and the annexed drawings set forth
certain illustrative aspects of the specification. These aspects
are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which
the principles of the specification can be employed. Other
advantages and novel features of the specification will become
apparent from the following detailed description of the
specification when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates a system for real-time monitoring of a
driver to facilitate determination of insurance rate(s) in
accordance with an aspect.
[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates a system for real-time monitoring of a
driver to enable determination of rate(s) of insurance in
accordance with an aspect.
[0025] FIG. 3 depicts a monitoring system in communication with an
insurance provider system to facilitate operation of a vehicle in
accordance with an aspect.
[0026] FIG. 4 presents an example methodology for the installation
of a real-time insurance system in accordance with an aspect.
[0027] FIG. 5 illustrates a representative methodology for
initializing on-board monitoring for a real-time insurance system
and authenticating/authorizing a driver in accordance with an
aspect.
[0028] FIG. 6 illustrates an example methodology for gathering
information from an on-board monitoring system employed in a
real-time insurance system in accordance with an aspect.
[0029] FIG. 7 illustrates an example methodology 700 for
determining insurance rates based upon vehicle usage in accordance
with an aspect.
[0030] FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a schematic block diagram
of a computing environment in accordance with an aspect.
[0031] FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a block diagram of a
computer operable to execute the disclosed architecture.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] The claimed subject matter is now described with reference
to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer
to like elements throughout. In the following description, for
purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in
order to provide a thorough understanding of the claimed subject
matter. It can be evident, however, that the claimed subject matter
can be practiced without these specific details. In other
instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block
diagram form in order to facilitate describing the claimed subject
matter.
[0033] As used in this application, the terms "component,"
"module," "system," "interface," or the like are generally intended
to refer to a computer-related entity, either hardware, a
combination of hardware and software, software, or software in
execution. For example, a component can be, but is not limited to
being, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an
executable, a thread of execution, a program, and/or a computer. By
way of illustration, both an application running on a controller
and the controller can be a component. One or more components can
reside within a process and/or thread of execution and a component
can be localized on one computer and/or distributed between two or
more computers. As another example, an interface can include I/O
components as well as associated processor, application, and/or API
components.
[0034] Traditional methods of determining an insurance rate for a
driver involves reviewing the driver's driving history (e.g.,
traffic violations in a particular period, age, location, and the
like), the vehicle to be driven, location of the vehicle, etc., and
generating an insurance rate based thereon. Rather than insuring
each vehicle, the focus of insurance is placed upon the individual
and real-time information generated reflecting the driver's driving
habits/skills. The issue is how to identify a particular driver and
associate them with the vehicle that they are driving? An
individual may not only drive their vehicle but can also have
access to and drive a family member's vehicle, friend's vehicle,
corporate fleet vehicle, rental vehicle, etc. Therefore, it is of
interest to be able to track and monitor the individual driver
regardless of the vehicle they are driving. By gathering real-time
data, insurance rates can be determined that are more
representative of a driver's driving habits and skills than the
conventional system of insurance rate determination based on such
factors as number of traffic violations, e.g., speeding tickets,
etc.
[0035] FIG. 1 illustrates a system 100 for real-time monitoring of
a driver to facilitate determination of insurance rate(s) based on
various aspects as disclosed infra. System 100 includes an
insurance policy holder, operator 110, utilizing a mobile device
105 to associate the operator 110 with an on-board monitoring
system 125 and a vehicle 130. By employing wireless communications,
the mobile device 105 is in communication with an insurance
provider system 135 via a transceiver 140 and a communication
component 145. As vehicle 130 is being driven by operator 110 the
driver's driving habits, skills, route of travel, activity, etc.,
can be monitored by the on-board monitoring system 125 in
conjunction with the mobile device 105. The on-board monitoring
system 125 monitors and gathers information regarding driver 110's
driving skills, habits, etc. and forwards the information to the
insurance provider 135. The communication component 145 can provide
communication protocols, data conversion, etc., as necessary, to
allow transmission of data and information between the on-board
monitoring system 125, the mobile device 105 and the insurance
provider system 135. Data received at the insurance provider system
135 can be collected by an aggregation component 148. The
aggregation component can compile received data to facilitate
processing by the data analysis component 150. The insurance
provider 135 employs various analytical methods (by utilizing
driving analysis component 150) to facilitate determination of an
appropriate insurance rate and any other pertinent information
concerning the driving habits of the driver.
[0036] Further, the aggregation component 148 can obtain data from
the various components of system 100 to assist in the determination
of insurance rates. Such components can include the on-board
monitoring system 125, mobile device 105, the device ID 106, and/or
the vehicle operator 110 with the obtained data being forwarded to
the driving analysis component 150 and/or the dynamic rate
determination component 155. Data can also be obtained from a
database 160 which stores information pertaining to the vehicle
operator 110, e.g., previous driving history, along with other data
as required. Furthermore, the aggregation component 148 can obtain
information as required from the insurance provider as well as any
third party entities such as other insurance companies, parents of
the vehicle operator, and the like. The aggregation component 148
gathers information from as many sources as required to facilitate
generation and presentation of insurance rate(s). Data gathered by
the aggregation component 148 can also be forwarded from the
insurance provider system 135 to the mobile device 105, on-board
monitoring system 125, and any other components associated with
system 100 to facilitate presentation of any pertinent data, e.g.,
insurance rates, to an operator 110 or other interested party.
[0037] The database 160 which can be employed to store any
information gathered or generated by the various components of
system 100. Such information can include data gathered by the
on-board monitoring system 125, information provided by operator
110, information retrieved from the mobile device 105 or
information associated therewith, information collected or
generated by the various components of the insurance provider
system 135, information provided by third party systems and/or
users (not shown), and the like. The database 160 can be
incorporated into the insurance provider system 135, or reside in a
third party system (not shown). It is to be appreciated that a
wealth of data and information can be generated by the various
components of system 100, and database/memory components (not
shown) can be distributed as required across the system 100 to
facilitate collection, transmission, generation, evaluation, and
determination of a variety of data to facilitate operation of the
system.
[0038] The gathering of data by the on-board monitoring system 125
can be in real-time thereby allowing the driving analysis component
150 to analyze the received data in real-time/near real-time and,
accordingly, a dynamic rate determination component 155 to
dynamically determine an insurance rate(s) based upon the gathered
data and data analysis. The determined insurance rate(s) and any
other pertinent information can be transmitted to the mobile device
105 and/or on-board monitoring system 125 for presentation to the
driver. The pertinent information and insurance rate(s) can be
presented employing various communication devices incorporated into
the mobile device 105, the on-board monitoring system 125, or other
system (not shown) located in vehicle 130, where such communication
devices include audio presentation, visual display such as a
graphical interface, light emitting diode(s), head up display
(HUD), or other suitable communication means. By employing such
real-time/near real-time gathering, analysis, and rate
determination, an insurance premium can be generated that reflects
the driver's driving habits more closely than a traditional method
such as determining a rate based upon a number of speeding tickets
received by a driver in a given time period.
[0039] In an alternative embodiment any feedback information, e.g.,
determined insurance rate(s) or other pertinent information, can be
presented via a remote system such as a personal computer (e.g.,
connected to the insurance system) (not shown) for viewing by the
driver or other interested party. The insurance rate(s) can be
calculated in real-time and as such can more accurately reflect
appropriate coverage for a driver. A variety of different factors
can influence a likelihood of the driver being involved in an
accident, having a vehicle stolen, and the like. For example, if
the driver is travelling through bad weather, then risk of accident
can be higher and an insurance rate can be increased in real-time
as weather conditions change--conversely, if there is relatively
little traffic surrounding the driver's vehicle, then the rate can
be lowered.
[0040] It is to be appreciated that the terms "real-time" and "near
real-time" are being utilized to convey the time taken to monitor,
gather, transmit, process, present, etc., any data and information
that facilitates determination of an insurance rate and driver
feedback. The terms "real-time" and "near real-time" can be
interposed to reflect the virtually instantaneous data collection
and insurance rate determination in comparison with traditional
methods of insurance rate determination and provision of the rate
information to a customer via letter, phone, email, etc. The
traditional methods of letter, phone, email, etc. can be employed
to present insurance rates and information determined by the
methods disclosed herein to the customer at a later time, e.g.,
upon completion of the journey.
[0041] It is also to be appreciated that while the discussion
relates to real time insurance determination in conjunction with an
automobile, the innovation is not so limited and can be applied to
any system involving a data gathering system employed to acquire
information in real time and from the information insurance rates,
financial coverage, and the like, can be determined in real time.
Examples of other areas of application insurance of other
transportation systems including boats, ships, motorbikes, trains,
farm machinery, industrial machinery, trucks, and the like.
Machinery can also be a suitable application with gathered
information being employed to determine if the machinery has been
operated in an appropriate manner (e.g., a safe manner) in
accordance with the safe operation of the machine, operations
manuals, and the like.
[0042] It is to further be appreciated that while the preceding
discussion relates to the on-board monitoring system 125
communicating with the insurance provider 135 via mobile device
105, transceiver 140, and communication component 145, the
disclosed system is not so limited. In an alternative embodiment,
the on-board monitoring system 125 can include a wireless
communication system (not shown) facilitating direct communications
between the on-board monitoring system 125 and the insurance
provider 135, via transceiver 140. Any suitable combination and
location of communication means can be employed to facilitate
communications between the various system components. Also, it is
understood that while not shown, the on-board monitoring system 125
can include any equipment required to facilitate communication of
data, where the equipment can include processor(s), memory,
communication components and associated applications and protocols,
etc., as necessary. Further, it is to be appreciated that by
employing a transceiver 140 to communicate between the on-board
monitoring system 125 and the insurance provider system 135, the
variety of communication protocols and techniques employed by the
system 100 can be extended beyond those supported by the mobile
device 105. Such communication techniques can, for example, include
wireless, wired, cellular, WiFi, WiMax, WiLAN, satellite, etc.
[0043] The mobile device 105 can be any suitable device that can
have information stored thereon or can be associated with
information that uniquely identifies an individual. Such devices
include mobile phones, cellphones, personal digital assistant
(PDA), laptops, portable computer devices, and the like.
[0044] Any suitable device to assist in identifying a driver can be
employed in conjunction with the on-board monitoring system 125.
The suitable device can comprise of, but not limited to, any
combination of an interface to locate with the on-board monitoring
system 125, a memory for storing device/user identification, one or
more applications employed as part of the monitoring process, a
processor to implement the application(s), process any data, store
new data, etc., a transceiver to transmit or receive data as
required in performing the monitoring process,
display/communication device(s) to convey information to the
driver, and input device(s) to allow the user to interact with
presented information and provide feedback, e.g., such feedback
could be acceptance of a new insurance rate or entering of a
password for authentication purposes.
[0045] A range of methods and systems can be utilized to allow a
driver to be associated with a vehicle. In one embodiment, as shown
in FIG. 1, a device ID component 160 associated with the mobile
device 105 can be employed to identify mobile device 105 and,
accordingly, the owner or user of mobile device 105. In one
embodiment, the device ID component 160 can be a Subscriber
Identity Module (SIM) card in a driver's cell phone and the
information stored thereon can be utilized to identify the driver.
A SIM card can store a variety of identification information such
as an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) or an
integrated circuit card ID (ICC-ID), for example. Other identifiers
for other network and communication systems can be employed to
identify a device, such as the International Mobile Equipment
Identity (IMEI) number associated with a cell phone. Alternatively,
a Willcom-SIM (W-SIM) device or the like could be employed, where
the SIM card effectively has its own transceiver located
thereon.
[0046] In an alternative embodiment a device employing RFID
technology can be employed to allow the on-board monitoring system
125 to identify a driver. The driver can place the RFID enabled
device within transmission range of the on-board monitoring device
125, whereupon identification and authentication information can be
read from the RFID and employed by the on-board monitoring system
125 to identify and, if required, authenticate the driver. Such an
RFID device can be carried by the driver as a smart-card or as a
key-fob, for example. A similar approach can be employed with
mobile devices 105 utilizing other ranged wireless systems such as
Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11 (a, b, g, etc.), and the like.
[0047] In another embodiment, the driver identification information
could be stored on a card incorporating magnetic strip technology
whereupon the driver swipes the card through a card reader
associated with the onboard monitoring system to facilitate
identification and authentication of the driver. Alternatively,
information could be stored and represented as a barcode which is
presented to a barcode scanner (not shown) associated with the
on-board monitoring system 125 and the information stored in the
barcode is read.
[0048] The mobile device 105 and the on-board monitoring system 125
can be updated via hardwire e.g., connecting the mobile device 105
or on-board monitoring system 125 to a computer etc. to
install/upgrade software which can be downloaded from the internet.
Alternatively, the upgrade can be transmitted to the mobile device
105 or the on-board monitoring system 125 by wireless means. As a
further alternative, while the on-board monitoring system 125 is
shown as a separate system, the on-board monitoring system 125
could be incorporated into the mobile device 105, for example, as a
plug-in module.
[0049] It is to be appreciated that the mobile device 105 employed
by the driver as part of the system 100 can comprise of any
combination of components that allow gathering, processing,
transmission, presentation, evaluation, determination of insurance
rates and any pertinent information, and any components to assist
and enable the identification of the driver to the insurance
provider system 135.
[0050] FIG. 2 illustrates a system 200 for real-time monitoring of
a driver to facilitate determination of rate(s) of insurance.
System 200 illustrates communications between an on-board
monitoring system 125 and an external system such as the insurance
provider system 135 being conducted via the mobile device 105.
System 200 also comprises a GPS 210 providing location information,
an accelerometer 220, and an on-board diagnostics system 230 which
can provide information regarding how a vehicle is being driven and
the current condition of the vehicle. One or more camera's 240 can
be located onboard the vehicle to gather visual data throughout the
vehicle journey. Further, system 200 includes a context component
250 providing scheduling information to a user and a buffer 270 for
storing data. Along with information and communication being
exchanged between the on-board monitoring system 125/mobile device
105 and the insurance provider 135, a remote monitoring system 260
can be employed to interact with the insurance provider system 135,
the on-board monitoring system 125 and/or the mobile device 105.
The remote monitoring system 260 can comprise of any device
suitable to facilitate presentation of information and means for
allowing a user to interact with the information and the various
components of systems 100 and 200, suitable devices include a
personal computer, laptop, personal digital assistant, cell phone,
etc. The remote monitoring system 260 can be communicatively
coupled to the insurance provider system 135, with the insurance
provider system 135 forwarding information to the remote monitoring
system 260 as it is received from the on-board monitoring system
125, the mobile device 105, or after it has been processed by the
insurance provider system 135. Alternatively, the remote monitoring
system 260 can be in direct communication with the mobile device
105 and/or the on-board monitoring system 125 and receives
information directly therefrom, and provides feedback and/or
instructions thereto.
[0051] The GPS 210 and the accelerometer 220 can be located in the
mobile device 105, the on-board monitoring system 125, or external
to, but in communication with the mobile device 105 and/or the
on-board monitoring system 125. The GPS 210 provides information
regarding the location of the respective device to which it is
communicatively coupled. The GPS 210 could be located in the mobile
device 105 thereby allowing the location of the user (e.g., a
driver) of mobile device 105 to be determined when the mobile
device 105 is local to the user, and accordingly, when the mobile
device 105 is associated with the on-board monitoring system 125
the location of vehicle 130 (not shown) to be determined. For
example, in a situation where someone drives a vehicle belonging to
someone else, e.g., a child drives a vehicle belonging to their
parent the parent can employ the GPS 210 either via the mobile
device 105 or in conjunction with the on-board monitoring system
125 to keep track of the location of their child as the child
conducts their journey. Location information can be forwarded to
the insurance provider system 135 for processing as part of an
insurance rate determination, and also presented to the parent, via
the remote monitoring system 260. The GPS 210 can provide feedback
regarding the current location of the driver, which can be employed
to monitor the past/present/future location of a driver. Continuing
with the example above, the location of the child can be monitored
by a parent, via the remote monitoring system 260, to ensure they
are going where they said they were going, the neighborhood
currently being driven through, etc. Information provided by the
GPS 210 can be processed and employed to assist in directing a
driver to go via a safer route, avoid congestion, etc. The
information provided by the GPS 210 can be presented to a remote
user via the remote monitoring system 260, and instructions can be
entered into the remote monitoring system 260 by a remote user and
provided to the driver via the mobile device 105, on-board
monitoring system 125, or other suitable device available to the
driver and/or installed in the vehicle.
[0052] Accelerometer 220 can be employed to monitor the rate of
acceleration/deceleration of the vehicle being driven, with the
captured data being employed by the insurance provider system 135
as part of a determination of insurance rate. Alerts can be
generated if a driver is/has been driving in a dangerous manner,
e.g., accelerating or braking excessively, and presented to a
person monitoring the driver via the monitoring system 260. For
example, if a child is overly accelerating a parent's vehicle, the
parent can be informed via the remote monitoring system 260, of the
child's driving style and appropriate action taken, such as calling
the child to tell them to not accelerate excessively.
Alternatively, the parent can be informed that the child is
speeding or that they are going through a "bad" neighborhood and
corrective action is required.
[0053] The on-board monitoring system 125 can be associated with,
and obtain information from, an on-board data system 230. The
on-board data system 230 can include an engine control unit/module
(ECU/ECM) located on vehicle 130 (see FIG. 1) that monitors various
sensors located throughout the engine, fuel, and exhaust systems to
control various aspects of the vehicles internal combustion engine
operation. The on-board data system 230 can also include a
transmission control unit (TCU), powertrain control module (PCM,
which can be a combined ECU/TCU), and other control units/on board
diagnostic systems located in an automobile monitoring sensors
associated with the transmission system, braking system, windows,
doors, windscreen wipers, climate control, etc., and information
obtained there from can allow the on-board monitoring system 125 to
build an accurate picture of how the vehicle is being operated. In
one example, the on-board monitoring system 125 can retrieve
information from the on-board data system 230 regarding whether the
driver and any other occupants of the vehicle are wearing their
seatbelts, and if seatbelts are not worn appropriate feedback can
be provided indicating a reduction in insurance premium if the
seatbelts were worn. The on-board monitoring system 125 can be
hardwired to the on-board data system 230 via, in the context of
one example, an on-board diagnostics (OBD) connector (e.g., an
OBD-II connector) or similar connector/device. Alternatively, the
on-board monitoring system 125 can be coupled to the on-board data
system 230 using wireless technologies, such as Bluetooth, IEEE
802.11 (a, b, g, etc.), for example.
[0054] Further, the on-board data system 230 can obtain information
regarding the condition of the vehicle 130. In one example, if tire
pressure is low, an inference can be made that there is a higher
likelihood of an accident and thus the insurance rate should be
increased.
[0055] One or more video cameras 240 can be located on a vehicle
130 to record visual information. In an embodiment comprising of a
single camera 240 the camera could be placed in the vehicle 130 to
be forward facing to the direction of travel and captures visual
information regarding the journey. Alternatively, a plurality of
cameras 240 can be located on the vehicle 130 allowing video to be
acquired from a variety of viewpoints from the vehicle 130, e.g., a
second camera can be recording information in a rearward viewpoint
gathering information for use in accident analysis such as when the
vehicle is reversing or has been involved in an accident, e.g.,
rear-ended. The visual data acquired by the camera can be streamed
to the insurance provider system 135 via the on-board monitoring
system 125 and/or mobile device 105 for data analysis.
Alternatively the acquired visual data can be stored local to the
vehicle 130, before sending to the insurance provider system 135,
in memory 260 associated with the on-board monitoring system and/or
in memory (not shown) located with the video camera 240. The
various memory buffers can be programmed to retain a specific
amount of data, e.g., the last X minutes, or until the memory
capacity is exceeded, whereupon the first stored video is replaced
by most recently acquired video. The acquired video data can be
used for a variety of purposes regarding collection of contextual
data and/or analysis. Examples of such purposes include the video
stream can be analyzed to assist in the determination of the
current weather conditions (e.g., it is snowing, windscreen wipers
are operating, etc.), during post-collision review the gathered
video can be reviewed to determine cause of collision, blame, etc.,
and the like.
[0056] A context component 250 can also comprise part of the mobile
device 105 and/or the on-board monitoring system 125, and interacts
with other applications (not shown) such as a calendar application
operating on the mobile device 105. The context component 250 can
review the calendar entries and prompt the driver of an upcoming
trip, e.g., to an airport. The context component 250, in
conjunction with a trip planner/geographic location application
280, can determine the amount of time required to complete the
journey and prompt the driver sufficiently ahead of commencing the
journey to allow the driver to make the trip in a safe manner.
[0057] A memory buffer 270 can also be utilized by the on-board
monitoring system 125 and/or the mobile device 105. Owing to the
possibility of lost wireless communications during a journey there
may be occasions where the on-board monitoring system 125 and/or
mobile device 105 are not able to communicate with the insurance
provider system 135. During such occasions, which can be of
indeterminate duration, any data gathered by the on-board
monitoring system 125 or the mobile device 105 can be temporarily
stored in the buffer 270. Upon re-establishment of communications
between the insurance provider system 135, the on-board monitoring
system 125 and/or the mobile device 105, the data stored in the
buffer can be downloaded to the insurance provider system 135 for
analysis and insurance rate determination. Employing the buffer 270
allows data to be gathered and stored even though communications
cannot be conducted between the various components of the real time
data gathering system. Conversely, the insurance provider system
135 can also include a buffer (not shown) which can be employed to
store information generated by the various components of the
insurance provider system 135 during the communications outage and,
upon re-establishment of communications, the information generated
by the insurance provider system 135 can be forwarded to the
on-board monitoring system 125 and/or the mobile device 105. The
buffer on the insurance provider system 135 can also be employed to
store data to be transmitted to the remote monitoring system 260 in
the event of communication outage therebetween, e.g., a network
failure.
[0058] Further, the on-board monitoring system 125 or the mobile
device 105 can include one or more local applications 280 to
facilitate monitoring, processing, and generation of data for
insurance purposes. The local applications 280 can be substantially
similar to any of the applications operating in the various
components that comprise systems 100, 200, and 300. By having the
one or more applications 280 functioning local to the vehicle 130,
insurance rate information and feedback can be presented to a
driver which can be beneficial when communications between the
various components that comprise systems 100, 200, and 300 are
unavailable. Also, the local applications 280 can be employed to
control what data is stored in the buffer 270. To prevent data
overflow of the buffer 270, the local applications 280 can process
the data as it is gathered thereby allowing the processed data to
be stored as opposed to the raw data, where it is envisioned that
the processed data occupies less memory than the raw data.
[0059] A particular application 280 could be a digital road map
which in conjunction with the GPS 210 and the on-board data system
230 can be used to assist in the determination of whether a vehicle
is speeding. The position of a vehicle can be ascertained by the
GPS 210 and in accordance with the digital road map the speed
restrictions of the road being navigated can be determined. By
comparing the designated speed limit of the road in comparison with
the speed of the vehicle (e.g., obtained from the on-board data
system 230) a real time determination can be made regarding the
velocity of the vehicle and whether it is breaking the posted speed
limit, with an according effect on insurance rate. Alternatively, a
digital road map (not shown) can be stored at the insurance
provider system 135 and data provided by the GPS 210 can be
analyzed by the insurance provider system 135, vehicle velocity
determined and the insurance rate affected accordingly.
[0060] Turning to FIG. 3, system 300 comprises a mobile device 105
and on-board monitoring system 125 in communication with an
insurance provider system 135. The on-board monitoring system 125
further comprises a vehicle control component 310 which can be
employed to ensure the vehicle is being operated in a safe manner.
The insurance provider system 135 further comprises an
identification component 320, an authentication component 330, an
evaluation/authorization component 340, along with a storage device
350 containing driver account information database(s) to identify a
driver and control their operation of a vehicle as required.
Further, system 300 can include a third party system 360 which
includes account information database 370.
[0061] During start up of the on-board monitoring system 125, which
can include associating the mobile device 105 with the on-board
monitoring system 125, various methods can be employed to identify
and authenticate the user associated with mobile device 105. In one
embodiment, user identification information can be retrieved from
the mobile device 105 and forwarded to the identification component
320. Such user identification information can comprise of an IMSI
number retrieved from a SIM (not shown) located on the mobile
device 105, e.g., in device ID 160. The identification component
320 can access storage device 350, retrieve any user account
information contained therein that is associated with the IMSI
number, and, using the retrieved information, identify the user
associated with the mobile device 105 and accordingly the
prospective driver of vehicle 130 (ref. FIG. 1).
[0062] To enable the correlation of a unique identifier (e.g., IMSI
number) to identify an individual, associated with mobile device
105 and driver data stored in database 350 some form of
registration process may have previously been performed. The
registration process, for example, can involve a driver informing
their insurance provider of the IMSI number associated with their
personal cell phone (mobile device 105), along with any other
pertinent information such as address of the driver, social
security number, insurance policy number, etc. The respective
account information can be stored in the database 350 and retrieved
during the initialization of the on-board monitoring system 125,
such as when the mobile device 105 is being communicatively
associated with the on-board monitoring system 125.
[0063] Alternatively, the identification component 320 can be
incorporated into the on-board monitoring system 125 to provision
user identification (not shown). Including the identification
component in the on-board monitoring system 125 allows the
identification process to be conducted local to the vehicle where
the on-board monitoring system 125 identifies the driver and then
conducts authentication, evaluation and authorization in
conjunction with the insurance provider system 135, as described
supra. In an alternative embodiment, the identification,
authentication, evaluation and authorization processes, as
described supra, could be performed by various components located
on the on-board monitoring system 125.
[0064] In an alternative embodiment, the driver information can be
stored locally on the on-board monitoring system 125 and during
association of mobile device 105 with the on-board monitoring
system 125 the on-board monitoring system 125 confirms the identity
of the driver and informs the insurance provider system 135 that
driver having identity X is about to operate the vehicle associated
with the on-board monitoring system 125. For example, the mobile
device 105 could include a connector (not shown), the connector is
inserted into a receptacle (not shown) located on the on-board
monitoring system. The connector can comprise of a unique
arrangement of connectors (e.g., copper strips) which can be used
to uniquely identify the mobile device 105 and the driver
associated therewith. Alternatively, the on-board monitoring system
125 can include a bar-code reader or magnetic strip reader, and
when a card employing the appropriate technology is swiped through
the reader the driver is identified. In an alternative embodiment,
the on-board monitoring device 125 can include a bio-metric device
that allows a driver to be identified by their voice signature,
iris-scan, fingerprint, or other bio-metric method suitable to
identify the driver.
[0065] In another embodiment the driver identification information
can be compared with identification information stored in a
database 370 of a third party system 360 associated with the mobile
device 105, e.g., a cell phone service provider database, and the
driver information is compared with a list(s) of phone
customers/subscribers or other pertinent information stored by the
cell phone system provider. Alternatively, the third party system
360 and database 370 can be any suitable information provider which
can be used to identify a driver.
[0066] To ensure the identity of the driver an authentication
process can be performed. In one embodiment this may involve an
authentication process of comparing shared digital key information
between a digital key stored on the mobile device 105 with a
digital key stored in the on-board monitoring system 125.
Alternatively, a digital key stored on the mobile device 105 can be
compared with a second digital key stored in a database 350
associated with the insurance system or, alternatively, a database
370 associated with the service provider of the mobile device 105,
e.g., in the case where the mobile device 105 is a cell phone, the
second digital key could be provided by the cell phone service
provider. The digital keys can be part of a symmetric shared key
system (public key) or the digital keys can be part of an
asymmetric shared key system (public-private keys). In an
alternative embodiment the driver may have to enter authentication
information, e.g., type a password, say a password, etc., on an
input device associated with the on-board monitoring system 125,
where such an input device could be the mobile device 105
keypad/touchscreen or a keypad/touchscreen attached to the on-board
monitoring system 125. The authentication process can be performed
by an authentication component 330 located at the insurance
provider, e.g., the authentication component 330 compares the
private key employed by a mobile device 105 and a public key stored
for the user of mobile device 105 in the account information
database 350. Alternatively, an authentication component (not
shown) can be located in the on-board monitoring system 125, in the
mobile device 105, or other suitable location within the system to
provision user authentication. Authentication can be in any form
including digital key comparison, password entry, bio-metric data,
etc.
[0067] At any time during or after the identification and
authentication processes (as required) are being performed, the
status of the driver can be evaluated and their ability to drive
the vehicle authorized. The evaluation and authorization process
can be performed by the evaluation/authorization component 340
located in the insurance provider system 135. Such an evaluation
can include generating evaluation queries such as "Is the driver
deemed safe to drive the vehicle?", "Is the driver deemed safe to
drive the other passengers in the vehicle?", "Is the driver
authorized to drive the vehicle?". A particular evaluation query
could be determining whether a particular driver is authorized to
drive a vehicle in a company fleet, and more particularly, whether
the driver is authorized to drive a particular vehicle from the
fleet of company vehicles? Another query could be to determine
whether a driver is allowed to drive with a particular passenger in
the vehicle, e.g., parents do not want their child in a vehicle
being driven by a driver whom they deem to be a dangerous driver.
Another example could be to evaluate whether the driver has
sufficient insurance to drive a particular vehicle, where, in the
event that they do not have sufficient coverage, the driver is
informed that they must obtain suitable insurance coverage to drive
the vehicle.
[0068] In response to a negative evaluation being returned by the
evaluation/authorization component 340, to prevent the vehicle
being driven by a negatively evaluated driver, a vehicle control
component 310 can be employed to immobilize the vehicle associated
with the on-board monitoring system 125. Also, the prospective
driver can be informed of their negative evaluation status with the
status information being conveyed to them via an output device (not
shown) located on their mobile device 105, the on-board monitoring
system 125, or other suitable means available to the user and/or
installed in the vehicle. In one embodiment, the vehicle control
component 310 can be in communication with the vehicle ECU (not
shown) and forwards signals/data/information to the ECU instructing
the ECU to prevent operation of the vehicle engine. For example,
the ECU controls the ignition circuit preventing ignition, or the
signal received by the ECU when the automatic gearshift is in park
could be overridden by the vehicle control component 310 thereby
preventing the associated circuitry from allowing ignition of the
engine to occur, etc.
[0069] In another embodiment a device (not shown) can be installed
in a vehicle to measure the blood alcohol content (BAC) of a
driver, such a device can be a breathalyzer or other ignition
interlock device, for example. Each time a driver wishes to drive
the vehicle they have to pass a BAC test administered by the
device. The on-board monitoring system 125 in conjunction with the
evaluation/authorization component 340 can be communicatively
associated with a breathalyzer and monitor how often a driver fails
the breath test with gathered data being utilized by components of
the insurance provider system 135 (e.g., the dynamic rate
determination component 155) as part of the insurance rate
determination process. In another aspect the vehicle control
component 310 in conjunction with the vehicle ECU, in response to a
BAC being too high, could immobilize the vehicle.
[0070] After the driver has been identified, authenticated (as
required) and favorably evaluated (as required) the driver can
proceed to drive the vehicle and monitoring of their driving is
conducted.
[0071] The on-board monitoring system 125 can also be part of a
wider ranging system that includes positional feedback to the
vehicle and allowed actions based thereon. For example, the
position of the vehicle can be determined using the GPS 210 (see
FIG. 2) which can be entered into a "mesh" system where the "mesh"
comprises other vehicles, information of the various roads,
streets, highways, etc., in terms of speed limits, etc., as well as
the operation of any traffic signals. If a traffic signal is on red
and the junction has a "No Right Turn On Red" limitation, if the
driver attempts to make the right turn while the light is on red,
an interface associated with the on-board monitoring system 125 can
inform the driver that they are attempting to make an illegal turn,
with the vehicle control component 310 being employed to apply the
brakes to the vehicle so preventing the driver from making the
prohibited turn. By employing the on-board monitoring system 125
and the vehicle control component 310 in such a manner the
likelihood of a driver making an erroneous/potentially dangerous
maneuver can be reduced thereby reducing the likelihood of an
accident and accordingly minimizing insurance premiums.
[0072] The on-board monitoring system 125, the GPS 210 and the
vehicle control component 310 can be employed to control the speed
of the vehicle. An on-board digital map (not shown) could be
included in the on-board monitoring system 125, which in
conjunction with the location of the vehicle being pinpointed by
GPS 210 the speed limit restriction of the road being navigated can
be determined and the speed of the vehicle controlled accordingly
by the vehicle control component 310 to comply with the speed
limit. Alternatively, the vehicle control component 310 can be
disabled, but the speed of the vehicle versus the posted speed
limit can analyzed to determine whether the driver is speeding and
insurance rates can be dynamically generated.
[0073] The on-board monitoring system 125 can receive input from
"intelligent" road signs. The intelligent road signs could transmit
the speed limit which they have been placed to enforce. The
on-board monitoring system 125 can receive speed limit data
transmitted from the intelligent road sign and, if the vehicle is
determined to be speeding, the driver can be informed of the fact
that they are speeding, the resulting effect on their insurance
premium, and/or the vehicle control component 310 can be employed
to reduce the speed of the vehicle to the respective speed limit
by, for example, reducing the engine revolutions per minute,
dropping a gear, applying the brakes, etc. By employing the
real-time monitoring system the driver/vehicle can be incorporated
into a mesh network of other drivers to allow awareness of other
drivers and conditions, e.g., indication of how fast an oncoming
vehicle is approaching, whether the vehicle is in the drivers blind
spot, etc.
[0074] Information associated with the GPS 210 in association with
the "mesh" system can be employed to assist other drivers. For
example, if a vehicle has stopped or is driving below the speed
limit the driver can be prompted to indicate what might be the
reason for their slow/impeded progress. Via an interface associated
with the on-board monitoring system 125, or the mobile device 105,
the user can respond by selecting the appropriate reason from a
list of reasons, e.g., "stuck in traffic jam". Such feedback can be
gathered and any other drivers who might be heading in the
direction of the traffic jam can be prompted about the traffic jam,
and if required, find an alternative route.
[0075] The on-board monitoring system 125 can also be employed to
assist with reconstruction of accidents. By reviewing the data
gathered by real-time data gathering system 100 it is possible to
determine how the vehicle was being driven prior to an accident.
Data can be retrieved from the on-board monitoring system 125,
buffer 270 or from the insurance provider system 135 and analyzed.
The analysis can assist in determining who was at fault in the
accident, whether a vehicle was speeding, cell phone usage, had the
driver made a prohibited turn?, etc. Such data analysis could
greatly enhance the insurance accident investigation allowing the
insurance claims assessor to expeditiously assess the accident,
make insurance payouts and any claims associated with the accident,
forward information that might be of use to the law and legal
professions, etc. The savings realized by the insurance company
could be employed to offset the costs of implementing the real time
monitoring system 100 to the insurance customer.
[0076] A common complaint from owners of multiple vehicles is that
they are paying to insure all the vehicles they own and yet they
can only drive one vehicle at any given time. By monitoring vehicle
usage of driver in real-time a proportional insurance rate system
can be implemented based upon which vehicle(s) they drove in a
given time period. For example, a person owns a sports car and a
family van. Typically, a sports car has a higher insurance rate
than a family van, but the owner drives the family van on weekdays
and the sports car on weekends. Employing a ratio based system to
determine the insurance premium could result in a 5:2 ratio of
family van usage versus sports car usage, however this system is
effectively based on the vehicle owner accurately identifying when
they use the respective vehicles. Alternatively, with the subject
invention, the insurance coverage can be adjusted in real-time
depending upon which vehicle is being driven, where it is being
driven, applying insurance rates for city, highway, unsafe
neighborhood, etc., all being applied in real-time. By monitoring
actual usage of each vehicle, an insurance premium that more
accurately reflects the vehicle usage can be generated. Also,
insurance rates can be based on vehicle usage, if a vehicle sits
idle for an extended period the coverage could be adjusted to
reflect that. For example, a vehicle sits in a garage during the
winter months, only fire and theft insurance coverage need be paid
during that time period.
[0077] Another concern is the attention of a driver while driving a
vehicle. Usage of a mobile device 105 can be a major source of
distraction for a driver, with accounts being commonplace of
accidents resulting from the driver not paying attention to the
road while using mobile device 105 (for example, texting/talking on
a cell phone, entering information into a PDA, laptop, or the
like). In one embodiment, where the mobile device 105 is a cell
phone, by monitoring real-time usage of the cell phone while
driving, a knowledge base can built on the driver's attention
during driving and appropriate insurance rate determined and
charged. For example, limited or no cell phone usage during driving
has a lower insurance premium than a driver who frequently talks on
a cell phone while driving. A log of cell phone usage can be
compiled at the on-board monitoring system 125 and/or at the
insurance provider system 135.
[0078] It is to be appreciated that while systems 100, 200 and 300,
present the on-board monitoring system 125 and mobile device 105
interacting with a single insurance provider system 135, the
proposed embodiments are not so limited. It is envisioned that
information gathered by the on-board monitoring system 125 in
conjunction with the mobile device 105 can be shared amongst a
plurality of insurance provider systems 135. Such an approach
allows the plurality of insurance providers to analyze the gathered
information, determine an insurance rate(s) based upon the gathered
information and present the determined rates to the driver to which
the gathered information pertains thereby allowing the driver to
select one insurance provider over another based upon the
particulars of the insurance prospectus and quotes. The insurance
provider can present their insurance prospectus and quotes to the
driver in real-time by employing a display device associated with
mobile device 105 or the on-board monitoring system 125. Such a
real-time system can allow a driver to use more than one insurance
firm throughout the course of a journey. For example, if the driver
is partaking in a transcontinental journey they can take advantage
of rates offered by a plurality of insurance companies during the
journey, while driving through the U.S. Mid-West the driver could
use insurance from company X, and while driving in the Central U.S.
company Y may offer better insurance rates. The on-board monitoring
system 125 can include an intelligent insurance selection component
(not shown) which can review the insurance rates being offered by a
plurality of insurance companies and automatically select, in
real-time, the best insurance plan. Selection can be based on any
factors that determine insurance coverage costs including driving
habits, vehicle being driven, location, driver, etc. Further, an
insurance company can send information to the user for review at a
later date either by traditional means such as by regular mail or
electronically for presentation by the remote monitoring system
260.
[0079] The driver can agree to having all or part of the
information gathered by the real-time insurance systems 100, 200,
and 300, be passed on to third party vendors. By agreeing to the
dissemination of their information a corresponding reduction in
their insurance rates can be realized or other benefit could be
conferred to the driver. For example, the travel destination(s) and
route(s) therebetween can be forwarded to an advertising/marketing
company which can forward information regarding businesses in the
vicinity of the destination(s) and route(s) to the driver, where,
for example, such a business could be a restaurant located at or
near the destination.
[0080] The various aspects (e.g., in connection with insurance) can
employ various machine learning and reasoning techniques (e.g.,
Artificial Intelligence based schemes, rules based schemes, and so
forth) for carrying out various aspects thereof. For example, a
process for determining a reduction (or increase) in insurance
premiums can be facilitated through an automatic classifier system
and process. The identification component 320, the authentication
component 330, and the evaluation/authorization component 340 can,
either individually or in combination, employ artificial
intelligence (AI) techniques as part of the process of identifying
and authorizing a driver of a vehicle. The on-board monitoring
system 125 can use AI to infer such information as proposed route,
real-time selection of insurance coverage, driving habits of the
driver, operating condition of a vehicle, etc.
[0081] A classifier is a function that maps an input attribute
vector, x=(x1, x2, x3, x4, xn), to a confidence that the input
belongs to a class, that is, f(x)=confidence(class). Such
classification can employ a probabilistic and/or statistical-based
analysis (e.g., factoring into the analysis utilities and costs) to
prognose or infer an action that a user desires to be automatically
performed.
[0082] A support vector machine (SVM) is an example of a classifier
that can be employed. The SVM operates by finding a hypersurface in
the space of possible inputs, which hypersurface attempts to split
the triggering criteria from the non-triggering events.
Intuitively, this makes the classification correct for testing data
that is near, but not identical to training data. Other directed
and undirected model classification approaches include, e.g., naive
Bayes, Bayesian networks, decision trees, neural networks, fuzzy
logic models, and probabilistic classification models providing
different patterns of independence can be employed. Classification
as used herein also is inclusive of statistical regression that is
utilized to develop models of priority.
[0083] As will be readily appreciated from the subject
specification, the one or more aspects can employ classifiers that
are explicitly trained (e.g., through a generic training data) as
well as implicitly trained (e.g., by observing user behavior,
receiving extrinsic information). For example, SVM's are configured
through a learning or training phase within a classifier
constructor and feature selection module. Thus, the classifier(s)
can be used to automatically learn and perform a number of
functions, including but not limited to determining according to a
predetermined criteria when to grant access, which stored procedure
to execute, etc. The criteria can include, but is not limited to,
the amount of data or resources to access through a call, the type
of data, the importance of the data, etc.
[0084] In accordance with an alternate aspect, an implementation
scheme (e.g., rule) can be applied to control and/or regulate
insurance premiums, real time monitoring, and associated aspects.
It will be appreciated that the rules-based implementation can
automatically and/or dynamically gather and process information
based upon a predefined criterion.
[0085] By way of example, a user can establish a rule that can
require a trustworthy flag and/or certificate to allow automatic
monitoring of information in certain situations whereas, other
resources in accordance with some aspects may not require such
security credentials. It is to be appreciated that any preference
can be facilitated through pre-defined or pre-programmed in the
form of a rule. It is to be appreciated that the rules-based logic
described can be employed in addition to or in place of the
artificial intelligence based components described.
[0086] FIG. 4, presents an example methodology 400 for the
installation of a real-time insurance system. At 402 an on-board
monitoring system is installed in a vehicle to facilitate the
collection of real-time data from the vehicle and forwarding of the
real-time data to an insurance provider. At 404 the on-board
monitoring system can be associated with the on-board
data/diagnostic control units and system(s) incorporated into the
vehicle. The on-board data/diagnostic control units and system(s)
can include the vehicles engine control unit/module (ECU/ECM),
transmission control unit (TCU), powertrain control unit (PCU),
on-board diagnostics (OBD), sensors and processors associated with
the transmission system, and other aspects of the vehicle allowing
the on-board monitoring system to gather sufficient data from the
vehicle for a determination of how the vehicle is being driven to
be made. The on-board monitoring system can be communicatively
coupled by hard wiring to the on-board diagnostic system(s) or the
systems can be communicatively associated using wireless
technologies.
[0087] At 406 a mobile device, e.g., a cell phone, can be
associated with the on-board monitoring system where the mobile
device can facilitate communication between the on-board monitoring
system with a remote insurance provider system. The mobile device
provides identification information to the on-board monitoring
system to be processed by the on-board monitoring system or
forwarded an insurance provider system to enable identification of
the driver.
[0088] At 408 communications are established between the on-board
monitoring system and the mobile device with the remote insurance
provider system. In one embodiment it is envisaged that the
on-board monitoring system and the insurance provider system are
owned and operated by the same insurance company. However, the
system could be less restricted whereby the insurance provider
system is accessible by a plurality of insurance companies with the
operator of the on-board monitoring system, e.g., the driver of the
vehicle to which the on-board monitoring system is attached,
choosing from the plurality of insurance providers available for
their particular base coverage. In such an embodiment, upon startup
of the system the insurance provider system can default to the
insurance company providing the base coverage and the operator can
select from other insurance companies as they require.
[0089] Over time, as usage of the on-board monitoring system
continues, at 410, there is a likelihood that various aspects of
the system might need to be updated or replaced, e.g., software
update, hardware updates, etc., where the updates might be required
for an individual insurance company system or to allow the on-board
monitoring system to function with one or more other insurance
company systems. Hardware updates may involve replacement of a
piece of hardware with another, while software updates can be
conducted by connecting the mobile device and/or the on-board
monitoring system to the internet and downloading the software from
a company website hosted thereon. Alternatively, the software
upgrade can be transmitted to the mobile device or the on-board
monitoring system by wireless means. As a further alternative the
updates can be conferred to the mobile device or the on-board
monitoring system by means of a plug-in module or the like, which
can be left attached to the respective device or the software can
be downloaded there from.
[0090] Turning to FIG. 5, an example methodology 500 is shown for
initializing on-board monitoring for a real-time insurance system
and authenticating/authorizing a driver. At 502 mobile device,
e.g., a cell phone, is associated with an on-board monitoring
system. It is to be appreciated that even while the method relates
to the mobile device being a cell phone any device that facilitates
storing, processing, and communication of information to allow a
driver to be identified can be employed by the method.
[0091] At 504 information is retrieved from the mobile device to
allow identification of the driver. The information can be
retrieved by an on-board monitoring system and compared with driver
information stored therein. In an alternative embodiment the
information can be transmitted to an external system where the
identification information is compared with driver information
stored therein. For example, the information could be forwarded to
a system associated with an insurance company and compared with a
list of registered/known drivers. In an alternative embodiment the
identification information could be forwarded to a database
associated with the cell phone system provider and compared with
the list of subscribers or similar information stored therein.
[0092] At 506, as required, the driver can be authenticated to
confirm the identity of the driver. In one embodiment this may
involve an authentication process of comparing shared digital key
information between a digital key on the cell phone with a digital
key stored in the on-board monitoring system. Alternatively a cell
phone digital key can be compared with a key stored in a database
associated with the insurance system or, alternatively, a database
associated with the cell phone service provider. In an alternative
embodiment the driver may have to enter authentication information,
e.g., a password, on an input device associated with the on-board
monitoring system, where such an input device could be the cell
phone keypad/touchscreen or a keypad/touchscreen attached to the
on-board monitoring system.
[0093] At 508, as required, the status of the driver can be
evaluated through the use of a query/evaluation process. The query
can be of any grammatical form to generate a suitable response
thereto. Such a query could be one of the following or the like . .
. "Is the driver deemed safe to drive the vehicle?", "Is the driver
deemed safe to drive the other passengers?", "Is the driver
authorized to drive the vehicle?", "Is the driver authorized to
drive that particular vehicle from the fleet of company vehicles?"
At 510, in response to negative feedback to the query/evaluation of
the driver, the vehicle can be immobilized to prevent usage of the
vehicle by the negatively evaluated driver. At 512 the driver can
be informed that they are not allowed to drive the vehicle, where
the information is forwarded by any suitable means. For example,
the driver can be informed by a message displayed on the cell
phone, via a display component associated with the on-board
monitoring system, or a remote device suitable to display the
evaluation information. At 514, in response to a favorable outcome
to the "OK to drive vehicle?" of 508, a favorably evaluated driver
is allowed to drive the vehicle.
[0094] FIG. 6, illustrates an example methodology 600 for gathering
information from an on-board monitoring system employed in a
real-time insurance system. At 602, monitoring of the driver and
the vehicle they are operating is commenced. Monitoring can employ
components of an on-board monitoring system, mobile device
components, e.g., cell phone system, or any other system components
associated with monitoring the vehicle as it is being driven. Such
components can include a global positioning system (GPS) to
determine the location of the vehicle at any given time, such a GPS
can be located in a cell phone, as part of the on-board monitoring
system, or an external system coupled to the monitoring system/cell
phone--such an external system being an OEM or after sales GPS
associated with the vehicle to be/being driven. A video data stream
can be gathered from a video camera coupled to the on-board
monitoring system recording the road conditions, etc. throughout
the journey. Information can also be gathered from
monitoring/control system(s) that are integral to the vehicle,
e.g., the vehicle's engine control unit/module (ECU/ECM) that
monitors various sensors located throughout the engine, fuel and
exhaust systems, etc.
[0095] At 604, the dynamically gathered data is transmitted to an
insurance evaluation system. At 606, the gathered data is analyzed.
Such analysis can involve identifying the route taken by the
driver, the speed driven, time of day the journey was undertaken,
weather conditions during the journey, other road traffic, did the
user use their cell phone during the journey?, and the like. At
608, the gathered data is assessed from which an insurance rate(s)
can be determined. For example, if the driver drove above the speed
limit then an appropriate determination could be to increase the
insurance premium. At 610, the driver can be informed of the newly
determined insurance rate. Any suitable device can be employed such
as informing the user by cell phone, a display device associated
with the on-board monitoring system, or another device associated
with the vehicle. The information can be conveyed in a variety of
ways, including a text message, a verbal message, graphical
presentation, change of light emitting diodes (LED's) on a display
unit, a HUD, etc.
[0096] At 612, the driver can continue to drive the vehicle whereby
the method can return to 602 where the data gathering is commenced
once more. Alternatively, at 612, the driver may complete their
journey and data gathering and analysis is completed. At 614 the
driver can be presented with new insurance rates based upon the
data gathered while they were driving the vehicle. The new
insurance rates can be delivered and presented to the driver by any
suitable means, for example the new insurance rates and any
pertinent information can be forwarded and presented to the driver
via a HUD employed as part of the real time data gathering system.
By employing a HUD instantaneous notifications regarding a change
in the driver's insurance policy can be presented while mitigating
driver distractions (e.g., line of sight remains substantially
unchanged). Alternatively, the on-board monitoring system can be
used, or a remote computer/presentation device coupled to the real
time data gathering system where the information is forwarded to
the driver via, e.g., email. In another embodiment, the driver can
access a website, hosted by a respective insurance company, where
the driver can view their respective rates/gathered
information/analysis system, etc. Further, traditional means of
communication such as a letter can be used to forward the insurance
information to the driver.
[0097] FIG. 7 illustrates an example methodology 700 for
determining insurance rates based upon vehicle usage. At 702,
vehicle usage information is obtained for a driver. In one example
scenario the driver owns a plurality of vehicles and wants to have
their insurance rates to be based upon the how much they drive each
respective vehicle. Traditionally an owner who owns a number of
vehicles has to pay a substantially higher insurance premium than
someone who only owns a single vehicle. However, the multiple
vehicle owner feels aggrieved that they are paying a seemingly
disproportionate amount. By employing the real time insurance
system it is possible to gather information based upon when the
driver was driving each particular vehicle and determine an
insurance rate based thereon. At 704, the usage for each vehicle is
assessed and, accordingly, at 706, based upon the assessed usage an
insurance rate for the multiple vehicles can be determined. For
example, it is determines that the driver only drives the vehicle
(vehicle A) with the highest insurance premium approx 10% of the
time, while the vehicle (vehicle B) with the lower insurance
premium is driven the remaining 90%. Based on such information an
insurance rate can be determined comprising of 0.1 (vehicle A
insurance premium)+0.9(vehicle B insurance premium). At 708, the
determined insurance premium based upon actual vehicle usage is
forwarded to the driver/owner of the vehicles.
[0098] In another embodiment of methodology 700 the vehicle usage
at 702 can indicate how much a particular vehicle is driven and for
how long it is in a garage. For example, in the Great Lakes region
of the continental USA an owner of a vintage vehicle may choose to
place the vehicle in storage during the winter months and hence
only wants to have insurance to cover when the vehicle is being
driven in the summer.
[0099] For purposes of simplicity of explanation, methodologies
that can be implemented in accordance with the disclosed subject
matter were shown and described as a series of blocks. However, it
is to be understood and appreciated that the claimed subject matter
is not limited by the order of the blocks, as some blocks can occur
in different orders and/or concurrently with other blocks from what
is depicted and described herein. Moreover, not all illustrated
blocks can be required to implement the methodologies described
hereinafter. Additionally, it should be further appreciated that
the methodologies disclosed throughout this specification are
capable of being stored on an article of manufacture to facilitate
transporting and transferring such methodologies to computers. The
term article of manufacture, as used, is intended to encompass a
computer program accessible from any computer-readable device,
carrier, or media.
[0100] Referring now to FIG. 8, there is illustrated a schematic
block diagram of a computing environment 800 in accordance with the
subject specification. The system 800 includes one or more
client(s) 802. The client(s) 802 can be hardware and/or software
(e.g., threads, processes, computing devices). The client(s) 802
can house cookie(s) and/or associated contextual information by
employing the specification, for example.
[0101] The system 800 also includes one or more server(s) 804. The
server(s) 804 can also be hardware and/or software (e.g., threads,
processes, computing devices). The servers 804 can house threads to
perform transformations by employing the specification, for
example. One possible communication between a client 802 and a
server 804 can be in the form of a data packet adapted to be
transmitted between two or more computer processes. The data packet
can include a cookie and/or associated contextual information, for
example. The system 800 includes a communication framework 806
(e.g., a global communication network such as the Internet) that
can be employed to facilitate communications between the client(s)
802 and the server(s) 804.
[0102] Communications can be facilitated via a wired (including
optical fiber) and/or wireless technology. The client(s) 802 are
operatively connected to one or more client data store(s) 808 that
can be employed to store information local to the client(s) 802
(e.g., cookie(s) and/or associated contextual information).
Similarly, the server(s) 804 are operatively connected to one or
more server data store(s) 810 that can be employed to store
information local to the servers 804.
[0103] Referring now to FIG. 9, there is illustrated a block
diagram of a computer operable to execute the disclosed
architecture. In order to provide additional context for various
aspects of the subject specification, FIG. 9 and the following
discussion are intended to provide a brief, general description of
a suitable computing environment 900 in which the various aspects
of the specification can be implemented. While the specification
has been described above in the general context of
computer-executable instructions that can run on one or more
computers, those skilled in the art will recognize that the
specification also can be implemented in combination with other
program modules and/or as a combination of hardware and
software.
[0104] Generally, program modules include routines, programs,
components, data structures, etc., that perform particular tasks or
implement particular abstract data types. Moreover, those skilled
in the art will appreciate that the inventive methods can be
practiced with other computer system configurations, including
single-processor or multiprocessor computer systems, minicomputers,
mainframe computers, as well as personal computers, hand-held
computing devices, microprocessor-based or programmable consumer
electronics, and the like, each of which can be operatively coupled
to one or more associated devices.
[0105] The illustrated aspects of the specification can also be
practiced in distributed computing environments where certain tasks
are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through
a communications network. In a distributed computing environment,
program modules can be located in both local and remote memory
storage devices.
[0106] A computer typically includes a variety of computer-readable
media. Computer-readable media can be any available media that can
be accessed by the computer and includes both volatile and
nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. By way of
example, and not limitation, computer-readable media can comprise
computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage
media includes volatile and nonvolatile, removable and
non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for
storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data
structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media
includes, but is not limited to, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or
other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disk (DVD) or
other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape,
magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any
other medium which can be used to store the desired information and
which can be accessed by the computer.
[0107] Communication media typically embody computer-readable
instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a
modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport
mechanism, and includes any information delivery media. The term
"modulated data signal" means a signal that has one or more of its
characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode
information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation,
communication media include wired media such as a wired network or
direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF,
infrared and other wireless media. Combinations of the any of the
above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable
media.
[0108] With reference again to FIG. 9, the example environment 900
for implementing various aspects of the specification includes a
computer 902, the computer 902 including a processing unit 904, a
system memory 906 and a system bus 908. The system bus 908 couples
system components including, but not limited to, the system memory
906 to the processing unit 904. The processing unit 904 can be any
of various commercially available processors or proprietary
specific configured processors. Dual microprocessors and other
multi-processor architectures can also be employed as the
processing unit 904.
[0109] The system bus 908 can be any of several types of bus
structure that can further interconnect to a memory bus (with or
without a memory controller), a peripheral bus, and a local bus
using any of a variety of commercially available bus architectures.
The system memory 906 includes read-only memory (ROM) 910 and
random access memory (RAM) 912. A basic input/output system (BIOS)
is stored in a non-volatile memory 910 such as ROM, EPROM, EEPROM,
which BIOS contains the basic routines that help to transfer
information between elements within the computer 902, such as
during start-up. The RAM 912 can also include a high-speed RAM such
as static RAM for caching data.
[0110] The computer 902 further includes an internal hard disk
drive (HDD) 914 (e.g., EIDE, SATA), which internal hard disk drive
914 can also be configured for external use in a suitable chassis
(not shown), a magnetic floppy disk drive (FDD) 916, (e.g., to read
from or write to a removable diskette 918) and an optical disk
drive 920, (e.g., reading a CD-ROM disk 922 or, to read from or
write to other high capacity optical media such as the DVD). The
hard disk drive 914, magnetic disk drive 916 and optical disk drive
920 can be connected to the system bus 908 by a hard disk drive
interface 924, a magnetic disk drive interface 926 and an optical
drive interface 928, respectively. The interface 924 for external
drive implementations includes at least one or both of Universal
Serial Bus (USB) and IEEE 1394 interface technologies. Other
external drive connection technologies are within contemplation of
the subject specification.
[0111] The drives and their associated computer-readable media
provide nonvolatile storage of data, data structures,
computer-executable instructions, and so forth. For the computer
902, the drives and media accommodate the storage of any data in a
suitable digital format. Although the description of
computer-readable media above refers to a HDD, a removable magnetic
diskette, and a removable optical media such as a CD or DVD, it
should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other types
of media which are readable by a computer, such as zip drives,
magnetic cassettes, flash memory cards, cartridges, and the like,
can also be used in the example operating environment, and further,
that any such media can contain computer-executable instructions
for performing the methods of the specification.
[0112] A number of program modules can be stored in the drives and
RAM 912, including an operating system 930, one or more application
programs 932, other program modules 934 and program data 936. All
or portions of the operating system, applications, modules, and/or
data can also be cached in the RAM 912. It is appreciated that the
specification can be implemented with various proprietary or
commercially available operating systems or combinations of
operating systems.
[0113] A user can enter commands and information into the computer
902 through one or more wired/wireless input devices, e.g., a
keyboard 938 and a pointing device, such as a mouse 940. Other
input devices (not shown) can include a microphone, an IR remote
control, a joystick, a game pad, a stylus pen, touch screen, or the
like. These and other input devices are often connected to the
processing unit 904 through an input device interface 942 that is
coupled to the system bus 908, but can be connected by other
interfaces, such as a parallel port, an IEEE 1394 serial port, a
game port, a USB port, an IR interface, etc.
[0114] A monitor 944 or other type of display device is also
connected to the system bus 908 via an interface, such as a video
adapter 946. In addition to the monitor 944, a computer typically
includes other peripheral output devices (not shown), such as
speakers, printers, etc.
[0115] The computer 902 can operate in a networked environment
using logical connections via wired and/or wireless communications
to one or more remote computers, such as a remote computer(s) 948.
The remote computer(s) 948 can be a workstation, a server computer,
a router, a personal computer, portable computer,
microprocessor-based entertainment appliance, a peer device or
other common network node, and typically includes many or all of
the elements described relative to the computer 902, although, for
purposes of brevity, only a memory/storage device 950 is
illustrated. The logical connections depicted include
wired/wireless connectivity to a local area network (LAN) 952
and/or larger networks, e.g., a wide area network (WAN) 954. Such
LAN and WAN networking environments are commonplace in offices and
companies, and facilitate enterprise-wide computer networks, such
as intranets, all of which can connect to a global communications
network, e.g., the Internet.
[0116] When used in a LAN networking environment, the computer 902
is connected to the local network 952 through a wired and/or
wireless communication network interface or adapter 956. The
adapter 956 can facilitate wired or wireless communication to the
LAN 952, which can also include a wireless access point disposed
thereon for communicating with the wireless adapter 956.
[0117] When used in a WAN networking environment, the computer 902
can include a modem 958, or is connected to a communications server
on the WAN 954, or has other means for establishing communications
over the WAN 954, such as by way of the Internet. The modem 958,
which can be internal or external and a wired or wireless device,
is connected to the system bus 908 via the input device interface
942. In a networked environment, program modules depicted relative
to the computer 902, or portions thereof, can be stored in the
remote memory/storage device 950. It will be appreciated that the
network connections shown are example and other means of
establishing a communications link between the computers can be
used.
[0118] The computer 902 is operable to communicate with any
wireless devices or entities operatively disposed in wireless
communication, e.g., a printer, scanner, desktop and/or portable
computer, portable data assistant, communications satellite, any
piece of equipment or location associated with a wirelessly
detectable tag (e.g., a kiosk, news stand, restroom), and
telephone. This includes at least Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.TM. wireless
technologies. Thus, the communication can be a predefined structure
as with a conventional network or simply an ad hoc communication
between at least two devices.
[0119] Wi-Fi, or Wireless Fidelity, allows connection to the
Internet from a couch at home, a bed in a hotel room, or a
conference room at work, without wires. Wi-Fi is a wireless
technology similar to that used in a cell phone that enables such
devices, e.g., computers, to send and receive data indoors and out;
anywhere within the range of a base station. Wi-Fi networks use
radio technologies called IEEE 802.11 (a, b, g, etc.) to provide
secure, reliable, fast wireless connectivity. A Wi-Fi network can
be used to connect computers to each other, to the Internet, and to
wired networks (which use IEEE 802.3 or Ethernet). Wi-Fi networks
operate in the unlicensed 2.4 and 5 GHz radio bands, at an 11 Mbps
(802.11a) or 54 Mbps (802.11b) data rate, for example, or with
products that contain both bands (dual band), so the networks can
provide real-world performance similar to the basic 10 BaseT wired
Ethernet networks used in many offices.
[0120] The aforementioned systems have been described with respect
to interaction among several components. It should be appreciated
that such systems and components can include those components or
sub-components specified therein, some of the specified components
or sub-components, and/or additional components. Sub-components can
also be implemented as components communicatively coupled to other
components rather than included within parent components.
Additionally, it should be noted that one or more components could
be combined into a single component providing aggregate
functionality. The components could also interact with one or more
other components not specifically described herein but known by
those of skill in the art.
[0121] As used herein, the terms to "infer" or "inference" refer
generally to the process of reasoning about or deducing states of
the system, environment, and/or user from a set of observations as
captured via events and/or data. Inference can be employed to
identify a specific context or action, or can generate a
probability distribution over states, for example. The inference
can be probabilistic-that is, the computation of a probability
distribution over states of interest based on a consideration of
data and events. Inference can also refer to techniques employed
for composing higher-level events from a set of events and/or data.
Such inference results in the construction of new events or actions
from a set of observed events and/or stored event data, whether or
not the events are correlated in close temporal proximity, and
whether the events and data come from one or several event and data
sources.
[0122] Furthermore, the claimed subject matter can be implemented
as a method, apparatus, or article of manufacture using standard
programming and/or engineering techniques to produce software,
firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof to control a
computer to implement the disclosed subject matter. The term
"article of manufacture" as used herein is intended to encompass a
computer program accessible from any computer-readable device,
carrier, or media. For example, computer readable media can include
but are not limited to magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disk,
floppy disk, magnetic strips . . . ), optical disks (e.g., compact
disk (CD), digital versatile disk (DVD) . . . ), smart cards, and
flash memory devices (e.g., card, stick, key drive . . . ).
Additionally it should be appreciated that a carrier wave can be
employed to carry computer-readable electronic data such as those
used in transmitting and receiving electronic mail or in accessing
a network such as the Internet or a local area network (LAN). Of
course, those skilled in the art will recognize many modifications
can be made to this configuration without departing from the scope
or spirit of the claimed subject matter.
[0123] Moreover, the word "exemplary" is used herein to mean
serving as an example, instance, or illustration. Any aspect or
design described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be
construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or
designs. Rather, use of the word exemplary is intended to disclose
concepts in a concrete fashion. As used in this application, the
term "or" is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an
exclusive "or". That is, unless specified otherwise, or clear from
context, "X employs A or B" is intended to mean any of the natural
inclusive permutations. That is, if X employs A; X employs B; or X
employs both A and B, then "X employs A or B" is satisfied under
any of the foregoing instances. In addition, the articles "a" and
"an" as used in this application and the appended claims should
generally be construed to mean "one or more" unless specified
otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular
form.
[0124] What has been described above includes examples of the
subject specification. It is, of course, not possible to describe
every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for
purposes of describing the subject specification, but one of
ordinary skill in the art can recognize that many further
combinations and permutations of the subject specification are
possible. Accordingly, the subject specification is intended to
embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that
fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
Furthermore, to the extent that the term "includes" is used in
either the detailed description or the claims, such term is
intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term
"comprising" as "comprising" is interpreted when employed as a
transitional word in a claim.
* * * * *