Systems and Methods Using a Mobile Device to Collect Data for Insurance Premiums

Abstract

A system and method for determining a vehicle insurance premium for a period of time based at least in part on collected vehicle operation data, the system comprising: a mobile device, comprising: one or more sensors associated with the mobile device and configured to automatically collect vehicle operation data during a data collection session; a processor; a non-transitory storage medium; a display; a transmitter; and a set of computer readable instructions stored in the non-transitory storage medium and when executed by the processor configured to allow the mobile device to collect vehicle operation data and transmit the collected vehicle operation data; and a remote processing computer, comprising: a server that receives collected vehicle operation data; a database that stores collected vehicle operation data; and a rating engine that determines a vehicle insurance premium based at least in part on collected vehicle operation data.

1 . A system for determining a vehicle insurance premium for a period of time based at least in part on collected vehicle operation data, the system comprising:
 a mobile device, comprising:
 one or more sensors associated with the mobile device and configured to automatically collect vehicle operation data during a data collection session; 
 a processor; 
 a non-transitory storage medium; 
 a display; 
 a transmitter; and 
 a set of computer readable instructions stored in the non-transitory storage medium nd when executed by the processor configured to allow the mobile device to collect vehicle operation data and transmit the collected vehicle operation data; and 
   a remote processing computer, comprising:
 a server that receives collected vehicle operation data; 
 a database that stores collected vehicle operation data; and 
 a rating engine that determines a vehicle insurance premium based at least in part on collected vehicle operation data. 
   
     
     
         2 . A system for determining a vehicle insurance premium as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said mobile device is a device selected from smartphone, cell phone, mobile telephone, personal digital assistant (PDA), laptop computer, and tablet-style computer. 
     
     
         3 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A tangible computer readable storage medium containing instructions that, when executed on by a processor, perform the following steps:
 collecting vehicle operation data via a mobile device while the, mobile device is associated with an operating vehicle; and   transmitting the collected vehicle operation data from the mobile device to a remote processing computer.   
     
     
         28 . A tangible computer readable storage medium containing instructions as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein said mobile device is a device selected from smartphone, cell phone, mobile telephone, personal digital assistant (PDA), laptop computer, and tablet-style computer. 
     
     
         29 . A tangible computer readable storage medium, as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein the collecting and transmitting are done periodically while the vehicle is operating. 
     
     
         30 . A tangible computer readable storage medium, as claimed in  claim 27 , containing instructions that, when executed on by a processor, perform the following further step:
 beginning to collect vehicle operation, data in response to a triggering event selected from vehicle engine start, threshold vehicle engine RPM, and vehicle mobility.   
     
     
         31 . A tangible computer readable storage medium, as claimed in  claim 27 , containing instructions that, when executed on by a processor, perform the following further step:
 stopping the collecting vehicle operation data in response to a triggering event selected from vehicle engine stop, threshold vehicle engine RPM, and vehicle immobility.   
     
     
         32 . A tangible computer readable storage medium, as claimed in  claim 27 , containing instructions that, when executed on by a processor, perform the following further steps:
 storing collected vehicle operation data during a period of inability to transmit collected vehicle operation data from the mobile device to a remote processing computer; and   transmitting the, stored vehicle operation data to a remote processing computer after the period of inability to transmit has ended.   
     
     
         33 . A tangible computer readable storage medium, as claimed in  claim 27 , containing instructions that, when executed on by a processor, perform the following further step:
 receiving data to the mobile device sent from, the remote processing computer.   
     
     
         34 . A tangible computer readable storage medium, as claimed in  claim 27 , containing instructions that, when executed on by a processor, perform the following further step:
 displaying vehicle operation data via the mobile device.   
     
     
         35 . A tangible computer readable storage medium, as claimed in  claim 27 , containing instructions that, when executed on by a processor, perform the following further step:
 sensing a characteristic of the mobile computing device selected from distance traveled, location, time, and g-force dynamics.   
     
     
         36 . A tangible computer readable storage medium, as claimed in  claim 27 , containing instructions that, when executed on by a processor, perform the following further step:
 calculating an insurance premium based at least in part on the collected vehicle operation data.   
     
     
         37 . A tangible computer readable storage medium, as claimed in  claim 27 , containing instructions that, when executed on by a processor, perform the following further steps:
 automatically collect the driving data during multiple separate data collection sessions, each corresponding to a separate driving session;   calculate, based on driving data collected during an individual data collection session corresponding to an individual driving session, at least one metric related to the driver's driving behavior during the individual driving session; and   wherein the transmitting step comprises transmitting the at least one metric to the remote processing computer.   
     
     
         38 . A tangible computer readable storage medium, as claimed in  claim 27 , containing instructions that, when executed on by a processor, perform the following further steps:
 collect the driving data during multiple separate data collection sessions, each corresponding to a separate driving session;   combine the driving data collected during the multiple data collection sessions;   calculate, based on the combined driving data collected during the multiple data collection sessions corresponding to multiple driving, sessions, at least one metric related to the driver's driving behavior during the multiple driving sessions; and   wherein the transmitting step comprises transmitting the at least one metric to the remote processing computer.   
     
     
         39 . A tangible computer readable storage medium, as claimed in  claim 27 , containing instructions that, when executed on by a processor, perform the following further steps:
 calculate, based on the combined driving data collected during the multiple data collection sessions corresponding to multiple driving sessions, an averaged value of a particular metric for the multiple driving sessions; and   wherein the transmitting step comprises transmitting the average value of the at least one metric to the remote processing computer.   
     
     
         40 . A tangible computer readable storage medium, as claimed in  claim 27 , containing instructions that, when executed on by a processor, perform the following further steps:
 calculate one or more metrics related to the driver's driving behavior, the metrics being at least one of:   an acceleration metric indicative of the vehicle acceleration;   a braking metric indicative of the vehicle braking; and   a cornering metric indicative of the vehicle cornering, and   wherein the transmitting step comprises transmitting the at least one or more metrics to the remote processing computer.   
     
     
         41 . A mobile device comprising:
 at least one sensor that detects a characteristic of the mobile device selected from distance traveled, location, time, and g-force dynamics;   a processor;   a tangible computer readable storage medium containing instructions that, when executed on by the processor, perform the following steps:   collecting vehicle operation data via the at least one sensor: while the mobile device is associated with a vehicle in operation; and   transmitting the collected vehicle operation data from the mobile device to a remote processing computer.   
     
     
         42 . A mobile device as claimed in  claim 41 , wherein said mobile device is a device selected from smartphone, cell phone, mobile telephone, personal digital assistant (PDA), laptop computer, and tablet-style computer. 
     
     
         43 . A mobile device as claimed in  claim 41 , wherein said mobile device is a GPS device.