System and Method for Obtaining Vehicle Telematics Data

Abstract

A sensor tag which in use will be affixed to a vehicle for obtaining vehicle telematics data includes a battery for powering the tag and a processor running executable code to process accelerometer data. An accelerometer measures the acceleration of the tag and thereby of the vehicle, and also controls the operation of the processor. A memory is used for storing a unique tag identifier of the tag and for storing trip data including information about trips and acceleration data. Finally, a communication module is used for short range wireless communication with a mobile communications device located in the vehicle via a short range wireless communications protocol, the communication module transmitting the tag's unique identifier and a sequence of time stamped acceleration data. The mobile communications device obtains GPS data, combines this with the acceleration date and transmits this to a server for analysis.

1 . A sensor tag which in use will be affixed to a vehicle for obtaining vehicle telematics data, the tag including:
 a battery for powering the tag;   a processor running executable code to process accelerometer data;   an accelerometer to measure the acceleration of the tag and thereby of the vehicle, and to control the operation of the processor;   a memory for storing a unique tag identifier of the tag and for storing trip data including information about trips and acceleration data; and   a communication module for short range wireless communication with a mobile communications device located in the vehicle via a short range wireless communications protocol, the communication module transmitting the tag's unique identifier and a sequence of time stamped acceleration data.   
     
     
         2 . A sensor tag according to  claim 1  further including a clock, wherein when the mobile communications device is not in communications range of the tag, the memory stores information about trips and acceleration data with their corresponding timestamps and transmits this information to the mobile communications device at a later stage when the mobile communications device is brought into communications range of the tag. 
     
     
         3 . A sensor tag according to  claim 1  wherein communication between the tag and mobile communications device occurs automatically without manual intervention or pairing between the mobile communications device and the tag. 
     
     
         4 . A sensor tag according to  claim 1  wherein the tag is not connected to the vehicle's computer or power systems. 
     
     
         5 . A sensor tag according to  claim 1  wherein the short range wireless communications protocol is Bluetooth low energy communication protocol. 
     
     
         6 . A sensor tag according to  claim 1  wherein the mobile communications device is a mobile telephone. 
     
     
         7 . A sensor tag according to  claim 2  wherein the communication module also receives clock data from the mobile communications device and sets its clock accordingly. 
     
     
         8 . A sensor tag according to  claim 1  wherein the tag includes a tamper detection mechanism using one or more of data from the accelerometer and data from a light sensor. 
     
     
         9 . A sensor tag according to  claim 1  wherein the tag includes a crash/impact detection mechanism using data from the accelerometer, and wherein said data is transmitted via the mobile communication device to the server soon after a crash/impact detection. 
     
     
         10 . A sensor tag according to  claim 1  wherein the tag includes one more of a gyroscope, barometer, compass and position sensors. 
     
     
         11 . A sensor tag according to  claim 1  wherein when the vehicle is not moving the tag is in a dormant state with most of its components being powered down and wherein the tag is woken up by the accelerometer measuring acceleration exceeding a measurement threshold for a period of time. 
     
     
         12 . A sensor tag according to  claim 2  wherein the trip start, trip end, and any measured acceleration whose magnitude exceeds a threshold along with a timestamp is stored in the memory. 
     
     
         13 . A sensor tag according to  claim 1  wherein the tag digitally signs any data sent to the mobile communications device destined for the server so that any tampering with the data by the mobile communications device or any other entity may be detected by the server, and wherein the server digitally signs any code sent to the mobile communications device so that any tampering of the data can be detected by the tag, and wherein the code is forwarded by the mobile communications device to the tag for an over-the-air upgrade of the tag's software. 
     
     
         14 . A sensor tag according to  claim 1  wherein a comparison of a derived lateral acceleration of the mobile communication device and the tag in a vehicles frame of reference determines whether the mobile communication device is located to the left or to the right of the tag in the vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . A mobile communications device including:
 a display for displaying information to a user;   a user interface for receiving inputs from a user;   a location module for determining and recording location data regarding the location of the mobile communications device;   a processor with an executable application running thereon to combine received acceleration data with the location data so that the acceleration and position of the vehicle at a particular point in time is known; and   a communications module for receiving acceleration data from a tag connected to a vehicle and for transmitting the combined acceleration data and the location data to a server via a mobile communications network.   
     
     
         16 . A mobile communications device according to  claim 15  wherein the communications module is able to communicate with the tag via a short range wireless communications protocol. 
     
     
         17 . A mobile communications device according to  claim 16  wherein the short range wireless communications protocol is Bluetooth. 
     
     
         18 . A mobile communications device according to  claim 15  wherein the combined acceleration data and the location data are transmitted to a server of an insurance company which will use the data to assess the insurance risk of the individual.