SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CLASSIFYING A VEHICULAR TRIP AS FOR PERSONAL USE OR FOR WORK BASED UPON HUB-AND-SPOKES TRAVEL PATTERN

1 . A computer-implemented method for classifying a vehicular trip, the method comprising:

obtaining a set of travel data associated with a set of vehicular trips traveled by a plurality of vehicle operators, the set of travel data including a set of location data and a set of timing data;

determining, based upon the set of travel data, a location pattern tracking the paths the plurality of vehicle operators traveled during the set of vehicular trips;

determining whether the location pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern defined by one or more path nodes and one or more path segments based upon one or more pattern definitions, wherein determining the location pattern includes one or more of a path deviation distance threshold, a pattern break count threshold, a hub size threshold, a travel time window, allowance of radial spoke distribution, allowance of crossover spoke distribution, allowance of varied spoke length, allowance of non-straight spokes, or allowance of skewed distribution of spokes about the hub; and

upon determining that the location pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern, classifying the set of vehicular trips as fora commute.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the:

determining a location pattern further includes:

determining, for each vehicular trip of the set of vehicular trips, a set of path segments traveled by an associated vehicle operator;

determining a segment pattern based at least in part upon the set of path segments for the set of vehicular trips and the timing data;

determining whether the location pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern includes determining whether the segment pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern; and

classifying the set of vehicular trips includes upon determining that the segment pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern, classifying the set of vehicular trips as a commute.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein

the: determining a location pattern further includes:

determining, for each vehicular trip of the set of vehicular trips, a set of path segments traveled by an associated vehicle operator;

determining a set of path nodes connecting the set of path segments;

determining a node pattern based at least in part upon the set of path nodes and the timing data;

determining whether the location pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern includes determining whether the node pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern; and

classifying the set of vehicular trips includes upon determining that the node pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern, classifying the set of vehicular trips as fora commute.

4 . (canceled)

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

obtaining a commute reimbursement request submitted by a vehicle operator of the plurality of vehicle operators associated with a vehicular trip of the set of vehicular trips; and

determining the reimbursement decision as issue reimbursement when the classification is a commute.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

upon classifying the set of vehicular trips as a commute, determining, for each vehicular trip of the set of vehicular trips, a set of policy modifications associated with an insurance policy of an associated vehicle operator based at least in part upon the set of travel data.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

upon classifying the set of vehicular trips as a commute, determining a hub location of the hub-and-spokes pattern as a common work location when the set of timing data indicate that each vehicle operator of the plurality of vehicle operators spent at least a predetermined portion of a working period at the hub location over a period of interest.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

upon classifying the set of vehicular trips as a commute, determining a hub location of the hub-and-spokes pattern as a common home location when the set of timing data indicate that each vehicle operator of the plurality of vehicle operators spent at least a predetermined portion of a non-working period at the hub location over a period of interest.

9 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vehicle operators share a common employer, a common work region, or a common work schedule.

10 . A computing system for classifying a vehicular trip, the computing system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory storing instructions that, upon execution by the one or more processors, cause the computing system to perform one or more processes including:

obtaining a set of travel data associated with a set of vehicular trips traveled by a plurality of vehicle operators, the set of travel data including a set of location data and a set of timing data;

determining, based upon the set of travel data, a location pattern tracking the paths the plurality of vehicle operators traveled during the set of vehicular trips;

determining whether the location pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern defined by one or more path nodes and one or more path segments based upon one or more pattern definitions, wherein determining the location pattern includes one or more of a path deviation distance threshold, a pattern break count threshold, a hub size threshold, a travel time window, allowance of radial spoke distribution, allowance of crossover spoke distribution, allowance of varied spoke length, allowance of non-straight spokes, or allowance of skewed distribution of spokes about the hub; and

upon determining that the location pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern, classifying the set of vehicular trips as a commute.

11 . The computing system of claim 10 , wherein the:

determining a location pattern further includes:

determining, for each vehicular trip of the set of vehicular trips, a set of path segments traveled by an associated vehicle operator;

determining a segment pattern based at least in part upon the set of path segments for the set of vehicular trips and the timing data;

determining whether the location pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern includes determining whether the segment pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern; and

classifying the set of vehicular trips includes upon determining that the segment pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern, classifying the set of vehicular trips as fora commute.

12 . The computing system of claim 10 , wherein the:

determining a location pattern further includes:

determining, for each vehicular trip of the set of vehicular trips, a set of path segments traveled by an associated vehicle operator;

determining a set of path nodes connecting the set of path segments;

determining a node pattern based at least in part upon the set of path nodes and the timing data;

determining whether the location pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern includes determining whether the node pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern; and

classifying the set of vehicular trips includes upon determining that the node pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern, classifying the set of vehicular trips as fora commute.

13 . (canceled)

14 . The computing system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processes further comprises:

obtaining a commute reimbursement request submitted by a vehicle operator of the plurality of vehicle operators associated with a vehicular trip of the set of vehicular trips; and

determining the reimbursement decision as issue reimbursement when the classification is a commute.

15 . The computing system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processes further comprises:

upon classifying the set of vehicular trips as a commute, determining, for each vehicular trip of the set of vehicular trips, a set of policy modifications associated with an insurance policy of an associated vehicle operator based at least in part upon the set of travel data.

16 . The computing system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processes further comprises:

upon classifying the set of vehicular trips as a commute, determining a hub location of the hub-and-spokes pattern as a common work location when the set of timing data indicate that each vehicle operator of the plurality of vehicle operators spent at least a predetermined portion of a working period at the hub location over a period of interest.

17 . The computing system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processes further comprises:

upon classifying the set of vehicular trips as a commute, determining a hub location of the hub-and-spokes pattern as a common home location when the set of timing data indicate that each vehicle operator of the plurality of vehicle operators spent at least a predetermined portion of a non-working period at the hub location over a period of interest.

18 . The computing system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of vehicle operators share a common employer, a common work region, or a common work schedule.

19 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for classifying a vehicular trip, the instructions upon execution by one or more processors of a computing system, cause the computing system to perform one or more processes including:

obtaining a set of travel data associated with a set of vehicular trips traveled by a plurality of vehicle operators, the set of travel data including a set of location data and a set of timing data;

determining, based upon the set of travel data, a location pattern tracking the paths the plurality of vehicle operators traveled during the set of vehicular trips;

determining whether the location pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern defined by one or more path nodes and one or more path segments based upon one or more pattern definitions, wherein determining the location pattern includes one or more of a path deviation distance threshold, a pattern break count threshold, a hub size threshold, a travel time window, allowance of radial spoke distribution, allowance of crossover spoke distribution, allowance of varied spoke length, allowance of non-straight spokes, or allowance of skewed distribution of spokes about the hub; and

upon determining that the location pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern, classifying the set of vehicular trips as a commute.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the:

determining a location pattern further includes:

determining, for each vehicular trip of the set of vehicular trips, a set of path segments traveled by an associated vehicle operator;

determining a segment pattern based at least in part upon the set of path segments for the set of vehicular trips and the timing data;

determining whether the location pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern includes determining whether the segment pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern; and

classifying the set of vehicular trips includes upon determining that the segment pattern qualifies as a hub-and-spokes pattern, classifying the set of vehicular trips as a commute.