IP Library Granted Patent US 12,063,570
Granted Patent B2
US 12,063,570 · App. 18/204,737 · Granted Aug 13, 2024

Systems and methods for determining a vehicle driver using at least peer-to-peer network signals

Inventor: Bennett Smith (Inver Grove, MN)
Assignee: QUANATA, LLC
H04W4/023G01S15/74H04W4/40H04W4/80H04W76/14G06Q40/08
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,063,570
App. No.
18/204,737
Granted
Aug 13, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A user computing device for identifying a driver of a vehicle on a trip is provided. The user computing device is associated with a first vehicle occupant, and is programmed to: (i) detect a second user computing device associated with a second vehicle occupant, (ii) initiate a ping exchange process including emitting a set of non-audible sonic ping signals and detecting a set of signals from the second user computing device over a duration of the trip, (iii) generate a relative positioning map of the user computing device with respect to the second user computing device, (iv) determine that the first vehicle occupant is one of a driver and a passenger of the vehicle, and (v) transmit, to a driver identification (“DI”) server, a trip report including the determination and the generated relative positioning map.

Claims (82)

1. A first user device associated with a first vehicle occupant of a vehicle, the first user device comprising:

at least one processor in communication with a memory and configured to:

receive an audio clip of the vehicle during a vehicle trip;

compare the audio clip of the vehicle to one or more vehicle audio signatures to identify a type of the vehicle;

obtain a spatial map of the vehicle based upon the type of the vehicle;

receive an echo signal associated with a first ping signal emitted by the first user device using a radio sensor associated with the first user device;

generate a first relative positioning map based upon the spatial map and the echo signal; and

determine that the first vehicle occupant is a driver or a passenger of the vehicle for the vehicle trip based at least in part upon the first relative positioning map.

2. The first user device of claim 1 , wherein to generate the first relative positioning map, the at least one processor is further configured to generate the first relative positioning map based upon the spatial map and one or more signal parameters of the echo signal.

3. The first user device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to establish a local peer-to-peer network connection with a second user device to coordinate a ping exchange process for the first ping signal.

4. The first user device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a second ping signal emitted by the second user device using the ping exchange process and the radio sensor associated with the first user device;

emit a third ping signal for detection by the second user device, using the ping exchange process, in response to detecting the second ping signal; and

determine a time difference between the second ping signal and the third ping signal;

wherein the first relative positioning map is generated based upon the time difference.

5. The first user device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a second ping signal emitted by the second user device using the ping exchange process and the radio sensor associated with the first user device; and

determine an angle of arrival of the second ping signal;

wherein the first relative positioning map is generated based upon the angle of arrival of the second ping signal.

6. The first user device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a second ping signal emitted by the second user device using the ping exchange process and the radio sensor associated with the first user device; and

determine a received signal strength of the second ping signal;

wherein the first relative positioning map is generated based upon the signal strength of the second ping signal.

7. The first user device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a second ping signal emitted by the second user device using the radio sensor associated with the first user device; and

determine a time of arrival the second ping signal;

wherein the first relative positioning map is generated based upon the time of arrival of the second ping signal.

8. The first user device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

detect a presence of a second user device using a low energy wireless network.

9. The first user device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to calculate a confidence factor associated with the determining that the first vehicle occupant is the driver or the passenger of the vehicle based at least in part upon the first relative positioning map.

10. The first user device of claim 9 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive data associated with a second relative positioning map from a second user device; and

update the confidence factor based at least in part upon the data associated with the second relative positioning map.

11. A computer-implemented method for identifying occupants of a vehicle, the method comprising:

receiving an audio clip of the vehicle during a vehicle trip;

comparing the audio clip of the vehicle to one or more vehicle audio signatures to identify a type of the vehicle;

obtaining a spatial map of the vehicle based upon the type of the vehicle;

receiving an echo signal associated with a first ping signal emitted by a first user device using a radio sensor associated with the first user device;

generating a first relative positioning map based upon the spatial map and the echo signal; and

determining that a first vehicle occupant is a driver or a passenger of the vehicle for the vehicle trip based at least in part upon the first relative positioning map.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the generating the first relative positioning map comprises generating the first relative positioning map based upon the spatial map and one or more signal parameters of the echo signal.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising establishing a local peer-to-peer network connection with a second user device to coordinate a ping exchange process for the first ping signal.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further comprising:

detecting a second ping signal emitted by the second user device using the ping exchange process and the radio sensor associated with the first user device;

emitting a third ping signal for detection by the second user device, using the ping exchange process, in response to detecting the second ping signal; and

determining a time difference between the second ping signal and the third ping signal;

wherein the first relative positioning map is generated based upon the time difference.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further comprising:

detecting a second ping signal emitted by the second user device using the ping exchange process and the radio sensor associated with the first user device; and

determining an angle of arrival of the second ping signal;

wherein the first relative positioning map is generated based upon the angle of arrival of the second ping signal.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further comprising:

receiving a second ping signal emitted by the second user device using the ping exchange process and the radio sensor associated with the first user device; and

determining a signal strength of the second ping signal;

wherein the first relative positioning map is generated based upon the signal strength of the second ping signal.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 13 , further comprising:

detecting a second ping signal emitted by the second user device using the radio sensor associated with the first user device; and

determining a time of arrival of the second ping signal;

wherein the first relative positioning map is generated based upon the time of arrival of the first ping signal.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein further comprising:

detecting a presence of a second user device using a low energy wireless network.

19. A system comprising:

a first user device associated with a first vehicle occupant of a vehicle, the first user device configured to:

collect an audio clip of the vehicle during a vehicle trip;

compare the audio clip of the vehicle to one or more vehicle audio signatures to identify a type of the vehicle;

obtain a spatial map of the vehicle based upon the type of the vehicle;

receive an echo signal associated with a first ping signal emitted by the first user device using a radio sensor associated with the first user device;

generate a first relative positioning map based upon the spatial map and the echo signal; and

determine that the first vehicle occupant is a driver or a passenger of the vehicle for the vehicle trip based at least in part upon the first relative positioning map.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the first user device is further configured to:

receive a second ping signal emitted by a second user device using a ping exchange process and the radio sensor associated with the first user device; and

determine an angle of arrival of the second ping signal;

wherein the first relative positioning map is generated based upon the angle of arrival of the second ping signal.

21. A system for identifying occupants of a vehicle, the system comprising:

a means for storing data thereon; and

a means for performing operations comprising:

receiving an audio clip of the vehicle during a vehicle trip;

comparing the audio clip of the vehicle to one or more vehicle audio signatures to identify a type of the vehicle;

obtaining a spatial map of the vehicle based upon the type of the vehicle;

receiving an echo signal associated with a first ping signal emitted by a first user device using a radio sensor associated with the first user device;

generating a first relative positioning map based upon the spatial map and the echo signal; and

determining that a first vehicle occupant is a driver or a passenger of the vehicle for the vehicle trip based at least in part upon the first relative positioning map.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 29, 2024
From: BLUEOWL, LLC
To: QUANATA, LLC
Reel/Frame 067558/0600 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 20, 2024
From: SMITH, BENNETT
To: BLUEOWL, LLC
Reel/Frame 066503/0147 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 17670339 · Feb 11, 2022
Continuation In Part 17100118 · Nov 20, 2020
Continuation 16736094 · Jan 7, 2020
Related Publication 20230308832A1 · Sep 28, 2023