Detection of mobile device location within vehicle using vehicle based data and mobile device based data
One or more location analysis computing devices, methods, and computer-readable media are disclosed herein for determining the position of a mobile device (smartphone, tablet computer) within an interior of a vehicle. The position of the mobile device may be calculated by detecting changes in accelerometer data. The accelerometer data may first need to be translated to determine corresponding axes, since the device may not be right side up (e.g., in a pocket). The vehicle may travel over road discontinuities such as bumps, and calculating the position of the mobile device may be based on the different magnitude and angle resulting from a first tire and a second tire hitting the bump. Data from vehicle sensors or other mobile device sensors may also be used in the calculating. Once the position is determined, commands may be sent to the mobile device to deactivate certain functionality, or to a remote server for further processing.
1. A location analysis computing device comprising:
a processing unit comprising at least one processor; and
a memory unit storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the location analysis computing device to:
receive mobile device sensor data collected by accelerometers of a mobile device located within a vehicle;
detect a first bump event in the mobile device sensor data;
calculate, based on the detected first bump event, a first bump vector comprising a first bump magnitude and a first bump angle;
detect a second bump event in the mobile device sensor data;
calculate, based on the detected second bump event, a second bump vector comprising a second bump magnitude and a second bump angle; and
configure, based on comparing the first bump vector and the second bump vector, at least one of the mobile device or the vehicle to perform one or more functions, wherein the comparing comprises determining a difference between the first bump magnitude and the second bump magnitude and determining a difference between the first bump angle and the second bump angle.
2. The location analysis computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing unit, further cause the location analysis computing device to configure at least one of the mobile device or the vehicle to perform the one or more functions further based on one or more of:
a time difference between the first bump event and the second bump event satisfying a second predetermined threshold;
the first bump magnitude satisfying a first predetermined threshold; or
an indication that mobile device is placed in a cradle.
3. The location analysis computing device of claim 1 , wherein configuring at least one of the mobile device or the vehicle to perform the one or more functions comprises configuring the mobile device or the vehicle to perform one or more of:
outputting a visual or audio notification indicating a position of the mobile device;
enabling a Bluetooth transceiver;
enabling a lane assist functionality;
disabling an application on the mobile device; or
enabling a route guidance or navigation application on the mobile device or on a vehicle device.
4. The location analysis computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing unit, further cause the location analysis computing device to:
determine, based on comparing the first bump vector and the second bump vector, a position of the mobile device within the vehicle.
5. The location analysis computing device of claim 4 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing unit, further cause the location analysis computing device to:
transmit, to a computing device other than the mobile device and based on the determined position of the mobile device within the vehicle, an indication that the mobile device is being used by a vehicle operator.
6. The location analysis computing device of claim 4 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing unit, cause the location analysis computing device to determine the position of the mobile device within the vehicle by:
determining, based on comparing the first bump vector and the second bump vector, which vector of the first bump vector and the second bump vector comprises a greater magnitude or a larger angle; and
determining, based on the determined vector comprising the greater magnitude or the larger angle, the position of the mobile device within the vehicle.
7. The location analysis computing device of claim 1 , wherein the first bump event is determined based on a change in the first bump magnitude exceeding a first predetermined threshold, and
wherein the second bump event is determined based on a change in the second bump magnitude exceeding a second predetermined threshold.
8. The location analysis computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing unit, further cause the location analysis computing device to:
calculate the first bump angle by calculating an arctangent of a ratio of X-axis acceleration data to Z-axis accelerometer data.
9. The location analysis computing device of claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processing unit, cause the location analysis computing device to configure the at least one of the mobile device or the vehicle to perform the one or more functions by:
determining, based on determining the difference between the first bump magnitude and the second bump magnitude and based on determining the difference between the first bump angle and the second bump angle, which vector of the first bump vector and the second bump vector comprises a greater magnitude or a larger angle; and
configuring, based on the determined vector comprising the greater magnitude or the larger angle, the at least one of the mobile device or the vehicle to perform the one or more functions.
10. A method comprising:
receiving mobile device sensor data collected by accelerometers of a mobile device located within a vehicle;
detecting a first bump event in the mobile device sensor data;
calculating, based on the detected first bump event, a first bump vector comprising a first bump magnitude and a first bump angle;
detecting a second bump event in the mobile device sensor data;
calculating, based on the detected second bump event, a second bump vector comprising a second bump magnitude and a second bump angle; and
configuring, based on comparing the first bump vector and the second bump vector, at least one of the mobile device or the vehicle to perform one or more functions, wherein the comparing comprises determining a difference between the first bump magnitude and the second bump magnitude and determining a difference between the first bump angle and the second bump angle.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein configuring at least one of the mobile device or the vehicle to perform the one or more functions is further based on one or more of:
a time difference between the first bump event and the second bump event satisfying a second predetermined threshold;
the first bump magnitude satisfying a first predetermined threshold; or
an indication that mobile device is placed in a cradle.
12. The method of claim 10 , wherein configuring at least one of the mobile device or the vehicle to perform the one or more functions comprises configuring at least one of the mobile device or the vehicle to perform one or more of:
outputting a visual or audio notification indicating a position of the mobile device;
enabling a Bluetooth transceiver;
enabling a lane assist functionality;
disabling an application on the mobile device; or
enabling a route guidance or navigation application on the mobile device or on a vehicle device.
13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
determining, based on comparing the first bump vector and the second bump vector, a position of the mobile device within the vehicle.
14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:
transmitting, to a computing device other than the mobile device and based on the determined position of the mobile device within the vehicle, an indication that the mobile device is being used by a vehicle operator.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein determining the position of the mobile device within the vehicle comprises:
determining, based on comparing the first bump vector and the second bump vector, which vector of the first bump vector and the second bump vector comprises a greater magnitude or a larger angle; and
determining, based on the determined vector comprising the greater magnitude or the larger angle, the position of the mobile device within the vehicle.
16. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first bump event is determined based on a change in the first bump magnitude exceeding a first predetermined threshold, and
wherein the second bump event is determined based on a change in the second bump magnitude exceeding a second predetermined threshold.
17. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:
receive mobile device sensor data collected by accelerometers of a mobile device located within a vehicle;
detect a first bump event in the mobile device sensor data;
calculate, based on the detected first bump event, a first bump vector comprising a first bump magnitude and a first bump angle;
detect a second bump event in the mobile device sensor data;
calculate, based on the detected second bump event, a second bump vector comprising a second bump magnitude and a second bump angle; and
configure, based on comparing the first bump vector and the second bump vector, at least one of the mobile device or the vehicle to perform one or more functions, wherein the comparing comprises determining a difference between the first bump magnitude and the second bump magnitude and determining a difference between the first bump angle and the second bump angle.
18. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the computing device, further cause the computing device to configure at least one of the mobile device or the vehicle to perform the one or more functions further based on one or more of:
a time difference between the first bump event and the second bump event satisfying a second predetermined threshold;
the first bump magnitude satisfying a first predetermined threshold; or
an indication that mobile device is placed in a cradle.
19. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein configuring at least one of the mobile device or the vehicle to perform the one or more functions comprises configuring at least one of the mobile device or the vehicle to perform one or more of:
outputting a visual or audio notification indicating a position of the mobile device;
enabling a Bluetooth transceiver;
enabling a lane assist functionality;
disabling an application on the mobile device; or
enabling a route guidance or navigation application on the mobile device or on a vehicle device.
20. The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the computing device, further cause the computing device to:
determine, based on comparing the first bump vector and the second bump vector, a position of the mobile device within the vehicle.