System and method for separating ambient gravitational acceleration from a moving three-axis accelerometer data

1. A computer implemented method for determining a driving pattern, the method comprising:

receiving, via a computer network, telematics data corresponding to a trip of a moving vehicle and originating from a client computing device;

combining, by one or more processors, the telematics data;

identifying, by the one or more processors, a primary movement window from the telematics data, wherein the primary movement window is indicative of the client computing device being static with respect to the moving vehicle;

estimating, by the one or more processors, a gravitational constant from the combined telematics data in the primary movement window such that the gravitational constant is the only force acting on a Z-Axis of the moving vehicle according to a reference frame of the moving vehicle;

generating, by the one or more processors, a pitch angle and a roll angle from the combined telematics data in the primary movement window that aligns the gravitational constant with the Z-Axis of the moving vehicle; and

determining, by the one or more processors, the driving pattern using at least the pitch angle and the roll angle.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

applying, by the one or more processors, a rotation matrix to the telematics data, wherein the rotation matrix accounts for the pitch angle and roll angle.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the pitch angle and roll angle further comprises:

measuring, by the one or more processors, an acceleration in the direction of gravity from the telematics data;

maximizing, by the one or more processors, the measured acceleration in the direction of gravity; and

generating, by the one or more processors, a function for each of the pitch and the roll angles.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the driving pattern further comprises:

determining, by the one or more processors, that the pitch angle and roll angle are indicative of at least one of: an acceleration event, a braking event, a left turn event and a right turn event.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the pitch angle and the roll angle further comprises incorporating a rotation matrix definition.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

measuring, by the one or more processors, the effect of gravity from the telematics data;

minimizing, by the one or more processors, a squared error in the measured gravity in the primary movement window;

establishing, by the one or more processors, a function of the gravitational constant based at least on the measured gravity;

generating, by the one or more processors, a function for each of a second pitch angle and a second roll angle using the gravitational constant;

determining, by the one or more processors, a difference between the pitch angle and the second pitch angle;

determining, by the one or more processors, a difference between the roll angle and the second roll angle; and

determining, by the one or more processors, whether each difference is within a defined threshold limit.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein minimizing a squared error in the measured gravity includes a least squares solution.

8. A computer device for determining a driving pattern, the computer device comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors;

wherein the one or more memories include non-transitory computer executable instructions stored therein that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

receive telematics data corresponding to a trip of a moving vehicle and originating from a client computing device;

combine the telematics data;

identify a primary movement window from the telematics data, wherein the primary movement window is indicative of the client computing device being static with respect to the moving vehicle;

estimate a gravitational constant from the combined telematics data in the primary movement window such that the gravitational constant is the only force acting on a Z-Axis of the moving vehicle according to a reference frame of the moving vehicle;

generate a pitch angle and a roll angle from the combined telematics data in the primary movement window that aligns the gravitational constant with the Z-Axis of the moving vehicle; and

determine at the one or more processors, the driving pattern using at least the pitch angle and the roll angle.

9. The computer device of claim 8 , wherein the non-transitory computer executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

apply a rotation matrix to the telematics data, wherein the rotation matrix accounts for the pitch angle and roll angle.

10. The computer device of claim 8 , wherein the non-transitory computer executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

measure an acceleration in the direction of gravity from the telematics data;

maximize the measured acceleration in the direction of gravity; and

generate a function for each of the pitch and the roll angles.

11. The computer device of claim 8 wherein the non-transitory computer executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

determine that the pitch angle and roll angle are indicative of at least one of an acceleration of an acceleration event, a braking event, a left turn event and a right turn event.

12. The computer device of claim 8 , wherein the non-transitory computer executable instructions to generate a pitch angle and a roll angle further cause the one or more processors to:

incorporate a rotation matrix definition.

13. The computer device of claim 8 , wherein the non-transitory computer executable instructions further cause the one or more processors to:

measure, by the one or more processors, the effect of gravity from the telematics data;

minimize a squared error in the measured gravity from the telematics data in the primary movement window;

establish a function of the gravitational constant based at least on the measured gravity;

generate a function for each of a second pitch angle and a second roll angle using the gravitational constant;

determine a difference between the pitch angle and the second pitch angle;

determine a difference between the roll angle and the second roll angle; and

determine whether each difference is within a defined threshold limit.

14. The computer device of claim 13 , wherein the non-transitory computer executable instructions to minimize a squared error in the measured gravity includes a least squares solution.

15. A computer readable storage medium comprising non-transitory computer readable instructions stored thereon for determining a driving pattern, the instructions when executed on one or more processors cause the one or more processors to:

receive, via a computer network, telematics data corresponding to a trip of a moving vehicle and originating from a client computing device;

combine the telematics data;

identify a primary movement window from the telematics data, wherein the primary movement window is indicative of the client computing device being static with respect to the moving vehicle;

estimate a gravitational constant from the combined telematics data in the primary movement window such that the gravitational constant is the only force acting on a Z-Axis of the moving vehicle according to a reference frame of the moving vehicle;

generate a pitch angle and a roll angle from the combined telematics data in the primary movement window that aligns the gravitational constant with the Z-Axis of the moving vehicle; and

determine the driving pattern using at least the pitch angle and the roll angle.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , comprising further instructions stored thereon that cause the one or more processors to:

apply a rotation matrix to the telematics data, wherein the rotation matrix accounts for the pitch angle and roll angle.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , comprising further instructions stored thereon that cause the one or more processors to:

measure an acceleration in the direction of gravity from the telematics data; and

maximize the measured acceleration in the direction of gravity.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , comprising further instructions stored thereon that cause the one or more processors to:

incorporate a rotation matrix definition.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15 , comprising further instructions stored thereon that cause the one or more processors to:

measure the effect of gravity from the telematics data;

minimize a squared error in the measured gravity from the telematics data in the primary movement window;

establish a function of the gravitational constant based at least on the measured gravity;

generate a function for each of a second pitch angle and a second roll angle using the gravitational constant;

determine a difference between the pitch angle and the second pitch angle;

determine a difference between the roll angle and the second roll angle; and

determine whether each difference is within a defined threshold limit.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein the instructions stored thereon that cause the one or more processors to minimize a squared error in the measured gravity includes a least squares solution.