VALIDATE AN ACTIVATION OF AN APPLICATION ON A DRIVER'S SMARTPHONE

Abstract

Method for activating an application program, on a smartphone. This method forces the driver of a vehicle to activate and keep the application program activated while driving, since it is a telematic insurance for a vehicle that only has coverage while the smartphone is not used and a programmed speed limit is not exceeded. This method makes it difficult to activate immediately after a crash and requires a trip at a certain speed and for a time T, something very difficult in a crash scenario. It also keeps a record of the coordinates, time and date of activation and deactivation of the application program and this does not allow fraud to the insurer. This method makes it possible to ensure and prevent, without the two main causes of accidents, smartphone distraction and speeding.

Claims

1. Method to validate the activation of an application program on a driver's smartphone, through detection a speed during a time determined driving, the method comprising: receive an activation request for said application program, on a smartphone; execute said application program in the foreground of the operating system of said smartphone; show in said first user interface a request for the necessary activation of the GPS; receive activation signal from the GPS of said smartphone; confirm the activation of said GPS on the screen of said smartphone; show the first user interface indicating the start of driving; generate a notification with the coordinates and a map of the exact position of said smartphone, indicated by said GPS, hour and date of the moment of said activation request; send consecutively said notification to the remote administrator of the application program, to said driver's smartphone to his email messaging system and social networks installed on said smartphone; detect, without interruption, a speed greater than zero mph and equal to or greater than a programmed minimum speed limit, as a minimum detectable limit; start a countdown or countdown without interruption, with a duration of time T, which runs simultaneously with said uninterrupted detection of said speed, until the end of said time T; end the countdown time T; verify the end of said time Tin said countdown; order the validation of the activation of the application program; show the second activation user interface, with a speedometer and with black background screen color; generate a notification with the coordinates and a map of the exact position of said smartphone, indicated by said GPS, time and date of the moment of said activation validation; send consecutively said notification to the remote administrator of the application program, to said driver's smartphone to his email messaging system and social networks installed on said smartphone.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: execute said method, again, every time said application program loses the validation of its activation; generate a notification with the coordinates and a map of the exact position of said smartphone, indicated by said GPS, time and date of the moment of said activation validation; send consecutively said notification to the remote administrator of the application program, to said driver's smartphone to his email messaging system and social networks installed on said smartphone.

3. The method according to claim 1, in which once finished, a routine for controlling the maximum speed limit is developed, which comprises: invalidate automatically the activation of said application program when the detected speed is higher than a determined maximum speed limit; show third user interface with a speedometer and with red or orange background screen color; not remove the application program from the foreground of the operating system of said smartphone.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

[0044] FIG. 1 is a diagram of the direction of the activity flow and the basic architecture of the application program installed in a smartphone for the monitoring of a driver, where the method for the validation of its activation precedes its speed control functionality.

[0045] FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the basic functionality and priority of the data within that application.

[0046] FIG. 3 is a graphical representation of the first user interface, of the smartphone, indicating the start of driving.

[0047] FIG. 4 is a graphical representation of the second user interface, of the smartphone, which contains a speedometer and indicates the black color it should have, as the background screen color.

[0048] FIG. 5 is a graphical representation of the third user interface, of the smartphone, which contains a speedometer and indicates the colors red or orange, that it should have, as background screen color.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0049] The present disclosure will be described with respect to a particular embodiment and with reference to the referred drawings.

[0050] An application program 28 is described for a driver's smartphone, consisting of a particular method 2 for the validation of its activation and further comprising a routine 19, which is also a method for speed control while driving.

[0051] The method and routine will be referred to as method 2 and routine 19, to differentiate them, because they operate consecutively within the same application program 28.

[0052] The application program 28 must always be activated after the steps required and included in method 2 and must be deactivated when the application program 28 is removed from the foreground of the operating system and smartphone interface and is also automatically deactivated when the program application 28 operates during the routine 19 and detects, through the GPS associated with its functionality, the exceeding of a certain speed limit.

[0053] The method 2 is based on the validation of the activation of the application program 28, for which the platform for establishing the application program 28 must be provided on a remote server.

[0054] The platform must be accessed by means of a personal computer and I or smartphone, connected to the remote server through an internet connection and which contains an internet browser to govern the application program 28 and define the parameters that substantiate its function.

[0055] It is a method 2 to validate the activation of an application program 28 for the monitoring of a driver, while driving and that is installed in a smartphone that carries this driver.

[0056] The method 2 is presented as an initial part of the application program 28 which, allows to solve the validation of the activation of the application program 28, as a specific task, on a smartphone. This means a set of consecutive stages or steps that must be fulfilled, from when activation 1 of the application program 28 Is requested FIG. 3, until the activation 8 is validated FIG. 4, then the application program 28, from that moment operates as a telematic insurance, until its deactivation or loss of activation 18, voluntary or due to speeding.

[0057] The application program 28 within its total operating time, from the moment it is requested to be activated 1, until its deactivation 18, consists of three fundamental consecutive moments that must be identified in the following order, by its exact geospatial location, using coordinates, date and time of occurrence and these three moments are: when activation is requested 1, when activation is validated 8, and when it is deactivated or lose validation 18, according to FIG. 1.

[0058] The smartphone refers to a mobile device or mobile phone, which has an operating system, can be used as a computer, is connected to the internet and has at least among its basic components, a global positioning system or GPS 5, a camera, a Touch screen and an accelerometer among others.

[0059] The activation of the application program 28 needs to be validated by the method 2 before it is complete.

[0060] The method 2 always precedes routine 19, within application program 28.

[0061] The smartphone governs a plurality of components and functionalities that allow the total development of the application program 28 by means of the method 2 and its inherent routine 19, which is another method inserted in the application program 28, during which the exceeding of a determined speed limit is controlled.

[0062] The method 2 for the valid activation of the application program 28 and its execution associated with the GPS 5 of the smartphone, for the detection of a minimum speed (minimum limit), greater than zero mph.

[0063] Simultaneously with this detection, the method 2 activates a countdown 27 with a duration of time T, greater than zero seconds, during which the detection of speed equal to or greater than the minimum limit 3, is associated with this time T, resulting in a path, executed by the vehicle carrying the smartphone during this time interval T.

[0064] The time T refers to a determined time.

[0065] The method 2 configures, through this mandatory trajectory, the validation of the activation of the application program 28 and allows its functionality to be used as an activatable telematic insurance, for the monitoring and coverage of a driver in real time, which conditions the insurance coverage, to the use and the activation, before an accident and a notice of the accident, from the same place of occurrence to the insurer.

[0066] The activation according to the method 2 is evidence of the trajectory with the application program 28 (application) activated on the smartphone, before the accident, because after the accident it is very difficult to obtain this (mandatory) trajectory and replicate the scenario (if it came or was disabled).

[0067] The operation according to a preferred embodiment of the method 2, which interacts with the routine or method 19 of the application program 28, for the supervision of a driver and once already downloaded and installed on the driver's smartphone, is as follows:

[0068] From the moment that a driver who drives a vehicle requests the activation 1 or opening of the application program 28, in the screen menu of the smartphone that it carries, then the application program 28 is executed in the foreground 24 of the operating system of the smartphone.

[0069] Then the application program 28, before showing the first user interface to start driving FIG. 3, shows three consecutive initialization interfaces, one with a corporate logo, another with space to write the email and personal password and another user interface with a request to the driver for the necessary activation 26 of GPS 5, of the smartphone and the application program 28 and the method 2, receives signal from the GPS 5 and confirms the activation on the screen of the smartphone.

[0070] Then the first user interface FIG. 3 indicating the start of driving 30 is shown on the screen of the smartphone.

[0071] Then method 2 generates a notification 13 with the coordinates and a map of the exact position of the smartphone, indicated by the GPS, time and date of the moment of the activation request 1.

[0072] The notification 13 is then sent to the remote administrator of the application program 28, to the driver's own smartphone, which has the application program 28 installed, to his email and messaging system, characteristic of the smartphone and social networks, installed on the smartphone, as a record of activation request 1, of the application program 28.

[0073] This notification 13 is generated and sent in this way, each time the activation of the application program 28 is requested manually or automatically, each time the requested activation 8 is validated and each time it is manually or automatically deactivated 18 due to excess speed, as explained later.

[0074] Then, method 2 for the validation of the activation of the application program 28, requires detect without interruption 4 a programmable speed v greater than zero mph, whether this is a constant speed, accelerated or decelerated, but equal to or greater than a programmed speed limit 3, as the minimum detectable limit.

[0075] The minimum detectable speed limit 3 it is programmable from the remote administrator.

[0076] The detection 4 is executed, based on the data collected from the GPS 5 and its functional capacity associated with the method 2.

[0077] The detected tour speed can be constant, accelerated or decelerated, but always greater than or equal to the programmed speed 3 as the minimum limit.

[0078] Simultaneously it is required that the speed detection 4, order 6 the start 7 without interruption, of a determined time T in countdown, also programmable from the remote administrator.

[0079] Then, the speed detection 4 is required to be executed without interruption, during the time T.

[0080] This implies, transporting the smartphone at a constant speed, accelerated or decelerated, but always greater than or equal to the minimum speed 3, continuously, without interruption and not less than this, for a determined time T of uninterrupted counting down.

[0081] The countdown time Tis programmable and its amount may vary.

[0082] Then, this method 2 for the valid activation of the application program 28 requires the uninterrupted detection of an uninterrupted speed 4 greater than or equal to a determined minimum limit 3, for an uninterrupted time T in countdown 27, all this simultaneously and until the end of time T.

[0083] Then, after the countdown has finished 25, the method 2 verifies the end 20 of the time T and orders the validation of activation 8 of the application program 28 and an second activation user interface FIG. 4 is displayed, with a speedometer 31 and with black background screen color 34 of the smartphone, for lower power consumption, during the tour, compared to the first opening interface, according to the method 2.

[0084] Next, the method 2, orders consecutively generate a notification 13, with the coordinates and a map of the exact location of the smartphone, at the moment of activation 8, indicated by the GPS 5.

[0085] The notification also includes the time and date of the moment of the activation 8.

[0086] The notification 13 is sent in that moment to the remote administrator of the application program 28, to the same smartphone as the driver that has the application program 28 installed, to your email and messaging system, typical of the smartphone and social networks, installed on the smartphone, as a record of the valid activation 8 of the application program 28 and executed according to the indications of method 2.

[0087] With this notification 13, method 2 of application program activation 28 is terminated and gives way to the routine 19.

[0088] Every time the application program 28 loses the activation validation 18, the activation validation method 2 becomes invalid again and its execution must be repeated again, to validate the method 2 again and it also means validating activation 8 again.

[0089] Every time the method 2 is validated or loses validity, the application program 28 must generate a notification 13 with the coordinates of the exact position, time and date of the deactivation and the notification 13 must be sent from the same way as the previously described notifications 13.

[0090] Once the application program 28 validates activation 8, by means of the method 2, it 28, is developed by means of the routine 19 for the control of the maximum speed limit, detected by the GPS 5.

[0091] After the activation validation 8, the application program 28 must remain in the foreground 24 of the smartphone operating system, without interruption, in order to remain activated.

[0092] If the application program 28 is removed from the foreground 24, after activation validation 8 is obtained, the application program 28 it loses the activation validation 18 and it is necessary to repeat the method 2 to validate the activation again.

[0093] Every time the application program 28 loses the activation validation 8, it generates a notification with the coordinates and a map of the exact location of the smartphone, at the moment of the loss, including the date and time of the loss.

[0094] The notification is then sent to the server that remotely administers the application program 28, to the driver's own smartphone, which has the application program 28 installed, to his email and messaging system, characteristic of the smartphone and social networks, installed on the smartphone, as a record of the loss of activation validation of the application program 28.

[0095] During routine 19, which is developed after method 2 orders the validation of activation 8, the notification 13 and the method ends, a determined maximum speed limit 11 must not be exceeded to maintain the validation of activation 8 of the application program 28.

[0096] The maximum speed limit 11, is programmable and may vary. When the detected speed is higher than the speed limit 11, the application program 28 loses validation of its activation 18 automatically, and a third user interface FIGS. is displayed, with a speedometer 32 and with red or orange background screen color 35, in the smartphone, to warn of speeding and cancellation of the insurance, until not returning to the allowed speed and executing method 2 again.

[0097] In this case, the application program 28 is not removed from the foreground of operating system of the smartphone and the method 2 is invalidated and must be repeated, to validate the activation 8 of the application program again 28, as explained below for this case.

[0098] If the maximum speed limit 11 is exceeded and this application program 28 loses the activation validation 18, then this application program 28 will validate the activation or method 2 again and automatically when the detected speed decreases and then remains within the range limited by the minimum speed 3 and the maximum speed limit, 11, during the aforementioned time T, when the first user interface is redisplayed.

[0099] Any loss of activation validation 18 of the application program 28 implies having to repeat the method 2 again to obtain validation of activation 8 of this application program 28 again.

[0100] The method or sub-routine 19, complements the described functions, with a plurality of functions for the monitoring and supervision of a driver.

[0101] So, to lose the activation validation voluntarily or close the application program 28, it is enough to remove it from its execution from the foreground of the smartphone operating system and take it to the background or close the user interface or turn off the smartphone.

[0102] In more detail, also the application program 28 loses the validation of the activation 18, when a determined maximum speed limit 11 is exceeded and it is necessary to decrease the speed, up to the limit 11 previously exceeded and maintain the speed (constant, accelerated or decelerated) between the limit 11 and the minimum speed 3, during the time T, so that the application program 28 automatically validates the activation again, according to the method 2 for the validation of the activation of the application program 28.

[0103] Every time the application program 28 loses the validation of activation 18, voluntarily or due to speeding, it generates a notification 13, with the coordinates of the exact location according to GPS 5, time and date of the moment of the loss and it sends it to the server that remotely administers the application program 28, to the driver's email and SMS on the smartphone and to their social networks and optionally to any available notification system.