# US 11,443,388 B2 · Detecting transportation company trips in a vehicle based upon on-board audio signals > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,443,388 B2 - Document ID: US11443388B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/076,670 - Filed: 2020-10-21 - Published: 2021-02-04 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-11 - Assignees: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company - Applicants: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company - Inventors: Justin Davis; Kristopher Keith Gaudin; Craig Cope - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11443388B2 ## CPC - G06Q 40/08: Insurance - G01S 15/04: Systems determining presence of a target - G01S 15/74: Systems using reradiation of acoustic waves, e.g. IFF, i.e. identification of friend or foe - G06Q 20/29: {characterised by micropayments} - G06Q 20/322: {Aspects of commerce using mobile devices [M-devices]} - G07C 5/02: Registering or indicating driving, working, idle, or waiting time only (apparatus forming part of taximeters G07B13/00) - H04R 1/403: {loud-speakers} - H04R 29/002: {Loudspeaker arrays} - H04W 4/025: {using location based information parameters} - H04W 4/20: Services signaling; Auxiliary data signalling, i.e. transmitting data via a non-traffic channel - B60C 23/02: Signalling devices actuated by tyre pressure {(hand-held tyre pressure gauges G01L17/00)} - G05D 1/0212: {with means for defining a desired trajectory (involving a plurality of land vehicles G05D1/0287)} - G05D 1/0276: {using signals provided by a source external to the vehicle (involving a plurality of vehicles G05D1/0287; automatically controlling vehicle speed responsive to externally generated signals B60K31/0058)} - H04R 2499/13: Acoustic transducers and sound field adaptation in vehicles - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - G01S: RADIO DIRECTION-FINDING; RADIO NAVIGATION; DETERMINING DISTANCE OR VELOCITY BY USE OF RADIO WAVES; LOCATING OR PRESENCE-DETECTING BY USE OF THE REFLECTION OR RERADIATION OF RADIO WAVES; ANALOGOUS ARRANGEMENTS USING OTHER WAVES - G07C: TIME OR ATTENDANCE REGISTERS; REGISTERING OR INDICATING THE WORKING OF MACHINES; GENERATING RANDOM NUMBERS; VOTING OR LOTTERY APPARATUS; ARRANGEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS FOR CHECKING NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE - H04R: LOUDSPEAKERS, MICROPHONES, GRAMOPHONE PICK-UPS OR LIKE ACOUSTIC ELECTROMECHANICAL TRANSDUCERS; ELECTRIC HEARING AIDS; PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEMS (producing sounds with frequency not determined by supply frequency G10K) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) - B60C: VEHICLE TYRES; TYRE INFLATION; TYRE CHANGING; CONNECTING VALVES TO INFLATABLE ELASTIC BODIES IN GENERAL; DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS RELATED TO TYRES - G05D: SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES ## Abstract The systems and methods may transmit a plurality of locationing pulse requests from a mobile device in a vehicle to an audio system of the vehicle during a period of operation of the vehicle. The audio system may have an array of speakers disposed inside the vehicle, and the locationing pulse requests may include a request to emit a locationing pulse from the array of speakers. The systems and methods may further receive the locationing pulse at a microphone of the mobile device; and determine, based upon receiving the locationing pulse, that the vehicle was in service of a TNC company, or otherwise operating as a TNC vehicle, during the period of operation based upon passengers entering and leaving the vehicle during the period of operation. Insurance covering the operation of the vehicle for TNC use may be verified, and/or alternatively, offered to facilitate insuring TNC vehicle operation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method of detecting use of a vehicle for transportation network company (TNC) trips, the method comprising: transmitting a plurality of locationing pulse requests from a mobile device in a vehicle to an audio system of the vehicle during vehicle operation, the audio system having an array of speakers disposed inside the vehicle, and the locationing pulse requests including a request to emit a locationing pulse from at least one of the array of speakers; receiving the locationing pulse at a microphone of the mobile device; detecting, based upon the received locationing pulse, one or more TNC passengers, each of the one or more TNC passengers having entered and left the vehicle during vehicle operation; and determining that the vehicle was in service of a TNC company during vehicle operation based at least in part upon the detected one or more TNC passengers. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: determining an identity of a driver of the vehicle, the driver being party to an insurance agreement insuring the vehicle, the insurance agreement having terms regarding TNC usage of the vehicle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising: transmitting a notice to the driver that TNC usage is not covered by the insurance agreement based upon the operation that determines the presence of a TNC passenger inside the vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein determining the identity of the driver is based upon an application executing on the mobile device, the application having the identity of the driver associated therewith. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining that the vehicle was in service of a TNC company comprises detecting a physical object occupying a seat of the vehicle. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a presence of a TNC passenger by geolocating the mobile device. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a presence of a TNC passenger based upon a driving pattern of the vehicle. ### Claim 8 A computer system for detecting use of a vehicle for a transportation network company (TNC) comprising: a non-transitory memory configured to store computer executable instructions; and a processor configured to interface with the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute the computer executable instructions to cause the processor to: transmit a plurality of requests to a vehicle having an audio system to emit a locationing pulse from the audio system; receive a plurality of sets of locationing data from one or more mobile devices inside the vehicle, the plurality of sets of locationing data indicating presence of passengers in the vehicle; recognize route patterns of the vehicle that are indicative of TNC trips based upon the plurality of sets of locationing data; and determine whether use of the vehicle includes one or more TNC trips. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of requests to the vehicle to emit a locationing pulse are received by one of the one or more mobile devices inside the vehicle. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of sets of locationing data further includes a geographical location of at least one of the one or more mobile devices inside the vehicle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein the audio system includes an array of speakers. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein the audio system includes an ultrasonic beacon. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to receive mobile device information, the mobile device information including connection information of the one or more mobile devices inside the vehicle. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The computer system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the vehicle is operated manually or autonomously while the vehicle is in use. ### Claim 15 A computer-implemented method of detecting transportation network company (TNC) trips in a vehicle, the method comprising: transmitting a first locationing request to a first mobile device inside a vehicle having audio speakers, the first locationing request including a request to emit a locationing pulse from one or more of the audio speakers; receiving first locationing data from the first mobile device, the first locationing data including first occupancy data of seats in the vehicle; transmitting a second locationing request to the first mobile device, the second locationing request including a request to emit a locationing pulse from one or more of the audio speakers; receiving second locationing data from a second mobile device inside the vehicle, the second locationing data including second occupancy data of seats in the vehicle; and determining that the vehicle is operating according to a TNC trip based upon the first occupancy data and the second occupancy data. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the first occupancy data includes occupancy of one or more front seats of the vehicle, and the second occupancy data includes occupancy of one or more back seats of the vehicle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the first mobile device is associated with an operator of the vehicle, and the second mobile device is associated with a TNC passenger of the vehicle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising: receiving a notification of an identity of an operator of the vehicle from an application executing on the first mobile device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, further comprising: receiving a notification that the first mobile device is communicatively coupled to the vehicle and capable of controlling the one or more audio speakers. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein determining that the vehicle is operating according to a TNC trip comprises repeatedly receiving locationing data from the first mobile device, the repeatedly received locationing data including data indicative of a plurality of sets of passengers entering and leaving the vehicle during vehicle operation.