Patent Abstract:
The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for monitoring a vehicle operator and for monitoring the environment of a vehicle operator. In particularly, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for determining a physical position of an operator within a vehicle and for determining environmental conditions surrounding the vehicle operator. The systems may include at least one of: an image sensor, an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a microphone or a combination or sub-combination thereof. The methods may determine a position and/or an orientation of a vehicle operator&#39;s head, arms, hands, legs, feet, etc., a combination thereof or a sub-combination thereof. The methods may generate a warning when a position of the vehicle operator is inappropriate, such as when the vehicle operator has not looked in front of the vehicle for an extended period of time when the vehicle is travelling forward, when the vehicle operator is looking at a cellular telephone, when the vehicle operator has been looking downward for an extended period of time, etc.

Full Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present disclosure generally relates to systems and methods for monitoring a vehicle operator and for monitoring the environment of a vehicle operator. In particularly, the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for determining a physical position of an operator within a vehicle and for determining environmental conditions surrounding the vehicle operator. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Every year many vehicle accidents are caused by inattentive drivers. One common form of inattentiveness is texting while driving. Another common form of impaired driving is distracted driving. Modern vehicles come equipped with any number of distractions including stereos, air-conditioners, navigation systems, etc. Furthermore, a vehicle operator can be distracted by another passenger or by articles the vehicle operator brings into the vehicle (e.g., a mobile telephone, a newspaper, a magazine, a book, etc.). When a vehicle driver takes his eyes off the road for even a second while driving, the results can be disastrous. 
         [0003]    Various sensors, such as infrared sensors, image sensors, ultrasonic sensors, etc., are available that provide data representative of objects proximate the sensor. Computer systems may, for example, generate three dimensional (3D) models based on data acquired from such sensors. 
         [0004]    Generating a 3D model of at least a portion of a vehicle driver is desirable. The 3D model of at least a portion of a vehicle driver may be compared to a 3D model of at least a portion of a model vehicle operator to detect when the vehicle driver is being inattentive to the task of driving. Generating a warning or an advisory to notify the vehicle driver of her detected inattentiveness is desirable. Furthermore, tracking the inattentiveness and attentiveness of vehicle drivers is desirable to perform insurance risk assessment. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    A computer implemented method for generating data representative of a position of at least a portion of a vehicle driver within an interior of a vehicle and data representative of an operating environment within the vehicle is provided. The method may include acquiring, from one or more data sources, model data, wherein the model data is representative of a model of at least a portion of the interior of the vehicle including at least a portion of a model vehicle operator. The method may further include acquiring, from one or more position sensors, vehicle driver position data, wherein the vehicle driver position data is representative of a position of at least a portion of a vehicle driver within the interior of the vehicle. The method may also include comparing the vehicle driver position data with the model data to determine a difference between the vehicle driver position data and the model data, wherein the difference between the vehicle driver position data and the model data are indicative of a deviation of a position of at least a portion of the vehicle driver from a position of at least a portion of the model vehicle operator. 
         [0006]    In an embodiment, a system for generating data representative of a position of at least a portion of a vehicle driver within an interior of a vehicle and data representative of an operating environment within the vehicle is provided. The system may include a model data acquisition module stored on a memory that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to acquire model data, wherein the model data is representative of a model of at least a portion of the interior of the vehicle including at least a portion of a model vehicle operator. The system may also include a position data acquisition module stored on a memory that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to acquire position data, wherein the position data is representative of a position of at least a portion of a vehicle driver within the interior of the vehicle. The system may further include a comparison module stored on a memory that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to compare the position data with the model data to determine differences between a vehicle driver position and a model vehicle operator position, wherein the differences between the vehicle driver position and the model vehicle operator position are indicative of a deviation of a position of at least a portion of the vehicle driver from a position of at least a portion of the model vehicle operator. 
         [0007]    In another embodiment, a tangible, computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by a process of a computer system cause the computer system to generate data representative of a position of at least a portion of a vehicle driver within an interior of a vehicle and data representative of an operating environment within the vehicle is provided. The tangible, computer-readable medium may include a model data acquisition module that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to acquire model data, wherein the model data is representative of a model of at least a portion of the interior of the vehicle including at least a portion of a model vehicle operator. The tangible, computer-readable medium may further include a position data acquisition module that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to acquire position data, wherein the position data is representative of a position of at least a portion of a vehicle driver within the interior of the vehicle. The tangible, computer-readable medium may also include a comparison module that, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to compare the position data with the model data to determine differences between a vehicle driver position and a model vehicle operator position, wherein the differences between the vehicle driver position and the model vehicle operator position are indicative of a deviation of a position of at least a portion of the vehicle driver from a position of at least a portion of the model vehicle operator. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The figures described below depict various aspects of the systems and methods disclosed herein. It should be understood that each figure depicts an embodiment of a particular aspect of the disclosed systems and methods, and that each of the figures is intended to accord with a possible embodiment thereof. Further, wherever possible, the following description refers to the reference numerals included in the following figures, in which features depicted in multiple figures are designated with consistent reference numerals. 
           [0009]      FIGS. 1A-1C  depict various views of the interior of an example vehicle that illustrate locations of vehicle operator monitoring devices within the vehicle; 
           [0010]      FIGS. 2A-2C  illustrate various example images constructed from data retrieved from the vehicle monitoring devices of  FIGS. 1A-1C ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  illustrates a block diagram of a computer network, a computer server and an on-board vehicle computer on which an exemplary vehicle operator monitoring system and method may operate in accordance with the described embodiments; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary vehicle module for use in acquiring, analyzing and transmitting vehicle operator monitoring data; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  depicts a flow diagram of an example method of acquiring, analyzing and transmitting vehicle operator monitoring data; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary remote server for use in receiving, analyzing and storing vehicle operator monitoring data; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  depicts a flow diagram of an example method of receiving, analyzing and storing vehicle operator monitoring data. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    Vehicle drivers often spend too little time focused on the roads and too much time focused on their smartphones or other technological devices. This lack of attention to the road results in accidents, injuries, and deaths. The systems and methods of the present disclosure may quantitatively determine where a vehicle driver was looking at the time of an accident. As a result, dangerous driving behavior may be used in determining the cost of insurance. Moreover, data obtained by the systems and methods of the present disclosure may be used to advise a driver how to improve their driving habits. 
         [0017]    Hands free devices and Bluetooth technologies are being developed that allow people to increase the time their focus on the road while using related cellular telephones, vehicle navigation systems and other electronic devices. Sensors, such as infrared sensors, image sensors, ultrasonic sensors, microphones, etc., placed inside of a vehicle may be used to track a host of driver behavioral metrics, such as gaze tracking, to ensure the driver is focused on the road, in-car gesture tracking, to ensure that drivers are focused on behaviors conducive to driving rather than other activities, and tracking vehicle interior sound volume which can become distracting at high levels. Driver behavioral metrics may indicate the amount of attention the driver is giving the road. Additionally, the systems and methods of the present disclosure may incorporate an on-face camera that the user wears. An on-face camera may provide direct access to what a vehicle driver is looking at, allowing for better monitoring of their driving habits. 
         [0018]    A vehicle driver may be advised to change their driving habits for their own safety based on the determined driver behavioral metrics. For example, a warning or an advisory may be provided to a vehicle driver when a potentially detrimental behavioral metric is determined. Alternatively, insurance rates may be adjusted based on the determined driver behavioral metrics. 
         [0019]    Turning to  FIGS. 1A-1C , vehicle interior monitoring systems  100   a,    100   b,    100   c  are illustrated. As depicted in  FIG. 1A , the vehicle interior monitoring system  100   a  may include a center-dash position sensor  125   a  located in a center area of the dash, a driver-side A-pillar position sensor  135   a  located in a driver side A-pillar  130   a,  a passenger-side A-pillar position sensor  145   a  located in a passenger-side A-pillar  140   a  and a rearview mirror position sensor  160   a  located on a bottom-side of the rearview minor  155   a.  The vehicle interior monitoring system  100   a  may further, or alternatively, include position sensors in a driver-side visor  165   a,  a passenger-side visor  170   a,  a rearview mirror mounting bracket  150   a  and, or the steering wheel  110   a.  As described in detail herein, a position of a left-hand  115   a  of a vehicle driver and, or a position of a right-hand  120   a  of the vehicle driver, relative to a vehicle steering wheel  110   a  may be determined based on data acquired from any one of the position sensors  125   a,    135   a,    145   a ,  160   a.  Any one of the position sensors  125   a,    135   a,    145   a,    160   a  may be an image sensor, an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a microphone or any other suitable position sensor. 
         [0020]    With reference to  FIG. 1B , the vehicle monitoring system  100   b  may include a driver-side B-pillar position sensor  180   b  located in a driver-side B-pillar  175   b  and a center-dash position sensor  125   b  located in a center area of the dash. While not shown in  FIG. 1B , the vehicle monitoring system  100   b  may include a passenger-side B-pillar position sensor and, or any other position sensors as described in conjunction with  FIG. 1A . The vehicle monitoring system  100   b  may further include a display device  185   b.  The display device  185   b  may be located in a center-console area. As illustrated in  FIG. 1B , data acquired from the position sensors  125   b ,  180   b  may be used to determine a position of a driver-side seat  190   b,  a passenger-side seat  195   b , a steering wheel  110   b  and, or at least a portion of a vehicle driver (not shown in  FIG. 1B ). 
         [0021]    Turning to  FIG. 1C , the vehicle interior monitoring system  100   c  may include a driver-side  A-pillar position sensor  135   c  located in a driver side A-pillar  130   c,  a passenger-side A-pillar position sensor  145   c  located in a passenger-side A-pillar  140   c  and a rearview mirror position sensor  160   c  located on a bottom-side of the rearview minor  155   c.  The vehicle interior monitoring system  100   c  may further, or alternatively, include position sensors in a rearview minor mounting bracket  150   c  and, or the steering wheel  110   c.  While not shown in  FIG. 1C , the vehicle monitoring system  100   c  may include any other position sensors as described in conjunction with  FIGS. 1A and 1B . As illustrated in  FIG. 1C , data acquired from the position sensors  135   c,    145   c  may be used to determine a position of a driver-side seat  190   c,  a passenger-side seat  195   c,  a steering wheel  110   c  and, or at least a portion of a vehicle driver (not shown in  FIG. 1C ). 
         [0022]    With reference to  FIGS. 2A-2C , vehicle interiors  200   a,    200   b,    200   c  are depicted. As described in detail herein, data acquired from the position sensors  125   a,    135   a,    145   a,    160   a,    180   b  of  FIGS. 1A and 1B  (or any other suitably located position sensors) may be used to determine a position of at least a portion of a passenger  297   a  within the vehicle interior  200   a.  The data acquired from the position sensors  125   a,    135   a,    145   a,    160   a,    180   b  (or any other suitably located position sensors) may be used to determine whether, or not the passenger  297   a  is wearing a seatbelt  296   a.  As further illustrated in  FIG. 2A , data acquired from the position sensors  125   a ,  135   a,    145   a,    160   a,    180   b  of  FIGS. 1A and 1B  (or any other suitably located position sensors) may be used to determine a position and, or orientation of a vehicle driver&#39;s head  219   a  and, or right-hand   220   a  on a steering wheel  210   a.  For example, the data acquired from the position sensors  125   a,    135   a,    145   a,    160   a,    180   b  may be used to determine whether the vehicle driver&#39;s head  219   a  is oriented toward a rearview mirror  255   a,  oriented toward the driver-side A-pillar  230   a  or oriented toward the front windshield. The data acquired from the position sensors  125   a,    135   a,    145   a ,  160   a,    180   b  may be used to determine whether the driver is wearing a seatbelt  291   a.  In any event, the vehicle interior  200   a  may include a microphone  250   a  located proximate the rearview minor  255   a.  As described in detail herein, data acquired from the microphone  250   a  may be used to determine a source of sound within the vehicle interior  200   a  and, or a volume of the sound. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2B  depicts a vehicle interior  200   b  including a driver-side A-pillar position sensor  235   b  located on a driver-side A-pillar  230   b.  As described in detail herein, data acquired from the position sensor  235   b  (along with any other suitably located position sensors) may be used to determine a position and, or orientation of a driver&#39;s head  219   b,  the driver&#39;s left hand  215   b  and, or right hand  220   b  relative to the steering wheel  210   b.  For example, data acquired from the position sensor  235   b  (along with any other suitably located position sensors) may be used to determine a gesture that the driver is performing with her left hand  215   b.    
         [0024]    Turning to  FIG. 2C , a vehicle interior  200   b  depicts a position sensor  260   c  located on a bottom side of a rearview mirror  255   c  opposite a rearview mirror mount  250   c.  As described in detail herein, data acquired from the sensor  260   c  (along with any other suitably located position sensors) may be used to determine a position and, or orientation of a driver&#39;s head  219   c,  the driver&#39;s left hand  215   c  and, or right hand  220   c  relative to the steering wheel  210   c.  For example, data acquired from the position sensor  260   c  (along with any other suitably located position sensors) may be used to determine that the driver&#39;s head  219   c  is oriented toward a cellular telephone  221   c  in her right hand  220   c.  As also described in detail herein, a determination may be made that the driver is inattentive to the road based on the driver&#39;s head  219   c  being oriented toward the cellular telephone  221   c.    
         [0025]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , a high-level block diagram of an insurance risk related data collection system  300  is illustrated that may implement communications between a vehicle module  305  and a remote computing device  310  to provide vehicle interior occupant position data and, or vehicle interior sound data to an insurance related database  370 . For example, the insurance risk related data collection system  300  may acquire data from position sensors (e.g., position sensors  125   a,    135   a,    145   a,    160   a,    180   b  of  FIGS. 1A and 1B ) and generate three dimensional (3D) models of vehicle interiors and occupants as depicted in  FIGS. 2A-2C . The insurance risk related data collection system  300  may also acquire data from a microphone (e.g., microphone  250   a  of  FIG. 2A ) and determine a source of sound and volume of sound within a vehicle interior. 
         [0026]    For clarity, only one vehicle module  305  is depicted in  FIG. 3 . While  FIG. 3  depicts only one vehicle module  305 , it should be understood that any number of vehicle modules  305  may be supported. The vehicle module  305  may include a memory  320  and a processor  325  for storing and executing, respectively, a module  321 . The module  321 , stored in the memory  320  as a set of computer-readable instructions, may be related to a vehicle interior and occupant position data collecting application that, when executed on the processor  325 , causes vehicle position data to be stored in the memory  320 . Execution of the module  321  may also cause the process  325  to generate at least one 3D model of at least a portion of a driver within the vehicle interior. Execution of the module  321  may further cause the processor  325  to associate the position data with a time and, or date. Execution of the module  321  may further cause the processor  325  to communicate with the processor  355  of the remote computing device  310  via the network interface  330 , the vehicle module communications network connection  331  and the wireless communication network  315 . 
         [0027]    The vehicle module  305  may further include an image sensor input  335  communicatively connected to a first image sensor  336  and a second image sensor  337 . While two image sensors  336 ,  337  are depicted in  FIG. 3 , any number of image sensors may be included within a vehicle interior monitoring system and may be located within a vehicle interior as depicted in  FIGS. 1A-1C . The vehicle module  305  may also include an infrared sensor input  340  communicatively connected to a first infrared sensor  341  and a second infrared sensor  342 . While two infrared sensors  341 ,  342  are depicted in  FIG. 3 , any number of infrared sensors may be included within a vehicle interior monitoring system and may be located within a vehicle interior as depicted in  FIGS. 1A-1C . The vehicle module  305  may further include an ultrasonic sensor input  345  communicatively connected to a first ultrasonic sensor  346  and a second ultrasonic sensor  347 . While two ultrasonic sensors  346 ,  347  are depicted in  FIG. 3 , any number of ultrasonic sensors may be included within a vehicle interior monitoring system and may be located within a vehicle interior as depicted in  FIGS. 1A-1C . The vehicle module  305  may also include a microphone input  350  communicatively connected to a first microphone  351  and a second microphone  352 . While two microphones  351 ,  352  are depicted in  FIG. 3 , any number of microphones may be included within a vehicle interior monitoring system and may be located within a vehicle interior as depicted in  FIGS. 1A-1C . The vehicle module  305  may further include a display/user input device  325 . 
         [0028]    As one example, a first image sensor  336  may be located in a driver-side A-pillar (e.g., location of position sensor  135   a  of  FIG. 1A ), a second image sensor  337  may be located in a passenger-side A-pillar (e.g., location of position sensor  145   a  of  FIG. 1A ), a first infrared sensor  341  may be located in a driver-side B-pillar (e.g., location of position sensor  180   b  of  FIG. 1B ), a second infrared sensor  342  may be located in a passenger-side B-pillar (not shown in the Figs.), first and second ultrasonic sensors  346 ,  347  may be located in a center portion of a vehicle dash (e.g., location of position sensor  125   a  of  FIG. 1A ) and first and second microphones  351 ,  352  may be located on a bottom portion of a vehicle interior rearview mirror (e.g., location of position sensor  160   a  of  FIG. 1A ). The processor  315  may acquire position data from any one of, or all of, these sensors  336 ,  337 ,  341 ,  342 ,  346 ,  347 ,  351 ,  352  and generate at least one 3D model (e.g., a 3D model of at least a portion of a vehicle driver) based on the position data. The processor  315  may transmit data representative of at least one 3D model to the remote computing device  310 . Alternatively, the processor  315  may transmit the position data to the remote computing device  310  and the processor  355  may generate at least one 3D model based on the position data. In either event, the processor  315  or the processor  355  retrieve data representative of a 3D model vehicle operator and compare the data representative of the 3D model of at least a portion of the vehicle driver with data representative of at least a portion of the 3D model vehicle operator. The processor  315  and, or the processor  355  may generate a vehicle driver warning based on the comparison of the data representative of the 3D model of at least a portion of the vehicle driver with data representative of at least a portion of the 3D model vehicle operator to warn the vehicle operator that his position is indicative of inattentiveness. Alternatively, the processor  315  and, or the processor  355  may generate an advisory based on the comparison of the data representative of the 3D model of at least a portion of the vehicle driver with data representative of at least a portion of the 3D model vehicle operator to advise the vehicle operator how to correct her position to improve attentiveness. 
         [0029]    The network interface  330  may be configured to facilitate communications between the vehicle module  305  and the remote computing device  310  via any hardwired or wireless communication network  315 , including for example a wireless LAN, MAN or WAN, WiFi, the Internet, or any combination thereof. Moreover, the vehicle module  305  may be communicatively connected to the remote computing device  310  via any suitable communication system, such as via any publicly available or privately owned communication network, including those that use wireless communication structures, such as wireless communication networks, including for example, wireless LANs and WANs, satellite and cellular telephone communication systems, etc. The vehicle module  305  may cause insurance risk related data to be stored in a remote server  310  memory  360  and/or a remote insurance related database  370 . 
         [0030]    The remote computing device  310  may include a memory  360  and a processor  355  for storing and executing, respectively, a module  361 . The module  361 , stored in the memory  360  as a set of computer-readable instructions, facilitates applications related to collecting insurance risk related data. The module  361  may also facilitate communications between the computing device  310  and the vehicle module  305  via a network interface  365 , a remote computing device network connection  366  and the network  315  and other functions and instructions. 
         [0031]    The computing device  310  may be communicatively coupled to an insurance related database  370 . While the insurance related database  370  is shown in  FIG. 3  as being communicatively coupled to the remote computing device  310 , it should be understood that the insurance related database  370  may be located within separate remote servers (or any other suitable computing devices) communicatively coupled to the remote computing device  310 . Optionally, portions of insurance related database  370  may be associated with memory modules that are separate from one another, such as a memory  320  of the vehicle module  305 . 
         [0032]    Turning to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a vehicle module  405  of an insurance risk related data collection system  400  is depicted along with a method of establishing an insurance risk related data file on the vehicle module  405  and, or transmitting insurance risk related data to a remote server  310 . The vehicle module  405  may be similar to the vehicle module with insurance application  305  of  FIG. 3 . The method  500  may be implemented by executing the modules  421 - 424  on a processor (e.g., processor  315 ). In any event, the vehicle module  405  may include a vehicle operator environment monitoring module  421 , a vehicle operator environment data acquisition module  422 , a vehicle operator environment data analysis module  423  and a vehicle operator environment data transmission module stored in a memory  420 . The processor  315  may execute the vehicle operator environment monitoring module  421  to, for example, cause the processor  315  to receive data representative of a 3D model vehicle operator (block  505 ). The data representative of the 3D model vehicle operator may have been generated, for example, in conjunction with a vehicle safety study and may reflect an ideal position and orientation of a vehicle driver&#39;s head and hands. For example, the data representative of a 3D model vehicle operator may indicate that the vehicle operator&#39;s left hand is grasping a steering wheel near a minus forty-five degree angle relative to a top of the steering wheel and the vehicle operator&#39;s right hand is grasping the steering wheel near a positive forty-five degree angle relative to the top of the steering wheel. Additionally, the data representative of a 3D model vehicle operator may indicate that the vehicle operator&#39;s head is oriented such that the operator is looking forward out the front windshield of an associated vehicle. Alternatively, the data representative of the 3D model vehicle operator may reflect a sequence of positions of the model vehicle operator. For example, the 3D model vehicle operator may reflect that the operator is periodically scanning the rearview minors while most often looking forward out the front windshield of an associated vehicle. 
         [0033]    The processor  315  may execute the vehicle operator environment data acquisition module  422  to acquire position data from various position sensors (e.g., image sensors  336 ,  337 , infrared sensors  341 ,  342 , ultrasonic sensors  346 ,  347 ) and, or sound data from various microphones (e.g., microphones  351 ,  352 ) (block  510 ). For example, the processor  315  may acquire data from the position sensors that is indicative of a position and, or orientation of a vehicle driver&#39;s head and, or at least one of the vehicle driver&#39;s hands. The processor  315  may also acquire data from at least one microphone that is indicative of a source of sound within a vehicle interior and, or the volume of sound within the vehicle interior. 
         [0034]    The processor  315  may execute the vehicle operator environment data analysis module  423  to determine a position of at least a portion of a vehicle driver (block  515 ) based on the acquired position data. For example, the processor  315  may generate a 3D model of at least a portion of a vehicle driver based on the data acquired from at least one position sensor  336 ,  337 ,  341 ,  342 ,  346 ,  347 . The processor  315  may also generate a warning to the vehicle driver based on a comparison of a 3D model of at least a portion of the vehicle driver and at least a portion of a 3D model vehicle operator. Furthermore, the processor  315  may determine a source and, or volume of sound within the vehicle interior based on data received from at least one microphone  351 ,  352 . The processor  315  may also generate a warning to the vehicle driver based on the data representative of the sound within the vehicle interior. 
         [0035]    The processor  315  may execute the vehicle operator environment data transmission module  424  to transmit vehicle interior position and, or vehicle interior sound data to a remote computing device (block  520 ). For example, the processor  315  may transmit position data and, or sound data to a remote computing device  310 . Alternatively, the processor  315  may transmit data to the remote computing device  310  that is representative of a 3D model of at least a portion of a vehicle driver. 
         [0036]    Turning to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a remote server  610  of an insurance risk related data collection system  600  is depicted along with a method of establishing an insurance risk related data file on the server  700 . The remote server  610  may be similar to the remote server with insurance application  310  of  FIG. 3 . The method  700  may be implemented by executing the modules  662 - 664  on a processor (e.g., processor  355 ). In any event, the remote server  610  may include a vehicle operator environment monitoring module, a vehicle operator environment data receiving module  663  and a vehicle operator environment data analysis module  664  stored on a memory  660 . The processor  355  may execute the vehicle operator environment monitoring module  662  to, for example, cause the processor  355  to receive data representative of a 3D model vehicle operator (block  705 ). The data representative of the 3D model vehicle operator may have been generated, for example, in conjunction with a vehicle safety study and may reflect an ideal position and orientation of a vehicle driver&#39;s head and hands. For example, the data representative of a 3D model vehicle operator may indicate that the vehicle operator&#39;s left hand is grasping a steering wheel near a minus forty-five degree angle relative to a top of the steering wheel and the vehicle operator&#39;s right hand is grasping the steering wheel near a positive forty-five degree angle relative to the top of the steering wheel. Additionally, the data representative of a 3D model vehicle operator may indicate that the vehicle operator&#39;s head is oriented such that the operator is looking forward out the front windshield of an associated vehicle. Alternatively, the data representative of the 3D model vehicle operator may reflect a sequence of positions of the model vehicle operator. For example, the 3D model vehicle operator may reflect that the operator is periodically scanning the rearview mirrors while most often looking forward out the front windshield of an associated vehicle. 
         [0037]    The processor  355  may execute the vehicle operator environment data receiving module  663  to retrieve position data from a vehicle module (block  710 ). For example, the processor  355  may retrieve position data and, or sound data from a vehicle module  305 . Alternatively, the processor  355  may retrieve data from the vehicle module that is representative of a 3D model of at least a portion of a vehicle driver. 
         [0038]    The processor  355  may execute the vehicle operator environment data analysis module  664  to determine a position of at least a portion of a vehicle driver (block  715 ) based on the retrieved position data. For example, the processor  355  may generate a 3D model of at least a portion of a vehicle driver based on the data acquired from at least one position sensor  336 ,  337 ,  341 ,  342 ,  346 ,  347 . The processor  355  may also generate an advisory based on a comparison of a 3D model of at least a portion of the vehicle driver and at least a portion of a 3D model vehicle operator. The advisory may be provided to the vehicle driver as a mechanism to inform the vehicle driver how he may improve his driving behavior. Furthermore, the processor  355  may determine a source and, or volume of sound within the vehicle interior based on data received from at least one microphone  351 ,  352 . The processor  355  may also generate an advisor based on the data representative of the sound within the vehicle interior. The advisory may be provided to the vehicle driver as a mechanism to inform the vehicle driver how he may improve his driving behavior. The processor  355  may determine an insurance rate for a particular vehicle driver based, at least in part on position data received from at least one position sensor  336 ,  337 ,  341 ,  342 ,  346 ,  347  and, or sound data received from at least one microphone  351 ,  352 . Alternatively, the processor  355  may determine an insurance rate for a particular vehicle driver based, at least in part on the comparison of a 3D model of at least a portion of the vehicle driver and at least a portion of a 3D model vehicle operator. 
         [0039]    This detailed description is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible embodiment, as describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. One could implement numerous alternate embodiments, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this application.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6