Abstract: A sensor tag which in use will be affixed to a vehicle for obtaining vehicle telematics data includes a battery for powering the tag and a processor running executable code to process accelerometer data. An accelerometer measures the acceleration of the tag and thereby of the vehicle, and also controls the operation of the processor. A memory is used for storing a unique tag identifier of the tag and for storing trip data including information about trips and acceleration data. Finally, a communication module is used for short range wireless communication with a mobile communications device located in the vehicle via a short range wireless communications protocol, the communication module transmitting the tag's unique identifier and a sequence of time stamped acceleration data. The mobile communications device obtains GPS data, combines this with the acceleration date and transmits this to a server for analysis.

Abstract: Customize safe speeds for vehicles are determined from information that is collected from multiple trips and multiple drivers across many road segments. The information collected includes the speed traveled along the road segment, possibly along with additional information, such as (for example) driver, time of day, day of week, weather and road conditions, angle of the sun or other factors. Given information from a new trip, the driver's speed can be compared on each road segment with relevant data from previous trips (from e.g., similar roads, weather conditions, drivers). The comparison yields a score representing the safety of the driver's speed.

Abstract: A system for tracking objects includes tracking devices each attached to an object to be tracked and including a short range communications module. A server includes a processor and a memory. A mobile communications device (typically a mobile telephone) includes memory for storing an identification of the mobile device, a long range communication module for communication over a cellular communication network and a short range communications module for receiving short range signals transmitted from tracking devices. The mobile telephone also includes a location determination module to determine the location of the mobile telephone. On receipt of a short range distress signal from a tracking device, a location is obtained from the location module and a signal transmitted to the server including at least the identification of the tracking device, a time of receipt of the short range signal from the tracking device and the determined location of the tracking device when the short range signal was received.

Abstract: A system for tracking objects includes tracking devices each attached to an object to be tracked and including a short range communications module. A server includes a processor and a memory. A mobile communications device (typically a mobile telephone) includes memory for storing an identification of the mobile device, a long range communication module for communication over a cellular communication network and a short range communications module for receiving short range signals transmitted from tracking devices. The mobile telephone also includes a location determination module to determine the location of the mobile telephone. On receipt of a short range distress signal from a tracking device, a location is obtained from the location module and a signal transmitted to the server including at least the identification of the tracking device, a time of receipt of the short range signal from the tracking device and the determined location of the tracking device when the short range signal was received.

Abstract: A system for tracking objects includes tracking devices each attached to an object to be tracked and including a short range communications module. A server includes a processor and a memory. A mobile communications device (typically a mobile telephone) includes memory for storing an identification of the mobile device, a long range communication module for communication over a cellular communication network and a short range communications module for receiving short range signals transmitted from tracking devices. The mobile telephone also includes a location determination module to determine the location of the mobile telephone. On receipt of a short range distress signal from a tracking device, a location is obtained from the location module and a signal transmitted to the server including at least the identification of the tracking device, a time of receipt of the short range signal from the tracking device and the determined location of the tracking device when the short range signal was received.

Abstract: Customize safe speeds for vehicles are determined from information that is collected from multiple trips and multiple drivers across many road segments. The information collected includes the speed traveled along the road segment, possibly along with additional information, such as (for example) driver, time of day, day of week, weather and road conditions, angle of the sun or other factors. Given information from a new trip, the driver's speed can be compared on each road segment with relevant data from previous trips (from e.g., similar roads, weather conditions, drivers). The comparison yields a score representing the safety of the driver's speed.

Abstract: An approach to determining vehicle usage makes use of a sensor that provides a vibration signal associated with the vehicle, and that vibration signal is used to infer usage. Usage can include distance traveled, optionally associated with particular ranges of speed or road type. In a calibration phase, auxiliary measurements, for instance based on GPS signals, are used to determine a relationship between the vibration signal and usage. In a monitoring phase, the determined relationship is used to infer usage from the vibration signal.

Abstract: A system for tracking objects includes tracking devices each attached to an object to be tracked and including a short range communications module. A server includes a processor and a memory. A mobile communications device (typically a mobile telephone) includes memory for storing an identification of the mobile device, a long range communication module for communication over a cellular communication network and a short range communications module for receiving short range signals transmitted from tracking devices. The mobile telephone also includes a location determination module to determine the location of the mobile telephone. On receipt of a short range distress signal from a tracking device, a location is obtained from the location module and a signal transmitted to the server including at least the identification of the tracking device, a time of receipt of the short range signal from the tracking device and the determined location of the tracking device when the short range signal was received.

Abstract: Described herein are new error-correction (channel) codes: permute codes, iterative ensembles of permute and spinal codes, and graphical hash codes. In one aspect, a wireless system includes an encoder configured to encode data using one of the aforementioned channel codes. The wireless system also includes a decoder configured to decode the encoded data.

Abstract: Accurate longitudinal acceleration, lateral acceleration (perpendicular to the principal direction of motion, and velocity, is inferred by processing raw data from a commodity three-axis accelerometer that may be oriented arbitrarily in a moving vehicle (or carried by a moving user), and whose orientation and position may change arbitrarily during the motion. The approach is applicable to a range of applications, including insurance telematics, driver behavior and risk assessment, and road surface quality assessment.

Abstract: A sensor tag which in use will be affixed to a vehicle for obtaining vehicle telematics data includes a battery for powering the tag and a processor running executable code to process accelerometer data. An accelerometer measures the acceleration of the tag and thereby of the vehicle, and also controls the operation of the processor. A memory is used for storing a unique tag identifier of the tag and for storing trip data including information about trips and acceleration data. Finally, a communication module is used for short range wireless communication with a mobile communications device located in the vehicle via a short range wireless communications protocol, the communication module transmitting the tag's unique identifier and a sequence of time stamped acceleration data. The mobile communications device obtains GPS data, combines this with the acceleration date and transmits this to a server for analysis.

Abstract: An approach to telematics using mobile devices provides battery-efficient trajectory and mileage inference from inaccurate and intermittent location data. Accurate trajectories of how users or vehicles move in the physical world are formed by processing raw position estimates obtained from noisy, inaccurate, and error-prone position sensors on mobile devices, where the position data may also arrive intermittently with long time gaps. The trajectory is formed using the process of map matching, which determines the trajectory on a map that best explains the sequence of position observations.

Abstract: In one aspect, a wireless system includes an encoder configured to encode data using a spinal code which uses a function over the message bits to directly produce a sequence of constellation symbols for transmission. The wireless system also includes a decoder configured to decode the spinal code. The function may be at least one of a non-linear function and a hash function.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a system to maintain confidentiality of data in a database management system by selecting encryption schemes for data items, storing encrypted data in databases, transforming SQL queries to run over encrypted data, and executing queries over encrypted data on the database server.

Abstract: Described herein are new error-correction (channel) codes: permute codes, iterative ensembles of permute and spinal codes, and graphical hash codes. In one aspect, a wireless system includes an encoder configured to encode data using one of the aforementioned channel codes. The wireless system also includes a decoder configured to decode the encoded data.

Abstract: Accurate longitudinal acceleration, lateral acceleration (perpendicular to the principal direction of motion, and velocity, is inferred by processing raw data from a commodity three-axis accelerometer that may be oriented arbitrarily in a moving vehicle (or carried by a moving user), and whose orientation and position may change arbitrarily during the motion. The approach is applicable to a range of applications, including insurance telematics, driver behavior and risk assessment, and road surface quality assessment.

Abstract: In one aspect, a wireless system includes an encoder configured to encode data using a spinal code which uses a function over the message bits to directly produce a sequence of constellation symbols for transmission. The wireless system also includes a decoder configured to decode the spinal code. The function may be at least one of a non-linear function and a hash function.

Abstract: In one aspect, a wireless system includes an encoder configured to encode data using a spinal code which uses a function over the message bits to directly produce a sequence of constellation symbols for transmission. The wireless system also includes a decoder configured to decode the spinal code. The function may be at least one of a non-linear function and a hash function.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a system to maintain confidentiality of data in a database management system by selecting encryption schemes for data items, storing encrypted data in databases, transforming SQL queries to run over encrypted data, and executing queries over encrypted data on the database server.

Abstract: An approach to telematics using mobile devices provides battery-efficient trajectory and mileage inference from inaccurate and intermittent location data. Accurate trajectories of how users or vehicles move in the physical world are formed by processing raw position estimates obtained from noisy, inaccurate, and error-prone position sensors on mobile devices, where the position data may also arrive intermittently with long time gaps. The trajectory is formed using the process of map matching, which determines the trajectory on a map that best explains the sequence of position observations.