Patent Application Titled “Document Integration Into Policy Management System” Published Online (USPTO 20200302542)

2020 OCT 13 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Information Technology Business Daily -- According to news reporting originating from Washington, D.C., by NewsRx journalists, a patent application by the inventors Yelovitch, Arie (Santa Clara, CA); Gulla, Michael P. (Cupertino, CA), filed on March 19, 2019, was made available online on September 24, 2020.

The assignee for this patent application is Hippo Analytics Inc. dba Hippo Insurance Services (Mountain View, California, United States).

Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “The process of obtaining insurance on property or collateralizing a loan requires the agent to collect information from a potential customer about the customer and, in the case of insurance or a loan on property such as a home, information about the home. Whether the insurance or loan application is submitted online or in person, the process requires the potential customer to provide the personal information and the property information in an application that is then used to obtain a quote.

“Generally, an underwriting period (e.g., 60 days) is required to purchase property. During the underwriting period, the home is typically inspected, and the inspection information is provided to the insurance carrier to update the insurance policy information. Unfortunately, scheduling of the home inspection, performing the home inspection, and updating the insurance information is a time-consuming process that is often the limiting factor in completing the loan and insurance underwriting in a timely manner. Techniques for streamlining the home inspection and other aspects of the underwriting process are needed.

“It is desirable to use computer technology to implement new ways to speed up the underwriting process. For example, the process could be accelerated if the computer system could automatically recognize events such as receipt of a home inspection report to trigger notification of interested parties and the next action in the underwriting process. It also would accelerate the process if received documents such as home inspection reports could be dynamically linked to document management policies whereby the next step in a document management process may be initiated without human intervention upon upload of particular documents.”

In addition to obtaining background information on this patent application, NewsRx editors also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent application: “The systems and methods described herein address the afore-mentioned and other needs in the art by providing an online system and method that links uploaded documents to data management policies by linking the insurance policy structure to uploaded PDF files using a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) data structure having a number of attributes. Upon receipt of an uploaded document, an event is automatically triggered in a diary system of the cloud storage system that triggers another review in a document management process, such as the document management process associated with an underwriting process. In sample embodiments, the process is performed in an Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) system without an application programming interface (API), so no knowledge of the underlying document processing system is required. Rather, the JSON data structure sets forth the document and data management policies and the order of process tasks. The JSON data structure is batch processed at least daily to automatically trigger the next process task.

“In sample embodiments, a system is provided that comprises a memory system that receives documents and data related to an insurance policy, a machine-readable storage device that stores computer-executable instructions, and at least one hardware processor communicatively coupled to the machine-readable storage device that, when the computer-executable instructions are executed, configures the system to integrate documents and data into a policy management system. The steps performed by the at least one hardware processor include identifying documents and data required for an insurance policy and designating access rights to the documents and data by at least one of users and vendors, specifying actions to be performed upon receipt of the identified documents and data, and creating event triggers to cause performance of the specified actions associated upon receipt of an uploaded document or data. An SFTP system pushes at least one of the uploaded documents and results from performance of the specified actions to at least one of the users and vendors having access rights to the at least one of the uploaded documents and results. The insurance policy is represented in a JSON data structure that defines the document and data management policies for the insurance policy and an order of process tasks associated with the documents and data required for the insurance policy. In sample embodiments, the JSON data structure provides field breakdowns and/or parsed fields of the insurance policy so that the at least one of the users and vendors only receive the portions of the documents and data relevant to the respective user or vendor.

“In sample embodiments, the memory system issues an event trigger upon receipt of a document or data related to the insurance policy. The event trigger causes a notification to be sent to the SFTP system to initiate performance of the actions associated with the document or data that caused the event trigger. The SFTP system publishes the document or data associated with the event trigger and results from performance of the specified actions to a file folder in a database. The file folder has access rights limited to the user or vendor having access rights to the document or data associated with the event trigger.

“In the sample embodiments, the SFTP system comprises an SFTP service that is invoked upon receipt of an event trigger to invoke a diary system for the insurance policy that links the insurance policy to the documents and data required for the insurance policy.

“Other sample embodiments include a method of integrating documents and data into a policy management system comprising the steps of identifying documents and data required for an insurance policy and designating access rights to the documents and data by at least one of users and vendors, specifying actions to be performed upon receipt of the identified documents and data, creating event triggers to cause performance of the specified actions associated upon receipt of an uploaded document or data, and pushing, by an SFTP system, at least one of the uploaded documents and results from performance of the specified actions to at least one of the users and vendors having access rights to the at least one of the uploaded documents and results. In such embodiments, identifying the documents and data required for an insurance policy may comprise representing the insurance policy in a JSON data structure that defines the document and data management policies for the insurance policy and an order of process tasks associated with the documents and data required for the insurance policy. The JSON data structure may also represent field breakdowns and/or parsed fields of the insurance policy to enable the SFTP system to provide to the users and/or vendors only the portions of the documents and data relevant to the respective user and/or vendor.

“In the sample embodiments, creating event triggers comprises a memory system issuing an event trigger upon receipt of a document or data related to the insurance policy. The event trigger causes a notification to be sent to the SFTP system to initiate performance of the actions associated with the document or data that caused the event trigger. The SFTP system may, in turn, publish the document or data associated with the event trigger and results from performance of the specified actions to a file folder in a database. The file folder has access rights limited to the user or vendor having access rights to the document or data associated with the event trigger.

“In the sample embodiments, specifying the actions to be performed upon receipt of the identified documents and data comprises programming a diary system for the insurance policy with the actions to be performed upon receipt of each document and data associated with the insurance policy. Also, an SFTP service may be invoked upon receipt of an event trigger. In turn, the SFTP service invokes the diary system for the insurance policy that links the insurance policy to the documents and data required for the insurance policy.

“The systems and methods described herein are also implemented in sample embodiments as a machine-readable storage device storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, implements a method of integrating documents and data into a policy management system using the disclosed methods.

“As discussed herein, the logic, commands, or instructions that implement aspects of the methods described herein be provided in a computing system including any number of form factors for the computing system such as desktop or notebook personal computers, mobile devices such as tablets, netbooks, and smartphones, client terminals and server-hosted machine instances, and the like. Another embodiment discussed herein includes the incorporation of the techniques discussed herein into other forms, including into other forms of programmed logic, hardware configurations, or specialized components or modules, including an apparatus with respective means to perform the functions of such techniques. The respective algorithms used to implement the functions of such techniques may include a sequence of some or all of the electronic operations described herein, or other aspects depicted in the accompanying drawings and detailed description below. Such systems and computer-readable media including instructions for implementing the methods described herein also constitute sample embodiments.

“This summary section is provided to introduce aspects of the inventive subject matter in a simplified form, with further explanation of the inventive subject matter following in the text of the detailed description. This summary section is not intended to identify essential or required features of the claimed subject matter, and the particular combination and order of elements listed this summary section is not intended to provide limitation to the elements of the claimed subject matter. Rather, it will be understood that the following section provides summarized examples of some of the embodiments described in the Detailed Description below.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A policy management system comprising: a memory system that receives electronic documents and data related to an insurance policy; a machine-readable storage device that stores computer-executable instructions; and at least one hardware processor communicatively coupled to the machine-readable storage device that, when the computer-executable instructions are executed, configures the system to integrate electronic documents and data into a policy management system by performing operations including: identifying electronic documents and data required for completing underwriting of an insurance policy and designating access rights to the electronic documents and data by at least one of users and vendors; specifying actions to be performed upon receipt of the identified electronic documents and data for completing underwriting of the insurance policy; creating event triggers to trigger automatic performance of specified actions corresponding to an electronic document or data upon receipt the electronic document or data by the memory system; upon receipt of the electronic document or data by the memory system, automatically performing the specified actions corresponding to the received electronic document or data; and a secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) system automatically pushing at least one of the received electronic document and data and results from performance of the specified actions to at least one of the users and vendors having access rights to the at least one of the uploaded electronic documents and data and results.

“2. A system as in claim 1, wherein the instructions for identifying the electronic documents and data required for underwriting the insurance policy comprises instructions for representing the insurance policy in a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) data structure that defines document and data management policies for underwriting the insurance policy and an order of process tasks associated with the electronic documents and data required for underwriting the insurance policy.

“3. A system as in claim 2, wherein the BON data structure provides at least one of field breakdowns and parsed fields of the insurance policy relevant to a respective user or vendor of the at least one of the users and vendors and the SFTP system pushes to the respective user or vendor only portions of the electronic documents and data relevant to the respective user or vendor.

“4. A system as in claim 1, wherein the actions to be performed upon receipt of the identified electronic documents and data are specified by a diary system for the insurance policy that includes a listing of electronic documents required to complete underwriting of the insurance policy and associated actions to be completed upon receipt of a particular electronic document associated with the insurance policy.

“5. A system as in claim 1, wherein the memory system issues an event trigger upon receipt of an electronic document or data related to underwriting of the insurance policy, wherein the event trigger causes a notification to be sent to the SFTP system to initiate performance of the actions associated with the electronic document or data that caused the event trigger.

“6. A system as in claim 5, wherein the SFTP system publishes the electronic document or data associated with the event trigger and results from performance of the specified actions to a file folder in a database, the file folder having access rights limited to the user or vendor having access rights to the electronic document or data associated with the event trigger.

“7. A system as in claim 4, wherein the SFTP system comprises an SFTP service that is invoked upon receipt of an event trigger to invoke the diary system for the insurance policy to link the insurance policy to the electronic documents and data required for underwriting of the insurance policy.

“8. A method of integrating documents and data into a policy management system, the method comprising: identifying electronic documents and data required for completing underwriting of an insurance policy and designating access rights to the electronic documents and data by at least one of users and vendors; specifying actions to be performed upon receipt of the identified electronic documents and data for completing underwriting of the insurance policy; creating event triggers to trigger automatic performance of specified actions corresponding to an electronic document or data upon receipt the electronic document or data by the memory system; upon receipt of the electronic document or data by the memory system, automatically performing the specified actions corresponding to the received electronic document or data; and automatically pushing, by a secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) system, at least one of the received electronic document and data and results from performance of the specified actions to at least one of the users and vendors having access rights to the at least one of the uploaded electronic documents and data and results.

“9. A method as in claim 8, wherein identifying the electronic documents and data required for underwriting the insurance policy comprises representing the insurance policy in a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) data structure that defines document and data management policies for underwriting the insurance policy and an order of process tasks associated with the electronic documents and data required for underwriting the insurance policy.

“10. A method as in claim 9, further comprising providing at least one of field breakdowns and parsed fields of the insurance policy relevant to a respective user or vendor of the at least one of the users and vendors in the JSON data structure and the SFTP system pushing to the respective user or vendor only portions of the electronic documents and data relevant to the respective user or vendor.

“11. A method as in claim 8, wherein specifying the actions to be performed upon receipt of the identified electronic documents and data comprises programming a diary system for the insurance policy that includes a listing of electronic documents required to complete underwriting of the insurance policy and associated actions to be completed upon receipt of a particular electronic document associated with the insurance policy.

“12. A method as in claim 8, wherein creating event triggers comprises a memory system issuing an event trigger upon receipt of an electronic document or data related to underwriting of the insurance policy, wherein the event trigger causes a notification to be sent to the SFTP system to initiate performance of the actions associated with the electronic document or data that caused the event trigger.

“13. A method as in claim 12, further comprising the SFTP system publishing the electronic document or data associated with the event trigger and results from performance of the specified actions to a file folder in a database, the file folder having access rights limited to the user or vendor having access rights to the electronic document or data associated with the event trigger.

“14. A method as in claim 11, further comprising invoking an SFTP service upon receipt of an event trigger, the SFTP service invoking the diary system for the insurance policy to link the insurance policy to the electronic documents and data required for underwriting of the insurance policy.

“15. A machine-readable storage device that stores computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor, implements a method of integrating electronic documents and data into a policy management system, comprising: identifying electronic documents and data required for completing underwriting of an insurance policy and designating access rights to the electronic documents and data by at least one of users and vendors; specifying actions to be performed upon receipt of the identified electronic documents and data for completing underwriting of the insurance policy; creating event triggers to trigger automatic performance of specified actions corresponding to an electronic document or data upon receipt the electronic document or data by the memory system; upon receipt of the electronic document or data by the memory system automatically performing the specified actions corresponding to the received electronic document or data; and automatically pushing at least one of the received electronic document and data and results from performance of the specified actions to at least one of the users and vendors having access rights to the at least one of the uploaded electronic documents and data and results.

“16. A device as in claim 15, wherein instructions for identifying the electronic documents and data required for underwriting the insurance policy comprises instructions for representing the insurance policy in a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) data structure that defines document and data management policies for underwriting; the insurance policy and an order of process tasks associated with the electronic documents and data required for underwriting the insurance policy.

“17. A device as in claim 16, further comprising instructions for providing at least one of field breakdowns and parsed fields of the insurance policy relevant to a respective user or vendor of the at least one of the users and vendors in the JSON data structure and the SFTP system pushing to the respective user or vendor only portions of the electronic documents and data relevant to the respective user or vendor.

“18. A device as in claim 15, wherein instructions for creating event triggers comprises instructions for causing a memory system to issue an event trigger upon receipt of an electronic document or data related to underwriting of the insurance policy, wherein the event trigger causes a notification to be sent to a secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) system to initiate performance of the actions associated with the electronic document or data that caused the event trigger.

“19. A device as in claim 18, further comprising instructions for causing the SFTP system to publish the electronic document or data associated with the event trigger and results from performance of the specified actions to a file folder in a database, the file folder having access rights limited to the user or vendor having access rights to the electronic document or data associated with the event trigger.

“20. A device as in claim 15, further comprising instructions for invoking an SFTP service upon receipt of an event trigger, the SFTP service invoking a diary system for the insurance policy to link the insurance policy to the electronic documents and data required for underwriting of the insurance policy.”

For more information, see this patent application: Yelovitch, Arie; Gulla, Michael P. Document Integration Into Policy Management System. Filed March 19, 2019 and posted September 24, 2020. Patent URL: http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220200302542%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20200302542&RS=DN/20200302542

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