Patent Application Titled “Selective Rendering Of Alternating Images On A Graphical User Interface” Published Online (USPTO 20190114718)

2019 MAY 03 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- According to news reporting originating from Washington, D.C., by NewsRx journalists, a patent application by the inventors Woods, Christine A. (Plantsville, CT); Hellyar, Cynthia A. (Avon, CT); Belcourt, Sandra E. (Hamden, CT), filed on December 21, 2018, was made available online on April 18, 2019.

The assignee for this patent application is Hartford Fire Insurance Company (Hartford, Connecticut, United States).

Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “As life spans increase and the aging population grows larger, many people are opting out of traditional nursing home or retirement home situations and opting to remain in their homes as they age. Persons 65 years or older currently number more than 40+ million represented approximately 13% of the U.S. population, or about one in every eight Americans. By 2030, there will be about 72.1 million older persons, more than twice their number back in 2000. People 65+represented 12.4% of the population in the year 2000 but are expected to grow to be 19% of the population by 2030.

“Research has shown that 50% of so called Boomers and 72% of adults age 50+ want to ‘live in place’ meaning that they would prefer to retire in their current homes rather than moving to more conventional retirement home facilities. However, most current homes are not designed for the needs of the aging, elderly and/or impaired and independently upgrading such homes is generally impractical and expensive. Ideally, it would be beneficial to meet aging needs/improvements before a health or aging need crisis occurs such as a health need affecting mobility or dexterity.

“Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a way to upgrade and improve homes and businesses to make them more accessible, useable and sustainable so that occupants will have the benefit of a greater quality of life over an extended time period.”

In addition to obtaining background information on this patent application, NewsRx editors also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent application: “In one embodiment, the present invention is a system for providing enhanced coverage options for a base homeowners insurance policy, the system comprising: one or more processors; a memory coupled to the one or more processors; and one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs are stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the one or more programs including instructions for: providing an enhanced coverage option selection screen on a graphical user interface, each enhanced coverage option providing, responsive to a loss covered under the base homeowners insurance policy and affecting a room of the home covered under the base homeowners insurance policy, upgrade coverage based on universal design principles for the affected room; receiving an enhanced coverage option selection from the graphical user interface; storing the enhanced coverage option selection in a storage device; determining a premium for the enhanced coverage option selection; and communicating, via a communications network, the determined premium for the enhanced coverage option selection to a user.

“In other embodiments, the present invention is a computer system for providing universal design based enhanced coverage options to a current or future policyholder, comprising: one or more processors; and a memory storage device in communication with the one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to: provide a display of a plurality of enhanced coverage options, wherein the display includes one or more enhanced coverage examples for display, each of the enhanced coverage options providing for improvements in accordance with universal design principles responsive to a covered loss; receive via a computer communications network user data related to a enhanced coverage option selection; store the enhanced coverage option selection in the memory storage device; determine, based on the enhanced coverage option selection, a premium associated with the enhanced coverage option selection; and transmit the determined premium information related to the enhanced coverage option selection to the current or future policyholder.

“In other embodiments, the present invention is a computer-implemented method for administering property and casualty insurance policies, the policies having enhanced coverage for providing one or more enhancements in accordance with universal design principles in the event of an incurred loss to a covered property, comprising: providing, via a graphical user interface, a display of enhanced coverage options available for a covered property; receiving, via a computer communications network, a user selected enhanced coverage option made via the graphical user interface; storing the enhanced coverage option selection in a database associated with an insurance entity; determining, by a computer processor, a premium associated with the enhanced coverage option selection; and transmitting, by the computer communications network, the determined premium information related to the enhanced coverage option selection for display on the graphical user interface.

“In other embodiments, the present invention is a system for managing insurance claims associated with property upgrades for an insured property to provide upgrades in accordance with universal design principles to an affected room of an insured property, comprising: a data storage device for storing data associated with a property insurance information database; a computer processor configured to execute program instructions and to retrieve the data associated with the property insurance information database from the data storage device; and a memory, coupled to the computer processor, storing program instructions for execution by the computer processor to: receive, from a remote user, property insurance data submitted electronically in connection with a loss event related to the insured property, the insurance data including data identifying a room affected by the loss event; determine if the loss event qualifies for the upgrade, the determining including determining whether the affected room is a room type eligible for an upgrade; responsive to determining that the loss event qualifies for the upgrade, communicate to the remote user that the user is eligible for the upgrade; receive upgrade expense information from the remote user; validate the upgrade expense information from the remote user, the validating including determining whether the upgrade expense information is indicative of an upgrade in accordance with universal design principles; and responsive to determining in the validating that the upgrade expenses of the upgrade expense information are covered, provide a payment for the validated upgrade expense subject to an upgrade coverage limit and exhaustion of a base coverage amount for the loss event.

“In other embodiments, the present invention is a computer-implemented method associated with a property insurance claims process for administering enhanced coverage options based on better living design principles, comprising receiving, via a communications network, insurance claims data submitted via a remote user device; verifying, by a processor, the submitted insurance claims data qualify for enhanced coverage enhancement based at least in part on information stored in an insurance property enhanced coverage database; receiving, via the communications network, additional insurance claims data related to the enhanced coverage enhancement from the remote user device; determining an approved payment amount, by a processor, the payment amount related to the enhanced coverage upgrade; and transmitting payment data to the remote user device via the communications network .

“In other embodiments, the present invention is a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions adapted to be executed by a computer processor to perform an insurance claims based method related to administering improvement coverages for an insured property, said method comprising: receiving, from an insured, property loss data submitted via a web based claims sub-system; validating the submitted property loss data to determine whether the property is eligible for improvement coverage; communicating to the insured, an improvement coverage amount once the submitted property loss data is determined to be eligible; and providing payment to the insured for the improvement coverage amount, wherein the upgrade coverage amount is above an amount allocated for indemnification of the property loss.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A computer system, the system comprising: a web site computer system comprising one or more processors, a memory coupled to the one or more processors, and one or more programs stored in the memory and configured to be executed by the one or more processors, the instructions causing the one or more processors to perform the steps of: generating for display on and communicating to a client device a graphical user interface including an enhanced coverage option selection screen area displaying a plurality of user-selectable enhanced coverage options corresponding to at least a first type and a second type of enhanced coverage option selections, selectable to transmit a selection to the web site computer system; receiving data indicative of an enhanced coverage option selection input via the web document from the graphical user interface; causing the graphical user interface to display, responsive to user selection of the first type of enhanced coverage option selections, a plurality of alternating images, including an image of a damaged property and an image of the damaged property after repair and upgrade according to universal design principles in accordance with the first type of enhanced coverage, and, responsive to user selection of the second type of enhanced coverage option selections, a plurality of alternating images including an image of a damaged property and an image of the damaged property after repair and upgrade according to universal design principles in accordance with the second type of enhanced coverage, the first type enhanced coverage option and the second type enhanced coverage option each providing, responsive to a loss covered under a base property insurance policy, the loss affecting a portion of the property covered under the base property insurance policy, upgrade coverage based on universal design principles for the affected portion, the upgrade coverage providing one or more improvements to the affected portion, the one or more improvements being in accordance with universal design principles; a claims management computer system in communication with the web site communication system, comprising one or more management systems processors, a management system memory coupled to the one or more management system processors, and one or more management system programs stored in the management system memory and configured to be executed by the one or more management system processors, the instructions causing the one or more management system processors to perform the steps of: receive, from a user via a remote device, property insurance data submitted electronically in connection with a loss event related to an insured property covered by a policy issued responsive to selection of one of the first type enhanced coverage option and the second type enhanced coverage option, the property insurance data including data identifying a portion of the insured property affected by the loss event; determine, based on stored data relating to the policy, whether the loss event qualifies for repair and upgrade according to universal design principles in accordance with the enhanced coverage option, the determining including determining whether the affected portion is a portion type eligible for repair and upgrade; responsive to determining that the loss event qualifies for repair and upgrade according to universal design principles, communicate to the user that the loss event qualifies for repair and upgrade; receive upgrade expense information from the user; validate the received upgrade expense information, the validating including determining whether the upgrade expense information is indicative of an upgrade in accordance with universal design principles; and responsive to determining in the validating that the upgrade expenses of the upgrade expense information are payable at least in part under the policy, generate instructions for payment to the user in accordance with the received expense information.

“2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the received insurance data comprises an indication of a portion of the property affected by the loss event, the determining comprising determining whether the affected portion relates to a type of property portion covered under the enhanced coverage option.

“3. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the policy is a homeowners insurance policy, and the type of property portion covered under the enhanced coverage option is one of a kitchen room type or a bathroom room type.

“4. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the policy is a business insurance policy, and the type of property portion covered under the enhanced coverage option is an access area.

“5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the access area is one of a walkway and a bathroom.

“6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the upgrade expense information is related to one or more of bathroom grab bars, single handle faucets, overhead lighting, non-slip flooring, step-in bathtubs, and comfort height toilets, and the validating includes determining that the upgrade expense information is indicative of an upgrade in accordance with universal design principles.

“7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the upgrade expense information comprises invoice data from one or more contractors who have provided upgrades to an undamaged items in accordance with universal design principles.

“8. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the validation comprises accessing a database storing reasonable cost figures associated with types of upgrades, comparing amounts of invoices included in the received upgrade expense information to the stored reasonable cost figures, and then approving claims for payment up to the lesser of the amounts of the invoices and the stored reasonable cost figures.

“9. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the validating comprises determining that the upgrade expenses are payable subject to an upgrade coverage limit and exhaustion of a base coverage amount for the loss event.

“10. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising an insurance data system comprising a premium calculation module comprising one or more insurance data processors, an insurance data memory in communication with the insurance data processors and storing processor-executable instructions, which cause the one or more insurance data processors to perform the steps of: receiving from the web site system data indicative of the enhanced coverage option selection; storing the enhanced coverage option selection in a storage device; determining a premium for the enhanced coverage option selection; and communicating, via a communications network, the determined premium for the enhanced coverage option selection to the web site system for generating images for display on the graphical user interface incorporating the determined premium.

“11. A computer-implemented method, comprising: generating by a web site system for display on and communicating to a client device for a graphical user interface including in a screen area a display of enhanced coverage options, corresponding to at least a first type and a second type of enhanced coverage options, available for a covered property, each of the enhanced coverage options providing one or more improvements to a property covered under a property insurance policy, in accordance with universal design principles, in the event of an incurred loss to the covered property, each of the enhanced coverage options being selectable to transmit a selection, receiving, via a computer communications network, data indicative of a user selected enhanced coverage option made via the graphical user interface; in a separate enhanced coverage example screen area, responsive to receipt of a user selection of the first type of enhanced coverage option, by the web site system, causing the graphical user interface to display a plurality of alternating images including an image of a damaged property and an image of the damaged property after repair and one or more improvements in accordance with universal design principles corresponding to the first type of enhanced coverage option, and responsive to receipt of a user selection of the second type of enhanced coverage option, by the web site system, causing the graphical user interface to display a plurality of alternating images including an image of an affected area of a damaged property and an image of the affected area of the damaged property after repair and one or more improvements in accordance with universal design principles corresponding to the second type of enhanced coverage option; receiving, by a claims management computer system in communication with the web site computer system, from a user via a remote device, property insurance data submitted electronically in connection with a loss event related to an insured property covered by a policy issued responsive to selection of one of the first type enhanced coverage option and the second type enhanced coverage option, the property insurance data including data identifying a portion of the insured property affected by the loss event; determining, by the claims management computer system, based on stored data relating to the policy, whether the loss event qualifies for repair and upgrade according to universal design principles in accordance with the enhanced coverage option, the determining including determining whether the affected portion is a portion type eligible for repair and upgrade; responsive to determining that the loss event qualifies for repair and upgrade according to universal design principles, communicating, by the claims management computer system, to the user, that the loss event qualifies for repair and upgrade; receiving, by the claims management computer system, upgrade expense information from the user; validating, by the claims management computer system, the received upgrade expense information, the validating including determining whether the upgrade expense information is indicative of an upgrade in accordance with universal design principles; and responsive to determining in the validating that the upgrade expenses of the upgrade expense information are payable at least in part under the policy, generating by the claims management computer system, instructions for payment to the user in accordance with the received expense information.

“12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein each type is a tier defined by a coverage limit amount, and the validating comprises determining an amount payable based on whether a total expense in the upgrade expense information is no greater than the coverage limit amount associated with the tier.

“13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, further comprising, by the web site system, providing at least three tiers of enhanced coverage options, each tier being defined by successively increasing coverage limit amounts.

“14. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the property insurance data further includes an identification of an affected room or rooms and pictorial data.

“15. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the determining whether the loss event qualifies for repair and upgrade according to universal design principles in accordance with the enhanced coverage option comprises determining whether the received insurance data is indicative of the affected portion being a covered room type.

“16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein communicating, by the claims management computer system, to the user, that the loss event qualifies for repair and upgrade, comprises notifying the user that the policy covers upgrades to the affected portion up to a coverage limit of the selected enhanced coverage option type.

“17. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising providing the user access to an automated system, via a web site system, preloaded with information regarding listings of available upgrades and reasonable costs for the available upgrades.

“18. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising receiving, by the claims management system, a selection from the user of an upgrade, and, responsive to receipt of the selection, providing pre-approval up to a lesser of a coverage limit associated with a selected enhanced coverage option type or a stored reasonable amount for the selected upgrade.

“19. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the received upgrade expense information relates to an upgrade of an item not damaged in the loss event.

“20. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, further comprising: by an insurance data system comprising a premium calculation module, receiving from the web site system data indicative of the enhanced coverage option selection; storing the enhanced coverage option selection in a storage device; determining, by the insurance data system, a premium for the enhanced coverage option selection; and communicating, via a communications network, the determined premium for the enhanced coverage option selection to the web site system for generating images for display on the graphical user interface incorporating the determined premium.”

For more information, see this patent application: Woods, Christine A.; Hellyar, Cynthia A.; Belcourt, Sandra E. Selective Rendering Of Alternating Images On A Graphical User Interface. Filed December 21, 2018 and posted April 18, 2019. 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=%2220190114718%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20190114718&RS=DN/20190114718

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