Patent Application Titled “Systems And Methods For Analyzing Vehicle Sensor Data Via A Blockchain” Published Online (USPTO 20230350869): Patent Application

2023 NOV 17 (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 Alt, Jacob J. (Downs, IL, US); Bellas, Eric (Bloomington, IL, US); Call, Shawn M. (Bloomington, IL, US); King, Vicki (Bloomington, IL, US); Leise, William J. (Normal, IL, US); Magerkurth, Melinda Teresa (Utica, IL, US); Moore, Eric R. (Heyworth, IL, US); Skaggs, Jaime (Chenoa, IL, US), filed on July 12, 2023, was made available online on November 2, 2023.

No assignee for this patent application has been made.

Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Vehicles undergo a variety of information exchange periods during their lifecycle. Some of these information exchange periods are brought on by accidents, sales, or the eventual destruction of the vehicle. Managing the vehicle life cycle process involves multiple participants exchanging a variety of information. The number of interactions between these parties means the parties have to provide and validate information. Theses interactions often occur between businesses and consumers, or businesses and other businesses. However, using conventional techniques, managing the vehicle life cycle may include several drawbacks.”

In addition to obtaining background information on this patent application, NewsRx editors also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent application: “The present embodiments may be related to a Blockchain Registry based upon a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) or other asset identifier, an insured identifier, and/or an insurance-related identifier. A national or other registry of automobile VIN numbers may be commonly accessed and/or updated by organizations, such as auto manufacturers, insurance carriers, financial institutions, fleet owners, banks, body shops, part suppliers, State Departments of Motor Vehicles (DMVs), and/or salvage vendors. The Blockchain Registry, utilizing blockchain technology, may be a single, historical, authoritative source for multiple pieces of information about each vehicle and/or individual that is accessed, tracked, and updated using Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) and/or insured identifiers (such as a social security number or an insurance policy number).

“The Blockchain Registry may have various usages, and may allow for the introduction of new capabilities into current processes. Examples of such usage include: (1) validating proof of insurance on a vehicle (available to law enforcement, lienholders, vehicle owners, etc.); (2) tracking vehicle ownership from “cradle to grave,” via seamless title transfers between manufacturers, dealers, consumers, salvage yard, etc.; (3) identifying the current lienholder of a vehicle, and the current lien payoff amount (e.g., for more frictionless processing of payment such as in a total loss situation, or for loan refinancing situations); (4) ensuring lien perfection (e.g., title reflects joint ownership by person and lienholder); (5) reducing fraud by detecting duplicate coverage or duplicate claims for a single vehicle, or detecting buildup or questionable claims; (6) tracking maintenance or repair work that has been, or is to be, performed on a vehicle; (7) when coupled with crash detection, performing first notification of loss to the appropriate insurer; (8) in conjunction with connected car capabilities, limiting the vehicle’s capabilities if the vehicle isn’t registered properly, lacks insurance coverage, or the owner is behind on loan payments; (9) connected license plates, reflecting the current registration status; (10) facilitating Usage-Based Insurance (UBI) or trip-based insurance; (11) recording all OEM features, part numbers, (autonomous or other vehicle) system or software of versions of the vehicle (beyond what can derived from the VIN, make, and model information), i.e., the vehicle build; (12) more accurate insurance rating based upon known security or safety features of a vehicle (which may impact either a human driven vehicle, or a semi-autonomous or autonomous vehicle or technology, or both); (13) more accurate repair cost estimations based upon known vehicle features (which may impact human driving, or vehicle self-driving); and/or (14) facilitating recall notifications in a prompt and reliable manner.

“Potential blockchain participants may include auto manufacturers, insurance carriers, consumers, individual vehicle owners, fleet owners, salvage vendors, auditors, State DMVs, auto dealerships, banks or credit unions, lienholders, body shops, repair facilities, tow truck operations, part supplies, rental companies, and/or law enforcement.

“Potential data elements included in the blockchain and/or each blockchain transaction, block, or update may include vehicle VIN number and/or insured identifiers and one or more additional data elements associated with that particular vehicle and/or insured. The additional data elements may include owner and/or insured information, such as owner type (manufacturer, dealer, consumer, lienholder, etc.); owner ID (EIN, SSN, etc.); owner name; and/or owner contact information (address, phone, email address, etc.). The additional data elements may include insurance carrier information, such as insurer name; insurance policy ID or number; an indication of whether the policy remains in force (Y/N?); effective dates of the policy; expiration date of the insurance coverage; and/or insurance policy coverages, terms, limits, deductibles, conditions, etc.

“The additional data elements may include lienholder information, such as lienholder name; lienholder contact information; whether the loan is in good standing (Y/N?); and/or current payoff amount. The additional data elements may include a license plate number; state of issuance; and whether the vehicle registration with the state DMV is up-to-date. The additional data elements may include an indication of any claims made; including date of first notice of loss; insurance carrier that the claim was filed with; claim open date; claim close date; an amount of the claim; and whether or not the claim was resolved. The additional data elements may include information on maintenance or repair events, including event type; event date; event cost; and/or one or more locations associated with the event (e.g., city and state of event location).

“The Blockchain Registry may be used in conjunction with smart contracts that govern the vehicles, including autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles. For instance, the smart contracts may related to maintenance, warranties, vehicle loans, service contracts, UBI, trip-insurance, auto insurance policies, vehicle titles, vehicle salvage, total loss vehicles, etc. When an event or data relevant to a vehicle or a smart contract is generated, a transaction associated with the vehicle’s VIN and/or insured identifier and may be generated and compiled into a block of a distributed ledger (or Blockchain Registry). The transaction or update to the distributed ledger or Blockchain Registry may include (i) the vehicle’s VIN and/or insured identifier, and (ii) one or more additional data elements associated with the vehicle and/or insured, including the additional data elements mentioned elsewhere herein.

“In one aspect, a computer-implemented method of utilizing blockchain technology to maintain a loss history blockchain after vehicle collisions based upon vehicle sensor data may be provided. The method may include (1) receiving, via one or more processors and/or associated transceivers (such as via wireless communication or data transmission over one or more radio links), an indication of vehicle being involved a vehicle collision and a vehicle VIN; (2) accessing, at a memory, a loss history blockchain associated with the vehicle using the VIN as a key; (3) receiving, via the one or more processors and/or associated transceivers, vehicle sensor data generated or collected prior to, during, and/or after the vehicle collision; (4) creating, via the one or more processors, a block to add to the loss history blockchain that includes the vehicle sensor data, or otherwise updating the loss history blockchain with the vehicle sensor data associated with the vehicle collision; (5) analyzing, via the one or more processors, the vehicle sensor data to reconstruct the vehicle collision; and/or (6) updating, via the one or more processors, the loss history blockchain to include and/or indicate the reconstructed vehicle collision by including the created block. The method may include additional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

“In another aspect, a system for utilizing blockchain technology to maintain a loss history blockchain after vehicle collisions based upon vehicle sensor data may be provided. The system may include (i) a network interface configured to interface with a processor; (ii) a memory configured to store non-transitory computer executable instructions and configured to interface with the processor; and/or (iii) the processor configured to interface with the memory. The processor may be configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the system to (1) receive an indication of vehicle being involved a vehicle collision and a vehicle VIN; (2) access a loss history blockchain associated with the vehicle using the VIN as a key; (3) receive vehicle sensor data generated or collected prior to, during, and/or after the vehicle collision; (4) create a block to add to the loss history blockchain that includes the vehicle sensor data, or otherwise update the loss history blockchain with the vehicle sensor data associated with the vehicle collision; (5) analyze the vehicle sensor data to reconstruct the vehicle collision; and/or (6) update the loss history blockchain to include and/or indicate the reconstructed vehicle collision by including the created block. The system may include additional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

“Advantages will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the following description of the preferred aspects, which have been shown and described by way of illustration. As will be realized, the present aspects may be capable of other and different aspects, and their details are capable of modification in various respects. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

“The figures depict aspects of the present embodiments for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following discussion that alternate aspects of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention described herein.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A computer-implemented method for verifying existence of data associated with Vehicle Identification Numbers stored on a permissioned blockchain maintained by a plurality of network participants, the method comprising: receiving, at a processor coupled with a network interface, one or more request datasets from one or more network participants; verifying, at the processor, that the one or more network participants have permission to access information stored on the permissioned blockchain using a requestor identifier included in the request dataset for each network participant; when the one or more network participants have permission: accessing, at a memory coupled with the processor, the permissioned blockchain using a Vehicle Identification Number included in each request dataset, and performing, at the processor coupled with the memory, a verification of the existence of data stored in the permissioned blockchain associated with the Vehicle Identification Number; determining that multiple insurance claims have been submitted for a same Vehicle Identification Number; and in response to the determination that multiple insurance claims have been submitted for the same Vehicle Identification Number, using a smart contract to trigger an alert indicating potentially fraudulent activity.

“2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of network participants comprises a law enforcement agency, a state regulatory agency, an insurance agency, or combinations thereof.

“3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each request dataset further comprises a request id, a request type, and a requestor type.

“4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the requestor identifier comprises a hash value associated with a cryptographic key controlled by the corresponding network participant.

“5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each request dataset further comprises a request type, and wherein performing a verification of the existence of data stored in the permissioned blockchain associated with the Vehicle Identification Number further comprises: when the request type is a modification request, transmitting, at the processor coupled with the network interface, an insurance coverage dataset based upon the request dataset and the modification request to at least one other network participant; and when the request type is a new transaction request, generating and transmitting, at the processor coupled with the network interface, an insurance coverage dataset based upon the request dataset and the new transaction request to at least one other network participant.

“6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein the modification request comprises a policy renewal, a policy change, or a policy transfer associated with the Vehicle Identification Number.

“7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein each request dataset further comprises a request type, and wherein the method further comprises transmitting a request notification based upon the verification to the one or more network participants by generating, at the processor, the request notification using the request type and a success indicator indicating whether an insurance coverage dataset was sent to at least one other network participant.

“8. A system for verifying existence of data associated with Vehicle Identification Numbers stored on a permissioned blockchain maintained by a plurality of network participants, the system comprising: a network interface configured to interface with a processor; a memory configured to store non-transitory computer executable instructions and configured to interface with the processor; and the processor configured to interface with the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the processor to: receive one or more request datasets from one or more network participants; verify that the one or more network participants have permission to access information stored on the permissioned blockchain using a requestor identifier included in the request dataset for each network participant; when the one or more network participants have permission: access the permissioned blockchain using a Vehicle Identification Number included in each request dataset, and perform a verification of the existence of data stored in the permissioned blockchain associated with the Vehicle Identification Number; determine if multiple insurance claims have been submitted for a same Vehicle Identification Number; and in response to a determination that multiple insurance claims have been submitted for the same Vehicle Identification Number, use a smart contract to trigger an alert indicating potentially fraudulent activity.

“9. The system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of network participants comprises a law enforcement agency, a state regulatory agency, an insurance agency, or combinations thereof.

“10. The system of claim 8, wherein each request dataset further comprises a request id, a request type, and a requestor type.

“11. The system of claim 8, wherein the requestor identifier comprises a hash value associated with a cryptographic key controlled by the corresponding network participant.

“12. The system of claim 8, wherein each request dataset further comprises a request type, and wherein perform a verification of the existence of data stored in the permissioned blockchain associated with the Vehicle Identification Number further comprises: when the request type is a modification request, generate and transmit an insurance coverage dataset based upon the request dataset and the modification request to at least one other network participant; and when the request type is a new transaction request, generate and transmit an insurance coverage dataset based upon the request dataset and the new transaction request to at least one other network participant.

“13. The system of claim 12, wherein the modification request comprises a policy renewal, a policy change, or a policy transfer associated with the Vehicle Identification Number.

“14. The system of claim 12, wherein each request dataset further comprises a request type, and wherein the processor is further configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the processor to transmit a request notification based upon the verification to the one or more network participants by generating the request notification using the request type and a success indicator indicating whether an insurance coverage dataset was sent to at least one other network participant.

“15. A computer-implemented method for verifying existence of data associated with Vehicle Identification Numbers stored on a permissioned blockchain maintained by a plurality of network participants, the method comprising: receiving, at a processor coupled with a network interface, a request dataset, wherein the request dataset comprises a requestor identifier and a Vehicle Identification Number; verifying, at the processor, that the requestor identifier grants permission to access the permissioned blockchain; when the requestor has permission: accessing, at a memory coupled with the processor, the permissioned blockchain using the Vehicle Identification Number, and performing, at the processor coupled with the memory, a verification of the existence of data stored in the permissioned blockchain associated with the Vehicle Identification Number; determining that multiple insurance claims have been submitted for a same Vehicle Identification Number; and in response to the determination that multiple insurance claims have been submitted for the same Vehicle Identification Number, using a smart contract to trigger an alert indicating potentially fraudulent activity.

“16. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the plurality of network participants comprises a law enforcement agency, a state regulatory agency, an insurance agency, or combinations thereof.

“17. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein each request dataset further comprises a request id, a request type, and a requestor type.

“18. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein the requestor identifier comprises a hash value associated with a cryptographic key controlled by the corresponding network participant.

“19. The computer-implemented method of claim 15, wherein each request dataset further comprises a request type, and wherein performing a verification of the existence of data stored in the permissioned blockchain associated with the Vehicle Identification Number further comprises: when the request type is a modification request, generating and transmitting, at the processor coupled with the network interface, an insurance coverage dataset based upon the request dataset and the modification request to at least one other network participant; and when the request type is a new transaction request, generating and transmitting, at the processor coupled with the network interface, an insurance coverage dataset based upon the request dataset and the new transaction request to at least one other network participant.

“20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein each request dataset further comprises a request type, and where in the method further comprises transmitting a request notification based upon the verification to the one or more network participants by generating, at the processor, the request notification using the request type and a success indicator indicating whether an insurance coverage dataset was sent to at least one other network participant.”

For more information, see this patent application: Alt, Jacob J.; Bellas, Eric; Call, Shawn M.; King, Vicki; Leise, William J.; Magerkurth, Melinda Teresa; Moore, Eric R.; Skaggs, Jaime. Systems And Methods For Analyzing Vehicle Sensor Data Via A Blockchain. U.S. Patent Application Number 20230350869, filed July 12, 2023 and posted November 2, 2023. Patent URL (for desktop use only): https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/external.html?q=(20230350869)&db=US-PGPUB&type=ids

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