Patent Issued for Apparatus, method, and computer program product for claim management device lockout (USPTO 11308195): Assurant Inc.

2022 MAY 05 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Assurant Inc. (New York, New York, United States) has been issued patent number 11308195, according to news reporting originating out of Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx editors.

The patent’s inventors are Almonte, Jr., Gilberto Jose (Miami, FL, US), Cartwright, Charles Daniel (Atlanta, GA, US), Manduley, Maria (Miami, FL, US).

This patent was filed on January 16, 2020 and was published online on April 19, 2022.

From the background information supplied by the inventors, news correspondents obtained the following quote: “Devices often are misplaced, stolen, or otherwise lost. Limiting access to such devices is desirable to prevent access to data stored on the device. Additionally, preventing access to some of all functionality of the device further reduces chances that an unauthorized user will obtain and continue to utilize the device, which would unjustly eliminate the need for the unauthorized user to obtain a device of their own for rightful use. Such access prevention is similarly desirable in circumstances where a device is damaged and to be submitted for repair or replacement. However, in circumstances where a device is to be locked, the device must be effectively managed for locking and/or unlocking at appropriate times. Improper unlocking of the device can provide access to unauthorized access to the device by users not intended and/or otherwise permissioned for accessing the device. Improper locking of the device can cause user frustration for the rightful owner and/or possessor, including in circumstances where the user requests lockout of the device in association with a loss and/or damage claim, and later locates the device or changes their mind to keep the device as is. Often, systems for managing lockout of the device, managing claims associated with the device, and/or managing initiation of such claims, increasing the difficulty in performing efficient and/or effective management of the electronic lockout as a claim is processed. Applicant has discovered problems with current implementations of secure device lockout management. Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, Applicant has solved many of these identified problems by developing embodied in the present disclosure, which are described in detail below.”

Supplementing the background information on this patent, NewsRx reporters also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “In general, embodiments of the present disclosure include apparatuses, computer-implemented methods, and computer program products for secure device lockout management. Other implementations for one or more of the alternative illuminator assemblies and/or alternative illumination imaging apparatuses will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional implementations be included within this description be within the scope of the disclosure, and be protected by the following claims.

“In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a computer-implemented method for secure device lockout management is provided. The computer-implemented method may be performed via any combination of computing devices embodied in various hardware, software, firmware, and/or a combination thereof, as described herein. In at least one example embodiment, an example computer-implemented method includes receiving a device claim request indication, where the device claim request indication is associated with a client device, and wherein the client device is associated with a functionality lockout state. The example computer-implemented method further includes initiating a claim associated with the client device based on the device claim request indication. The example computer-implemented method further includes causing the functionality lockout state for the client device to be set to a locked out state. The example computer-implemented method further includes processing the claim to determine whether to authorize the claim. The example computer-implemented method further includes causing updating of the functionality lockout state for the client device based on the determination of whether to authorize the claim.

“Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments of the example computer-implemented method, causing the functionality lockout state for the client device to be set to a locked out state comprises transmitting a device lockout request to a manufacturer system associated with the client device, where the device lockout request is configured to cause the manufacturer system to set the functionality lockout state for the client device to the locked out state.

“Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments of the example computer-implemented method, causing the functionality lockout state for the client device to be set to a locked out state comprises transmitting a device lockout request to a third-party system associated with the client device, wherein the third-party system comprises a carrier system configured to cause a manufacturer system to set the functionality lockout state for the client device to the locked out state in response to receiving the device lockout request.

“Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments of the example computer-implemented method, processing the claim to determine whether to continue the locked out state for the client device comprises receiving user claim information associated with the claim within a first timestamp interval; and processing the user claim information to authorize the claim associated with the user claim information, and causing updating of the functionality lockout state for the client device based on the determination of whether to continue the locked out state client device comprises: causing the functionality lockout state for the client device to remain set to the locked out state.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A computer-implemented method for secure device lockout management, the computer-implemented method comprising: receiving, at a server, a device claim request indication from a third-party provider system external to the server, the device claim request indication comprising information associated with a client device that is malfunctioning, inoperable, or inaccessible, and wherein the client device is associated with a functionality lockout state; authenticating the device claim request indication is from the third-party provider system based at least in part on at least one authentication factor associated with the trusted third-party system; initiating a claim associated with the client device and corresponding to the device claim request indication; causing the functionality lockout state for the client device to be set to a locked out state; processing the claim to determine whether to authorize the claim; and causing updating of the functionality lockout state for the client device based on the determination of whether to authorize the claim.

“2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein causing the functionality lockout state for the client device to be set to a locked out state comprises: transmitting a device lockout request to a manufacturer system associated with the client device, wherein the device lockout request is configured to cause the manufacturer system to set the functionality lockout state for the client device to the locked out state.

“3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein causing the functionality lockout state for the client device to be set to a locked out state comprises: transmitting a device lockout request to a third-party system associated with the client device, wherein the third-party system comprises a carrier system configured to cause a manufacturer system to set the functionality lockout state for the client device to the locked out state in response to receiving the device lockout request.

“4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein processing the claim to determine whether to continue the locked out state for the client device comprises: receiving user claim information associated with the claim within a first timestamp interval; and processing the user claim information to authorize the claim associated with the user claim information, and wherein causing updating of the functionality lockout state for the client device based on the determination of whether to continue the locked out state client device comprises: in response to authorizing the claim associated with the user claim information, causing the functionality lockout state for the client device to remain set to the locked out state.

“5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein processing the claim to determine whether to continue the locked out state for the client device comprises: receiving user claim information associated with the claim within a first timestamp interval; and processing the user claim information to deny the claim associated with the user claim information, and wherein causing updating of the functionality lockout state for the client device based on the determination of whether to continue the locked out state client device comprises: in response to denying the claim associated with the user claim information, causing the functionality lockout state for the client device to be set to an unlocked state.

“6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein processing the claim to determine whether to continue the locked out state for the client device comprises: determining user claim information associated with the claim has not been received within a first timestamp interval, and wherein causing updating of the functionality lockout state for the client device based on the determination of whether to continue the locked out state client device comprises: in response to determining the user claim information associated with the claim has not been received within the first timestamp interval, causing the functionality lockout state for the client device to be set to an unlocked state.

“7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising: receiving third-party case information from the third-party provider system, the third-party case information comprising the device claim request indication corresponding to the client device that is malfunctioning, inoperable, or inaccessible, wherein the third-party provider system manages a third-party case associated with the third-party case information in parallel with the claim corresponding to the third-party case.

“8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising: receiving case confirmation information from the third-party provider system, wherein the case confirmation information comprises an authentication token indicating prior authorization of a user associated with the case confirmation information by the third-party provider system; in response to receiving the case confirmation information, establishing a secured connection with the third-party provider system; and receiving, via the secured connection, third-party case information from the third-party provider system, the third-party case information comprising the device claim request indication.

“9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising: receiving third-party case information comprising a snapshot of information present on the client device at a time the third-party provider system received an indication the client device is malfunctioning, inoperable, or inaccessible, wherein the snapshot of information is processed to determine whether to authorize the claim.

“10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising, in parallel with processing the claim to determine whether to authorize the claim: transmitting, by the server to the third-party provider system, a lockout status request associated with the client device; receiving, by the server from the third-party provider system, a data value representing a functionality lockout state for the client device; determining the data value does not match an intended functionality lockout state; and transmitting a second at least one request to cause updating of the functionality lockout state for the client device to the intended functionality lockout state.

“11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising, in parallel with processing the claim to determine whether to authorize the claim: transmitting, by the server to the third-party provider system, a lockout status request associated with the client device; receiving, by the server from the third-party provider system, a data value representing a functionality lockout state for the client device; determining, by the server, the data value matches an intended functionality lockout state; and scheduling a second status request action at an increased status request timestamp interval.

“12. A computer program product for secure device lockout management, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer program code stored thereon, the computer program code configured, in execution with at least one processor, for: receiving, by the at least one processor, a device claim request indication from a third-party provider system external to the at least one processor, the device claim request indication comprising information associated with a client device that is malfunctioning, inoperable, or inaccessible, and wherein the client device is associated with a functionality lockout state; authenticating the device claim request indication is from the third-party provider system based at least in part on at least one authentication factor associated with the trusted third-party system; initiating a claim associated with the client device and corresponding to the device claim request indication; causing the functionality lockout state for the client device to be set to a locked out state; processing the claim to determine whether to authorize the claim; and causing updating of the functionality lockout state for the client device based on the determination of whether to authorize the claim.

“13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein causing the functionality lockout state for the client device to be set to a locked out state comprises: transmitting a device lockout request to a manufacturer system associated with the client device, wherein the device lockout request is configured to cause the manufacturer system to set the functionality lockout state for the client device to the locked out state.

“14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein causing the functionality lockout state for the client device to be set to a locked out state comprises: transmitting a device lockout request to a third-party system associated with the client device, wherein the third-party system comprises a carrier system configured to cause a manufacturer system to set the functionality lockout state for the client device to the locked out state in response to receiving the device lockout request.

“15. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein processing the claim to determine whether to continue the locked out state for the client device comprises: receiving user claim information associated with the claim within a first timestamp interval; and processing the user claim information to authorize the claim associated with the user claim information, and wherein causing updating of the functionality lockout state for the client device based on the determination of whether to continue the locked out state client device comprises: in response to authorizing the claim associated with the user claim information, causing the functionality lockout state for the client device to remain set to the locked out state.”

There are additional claims. Please visit full patent to read further.

For the URL and additional information on this patent, see: Almonte, Jr., Gilberto Jose. Apparatus, method, and computer program product for claim management device lockout. U.S. Patent Number 11308195, filed January 16, 2020, and published online on April 19, 2022. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=11308195.PN.&OS=PN/11308195RS=PN/11308195

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