Patent Issued for Apparatus, method, and computer program product for claim management device lockout (USPTO 11741212): Assurant Inc.

2023 SEP 19 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- A patent by the inventors Almonte, Jr., Gilberto Jose (Miami, FL, US), Cartwright, Charles Daniel (Atlanta, GA, US), Manduley, Maria (Miami, FL, US), filed on March 23, 2022, was published online on August 29, 2023, according to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx correspondents.

Patent number 11741212 is assigned to Assurant Inc. (New York, New York, United States).

The following quote was obtained by the news editors from the background information supplied by the inventors: “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.”

In addition to the background information obtained for this patent, NewsRx journalists 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. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory, the at least one memory having computer-coded instructions stored thereon that, in execution with the at least one processor, causes the apparatus to: receive client device event data objects associated with a client device, the client event data objects comprising a case initiation request; transmit electronic data signals to the client device configured to cause an electronic lockout of the client device; transmit case confirmation data to a device protection program management system, wherein the case confirmation data is based at least in part on a client device fault data object or a client device loss data object; and in a circumstance in which a claim status update data object is received from the device protection program management system, perform a device lockout update action based at least in part on the claim status update data object, wherein to perform the device lockout update action in the circumstance in which the claim status update data object is received from the device protection program management system, the apparatus is caused to: receive a claim cancelled notification data object from the device protection program management system; and terminate the electronic lockout for the client device.

“2. The apparatus according to claim 1, the apparatus further caused to: initiate a drop dead timer for a predetermined time period; and in a circumstance in which no claim status update data object is received from the device protection program management system within the predetermined time period or a claim denied notification data object is received from the device protection program management system within the predetermined time period, transmit electronic data signals to the client device configured to cause termination of the electronic lockout of the client device.

“3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein to perform the device lockout update action based on the claim status update data object, the apparatus is caused to: in a circumstance where the claim status updated data object comprises a claim authorized notification data object, continue the electronic lockout for the client device.

“4. The apparatus according to claim 1, the apparatus further caused to: store at least a portion of information associated with at least one of the client device event data objects in response to receiving the client device event data objects, the portion of information comprising at least a client device identifier for the client device; receive a case information request from the device protection program management system; retrieve the portion of the case information in response to receiving the case information request; and transmit the portion of the case information to the device protection program management system in response to the case information request.

“5. The apparatus according to claim 1, the apparatus further caused to: receive user case information associated with the client device; and transmit the user case information to the device protection program management system.

“6. The apparatus according to claim 1, the apparatus further caused to: authenticate identity data corresponding to the client device; generate a user authentication token indicating verification of the identity data; and transmit the user authentication token to the device protection program management system.

“7. A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving client device event data objects associated with a client device, the client event data objects comprising a case initiation request; transmitting electronic data signals to the client device configured to cause an electronic lockout of the client device; transmitting case confirmation data to a device protection program management system, wherein the case confirmation data is based at least in part on a client device fault data object or a client device loss data object; and in circumstances in which a claim status update data object is received from the device protection program management system, performing a device lockout update action based at least in part on the claim status update data object, wherein performing the device lockout update action in the circumstance in which the claim status update data object is received from the device protection program management system comprises: receiving a claim cancelled notification data object from the device protection program management system; and terminating the electronic lockout for the client device.

“8. The computer-implemented method according to claim 7, the computer-implemented method further comprising: initiating a drop dead timer for a predetermined time period; and in a circumstance in which no claim status update data object is received from the device protection program management system within the predetermined time period or a claim denied notification data object is received from the device protection program management system within the predetermined time period, transmitting electronic data signals to the client device configured to cause termination of the electronic lockout of the client device.

“9. The computer-implemented method according to claim 7, wherein performing the device lockout update action based on the claim status update data object comprises: in a circumstance where the claim status updated data object comprises a claim authorized notification data object, continuing the electronic lockout for the client device.

“10. The computer-implemented method according to claim 7, the computer-implemented method further comprising: storing at least a portion of information associated with at least one of the client device event data objects in response to receiving the client device event data objects, the portion of information comprising at least a client device identifier for the client device; receiving a case information request from the device protection program management system; retrieving the portion of the case information in response to receiving the case information request; and transmitting the portion of the case information to the device protection program management system in response to the case information request.

“11. The computer-implemented method according to claim 7, the computer-implemented method further comprising: receiving user case information associated with the client device; and transmitting the user case information to the device protection program management system.

“12. The computer-implemented method according to claim 7, the computer-implemented method further comprising: authenticating identity data corresponding to the client device; generating a user authentication token indicating verification of the identity data; and transmitting the user authentication token to the device protection program management system.

“13. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer program code stored thereon that, in execution with at least one processor, configures the computer program product for: receiving client device event data objects associated with a client device, the client event data objects comprising a case initiation request; transmitting electronic data signals to the client device configured to cause an electronic lockout of the client device; transmitting case confirmation data to a device protection program management system, wherein the case confirmation data is based at least in part on a client device fault data object or a client device loss data object; and in a circumstance in which a claim status update data object is received from the device protection program management system, performing a device lockout update action based at least in part on the claim status update data object, wherein performing the device lockout update action in the circumstance in which the claim status update data object is received from the device protection program management system comprises: receiving a claim cancelled notification data object from the device protection program management system; and terminating the electronic lockout for the client device.

“14. The computer program product according to claim 13, the computer program product further configured for: initiating a drop dead timer for a predetermined time period; and in a circumstance in which no claim status update data object is received from the device protection program management system within the predetermined time period or a claim denied notification data object is received from the device protection program management system within the predetermined time period, transmitting electronic data signals to the client device configured to cause termination of the electronic lockout of the client device.

“15. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein performing the device lockout update action based on the claim status update data object comprises: in a circumstance where the claim status updated data object comprises a claim authorized notification data object, continuing the electronic lockout for the client device.

“16. The computer program product according to claim 13, the computer program product further configured for: storing at least a portion of information associated with at least one of the client device event data objects in response to receiving the client device event data objects, the portion of information comprising at least a client device identifier for the client device; receiving a case information request from the device protection program management system; retrieving the portion of the case information in response to receiving the case information request; and transmitting the portion of the case information to the device protection program management system in response to the case information request.”

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

URL and more information on this patent, see: Almonte, Jr., Gilberto Jose. Apparatus, method, and computer program product for claim management device lockout. U.S. Patent Number 11741212, filed March 23, 2022, and published online on August 29, 2023. Patent URL (for desktop use only): https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/external.html?q=(11741212)&db=USPAT&type=ids

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