Patent Issued for Systems and methods for light detection and ranging (LIDAR) based generation of an inventory list of personal belongings (USPTO 11756129): State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company

2023 OCT 02 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- A patent by the inventors Bates, Paul (Mesa, AZ, US), Harrison, Michael Scott (Chandler, AZ, US), Madsen, Stacee (Mesa, AZ, US), Marotta, Nicholas Carmelo (Scottsdale, AZ, US), Rowley, Austin (Mesa, AZ, US), Uphoff, Laura Anne (Gilbert, AZ, US), Wheet, Jared (Mesa, AZ, US), Willingham, J D Johnson (Phoenix, AZ, US), filed on February 25, 2021, was published online on September 12, 2023, according to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx correspondents.

Patent number 11756129 is assigned to State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (Bloomington, Illinois, United States).

The following quote was obtained by the news editors from the background information supplied by the inventors: “LIDAR is a technology that measures distance to a target by illuminating the target (e.g., using laser light) and then measuring the reflected light with a sensor (e.g., measuring the time of flight from the laser signal source to its return to the sensor). Digital 3D representations of the target may then be made using differences in laser return times and wavelengths. LIDAR may be used to measure distances (e.g., the distance from a LIDAR camera to an object, the distance between objects, and so forth).”

In addition to the background information obtained for this patent, NewsRx journalists also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “The present embodiments may be related to LIDAR technology, including applications of LIDAR technology to insurance policies and applications of LIDAR technology to assist an impaired individual. The LIDAR technology may be used to produce an insurance quote or insurance claim. The LIDAR technology may also be used to provide navigation directions to assist an impaired individual.

“In accordance with the described embodiments, the disclosure herein generally addresses, inter alia, systems and methods for applying LIDAR technology to insurance quote generation (e.g., a quote for home insurance). A server may receive preexisting architecture data, create baseline architecture data using the preexisting architecture data, receive LIDAR data generated from a LIDAR camera, combine the baseline architecture data with the LIDAR data to create an architecture profile, and generate an insurance quote based upon the architecture profile. According to some aspects, the LIDAR data comprises a 3D point cloud, and may include information of both an interior and an exterior of a house. The server may also receive information from other sources, such as drones.

“In one aspect, a computer-implemented method for generating an insurance quote may be provided. The computer-implemented method may include, via one or more local or remote processors, transceivers, sensors, and/or servers, (1) receiving preexisting architecture data; (2) creating baseline architecture data using the preexisting architecture data; (3) receiving LIDAR data generated from a LIDAR camera; (4) combining the baseline architecture data with the LIDAR data to create an architecture profile; and/or (5) generating an insurance quote based upon the architecture profile. The method may include additional, less, or alternate actions, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

“In another aspect, an electronic device for generating an insurance quote may be provided. The electronic device may be configured to, via one or more processors, transceivers, and/or sensors, (1) receive preexisting architecture data; (2) create baseline architecture data using the preexisting architecture data; (3) receive LIDAR data generated from a LIDAR camera; (4) combine the baseline architecture data with the LIDAR data to create an architecture profile; and/or (5) generate an insurance quote based upon the architecture profile. The electronic device may include additional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

“In yet another aspect, a computer system for generating an insurance quote may be provided. The system may include a LIDAR camera, a memory configured to store non-transitory computer executable instructions and configured to interface with a processor and/or associated transceiver. The processor may be configured to execute the non-transitory computer executable instructions to cause the processor and/or associated transceiver to (1) receive preexisting architecture data; (2) create baseline architecture data using the preexisting architecture data; (3) receive LIDAR data generated from a LIDAR camera; (4) combine the baseline architecture data with the LIDAR data to create an architecture profile; and/or (5) generate an insurance quote based upon the architecture profile. The system may include additional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A computer-implemented method for generating an electronic inventory list of personal belongings, comprising, via one or more processors, transceivers, sensors, and/or servers: receiving light detection and ranging (LIDAR) data generated from one or more LIDAR cameras; analyzing the LIDAR data to determine or identify one or more personal articles or insurable assets including one or more vehicles, and make and model thereof; generating an electronic inventory list of personal belongings based upon the one or more personal articles or insurable assets determined or identified from the LIDAR data, wherein the electronic inventory list includes the one or more vehicles, and make and model thereof identified from the analysis of the LIDAR data; transmitting the electronic inventory list to a mobile device of a customer via wireless communication and/or data transmission over one or more radio frequency links for customer modification; and receiving, from the mobile device of the customer, a modification to the electronic inventory list; wherein generating the electronic inventory list includes, via the one or more processors, transceivers, sensors, and/or servers, processor analysis of: (i) the LIDAR data, and (ii) one or more additional sources of data including: smart home sensor data and/or images; and/or smart infrastructure data and/or images.

“2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising, via the one or more processors, transceivers, sensors, and/or servers, generating an electronic personal articles insurance quote covering several personal articles identified from processor analysis of the LIDAR data and listed within the electronic inventory list.

“3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, the method further comprising, via the one or more processors, transceivers, sensors, and/or servers, transmitting the electronic personal articles insurance quote to the mobile device of the customer via wireless communication and/or data transmission over one or more radio frequency links for the customer’s review, modification, and/or approval.

“4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein generating the electronic inventory list includes, via the one or more processors, transceivers, sensors, and/or servers, processor analysis of (i) the LIDAR data, and (ii) the one or more additional sources of data including: the smart home sensor data and/or images; and the smart infrastructure data and/or images.

“5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the electronic inventory list includes one or more electronic devices, televisions, furniture, antiques, and/or paintings.

“6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the LIDAR data is received via wireless communication or data transmission over one or more radio frequency links.

“7. A computer system configured to generate an electronic inventory list of personal belongings, the computer system comprising one or more processors, transceivers, sensors, and/or servers configured to: receive light detection and ranging (LIDAR) data generated from one or more LIDAR cameras; analyze the LIDAR data to determine or identify one or more personal articles or insurable assets including one or more vehicles, and make and model thereof; generate an electronic inventory list of personal belongings based upon the one or more personal articles or insurable assets determined or identified from the LIDAR data, wherein the electronic inventory list includes the one or more vehicles, and make and model thereof identified from the analysis of the LIDAR data; transmit the electronic inventory list to a mobile device of a customer via wireless communication and/or data transmission over one or more radio frequency links for customer modification; and receive, from the mobile device of the customer, a modification to the electronic inventory list; wherein generating the electronic inventory list includes, via the one or more processors, transceivers, sensors, and/or servers, processor analysis of: (i) the LIDAR data, and (ii) one or more additional sources of data including: smart home sensor data and/or images; and/or smart infrastructure data and/or images.

“8. The computer system of claim 7, the system further configured to, via the one or more processors, transceivers, sensors, and/or servers, generate an electronic personal articles insurance quote covering several personal articles identified from processor analysis of the LIDAR data and including personal articles listed in the electronic inventory list.

“9. The computer system of claim 8, the system further configured to, via the one or more processors, transceivers, sensors, and/or servers, transmit the electronic personal articles insurance quote to the mobile device of the customer via wireless communication and/or data transmission over one or more radio frequency links for customer review, modification, and/or approval.

“10. The computer system of claim 7, wherein generating the electronic inventory list includes, via the one or more processors, transceivers, sensors, and/or servers, processor analysis of (i) the LIDAR data, and (ii) the one or more additional sources of data including: the smart home sensor data and/or images; and the smart infrastructure data and/or images.

“11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the electronic inventory list includes one or more electronic devices, televisions, furniture, antiques, and/or paintings.

“12. The computer system of claim 7, the system further configured to, via the one or more processors, transceivers, sensors, and/or servers, receive the LIDAR data via wireless communication or data transmission over one or more radio frequency links.

“13. A computer system for generating an electronic personal articles insurance quote, comprising: one or more processors; and a program memory coupled to the one or more processors and storing executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the computer system to: receive light detection and ranging (LIDAR) data generated from one or more LIDAR cameras; analyze the LIDAR data to determine or identify one or more personal articles or insurable assets including one or more vehicles, and make and model thereof; generate an electronic inventory list of personal belongings based upon the one or more personal articles or insurable assets determined or identified from the LIDAR data, wherein the electronic inventory list includes the one or more vehicles, and make and model thereof identified from the analysis of the LIDAR data; transmit the electronic inventory list to a mobile device of a customer via wireless communication and/or data transmission over one or more radio frequency links for customer modification; and receive, from the mobile device of the customer, a modification to the electronic inventory list; wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to generate the electronic inventory list via analysis of: (i) the LIDAR data, and (ii) one or more additional sources of data including: smart home sensor data and/or images; and/or smart infrastructure data and/or images.

“14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to generate an electronic personal articles insurance quote covering several personal articles identified from processor analysis of the LIDAR data and including personal articles listed in the electronic inventory list.

“15. The computer system of claim 14, wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to transmit the electronic personal articles insurance quote to the mobile device of the customer via wireless communication and/or data transmission over one or more radio frequency links for customer review, modification, and/or approval.

“16. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to generate the electronic inventory list via analysis of: (i) the LIDAR data, and (ii) the one or more additional sources of data including: the smart home sensor data and/or images; and the smart infrastructure data and/or images.”

URL and more information on this patent, see: Bates, Paul. Systems and methods for light detection and ranging (LIDAR) based generation of an inventory list of personal belongings. U.S. Patent Number 11756129, filed February 25, 2021, and published online on September 12, 2023. Patent URL (for desktop use only): https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/external.html?q=(11756129)&db=USPAT&type=ids

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