Patent Issued for Systems and methods for surface segment data (USPTO 11030700)

2021 JUN 24 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- According to news reporting originating from Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx journalists, a patent by the inventors Collins, Dean M. (Manchester, CT, US), Cote, Gregory L. (Granby, CT, US), Hayes, Christopher M. (Wethersfield, CT, US), Tirone, Beth S. (Hebron, CT, US), filed on March 11, 2019, was published online on June 8, 2021.

The assignee for this patent, patent number 11030700, is The Travelers Indemnity Company (Hartford, Connecticut, United States).

Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Insurance companies assess risk and calculate premiums for insurance products based on many factors and often utilize complex mathematical equations and models to do so. The accuracy with which these companies are able to assess, manage, and/or mitigate risk and properly price their premiums has great impact on their profitability and ultimate success. Yet, despite the importance of these functions to the insurance industry, previous practices have failed to take into account information that may greatly increase accuracy and reliability of risk assessment and premium determinations and the effectiveness and benefits of risk control measures.”

In addition to obtaining background information on this patent, NewsRx editors also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “SUMMARY:”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A system, comprising: a specially-programmed electronic controller device; an electronic telematics device coupled to a vehicle and in communication with the specially-programmed electronic controller device via a wireless electronic network; and a non-transitory electronic memory device in communication with the specially-programmed electronic controller device, the non-transitory electronic memory device storing (i) risk parameter data in relation to surface segment types, and (ii) specially-programmed instructions that when executed by the specially-programmed electronic controller device result in: identifying, based on data received from the electronic telematics device and via the wireless electronic network, first information descriptive of an amount of time the vehicle spends on a first type of surface segment, the first information being recorded by the electronic telematics device based on a measuring, by the electronic telematics device, of a first physical parameter that is indicative of the first type of surface segment; identifying, based on data received from the electronic telematics device and via the wireless electronic network, second information descriptive of an amount of time the vehicle spends on a second type of surface segment, the second information being recorded by the electronic telematics device based on a measuring, by the electronic telematics device, of a second physical parameter that is indicative of the second type of surface segment; identifying, by accessing the risk parameter data stored in the non-transitory electronic memory device, a first risk metric of the first type of surface segment; identifying, by accessing the risk parameter data stored in the non-transitory electronic memory device, a second risk metric of the second type of surface segment; calculating, based on (i) the amount of time the vehicle spends on the first type of surface segment and (ii) the first risk metric, a first risk exposure; calculating, based on (i) the amount of time the vehicle spends on the second type of surface segment and (ii) the second risk metric, a second risk exposure; and calculating, based at least in part on the first and second risk exposures, an insurance rate for the vehicle.

“2. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the specially-programmed electronic controller device, further result in: identifying first weather condition information for at least one portion of time the vehicle spends on the first type of surface segment; and identifying a first weather risk metric for the first weather condition information for the at least one portion of the time the vehicle spends on the first type of surface segment; wherein the first risk metric of the first type of surface segment comprises the first weather risk metric.

“3. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed by the specially-programmed electronic controller device, further result in: identifying second weather condition information for at least one portion of time the vehicle spends on the second type of surface segment; and identifying a second weather risk metric for the second weather condition information for the at least one portion of the time the vehicle spends on the second type of surface segment; wherein the second risk metric of the second type of surface segment comprises the second weather risk metric.

“4. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the first information descriptive of the amount of time the vehicle spends on the first type of surface segment, comprises: identifying telematic device location information descriptive of the vehicle being located on a surface segment of the first type; and identifying telematic device timing information descriptive of the amount of time the vehicle spends on the surface segment of the first type.

“5. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the first information descriptive of the amount of time the vehicle spends on the first type of surface segment, comprises: identifying telematic device elevation information descriptive of the vehicle being located on one of a plurality of roadways at a particular location, the one of the plurality of roadways comprising the surface segment of the first type.

“6. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the second information descriptive of the amount of time the vehicle spends on the second type of surface segment, comprises: identifying telematic device location information descriptive of the vehicle being located on a surface segment of the second type; and identifying telematic device timing information descriptive of the amount of time the vehicle spends on the surface segment of the second type.

“7. The system of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the first information descriptive of the amount of time the vehicle spends on the second type of surface segment, comprises: identifying telematic device elevation information descriptive of the vehicle being located on one of a plurality of roadways at a particular location, the one of the plurality of roadways comprising the surface segment of the second type.

“8. The system of claim 1, wherein the insurance rate comprises an initial insurance premium rate plan.

“9. The system of claim 1, wherein the insurance rate comprises an adjustment to an initial insurance premium rate plan.

“10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first risk metric of the first type of surface segment comprises a risk metric based at least in part on one or more of: (i) a surface material of the first type of surface segment; (ii) a geometric characteristic of the first type of surface segment; (iii) a wildlife condition adjacent to the first type of surface segment; (iv) a construction status of the first type of surface segment; and (v) a lighting characteristic of the first type of surface segment.

“11. The system of claim 1, wherein the second risk metric of the second type of surface segment comprises a risk metric based at least in part on one or more of: (i) a surface material of the second type of surface segment; (ii) a geometric characteristic of the second type of surface segment; (iii) a wildlife condition adjacent to the second type of surface segment; (iv) a construction status of the second type of surface segment; and (v) a lighting characteristic of the second type of surface segment.

“12. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second risk metrics are different.

“13. The system of claim 1, wherein the insurance rate for the vehicle is further based at least in part on at least one of: (i) a risk exposure of a driver of the vehicle; and (ii) a risk exposure of a vehicle type of the vehicle.

“14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first type of surface segment comprises an asphalt road type and the second type of surface segment comprises a concrete road type.

“15. The system of claim 1, wherein the first type of surface segment comprises at least one of a first type of subbase material, a first type of road base material, and a first type of sealcoat surface material, and the second type of surface segment comprises at least one of a second type of subbase material, a second type of road base material, and a second type of sealcoat surface material.

“16. The system of claim 1, wherein the first type of surface segment comprises a roadway with a guardrail and the second type of surface segment comprises a roadway without a guardrail.

“17. The system of claim 1, wherein the first type of surface segment comprises a roadway with an overpass and the second type of surface segment comprises a roadway without an overpass.”

For more information, see this patent: Collins, Dean M. Systems and methods for surface segment data. U.S. Patent Number 11030700, filed March 11, 2019, and published online on June 8, 2021. 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=11030700.PN.&OS=PN/11030700RS=PN/11030700

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