Patent Issued for Systems and methods to remotely monitor machine usage (USPTO 11983778): Hartford Fire Insurance Company

2024 MAY 31 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Hartford Fire Insurance Company (Hartford, Connecticut, United States) has been issued patent number 11983778, according to news reporting originating out of Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx editors.

The patent’s inventors are Kannappan, Nandini (Lewis Center, OH, US), King, Maureen (Burlington, CT, US), Lamoureux, Matthew (Glastonbury, CT, US), Walsh, Connor (Lake Forest, IL, US).

This patent was filed on May 12, 2022 and was published online on May 14, 2024.

From the background information supplied by the inventors, news correspondents obtained the following quote: “Machines, such as motor vehicles and the like, may be used by operators. In some cases, a machine is associated with a risk relationship with an enterprise, such as insurer. The level of risk associated with the machine may be based on, among other factors, how much the machine is utilized (e.g., how far a vehicle was driven). When asked, operators of machines might misrepresent or underrepresent how they use their machines. Sometimes such misrepresentations are intentional to enable the user to obtain certain benefits. Other times, operators do not even realize how much they operate the machine. As such, a need exists for electronics for remotely monitoring the use of a machine. Moreover, it may be desirable to provide systems and methods for remotely monitoring the use of a machine that provides secure, accurate results.”

Supplementing the background information on this patent, NewsRx reporters also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “According to some embodiments, systems, methods, apparatus, computer program code and means are provided for remotely monitoring the use of a machine that provides secure, accurate results and that allow for flexibility and effectiveness when responding to those results. Some embodiments may monitor utilization of a machine. A risk relationship data store may contain electronic records that represent a plurality of risk relationships with an enterprise. A device located proximate to the machine includes a plurality of sensors, each sensor configured to monitor at least one parameter (e.g., acceleration, speed, mileage, run-time and location sensors, etc.). A back-end application computer server may calculate an operator behavior score and a machine operation score based on sensor signals. The computer server may also determine a machine characteristics score and an amount of utilization associated with the machine. A risk relationship identifier associated with the machine is identified, and the computer server may automatically and dynamically update a resource amount associated with the risk relationship identifier based on the operator behavior score, the machine operation score, the machine characteristics score, and the amount of utilization associated with the machine.

“Some embodiments comprise: means for accessing, by a back-end application computer server, a risk relationship data store that contains electronic records representing, for each of a plurality of risk relationships with an enterprise: a risk relationship identifier, at least one attribute value, and a resource amount; means for receiving, at the back-end application computer server, machine information representing utilization of the machine, including at least one of geo-position information and machine kinematics data, via a distributed communication network; means for determining a risk relationship identifier associated with the received machine information; based on the received machine information, means for calculating an operator behavior score; based on the received machine information, means for calculating a machine operation score; means for determining a machine characteristics score; means for determining an amount of utilization associated with the machine; means for automatically and dynamically updating a resource amount associated with the determined risk relationship identifier based on the operator behavior score, the machine operation score, the machine characteristics score, and the amount of utilization associated with the machine; and means for updating the appropriate electronic record in the risk relationship data store with the updated resource amount.

“In some embodiments, a communication device associated with a back-end application computer server exchanges information with remote devices in connection with an interactive graphical user interface. The information may be exchanged, for example, via public and/or proprietary communication networks.

“A technical effect of some embodiments of the invention is an improved and computerized way for remotely monitoring the use of a machine that provides secure, accurate results. With these and other advantages and features that will become hereinafter apparent, a more complete understanding of the nature of the invention can be obtained by referring to the following detailed description and to the drawings appended hereto.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A system configured to monitor utilization of a machine, comprising: a risk relationship data store containing electronic records that represent, for each of a plurality of risk relationships with an enterprise: a risk relationship identifier, at least one attribute value, and an initial resource amount; a device located proximate to the machine, including: a plurality of hardware sensors, each sensor configured to monitor at least one parameter, the plurality of sensors selected from acceleration, speed, mileage, run-time and location sensors, each sensor generating a sensor signal encapsulating the monitored parameter and transmitting the generated sensor signal, a control unit including a control unit memory that receives and stores the transmitted sensor signals and selectively combines the sensor signals, and a control unit transmitter coupled to the control unit that transmits the combined signal; a transceiver remote from the machine that receives the transmitted combined signal, and stores the combined signal in a memory unit, and a processor that processes the combined signal to capture the signal from each of the plurality of sensors, the transceiver including a back-end application computer server to: (i) calculate an operator behavior score based on the sensor signals, (ii) calculate a machine operation score based on the sensor signals, (iii) determine a machine characteristics score, (iv) determine an amount of utilization associated with the machine, (v) identify a risk relationship identifier associated with the machine, (vi) automatically and dynamically generate an updated resource amount different from the initial resource amount, the updated resource amount associated with the risk relationship identifier based on the operator behavior score, the machine operation score, the machine characteristics score, and the amount of utilization associated with the machine; (vii) automatically and dynamically generate feedback based on the operator behavior score, the machine operation score, the machine characteristics score, and the amount of utilization associated with the machine, and (viii) automatically and dynamically cause a physical alteration of operation of the machine in response to the feedback, wherein the physical alteration physically changes a state of operation of the machine from a first state to a second state and the first state is different from the second state; and an operator interface for providing an indication of the updated resource amount via a distributed communication network.

“2. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine is a vehicle, the operator is a driver of the vehicle, and the utilization of the vehicle is associated with a distance driven by the vehicle.

“3. The system of claim 2, wherein the enterprise is an insurer, the risk relationship is an automobile insurance policy, and the resource amount comprises an insurance premium of the automobile insurance policy.

“4. The system of claim 3, wherein the operator behavior score is associated with at least one of: (i) vehicle speed, (ii) vehicle acceleration, (iii) vehicle braking, (iv) distracted driving, and (v) a vehicle cornering characteristic.

“5. The system of claim 3, wherein the machine operation score is associated with at least one of: (i) a time of day, (ii) a location, (iii) a type of road, (iv) weather information, (v) an amount of traffic, (vi) a distance to another vehicle, (vii) operation of other machines in similar conditions, (viii) a risk hotspot, (ix) a distance to an intersection, and (x) a route familiarity characteristic.

“6. The system of claim 3, wherein the machine characteristics score is associated with at least one of: (i) anti-lock brakes, (ii) cruise control, (iii) adaptive headlights, (iv) an autonomous operation feature, (v) a camera, (vi) an automatic braking feature, (vii) a brake warning feature, (viii) a parking feature, and (ix) a lane departure warning.

“7. The system of claim 3, wherein the sensors include at least one of: (i) a smartphone, (ii) a tag, (iii) an On-Board Diagnostics (“OBD”) device, and (iv) a device installed in the vehicle.

“8. The system of claim 3, wherein the back-end application computer server is further to communicate with at least one of: (i) a claims engine, (ii) a reporting engine, (iii) a rating engine, and (iv) a digital engine.

“9. The system of claim 3, wherein the back-end application computer server includes an account balance management engine adapted to perform at least one of: (i) maintain a payment card associated with the automobile insurance policy, (ii) automatically arrange for a payment based on the updated insurance premium, (iii) maintain a balance for the automobile insurance policy, (iv) manage a subscription for the automobile insurance policy, and (v) automatically initiate a payment when the balance falls below a pre-determined threshold amount.

“10. The system of claim 3, wherein the automobile insurance policy comprises at least one of: (i) a potential automobile insurance policy, (ii) a newly issued automobile insurance policy, and (iii) an automobile insurance policy renewal.

“11. The system of claim 3, wherein the back-end application computer server targets the driver with an insurance offer based on the sensor signals.

“12. The system of claim 1, wherein the feedback is at least one of a visual indication and an audible indication provided via a communication address associated with a mobile personal communication device of the operator of the machine.

“13. The system of claim 1 wherein the machine is a vehicle and physically altering operation of the vehicle includes at least one of: (i) applying brakes, (ii) lowering a volume of a radio, and (iii) steering from a remote location.

“14. A computerized method associated with a risk relationship between an enterprise and an entity in connection with a machine, comprising: accessing, by a back-end application computer server, a risk relationship data store that contains electronic records representing, for each of a plurality of risk relationships with an enterprise: a risk relationship identifier, at least one attribute value, and an initial resource amount; receiving, at the back-end application computer server, machine information representing utilization of the machine, including at least one of geo-position information and machine kinematics data, via a distributed communication network; determining a risk relationship identifier associated with the received machine information; based on the received machine information, calculating an operator behavior score; based on the received machine information, calculating a machine operation score; determining a machine characteristics score; determining an amount of utilization associated with the machine; automatically and dynamically generating an updated resource amount different from the initial resource amount, the updated resource amount associated with the determined risk relationship identifier based on the operator behavior score, the machine operation score, the machine characteristics score, and the amount of utilization associated with the machine; updating an appropriate electronic record in the risk relationship data store with the updated resource amount; automatically and dynamically generating feedback based on the operator behavior score, the machine operation score, the machine characteristics score, and the amount of utilization associated with the machine; and automatically and dynamically physically altering operation of the machine in response to the feedback, wherein the physical alteration physically changes a state of operation of the machine from a first state to a second state and the first state is different from the second state.

“15. The method of claim 14, wherein the machine is a vehicle, the operator is a driver of the vehicle, and the utilization of the vehicle is associated with a distance driven by the vehicle.

“16. The method of claim 15, wherein the enterprise is an insurer, the risk relationship is an automobile insurance policy, and the resource amount comprises an insurance premium of the automobile insurance policy.

“17. The method of claim 16, wherein the operator behavior score is associated with at least one of: (i) vehicle speed, (ii) vehicle acceleration, (iii) vehicle braking, (iv) distracted driving, and (v) a vehicle cornering characteristic.

“18. The method of claim 16, wherein the machine operation score is associated with at least one of: (i) a time of day, (ii) a location, (iii) a type of road, (iv) weather information, (v) an amount of traffic, (vi) a distance to another vehicle, (vii) operation of other machines in similar conditions, (viii) a risk hotspot, (ix) a distance to an intersection, and (x) a route familiarity characteristic.

“19. The method of claim 16, wherein the machine characteristics score is associated with at least one of: (i) anti-lock brakes, (ii) cruise control, (iii) adaptive headlights, (iv) an autonomous operation feature, (v) a camera, (vi) an automatic braking feature, (vii) a brake warning feature, (viii) a parking feature, and (ix) a lane departure warning.

“20. The method of claim 16, wherein the machine information is received from a plurality of sensors including at least one of: (i) a smartphone, (ii) a tag, (iii) an On-Board Diagnostics (“OBD”) device, and (iv) a device installed in the vehicle.

“21. The method of claim 16, wherein the back-end application computer server is further to communicate with at least one of: (i) a claims engine, (ii) a reporting engine, (iii) a rating engine, and (iv) a digital engine.”

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

For the URL and additional information on this patent, see: Kannappan, Nandini. Systems and methods to remotely monitor machine usage. U.S. Patent Number 11983778, filed May 12, 2022, and published online on May 14, 2024. Patent URL (for desktop use only): https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/external.html?q=(11983778)&db=USPAT&type=ids

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