Patent Issued for Using a distributed ledger for tracking VIN recordkeeping (USPTO 11776061): State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company

2023 OCT 23 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- From Alexandria, Virginia, NewsRx journalists report that a patent by the inventors Alt, Jacob J. (Downs, IL, US), Bellas, Eric (Bloomington, IL, US), Call, Shawn M. (Bloomington, IL, US), King, Vicki (Bloomington, IL, US), Leise, William J. (Normal, IL, US), Magerkurth, Melinda Teresa (Utica, IL, US), Moore, Eric R. (Heyworth, IL, US), Skaggs, Jaime (Chenoa, IL, US), filed on September 30, 2020, was published online on October 3, 2023.

The patent’s assignee for patent number 11776061 is State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (Bloomington, Illinois, United States).

News editors obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Conventional techniques associated with tracking and maintaining vehicles have limitations associated with tracking each vehicle’s current location, current owner, and/or current condition. Conventional techniques may also have other drawbacks.”

As a supplement to the background information on this patent, NewsRx correspondents also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “In one aspect, a computer-implemented method for creating a distributed ledger of transactions pertaining to a particular vehicle may be provided. The method may include: (1) receiving, by one or more processors and/or associated transceivers, vehicle data from one or more computing devices (e.g. user mobile devices, connected vehicles, dealership computers, and/or insurance provider remote servers), such as via wireless communication or data transmission over one or more radio frequency links or digital communication channels; (2) detecting, by the one or more processors, a change in a condition of the vehicle or vehicle-related event (e.g., initial vehicle purchase) from analysis of the vehicle data, the change in the condition of the vehicle being that the vehicle is a new vehicle and the vehicle is being purchased by an initial consumer or individual owner; (3) identifying, by the one or more processors, the VIN of the vehicle or retrieving the VIN from a memory unit or the vehicle when the change in a condition of the vehicle or vehicle-related event is detected; (4) identifying, by the one or more processors, a vehicle build (e.g., list of vehicle features) for the vehicle or retrieving the vehicle build from a memory unit or vehicle when the change in a condition of the vehicle or vehicle-related event is detected; (5) receiving, by the one or more processors and/or associated transceivers, an indication of vehicle lien or loan covering the vehicle and an identification of a bank or lender; (6) receiving, by the one or more processors and/or associated transceivers, an indication of an insurance policy covering the vehicle and an identification of an insurer; (7) receiving, by the one or more processors and/or associated transceivers, vehicle registration information for the vehicle from a department of motor vehicles; (8) creating, by the one or more processors, a distributed ledger for the vehicle that includes: the VIN, a description of the vehicle build; a description or details regarding the vehicle lien or loan; a description or details regarding the insurance policy covering the vehicle (e.g., coverages, limits, deductibles, and conditions), and an identification of the insurer; a name and address of the new owner; a driver’s license number of the new owner; and/or an indication that the vehicle is registered; and/or (9) transmitting, from one or more processors and/or associated transceivers to a server, the initial distributed ledger created associated with the vehicle to facilitate creating and/or maintaining a VIN-based distributed ledger for that particular vehicle. The method may include additional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

“In another aspect, a computer-implemented method for creating a VIN-based distributed ledger of transactions or events pertaining to a particular vehicle may be provided. The method may include (1) receiving, by one or more processors and/or transceivers, vehicle, title, ownership, insurance, registration, maintenance, repair, or financial data from one or more remote computing devices (e.g. user mobile devices, connected vehicles, vehicle sensors, vehicle manufacturer remote servers, bank remote servers, insurance provider remote servers, or repair facility remote servers), such as via wireless communication or data transmission over one or more radio frequency links or digital communication channels; (2) detecting, by the one or more processors, a vehicle-related event for the vehicle from analysis of the vehicle or other data received; (3) identifying, by the one or more processors, the VIN of the vehicle or retrieving the VIN from a memory unit or the vehicle (or the vehicle’s processor or memory) when the vehicle-related event is detected; (4) creating, by the one or more processors, a VIN-based distributed ledger for the vehicle when the vehicle-related event is detected; (5) generating, by the one or more processors, a transaction or event (i) including the vehicle’s VIN, (ii) describing the vehicle-related event for the vehicle, and/or (iii) detailing a current status, owner, and/or location of the vehicle; and/or (6) adding, by the one or more processors, the transaction or event to the VIN-based distributed ledger for the vehicle to facilitate creating a VIN-based distributed ledger detailing vehicle-related events for the particular vehicle. The method may include additional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

“In yet another aspect, a computer system configured for creating a distributed ledger of transactions pertaining to a particular vehicle may be provided. The computer system may include one or more processors, sensors, servers, and transceivers configured to: (1) receive vehicle data from one or more computing devices; (2) detect a change in a condition of the vehicle from analysis of the vehicle data, the change in the condition of the vehicle is that the vehicle is a new vehicle and the vehicle is being purchased by an initial consumer; (3) identify the VIN of the vehicle when the change in a condition of the vehicle is detected; (4) identify a vehicle build for the vehicle when the change in a condition of the vehicle is detected; (5) receive an indication of a vehicle lien covering the vehicle and an identification of a lender; (6) receive an indication of an insurance policy covering the vehicle and an identification of an insurer; (7) receive vehicle registration information for the vehicle from a department of motor vehicles; (8) create a distributed ledger for the vehicle that includes: the VIN, a description of the vehicle build; a description or details regarding the vehicle lien or loan; a description or details regarding the insurance policy covering the vehicle, and an identification of the insurer; a name and address of the new owner; and an indication that the vehicle is registered; and/or (9) transmit the initial distributed ledger created associated with vehicle to facilitate maintaining a VIN-based distributed ledger for that particular vehicle. The system may include additional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

“The method may be implemented via computer systems, and may include additional, less, or alternate actions or functionality. Systems or computer-readable media storing instructions for implementing all or part of the method described above may also be provided in some aspects. Systems for implementing such methods may include one or more of the following: a special-purpose computing device, a personal electronic device, a processing unit of a vehicle, a remote server, one or more sensors, one or more communication modules configured to communicate wirelessly via radio links, radio frequency links, and/or wireless communication channels, and/or one or more program memories coupled to one or more processors of the personal electronic device, processing unit of the vehicle, or remote server. Such program memories may store instructions to cause the one or more processors to implement part or all of the method described above. Additional or alternative features described herein below may be included in some aspects.

“Advantages will become more apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the following description of the preferred aspects, which have been shown and described by way of illustration. As will be realized, the present aspects may be capable of other and different aspects, and their details are capable of modification in various respects. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A computer-implemented method for aadding to a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)-based distributed ledger of transactions or events pertaining to a vehicle, the method comprising: receiving, by one or more processors, vehicle data from one or more computing devices; detecting, by the one or more processors, a vehicle-related event for the vehicle from analysis of the vehicle or other data received; retrieving a VIN from the vehicle when the vehicle-related event is detected; generating, by the one or more processors, a transaction or event (i) including the vehicle’s VIN, (ii) describing the vehicle-related event for the vehicle, and/or (iii) detailing a current status, owner, and/or location of the vehicle; and adding, by the one or more processors, the transaction or event to the VIN-based distributed ledger detailing vehicle-related events for the vehicle.

“2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the method further comprising: monitoring, by one or more processors, one or more vehicle conditions; detecting, by the one or more processors, a change in a condition of the vehicle; identifying, by the one or more processors, the VIN of the vehicle; generating, by the one or more processors, a transaction (i) including the vehicle’s VIN, and (ii) describing the detected change in the condition of the vehicle; and transmitting, to a server, the transaction to facilitate maintaining VIN-based distributed ledger for the vehicle.

“3. The method of claim 2, wherein the change in a condition of the vehicle relates to a change in ownership information, title status, lienholder information, lien payoff amount, insurance policy date, insurance claim date, vehicle build data, maintenance data, telematics data, odometer data, or combinations thereof.

“4. The method of claim 2, wherein the vehicle data is received from a server associated with a vehicle manufacturer, repair facility, or bank, and indicates the change in a condition of the vehicle.

“5. The method of claim 2, wherein the vehicle data, vehicle sensor data, or vehicle condition data is received from a remote computing device associated with a vehicle.

“6. The method of claim 2, wherein the change in a condition of the vehicle relates to a total loss, and the transaction describes the total loss, and a location thereof.

“7. The method of claim 2, wherein the change in a condition of the vehicle relates to a total loss, and the transaction describes the total loss, a location thereof, that the vehicle was involved in a vehicle collision with another vehicle, a determination of insurers of one or more vehicles involved in the vehicle collision, a vehicle loan payoff amount and an identification of a lienholder, an indication of salvage or auction proceeds, an indication of loan payoff, an indication of title transfer from a lienholder to an insurer, an indication of title transfer from an insurer to a salvage vendor, an indication of title transfer from a salvage vendor to a new vehicle owner, or combinations thereof.

“8. The method of claim 2, wherein the change in a condition of the vehicle relates to a total loss, and the transaction describes the total loss, a location thereof, a vehicle loan payoff amount, and an identification of a lienholder.

“9. The method of claim 2, wherein the change in a condition of the vehicle relates to a total loss, and one or more transactions are generated and added to the VIN-based distributed ledger describing the transfer of vehicle title from lienholder, to insurer, to salvage vendor, to a new owner, or to combinations thereof.

“10. The method of claim 2, wherein the change in a condition of the vehicle relates to vehicle financing, and the transaction describes terms of a vehicle loan, including interest rate, length of loan, and amount of payoff.

“11. The method of claim 2, wherein the change in a condition of the vehicle relates to an indication that the vehicle was involved in a vehicle collision, and the transaction provides an indication of whether the vehicle was covered by insurance, and if so, provides an identification and address of the insurer, and terms, conditions, limits, and coverages provided by the insurance policy.

“12. A computer system configured to add to a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)-based distributed ledger of transactions or events pertaining to a vehicle, the system comprising one or more processors, transceivers, sensors, and/or servers configured to: receive vehicle data from one or more computing devices; detect a vehicle-related event for the vehicle from analysis of the vehicle or other data received; retrieve a VIN from the vehicle when the vehicle-related event is detected; generate a transaction or event (i) including the vehicle’s VIN, (ii) describing the vehicle-related event for the vehicle, and/or (iii) detailing a current status, owner, and/or location of the vehicle; and add the transaction or event to the VIN-based distributed ledger detailing vehicle-related events for the vehicle.

“13. The computer system of claim 12, the system further configured to, via the one or more processors, transceivers, sensors, and/or servers: monitor one or more vehicle conditions; detect a change in a condition of the vehicle; identify the VIN of the vehicle; generate a transaction (i) including the vehicle’s VIN, and (ii) describing the detected change in the condition of the vehicle; and transmit the transaction to facilitate maintaining VIN-based distributed ledger for the vehicle.

“14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the change in a condition of the vehicle relates to a change in ownership information, title status, lienholder information, lien payoff amount, insurance policy date, insurance claim date, vehicle build data, maintenance data, telematics data, odometer data, or combinations thereof.

“15. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the vehicle data is received from a server associated with a vehicle manufacturer, repair facility, or bank, and indicates the change in a condition of the vehicle.

“16. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the vehicle data, vehicle sensor data, or vehicle condition data is received from a remote computing device associated with a vehicle.

“17. A computer system for adding to a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)-based distributed ledger of transactions or events pertaining to a vehicle, 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 vehicle data from one or more computing devices; detect a vehicle-related event for the vehicle from analysis of the vehicle or other data received; retrieve a VIN from the vehicle when the vehicle-related event is detected; generate a transaction or event (i) including the vehicle’s VIN, (ii) describing the vehicle-related event for the vehicle, and/or (iii) detailing a current status, owner, and/or location of the vehicle; and add the transaction or event to the VIN-based distributed ledger detailing vehicle-related events for the vehicle.

“18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to: monitor one or more vehicle conditions; detect a change in a condition of the vehicle; identify the VIN of the vehicle; generate a transaction (i) including the vehicle’s VIN, and (ii) describing the detected change in the condition of the vehicle; and transmit the transaction to facilitate maintaining VIN-based distributed ledger for the vehicle.

“19. The computer system of claim 18, wherein the change in a condition of the vehicle relates to a change in ownership information, title status, lienholder information, lien payoff amount, insurance policy date, insurance claim date, vehicle build data, maintenance data, telematics data, odometer data, or combinations thereof.

“20. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to create the VIN-based distributed ledger for the vehicle when the vehicle-related event is detected.”

For additional information on this patent, see: Alt, Jacob J. Using a distributed ledger for tracking VIN recordkeeping. U.S. Patent Number 11776061, filed September 30, 2020, and published online on October 3, 2023. Patent URL (for desktop use only): https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/external.html?q=(11776061)&db=USPAT&type=ids

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