Patent Issued for Vehicle Image And Sound Data Gathering For Insurance Rating Purposes (USPTO 10,373,264)
2019 AUG 20 (NewsRx) -- By a
Patent number 10,373,264 is assigned to
The following quote was obtained by the news editors from the background information supplied by the inventors: “In vehicle insurance, insurance providers generally seek to determine an insurance policy premium for a vehicle based on the risk of losses associated with the condition of the vehicle. For purposes of making this determination, it is well understood that various vehicle conditions can influence the probability that the vehicle will experience a loss that is recognizable under the policy. For example, mileage accrued on the vehicle can affect the overall operating condition of the vehicle. As such, vehicles with less mileage or that are driven less generally have a lower risk of loss, and therefore may be offered lower premiums for a given level of coverage. Conversely, vehicles with high mileage or that are driven often correspond to a higher risk of loss, and therefore may be offered higher premiums for the same level of coverage.
“Currently, insurance providers have limited or inadequate access to information regarding vehicle condition. Most of the information is gathered through questionnaires provided to prospective policy holders who own or operate the vehicle. However, responses obtained from the questionnaires may not always be accurate or complete. Thus, the determined insurance policy premium for the vehicle may be poorly correlated with the actual risk of losses associated with the conditions of the vehicle.”
In addition to the background information obtained for this patent, NewsRx journalists also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “The features and advantages described in this summary and the following detailed description are not all-inclusive. Many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings, specification, and claims hereof. Additionally, other embodiments may omit one or more (or all) of the features and advantages described in this summary.
“A computer-implemented method for providing vehicle insurance may include receiving, via one or more processors, data associated with a vehicle. The data may be captured by a sensor of a computing device and includes image data recorded by a photo sensor of the computing device and sound data recorded by an audio sensor of the computing device. The method may also compare, via one or more processors, the received data to stored baseline vehicle data to determine an operating condition of the vehicle, the stored baseline vehicle data including a baseline vehicle image or baseline engine sound model. Further, the method may identify, via one or more processors, a risk of loss for the vehicle based on the determined operating condition of the vehicle, where the risk of loss includes the image data deviating from the baseline image by a threshold amount or the sound data recorded by the audio sensor of the computing device deviating from the baseline engine sound model by a threshold amount. The method may then determine, via one or more processors, an insurance premium for the vehicle based at least in part on the identified risk of loss. Finally, the method may provide, via one or more processors, the determined insurance premium to a user.
“A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer-readable instructions to be executed on one or more processors of a system for providing vehicle insurance. The instructions when executed causing the one or more processors to receive data associated with a vehicle. The data may be captured by a sensor of a computing device. The instructions when executed, may also cause the one or more processors to compare the received data to stored baseline vehicle data to determine an operating condition of the vehicle. Further, the instructions when executed, may cause the one or more processors to identify a risk of loss for the vehicle based on the determined operating condition of the vehicle. The instructions when executed, may then cause the one or more processors to determine an insurance premium for the vehicle based at least in part on the identified risk of loss. Finally, the instructions when executed, may cause the one or more processors to provide the determined insurance premium to a user.
“A computer system for providing vehicle insurance may comprise a vehicle data repository and an insurance server that includes a memory having instructions for execution on one or more processors. The instructions when executed by the one or more processors, may cause the insurance server to retrieve, via a network connection, sound data associated with a vehicle from the vehicle data repository. The instructions when executed by the one or more processors, may also retrieve, via a network connection, baseline engine sound model data from the vehicle data repository. Further, the instructions when executed by the one or more processors, may compare the sound data associated with the vehicle with the baseline engine sound model to determine an operating condition of the vehicle. The instructions when executed by the one or more processors, may identify a risk of loss for the vehicle based on the determined operating condition of the vehicle, wherein the risk of loss includes the sound data recorded by the audio sensor of the computing device deviating from the baseline engine sound model by a threshold amount. The instructions when executed by the one or more processors, may then determine an insurance premium for the vehicle based at least in part on the identified risk of loss. Finally, the instructions when executed by the one or more processors, may provide, via a network connection, the determined insurance premium to a user.”
The claims supplied by the inventors are:
“We claim:
“1. A computer-implemented method for providing vehicle insurance, the method comprising: receiving, by one or more processors executing a processor-implemented instruction module, data associated with a vehicle captured by a sensor of a computing device, wherein the data includes sound data produced by the vehicle and captured by an audio sensor of the computing device, the sound data having a particular frequency; analyzing, by the processor-implemented instruction module, the received data to determine an operating condition of the vehicle, wherein determining the operating condition of the vehicle includes comparing the particular frequency of the sound data captured by the audio sensor to a baseline frequency of a baseline engine sound model; determining, by the processor-implemented instruction module, a deviation between the particular frequency of the sound data and the baseline frequency of the baseline engine sound model; identifying, by the processor-implemented instruction module, a beginning or ending of a trip using the vehicle based at least in part on the sound data captured by the audio sensor of the computing device, wherein the beginning of the trip causes collection of vehicle usage data; calculating, by the processor-implemented instruction module, a risk of loss for the vehicle based upon the deviation and the collected vehicle usage data; and determining, by the processor-implemented instruction module, an insurance rating for the vehicle based at least in part on the calculated risk of loss and providing by the processor-implemented instruction module, the determined insurance rating to a user.
“2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the received data further includes image data captured by an imaging sensor of the computing device.
“3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the imaging sensor includes one or more of a camera or a video recorder, and the audio sensor includes a microphone.
“4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the image data includes a captured odometer reading indicating a mileage of the vehicle and the sound data includes a recorded engine sound while the vehicle is running.
“5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the image data further includes a captured image of the vehicle indicating an appearance of the vehicle including a vehicle make, a vehicle model, a vehicle model year, paint conditions of the vehicle, tire conditions of the vehicle, window conditions of the vehicle, interior conditions of the vehicle, dents on the vehicle, scratches on the vehicle, or other vehicle defects.
“6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the processor-implemented instruction module, vehicle owner or operator data associated with an owner or operator of the vehicle, and identifying the risk of loss for the vehicle is further based on comparing the received vehicle owner or operator data to stored vehicle owner or operator statistics.
“7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the vehicle owner or operator data includes one or more of an age, gender, or marital status of the vehicle owner or operator, a home address of the vehicle owner or operator, how the vehicle is used by the vehicle owner or operator, where the vehicle is driven to by the vehicle owner or operator, how many miles driven by the vehicle owner or operator, how many speeding tickets that the vehicle owner or operator has, how many auto accidents that the vehicle owner or operator has been involved in, or how many previous vehicle insurance claims that the vehicle owner or operator has previously filed.
“8. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising: receiving, by the processor-implemented instruction module, updated image data, sound data or vehicle owner or operator data associated with the vehicle; and calculating, by the processor-implemented instruction module, an adjustment for the determined insurance rating based on the updated image data, sound data or vehicle owner or operator data.
“9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium including computer-readable instructions to be executed on one or more processors of a system for providing vehicle insurance, the instructions when executed causing the one or more processors to: receive, by a processor-implemented instruction module, data associated with a vehicle captured by a sensor of a computing device, wherein the data includes sound data produced by the vehicle and captured by an audio sensor of the computing device, the sound data having a particular frequency; analyze, by the processor-implemented instruction module, the received data to determine an operating condition of the vehicle, wherein determining the operating condition of the vehicle includes comparing the particular frequency of the sound data captured by the audio sensor to a baseline frequency of a baseline engine sound model; determine, by the processor-implemented instruction module, a deviation between the particular frequency of the sound data and the baseline frequency of the baseline engine sound model; identify, by the processor-implemented instruction module, a beginning or ending of a trip using the vehicle based at least in part on the sound data captured by the audio sensor of the computing device, wherein the beginning of the trip causes collection of vehicle usage data; calculate, by the processor-implemented instruction module, a risk of loss for the vehicle based upon the deviation and the collected vehicle usage data; and determine, by the processor-implemented instruction module, an insurance rating for the vehicle based at least in part on the calculated risk of loss and provide, by the processor-implemented instruction module, the determined insurance rating to a user.
“10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the received data further includes image data captured by an imaging sensor of the computing device.
“11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the imaging sensor includes one or more of a camera or a video recorder, and the audio sensor includes a microphone.
“12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the image data includes a captured odometer reading indicating a mileage of the vehicle and the sound data includes a recorded engine sound while the vehicle is running.
“13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the image data further includes a captured image of the vehicle indicating an appearance of the vehicle including a vehicle make, a vehicle model, a vehicle model year, paint conditions of the vehicle, tire conditions of the vehicle, window conditions of the vehicle, interior conditions of the vehicle, dents on the vehicle, scratches on the vehicle, or other vehicle defects.
“14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, further including instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to receive, by the processor-implemented instruction module, vehicle owner or operator data associated with an owner or operator of the vehicle, and wherein the instructions to identify the risk of loss for the vehicle include identifying the risk of loss based on comparing the received vehicle owner or operator data to stored vehicle owner or operator statistics.
“15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the vehicle owner or operator data includes one or more of an age, gender, or marital status of the vehicle owner or operator, a home address of the vehicle owner or operator, how the vehicle is used by the vehicle owner or operator, where the vehicle is driven to by the vehicle owner or operator, how many miles driven by the vehicle owner or operator, how many speeding tickets that the vehicle owner or operator has, how many auto accidents that the vehicle owner or operator has been involved in, how many previous vehicle insurance claims that the vehicle owner or operator has previously filed, or other relevant information.
“16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, further including instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to: receive, by the processor-implemented instruction module, updated image data, sound data or vehicle owner or operator data associated with the vehicle; and calculate, by the processor-implemented instruction module, an adjustment for the determined insurance rating based on the updated image data, sound data or vehicle owner or operator data.
“17. A computer system for providing vehicle insurance, the system comprising: a vehicle data repository; and an insurance server, including a memory having instructions for execution on one or more processors, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the insurance server to: retrieve, via a network connection, sound data produced by a vehicle, the sound data having a particular frequency; retrieve, from the vehicle data repository, via a network connection, stored baseline vehicle data, wherein the stored baseline vehicle data comprises a baseline engine sound model having a baseline frequency; compare, by the one or more processors executing one or more processor-implemented instruction modules, the particular frequency of the sound data produced by the vehicle with the baseline frequency of the baseline engine sound model to determine an operating condition of the vehicle; determine, by the one or more processors executing one or more processor-implemented instruction modules, a deviation between the particular frequency of the sound data and the baseline frequency of the baseline engine sound model; identify, by the one or more processors executing one or more processor-implemented instruction modules, a beginning or ending of a trip using the vehicle based at least in part on the sound data produced by the vehicle, wherein the beginning of the trip causes collection of vehicle usage data; calculate, by the one or more processors executing one or more processor-implemented instruction modules, a risk of loss for the vehicle based upon the deviation and the collected vehicle usage data; and determine, by the one or more processors executing the one or more processor-implemented instruction modules, an insurance rating for the vehicle based at least in part on the calculated risk of loss and provide via a network connection, the determined insurance rating to a user.
“18. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the instructions of the insurance server, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the insurance server to: retrieve, via the network connection, vehicle owner or operator data associated with an owner or operator of the vehicle; retrieve, via the network connection, vehicle owner or operator statistics; and identify, by the one or more processors executing the one or more processor-implemented instruction modules, the risk of loss based on comparing the vehicle owner or operator data to the vehicle owner or operator statistics.
“19. The computer system of claim 17, wherein the instructions of the insurance server, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the insurance server to: retrieve, via the network connection, updated data including image data, updated sound data or vehicle owner or operator data associated with the vehicle from the vehicle data repository; and calculate, by the one or more processors executing the one or more processor-implemented instruction modules, an adjustment tar the determined insurance rating based on the image data, updated sound data or vehicle owner or operator data.
“20. The computer system at claim 19, wherein the image data includes a captured odometer reading indicating a mileage of the vehicle, and the updated sound data includes a further recording of engine sound while the vehicle is running.”
URL and more information on this patent, see: Christensen, Scott T.; Hayward, Gregory; Gay, Christopher E.; Cielocha, Steven; Binion, Todd. Vehicle Image And Sound Data Gathering For Insurance Rating Purposes.
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