“Tow And Emergency Roadside Assistance Locating And Tracking Mobile Application” in Patent Application Approval Process (USPTO 20230024931): State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company

2023 FEB 09 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- A patent application by the inventors Alt, Jacob (Downs, IL, US); Clarenson, Matthew (Chatham, IL, US); Curtis, Michelle Ann (Heyworth, IL, US); Davis, Justin (Normal, IL, US); Dulee, George T. (Bloomington, IL, US); Smith, Natalie R. (Alpharetta, GA, US), filed on September 22, 2022, was made available online on January 26, 2023, according to news reporting originating from Washington, D.C., by NewsRx correspondents.

This patent application 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: “Existing software-based and mobile device-based systems for aiding motorists seeking roadside assistance rely on a fractured collection of information databases and lack effective means for adequate real-time quality and security control. For example, the most common method for a motorist to locate and obtain tow assistance involves opening a web browser or mobile application, searching a provider aggregation or mapping database for a provider in the area, and contacting the provider of choice. Occasionally, the motorist may access a provider review database to obtain information regarding one or more such providers before selecting one to contact. Such steps, when taken, involve accessing different information databases, leading to longer waits and complicated search efforts.

“Motorists’ fragmented reliance on multiple databases and database operators also hinders the ability of operators and providers to effectively track service calls from start to completion. For example, a review website operator may capture a subset of its users’ subjective thoughts regarding provider efficacy; but such an approach does not capture other details regarding the providers’ performance with non-reporting motorists and with respect to unreported aspects of service calls. Attempts to obtain such information directly from providers are even less likely to result in a trustworthy cross-section of data.

“Certain existing systems combine provider contact information and provider review databases for access at a single URL or via a single mobile application. However, such systems rely on a patchwork of voluntarily-provided motorist feedback for quality and security control. Such feedback may be provided in the form of electronically-submitted comments or via survey soliciting numerical rankings and scalars that may be aggregated with other reviews to rate the providers. But the low response rate from motorists and the inevitable skew toward responses that are either unusually good or unusually bad tend to reduce the usefulness of these systems. Moreover, any security benefits motorists might realize are backward-looking; such solutions do not provide real-time information about the specific employee assigned to a motorist by a provider, nor about that employee’s progress on the job.

“There is therefore a need for a new system and method for aiding motorists in obtaining secure, location-based roadside resource matching and tracking.”

In addition to the background information obtained for this patent application, NewsRx journalists also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent application: “Embodiments of the present technology relate to systems and computer-implemented methods for dynamic roadside assistance coordination. The embodiments may provide comprehensive coverage of customer-side and provider-side activities throughout and in relation to service runs. The embodiments may also enable a system operator not only to provide useful real-time progress and security data to customers, but to maintain a rich and dynamic network of providers in which customers are informed by objective, system-observed data. These benefits may be realized by a network of customer software applications, a network of provider software applications, and an operations server for performing and coordinating the system of embodiments of the present technology.

“More particularly, in a first aspect, a system for providing dynamic roadside assistance coordination may be provided. The system may comprise a mobile electronic device of a provider. The provider mobile electronic device may execute a provider software application configured to obtain and transmit provider location information in connection with a service run by the provider. The system may also include a mobile electronic device of a customer. The customer mobile electronic device may execute a customer software application configured to obtain and transmit customer location information and to receive and display the provider location information on a screen. The system may further include an operations server having a memory element configured to store availability information associated with a plurality of roadside assistance service providers including the provider. The system may further include a processing element that executes an operations software application. The operations software application may be configured to receive the customer location information and compare the customer location information with the availability information to match the customer with the provider to facilitate providing roadside assistance to the customer or customer location. The system may include additional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

“In another aspect, a system for managing a dynamic roadside assistance network may be provided. The system may include a provider network having a plurality of copies of a provider software application installed separately on a plurality of provider mobile electronic devices belonging to a plurality of roadside assistance service providers. The provider software application may be configured to obtain and transmit provider location information in connection with the service runs. The system may further include a customer network having a plurality of copies of a customer software application installed separately on a plurality of customer mobile electronic devices belonging to a plurality of customers. The customer software application may be configured to obtain and transmit customer location information and to receive and display the provider location information on a screen. The system may further include an operations server having a memory element configured to store availability information associated with the plurality of roadside assistance service providers. The operations server may further have a processing element executing an operations software application. The operations software application may be configured to receive the customer location information and compare it to the availability, information to match the customer with at least one provider of the plurality of roadside assistance service providers. The system may include additional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

“In still another aspect, a system for facilitating roadside assistance may be provided. The system may include a mobile electronic device of a provider that executes a provider software application. The provider software application may be configured to obtain and transmit provider location information in connection with a service run by the provider. The system may further include a mobile electronic device of a customer that executes a customer software application. The customer software application may be configured to obtain and transmit customer location information and to receive and display the provider location information on a screen. The system may further include an operations server having a memory element configured to store availability information associated with a plurality of roadside assistance service providers including the provider. The operations server may further have a processing element that executes an operations software application. The operations software application may be configured to receive the customer location information and compare the customer location information with the availability information to match the customer with the provider. The system may include additional, less, or alternate functionality, including that discussed elsewhere herein.

“In still another aspect, a computer-implemented method for providing dynamic roadside assistance coordination may be provided. The method may include: (1) receiving customer location information from a mobile electronic device of a customer; (2) matching, via an operations server, the customer to a provider based upon the customer location information and availability information relating to a plurality of roadside assistance service providers including a provider; and/or (3) receiving provider location information of the provider relating to a service run from a provider mobile electronic device. The method may include additional, less, or alternate actions, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

“In still another aspect, another computer-implemented method for providing dynamic roadside assistance coordination may be provided. The method may include: (1) distributing a customer software application configured to transmit customer location information via a customer mobile electronic device; (2) matching, via an operations server, the customer to a provider based upon the customer location information and availability information relating to a plurality of roadside assistance service providers including the provider; and/or (3) distributing a provider software application configured to transmit provider location information of the provider on a service run via a provider mobile electronic device. The method may include additional, less, or alternate actions, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

“In still another aspect, a computer-implemented method for managing a dynamic roadside assistance network may be provided. The method may include: (1) providing a provider software application for execution on provider mobile electronic devices of a plurality of roadside assistance service providers, the provider software application being configured to obtain and transmit provider location information in connection with service runs; (2) providing a customer software application for execution on customer mobile electronic devices of a plurality of customers; the customer software application being configured to obtain and transmit customer location information and to receive and display the provider location information on a screen; (3) storing, via an operations server, availability information associated with the plurality of roadside assistance service providers; (4) receiving, via the operations server; the customer location information; and/or (5) comparing, via the operations server, the customer location information with the availability information to match the customer with a provider of the plurality of roadside assistance service providers. The method may include additional, less, or alternate actions, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

“In still another aspect, a computer-implemented method for facilitating roadside assistance may be provided. The method may include: (1) receiving customer location information from a mobile electronic device of a customer; (2) matching, via an operations server, the customer to a provider based upon the customer location information and availability information relating to a plurality of roadside assistance service providers including a provider; and/or (3) receiving provider location information of the provider relating to a service run from a provider mobile electronic device. The method may include additional, less; or alternate actions, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

“Advantages of these and other embodiments will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the exemplary embodiments which have been shown and described by way of illustration. As will be realized, the present embodiments described herein may be capable of other and different embodiments, 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 Figures depict exemplary embodiments for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following discussion that alternative embodiments of the systems and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention described herein.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1-20. (canceled)

“21. A computer-implemented method for operating electronic devices in connection with roadside services for a vehicle, comprising: receiving, by one or more processors, customer information associated with a customer requesting the roadside services, the customer information including customer identification information and vehicle location information representative of a location of the vehicle; receiving, by the one or more processors, provider identification information representative of a service individual providing the roadside services; receiving, by the one or more processors via a provider mobile electronic device associated with the service individual, provider location information representative of a location of the service individual; and providing, by the one or more processors via a customer electronic device and based upon the customer identification information, a graphical user interface including (1) an estimate of a time that the service individual will arrive at the location of the vehicle, (2) a map graphic illustrating the location of the vehicle and a current location of the service individual, and (3) the provider identification information.

“22. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, further comprising: receiving, by the one or more processors via the customer electronic device, a request for service provider status information; and providing the graphical user interface in response to the received request for service provider status information.

“23. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, further comprising: determining, by the one or more processors, the estimate of the time when the service individual will arrive at the customer vehicle location based upon the customer vehicle location and the service provider location information.

“24. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein providing the graphical user interface comprises providing a real-time map graphic.

“25. The computer-implemented method of claim 24, wherein providing the graphical user interface comprises continuously providing the current location of the service individual.

“26. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein providing the graphical user interface comprises continuously providing the current location of the service individual.

“27. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, further comprising: receiving, by the one or more processors via the service provider mobile electronic device, a photograph of the service individual; and providing the identifying information of the service individual comprises providing the photograph of the service individual.

“28. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein providing the identifying information of the service individual comprises providing one or both of an image of the service individual or the name of the service individual.

“29. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein receiving the service provider location information comprises receiving the service provider location information via a provider app on the provider mobile electronic device.

“30. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, further comprising: providing, by the one or more processors via the customer electronic device, a graphical user interface facilitating customer input of the customer information in connection with a request for the roadside services.

“31. The computer-implemented method of claim 30, wherein receiving the customer information comprises receiving the customer information via the graphical user interface on the customer electronic device.

“32. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein receiving the service provider location information comprises receiving geospatial location information from the provider mobile electronic device.

“33. The computer-implemented method of claim 21, wherein receiving the provider information comprises receiving the provider information via the provider mobile electronic device.

“34. The computer-implemented method if claim 21, wherein providing the graphical user interface comprises providing the graphical user interface via a customer app on the customer electronic device.

“35. A computer-implemented method for operating electronic devices in connection with roadside services for a vehicle, comprising: receiving, by one or more processors via a provider app on a provider mobile electronic device associated with a service individual providing the roadside services, provider identification information including an image and a name of the service individual; providing, by the one or more processors via a customer mobile electronic device, a graphical user interface facilitating customer input of a request for the roadside services; receiving, by the one or more processors via the customer mobile electronic device and the graphical user interface, customer information associated with a customer requesting the roadside services, wherein the request for roadside services includes customer identification information and vehicle location information representative of a location of the vehicle; receiving, by the one or more processors via the customer mobile electronic device and the graphical user interface, a request for service provider status information; receiving, by the one or more processors via the app on the provider mobile electronic device, provider location information representative of a location of the service individual; and providing, by the one or more processors via the customer mobile electronic device and the graphical user interface, (1) an estimate of a time that the service individual will arrive at the location of the vehicle, (2) a real-time map graphic illustrating the location of the vehicle and a current location of the service individual, and (3) the image and the name of the service individual.

“36. A computer system for operating electronic devices in connection with roadside services for 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 customer information associated with a customer requesting the roadside services, the customer information including customer identification information and vehicle location information representative of a location of the vehicle; receive provider identification information representative of a service individual providing the roadside services; receive via a provider mobile electronic device associated with the service individual, provider location information representative of a location of the service individual; and provide via a customer electronic device and based upon the customer identification information, a graphical user interface including (1) an estimate of a time that the service individual will arrive at the location of the vehicle, (2) a map graphic illustrating the location of the vehicle and a current location of the service individual, and (3) the provider identification information.

“37. The computer system of claim 36, wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to: provide a real-time map graphic illustrating the location of the vehicle and the current location of the service individual.

“38. The computer system of claim 36, wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to: receive the provider identification information via the provider mobile electronic device.

“39. The computer system of claim 37, wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to: receive the provider identification information comprising a photograph of the service individual.

“40. The computer system of claim 36, wherein the executable instructions further cause the computer system to: provide via the customer electronic device a graphical user interface facilitating customer input of the customer information in connection with a request for the roadside services.”

URL and more information on this patent application, see: Alt, Jacob; Clarenson, Matthew; Curtis, Michelle Ann; Davis, Justin; Dulee, George T.; Smith, Natalie R. Tow And Emergency Roadside Assistance Locating And Tracking Mobile Application. U.S. Patent Application Number 20230024931, filed September 22, 2022 and posted January 26, 2023. Patent URL (for desktop use only): https://ppubs.uspto.gov/pubwebapp/external.html?q=(20230024931)&db=US-PGPUB&type=ids

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