“Vehicle Insurance System, Vehicle Dealer Terminal, And Vehicle Sales Method” in Patent Application Approval Process (USPTO 20220301067): Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha

2022 OCT 12 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- A patent application by the inventor NODA, Kumiko (Toyota-shi, Japan), filed on February 11, 2022, was made available online on September 22, 2022, according to news reporting originating from Washington, D.C., by NewsRx correspondents.

This patent application is assigned to Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota-shi, Aichi-ken, Japan).

The following quote was obtained by the news editors from the background information supplied by the inventors: “

“Field

“The present disclosure relates to a vehicle insurance system, a vehicle dealer terminal, and a vehicle sales method.

“Description of the Background Art

“Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2020-149679 discloses a system for lending a battery used in a vehicle to a user. In this system, when the user pays a lending fee, the vehicle is allowed to travel until an index indicating a degree of progress of battery degradation changes by a prescribed amount. With such a mechanism, degradation of the battery in the lease vehicle is suppressed.”

In addition to the background information obtained for this patent application, NewsRx journalists also obtained the inventor’s summary information for this patent application: “Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2020-149679 does not investigate the problem of battery degradation in a POV (personal owned vehicle). When a POV is used in a manner in which the battery is likely to deteriorate by the user, the asset value of the battery is greatly reduced due to the degradation. Therefore, when the POV is sold, the sales price of the POV (including the battery) may be much lower than expected.

“Compared to a conventional vehicle (an automobile using only an internal combustion engine as a power source for driving), the history of xEV (an electric vehicle using electric power as all or part of the power source) is still shallow and few users have knowledge about xEV. The user is highly likely not to know how to use xEV where the battery is less likely to deteriorate. For such users, it is severe that the degradation of batteries used in vehicles causes excessive loss of asset values.

“The present disclosure was made to solve the problem above, and an object thereof is to provide an insurance service that compensates for at least a part of loss of asset value due to degradation of a power storage device used in a vehicle.

“A vehicle insurance system according to a first aspect of the present disclosure includes a registration unit, a ranking unit, an insurance premium determination unit, and an insurance benefit determination unit as described below. The registration unit registers a subject vehicle including a power storage device and a subject period in response to payment of an insurance premium for the subject period when the subject vehicle is sold. The ranking unit ranks a purchaser of the subject vehicle based on vehicle usage information about vehicle usage of the purchaser (a way in which the purchaser uses a vehicle). The insurance premium determination unit determines at least one of the insurance premium for the subject period and a renewal fee for extending the subject period, based on a rank of the purchaser. The insurance benefit determination unit determines an insurance benefit compensating for at least a part of a loss of asset value of the power storage device due to degradation of the power storage device, when the subject vehicle is sold within the subject period.

“The vehicle insurance system can provide an insurance service compensating for at least a part of a loss of asset value of the power storage device used in the subject vehicle (insured vehicle), due to degradation of the power storage device. The service provider (insurance company, for example) can receive the insurance premium or renewal fee determined by the insurance premium determination unit, and pay the insurance benefit determined by the insurance benefit determination unit, to thereby provide the insurance service.

“In the vehicle insurance system, the registration unit performs insurance registration (registration for insurance) when the subject vehicle is sold. When the subject vehicle is later sold within the subject period (insurance period), the insurance benefit determination unit determines the insurance benefit. When the vehicle is bought (when insurance registration is performed), the status of the power storage device can easily be recognized with high accuracy, which facilitates management of the degree of degradation of the power storage device from the purchase to the selling of the vehicle.

“In the vehicle insurance system, the ranking unit and the insurance premium determination unit can adjust the balance between the insurance service fee (fee for receiving the insurance service) and the insurance benefit (money paid from the insurance service to the insured). The ranking unit ranks the user (purchaser of the subject vehicle) based on vehicle usage information regarding the way in which the user uses a vehicle. The insurance premium determination unit then determines the insurance service fee (insurance premium and/or renewal fee) based on the rank of the user. The vehicle insurance system can therefore vary the insurance service fees charged to the user depending on the way in which the user uses the vehicle. For example, if users who fail to use the vehicle in a recommended manner increase, the insurance benefit may increase excessively relative to the insurance service fee and accordingly the insurance business may become ineffective. In contrast, the above-described vehicle insurance system uses the above mechanism provided by the ranking unit and the insurance premium determination unit to set the insurance premium higher for users who do not use a vehicle in a recommended way, to thereby suppress increase of such users.

“The insurance premium for the initial subject period may be included in the price of the subject vehicle. In other words, payment of the price of the subject vehicle may be recognized as payment of the insurance premium for the subject period. Then, the renewal fee (fee for extending the subject period) may be determined thereafter based on the insurance rank (rank of the user determined by the ranking unit).

“The vehicle usage information may include information about a capacity retention ratio of a vehicle-mounted power storage device. The ranking unit may rank the purchaser higher as the vehicle usage keeps the capacity retention ratio higher. When the insurance premium determination unit determines the insurance premium or the renewal fee, the insurance premium determination unit may set the insurance premium or the renewal fee lower as the purchaser is ranked higher.

“As users who use a vehicle in such a way that promotes degradation of the power storage device increase, the insurance benefit may increase excessively relative to the insurance service fee, and accordingly the insurance business may become ineffective. With the above-described configuration, the insurance premium for users who use a vehicle in such a way that promotes degradation of the power storage device can be set higher to suppress increase of such users.

“The ranking unit may rank the purchaser, based on, as the vehicle usage information, the number of vehicle trips per unit period, the number of charging operations of a vehicle-mounted power storage device per unit period, and a ratio of a time for which an SOC of a vehicle-mounted power storage device is a predetermined value or more to an inactive period.

“The number of travels of the subject vehicle per unit period is hereinafter also referred to as “traveling frequency.” The number of travels may be the number of times the vehicle travels, or the number of days on which the vehicle travels. The number of charging operations of the power storage device per unit period is also referred to herein as “charging frequency.” The number of charging operations may be the number of times the power storage device is charged, or the number of days on which the power storage device is charged. The ratio of the time for which the SOC of the power storage device is a predetermined value or more, to an inactive period, is also referred to as “high SOC ratio.”

“In the vehicle usage information, particularly the traveling frequency, the charging frequency, and the high SOC ratio are likely to influence the proneness to degradation of the power storage device. With the above-described configuration, the ranking unit can easily and appropriately rank the user (purchaser of the subject vehicle) in terms of proneness to degradation of the power storage device.

“The SOC (State Of Charge) is the amount of remaining charge and represents, for example, the ratio of the current amount of charge to the full charge in 0 to 100%.

“Any vehicle insurance system as described above may further include a sales price determination unit that determines a sales price of the power storage device. When an asset price of the power storage device indicated by a result of a performance evaluation test of the power storage device is lower than a reference price, the insurance benefit determination unit may determine that the insurance benefit is a difference between the asset price of the power storage device and the reference price, and the sales price determination unit may determine that the sales price of the power storage device is the reference price.

“With the above-described configuration, insurance is applied when the asset price of the power storage device is lower than the reference price, so that the difference between the asset price of the power storage device and the reference price is compensated for by the insurance benefit. Accordingly, excessive decrease of the asset value of the user (purchaser of the subject vehicle) due to degradation of the power storage device can be suppressed.

“The sales price determination unit may determine the sales price of the subject vehicle including the sales price of the power storage device. The reference price may be an average market price, or a price obtained from a database of the auto manufacturer (for example, the average sales price of power storage devices of the same type that were sold in the past).

“When the asset price of the power storage device indicated by the result of the performance evaluation test is higher than the reference price, the sales price determination unit may determine that the sales price of the power storage device is the asset price of the power storage device. With such a configuration, insurance is not applied when the asset value of the power storage device is higher than the reference price, and accordingly no insurance benefit is paid. In this way, the balance between the insurance service fee and the insurance benefit is adjusted.

“The vehicle usage information may include a result of the performance evaluation test when the purchaser sells the subject vehicle. The ranking unit may rank the purchaser higher as an asset price of the power storage device indicated by the result of the performance evaluation test is higher.”

There is additional summary information. Please visit full patent to read further.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A vehicle insurance system comprising: a registration unit that registers a subject vehicle including a power storage device and a subject period in response to payment of an insurance premium for the subject period when the subject vehicle is sold; a ranking unit that ranks a purchaser of the subject vehicle based on vehicle usage information about vehicle usage of the purchaser; an insurance premium determination unit that determines at least one of the insurance premium for the subject period and a renewal fee for extending the subject period, based on a rank of the purchaser; and an insurance benefit determination unit that determines an insurance benefit compensating for at least a part of a loss of asset value of the power storage device due to degradation of the power storage device, when the subject vehicle is sold within the subject period.

“2. The vehicle insurance system according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle usage information includes information about a capacity retention ratio of a vehicle-mounted power storage device, the ranking unit ranks the purchaser higher as the vehicle usage keeps the capacity retention ratio higher, and when the insurance premium determination unit determines the insurance premium or the renewal fee, the insurance premium determination unit sets the insurance premium or the renewal fee lower as the purchaser is ranked higher.

“3. The vehicle insurance system according to claim 1, wherein the ranking unit ranks the purchaser, based on, as the vehicle usage information, the number of vehicle trips per unit period, the number of charging operations of a vehicle-mounted power storage device per unit period, and a ratio of a time for which an SOC of a vehicle-mounted power storage device is a predetermined value or more to an inactive period.

“4. The vehicle insurance system according to claim 1, further comprising a sales price determination unit that determines a sales price of the power storage device, wherein when an asset price of the power storage device indicated by a result of a performance evaluation test of the power storage device is lower than a reference price, the insurance benefit determination unit determines that the insurance benefit is a difference between the asset price of the power storage device and the reference price, and the sales price determination unit determines that the sales price of the power storage device is the reference price.

“5. The vehicle insurance system according to claim 4, wherein when the asset price of the power storage device indicated by the result of the performance evaluation test is higher than the reference price, the sales price determination unit determines that the sales price of the power storage device is the asset price of the power storage device.

“6. The vehicle insurance system according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle usage information includes a result of the performance evaluation test when the purchaser sells the subject vehicle, and the ranking unit ranks the purchaser higher as the asset price of the power storage device indicated by the result of the performance evaluation test is higher.

“7. The vehicle insurance system according to claim 1, wherein the insurance benefit determination unit sets an upper limit of the insurance benefit higher as the purchaser is ranked higher.

“8. The vehicle insurance system according to claim 1, wherein the insurance premium determination unit determines the renewal fee based on the rank of the purchaser before expiration of the subject period, and the registration unit extends the subject period when the renewal fee is paid before expiration of the subject period.

“9. The vehicle insurance system according to claim 1, wherein when the rank of the purchaser indicated by a result of the ranking is lower than a predetermined rank, the ranking unit identifies a cause for lowness of the rank of the purchaser, based on information obtained from the ranking, and transmits a report indicating the identified cause to the purchaser.

“10. The vehicle insurance system according to claim 9, wherein the report includes an advice regarding rank improvement.

“11. The vehicle insurance system according to claim 1, wherein the ranking unit identifies the vehicle usage of the purchaser, based on information obtained from the ranking, and guides the purchaser to buy a vehicle for replacement, based on the identified vehicle usage.

“12. A vehicle dealer terminal comprising: a registration unit that registers a subject vehicle including a power storage device and a subject period in response to payment of an insurance premium for the subject period when the subject vehicle is sold; a ranking unit that ranks a purchaser of the subject vehicle based on vehicle usage information about vehicle usage of the purchaser; an insurance premium determination unit that determines at least one of the insurance premium for the subject period and a renewal fee for extending the subject period, based on a rank of the purchaser; and an insurance benefit determination unit that determines an insurance benefit compensating for at least a part of a loss of asset value of the power storage device due to degradation of the power storage device, when the subject vehicle is sold within the subject period.

“13. A vehicle sales method for selling, to a user having sold a first vehicle including a first power storage device, a second vehicle including a second power storage device, the vehicle sales method comprising: obtaining vehicle usage information about a way in which the user uses the first vehicle; ranking the user based on the vehicle usage information; selling the second vehicle to the user; determining an insurance premium for a subject period based on a rank of the user; registering the second vehicle and the subject period in response to payment of the insurance premium for the subject period; and determining an insurance benefit compensating for at least a part of a loss of asset value of the second power storage device due to degradation of the second power storage device, when the second vehicle is sold within the subject period.”

URL and more information on this patent application, see: NODA, Kumiko. Vehicle Insurance System, Vehicle Dealer Terminal, And Vehicle Sales Method. Filed February 11, 2022 and posted September 22, 2022. Patent URL: https://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220220301067%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20220301067&RS=DN/20220301067

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