Communication schemes for property claims adjustments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11062397-B1
Application number	US-201916295243-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Mar 7, 2019
Priority date	Oct 23, 2013
Publication date	Jul 13, 2021
Grant date	Jul 13, 2021

Abstract

Systems and methods provide for an automated system for analyzing damage to insured property. An enhanced claims processing server may analyze damage associated with the insured item using photos/video transmitted to the server from a mobile device for analysis at the server in real time. Depending on network conditions, the mobile device may transfer images to the server in high definition or low definition. The server may send notifications to the mobile device to remind a user of the mobile device to capture and transfer images to the server. The server may analyze images to provide feedback to the insured user (e.g., insurance estimates).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
controlling, by an image control module of a computing device having at least one processor, image capturing functionality of a mobile device of a user, the image control module being located remotely from the mobile device;
capturing, by the mobile device and based on instructions received from the image control module, images of insured property;
receiving, by the computing device having at least one processor, the images of insured property from the mobile device of the user;
detecting fraud by the computing device, wherein the detecting includes comparing the images of the insured property received from the mobile device of the user to reference images of the insured property stored at the computing device to determine any inconsistencies between the insured property shown in the images of the insured property received from the mobile device of the user and the insured property shown in the reference images, the inconsistencies including at least an indication that the insured property in the images received from the mobile device of the user is not a same insured property in the reference images, the detecting fraud further including:
receiving, by the computing device, sensor data from one or more sensors in the mobile device of the user;
determining, by the computing device and based on the sensor data, a location at which the images were captured; and
comparing the determined location at which the images were captured to a known location of the insured property; and
providing, by the computing device, feedback to the mobile device of the user from which the images of the insured property were received, the feedback including at least a result of the detecting.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting further comprises analyzing metadata received from the one or more sensors in the mobile device to combine the received images to create a scene of a room including the insured property.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reference images comprise photographs of the insured property captured at a time prior to the receiving the images.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the inconsistencies further include differences between the received images and the reference images.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the feedback comprises a notification of the fraud.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving, at the computing device, descriptors about the insured property from the mobile device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting fraud is further based on determining, by the image control module, whether the images of the insured property have been manipulated.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor, cause the processor at least to:
control image capturing functionality of a mobile device of a user by an image control module located remotely from the mobile device;
receive images of insured property captured by and received from the mobile device of the user;
detect fraud, wherein the detecting includes comparing the images of the insured property received from the mobile device of the user to reference images of the insured property to determine any inconsistencies between the insured property shown in the images of the insured property received from the mobile device of the user and the insured property shown in the reference images, the inconsistencies including at least an indication that the insured property in the images received from the mobile device of the user is not a same insured property in the reference images, the detecting fraud further including:
receive sensor data from one or more sensors in the mobile device of the user;
determine, based on the sensor data, a location at which the images were captured; and
compare the determined location at which the images were captured to a known location of the insured property; and

provide, feedback to the mobile device of the user from which the images of the insured property were received, the feedback including at least a result of the detecting.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to analyze metadata received from the one or more sensors in the mobile device to combine the received images to create a scene of a room including the insured property.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the reference images comprise photographs of the insured property captured at a time prior to the receiving the images.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the inconsistencies further include differences between the received images and the reference images.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the feedback comprises a notification of the fraud.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , the instructions further cause the processor to receive descriptors about the insured property from the mobile device.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 , wherein the detecting fraud is further based on determining, by the image control module, whether the images of the insured property have been manipulated.

15. An apparatus comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus at least to:
control, by an image control module of the apparatus, image capturing functionality of a mobile device of a user, the image control module being located remotely from the mobile device;
capture, by the mobile device and based on instructions received from the image control module, images of insured property;
receive, by an entity, the images of insured property from the mobile device of the user;
detect fraud, wherein the detecting includes comparing the images of the insured property received from the mobile device of the user to reference images of the insured property stored at the apparatus to determine any inconsistencies between the insured property shown in the images received from the mobile device of the user and the insured property shown in the reference images, the inconsistencies including at least an indication that the insured property in the images received from the mobile device of the user is not a same insured property in the reference images, the detecting fraud further including:
receiving sensor data from one or more sensors in the mobile device of the user;
determining, based on the sensor data, a location at which the received images were captured; and
comparing the determined location at which the received images were captured to a known location of the insured property; and

provide feedback to the mobile device of the user from which the images were received, the feedback including at least a result of the detecting.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus to analyze metadata received from the one or more sensors in the mobile device to combine the received images to create a scene of a room including the insured property.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the reference images comprise photographs of the insured property captured at a time prior to the receiving the received images.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the inconsistencies further include differences between the received images and the reference images.

Assignees

• Allstate Insurance Co

Inventors

• Patel Jay A
• Brandmaier Jennifer A
• Faga Mark E
• Gillespie James
• Horn Roger
• Hughes Stephen
• Ismaili Alinawaz
• Koza Daniel
• Loo William
• Lowry Francis

Classifications

• G06Q40/08 Primary

  Insurance · CPC title