Processing insured items holistically with mobile damage assessment and claims processing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12561747-B2
Application number	US-202418822399-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 2, 2024
Priority date	Aug 16, 2012
Publication date	Feb 24, 2026
Grant date	Feb 24, 2026

Abstract

Systems and methods provide for an automated system for analyzing damage and processing claims associated with an insured item, such as a vehicle. An enhanced claims processing server may analyze damage associated with the insured item using photos/video transmitted to the server from a user device (e.g., a mobile device). The mobile device may receive feedback from the server regarding the acceptability of submitted photos/video, and if the server determines that any of the submitted photos/video is unacceptable, the mobile device may capture additional photos/video until all of the data are deemed acceptable. To aid in damage analysis, the server may also interface with various internal and external databases storing reference images of undamaged items and cost estimate information for repairing previously analyzed damages to similar items. Further still, the server may generate a payment for compensating a claimant for repair of the insured item.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A computing system comprising:
one or more processors; and one or more storage devices that store instruction code, which when executed by the one or more processors, causes the computing system to perform operations comprising: receiving a first plurality of images of a vehicle; compare, via object recognition logic of the computing system and using one or more edge detection techniques, the first plurality of images of the vehicle to one or more reference images associated with the vehicle, to identify one or more damaged areas of the vehicle and for each of the one or more damaged areas, one or more damaged parts within the respective damaged areas; generating, based at least in part on a cost associated with repair of the one or more damaged parts in a first damaged area, a cost associated with repair of the one or more damaged parts in a second damaged area, a cost adjustment term associated with collectively repairing the first damaged area and the second damaged area, a total damage estimate; and communicating settlement data indicative of a settlement, wherein the settlement data indicates a compensation amount that is based at least in part on the total damage estimate.

2 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the instruction code that causes the computing system to generate the total damage estimate causes the computing system to:
generate the cost adjustment term based on information stored in a database.

3 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the instruction code causes the computing system to:
communicate, to a mobile device, one or more feedback instructions, wherein the feedback instructions are selected based on an optical character recognition performed on the first plurality of images by the computing system.

4 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the instruction code causes the computing system to:
predict damage to an interior of the vehicle based on damage to an exterior of the vehicle.

5 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the instruction code causes the computing system to:
communicate a notification associated with a repairing of the vehicle.

6 . The computing system of claim 1 , wherein the instruction code causes the computing system to:
receive a notification indicating whether the settlement is acceptable.

7 . The computing system of claim 6 , wherein the instruction code causes the computing system to:
when the settlement is acceptable, send funds to an account of a user.

8 . The computing system of claim 6 , wherein the instruction code causes the computing system to:
when the settlement is not acceptable, send the settlement to a claims adjuster.

9 . A non-transitory computer readable media having stored thereon instruction code, which when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, causes a computing system to perform operations comprising:
receiving a first plurality of images of a vehicle; compare, via object recognition logic of the computing system and using one or more edge detection techniques, the first plurality of images of the vehicle to one or more reference images associated with the vehicle, to identify one or more damaged areas of the vehicle and for each of the one or more damaged areas, one or more damaged parts within the respective damaged areas; generating, based at least in part on a cost associated with repair of the one or more damaged parts in a first damaged area, a cost associated with repair of the one or more damaged parts in a second damaged area, a cost adjustment term associated with collectively repairing the first damaged area and the second damaged area, a total damage estimate; and communicating settlement data indicative of a settlement, wherein the settlement data indicates a compensation amount that is based at least in part on the total damage estimate.

10 . The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 9 , wherein the instruction code that causes the computing system to generate the total damage estimate causes the computing system to:
generate the cost adjustment term based on information stored in a database.

11 . The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 9 , wherein the instruction code causes the computing system to:
communicate, to a mobile device, one or more feedback instructions, wherein the feedback instructions are selected based on an optical character recognition performed on the first plurality of images by the computing system.

12 . The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 9 , wherein the instruction code causes the computing system to:
predict damage to an interior of the vehicle based on damage to an exterior of the vehicle.

13 . The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 9 , wherein the instruction code causes the computing system to:
communicate a notification associated with a repairing of the vehicle.

14 . The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 9 , wherein the instruction code causes the computing system to:
receive a notification indicating whether the settlement is acceptable.

15 . The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 14 , wherein the instruction code causes the computing system to:
when the settlement is acceptable, send funds to an account of a user.

16 . The non-transitory computer readable media of claim 14 , wherein the instruction code causes the computing system to:
when the settlement is not acceptable, send the settlement to a claims adjuster.

17 . A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving a first plurality of images of a vehicle; comparing, via object recognition logic of a computing system and using one or more edge detection techniques, the first plurality of images of the vehicle to one or more reference images associated with the vehicle, to identify one or more damaged areas of the vehicle and for each of the one or more damaged areas, one or more damaged parts within the respective damaged areas; generating, based at least in part on a cost associated with repair of the one or more damaged parts in a first damaged area, a cost associated with repair of the one or more damaged parts in a second damaged area, a cost adjustment term associated with collectively repairing the first damaged area and the second damaged area, a total damage estimate; and communicating settlement data indicative of a settlement, wherein the settlement data indicates a compensation amount that is based at least in part on the total damage estimate.

18 . The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , wherein generating the total damage estimate comprises:
generating the cost adjustment term based on information stored in a database.

19 . The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , further comprising:
communicate, to a mobile device, one or more feedback instructions, wherein the feedback instructions are selected based on an optical character recognition performed on the first plurality of images by the computing system.

20 . The computer-implemented method of claim 17 , further comprising:
predicting damage to an interior of the vehicle based on damage to an exterior of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Allstate Insurance Co

Inventors

• Brandmaier Jennifer A
• Faga Mark E
• Johnson Robert H
• Koza Daniel
• Loo William
• Marlow Clint J
• Stricker Kurt M

Classifications

• G06V20/56

  exterior to a vehicle by using sensors mounted on the vehicle · CPC title

• G06Q40/08 Primary

  Insurance · CPC title