Systems and methods for vehicle accident detection based on intelligent micro devices

• US 10,163,167 B1
• Filed: 10/19/2017
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Medina, III, Reynaldo, Bueche, Jr., Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunnings, Travis R
• Application Number:
  US15/788,055
• Time in Patent Office: 432 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/22 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/017 identifying vehicles G08G1/015, G08G1/054 take precedence

Abstract

Intelligent micro devices on a vehicle can be scanned or read using a reading device. A map or data indicative of the micro devices on the vehicle can be generated by scanning the vehicle. The data or map may be used to determine loss or transfer of one or more micro devices on the vehicle. An accident associated with the vehicle can be determined based on loss or transfer of one or more the micro devices. The micro devices can store data associated with the vehicle, including an identity of the vehicle and a history of the vehicle. The micro devices can be read to determine the identity of the vehicle or another vehicle involved in the accident.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

scanning, by a computing device, a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a plurality of machine-readable markers embedded in the vehicle;

generating, based on the scanning, a map of the plurality of machine-readable markers; and

determining, based at least on the map and historical data associated with the vehicle, an impact to the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of machine-readable markers comprises at least one of a barcode, an electromagnetic identifier, an electro luminescent identifier, a carbon nanotube signature, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the impact to the vehicle comprises determining that the vehicle lost at least one of the plurality of machine-readable markers.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining the impact to the vehicle comprises determining that the vehicle acquired at least one machine-readable marker.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the map comprises an indication of a location on the vehicle of each of the plurality of machine-readable markers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the historical data associated with the vehicle comprises an earlier generated map.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the determining the impact to the vehicle comprises determining a difference between the map and the earlier generated map.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

scanning a vehicle, wherein the vehicle comprises a plurality of machine-readable markers embedded in the vehicle;

generating, based on the scanning, a map of the plurality of machine-readable markers; and

determining, based at least on the map and historical data associated with the vehicle, an impact to the vehicle.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of machine-readable markers comprises at least one of a barcode, an electromagnetic identifier, an electro luminescent identifier, a carbon nanotube signature, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the determining the impact to the vehicle comprises determining that the vehicle lost at least one of the plurality of machine-readable markers.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the determining the impact to the vehicle comprises determining that the vehicle acquired at least one machine-readable marker.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the map comprises an indication of a location on the vehicle of each of the plurality of machine-readable markers.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the historical data associated with the vehicle comprises an earlier generated map.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the determining the impact to the vehicle comprises determining a difference between the map and the earlier generated map.

15. A system comprising:

a plurality of machine-readable markers embedded in a vehicle; and

a computing device configured to;

scan the vehicle;

generate, based on scanning the vehicle, a map of the plurality of machine-readable markers; and

determine, based at least on the map and historical data associated with the vehicle, an impact to the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of machine-readable markers comprises at least one of a barcode, an electromagnetic identifier, an electro luminescent identifier, a carbon nanotube signature, and a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the computing device is configured to determine the impact to the vehicle by determining that the vehicle lost at least one of the plurality of machine-readable markers.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the computing device is configured to determine the impact to the vehicle by determining that the vehicle acquired at least one machine-readable marker.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the map comprises an indication of a location on the vehicle of each of the plurality of machine-readable markers.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the historical data associated with the vehicle comprises an earlier generated map.