Communication schemes for property claims adjustments

• US 10,269,074 B1
• Filed: 10/23/2013
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Patel, Jay A., Brandmaier, Jennifer A., Faga, Mark E., Gillespie, James, Horn, Roger, Hughes, Stephen, Ismaili, Alinawaz, Koza, Daniel, Loo, William, Lowry, Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Sigmond, Bennett M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cranford, Michael D
• Application Number:
  US14/061,424
• Time in Patent Office: 2,008 Days
• Field of Search: 705 4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

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).

Claims

1. A method comprising:

downloading, to a mobile device, a damage assessment and claims processing application;

controlling, by an image control module of a server, image capturing functionality of the mobile device, 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 damaged property;

receiving, by the server, the images of the damaged property from the mobile device and via the damage assessment and claims processing application executing on the mobile device, the images including video data;

determining, by the server, if the images meet criteria for analysis;

transmitting, by the server, instructions for capturing additional images if the images of damaged property do not meet the criteria for analysis;

analyzing, by the server, the images of damaged property if the images do meet the criteria for analysis, the analyzing including eliminating noise associated with the video data and selecting, by the server and in real-time, frames from the video data with noise eliminated to process an insurance claim associated with the damaged property, the insurance claim including a claim number; and

providing, by the server, feedback to the mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the server analyzes the images of damaged property in real time.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the images may be annotated in real time, and the annotations may be displayed at the mobile device and server in real time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the server receives the images in a first resolution when network conditions are at a first level.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the server receives the images in a second resolution different from the first resolution when network conditions are at a second level different from the first level.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, at the server, a notification to transfer and capture images of the damaged property when the mobile device reaches a predetermined location.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the server receives the claim number of the insurance claim associated with the damaged property from the mobile device prior to receiving the images of damaged property.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the images meet criteria for analysis includes determining at least one of:

whether the images are blurry and whether the images are captured at a correct angle.

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:

download, to a mobile device, a damage assessment and claims processing application;

control, by an image control module of a server, image capturing functionality of the mobile device, 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 damaged property;

receive, by the server, the images of the damaged property from the mobile device and via the damage assessment and claims processing application executing on the mobile device, the images including video data;

determine, by the server, if the images meet criteria for analysis;

transmit, from the server, instructions for capturing additional images if the images of damaged property do not meet the criteria for analysis;

analyze, by the server, the images of damaged property if the images do meet the criteria for analysis, the analyzing including eliminating noise associated with the video data and selecting, in real-time, frames from the video data with noise eliminated to process an insurance claim associated with the damaged property, the insurance claim including a claim number; and

provide, by the server, feedback to the mobile device.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the server analyzes the images of damaged property in real time.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the server receives the images in a first resolution when network conditions are at a first level.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the server receives the images in a second resolution different from the first resolution when network conditions are at a second level different from the first level.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor, cause the processor at least to transmit a notification to transfer and capture images of the damaged property when the mobile device reaches a predetermined location.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the server receives the claim number of the insurance claim associated with the damaged property from the mobile device prior to receiving the images of damaged property.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the apparatus at least to;

download, to a mobile device, a damage assessment and claims processing application;

control, by an image control module, image capturing functionality of the mobile device, 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 damaged property;

receive the images of the damaged property from the mobile device and via the damage assessment and claims processing application executing on the mobile device, the images including video data;

determine if the images meet criteria for analysis;

transmit instructions for capturing additional images if the images of damaged property do not meet criteria for analysis;

analyze the images of damaged property if the images do meet criteria for analysis, the analyzing including eliminating noise associated with the video data and selecting, in real-time, frames from the video data with noise eliminated to process an insurance claim associated with the damaged property, the insurance claim including a claim number; and

provide feedback to the mobile device.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus at least to analyze the images of damaged property in real time.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus at least to receive the images in a first resolution when network conditions are at a first level.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus at least to receive the images in a second resolution different from the first resolution when network conditions are at a second level different from the first level.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the instructions further cause the apparatus at least to receive the claim number of the insurance claim associated with the damaged property from the mobile device prior to receiving the images of damaged property.

20. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein determining if the images meet criteria for analysis includes determining at least one of:

whether the images are blurry and whether the images are captured at a correct angle.