Automated damage assessment and claims processing

• US 10,304,137 B1
• Filed: 12/27/2012
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Genser, Danuta, Harlalka, Devbratt, Garg, Rohit, Katyal, Gaurang
• Primary Examiner(s): Mung, On S
• Application Number:
  US13/728,539
• Time in Patent Office: 2,343 Days
• Field of Search: 348159, 705 4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

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 cameras and lasers for determining the extent and severity of the damage. To aid in this determination, 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 of similar items. Further still, the server may generate a payment for compensating a claimant for repair of the insured item.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, from a device chosen from at least one of a first display and a keypad associated with an enhanced claims processing server, loss information associated with an insurance claim of an insured item;

directing, at a claims processor associated with the enhanced claims processing server, a plurality of cameras to capture images of the insured item;

determining, at the claims processor, at least one damaged area of the insured item by applying an edge filter to the captured images of the insured item and a reference image of another item of a same type as the insured item and subtracting image data of the insured item from the reference image of the other item of the same type as the insured item to isolate an image portion containing only damage to the insured item;

further processing the image portion containing only the damage to the insured item to fill any missing links in edges of the at least one damaged area;

based on the determination, directing, at the claims processor, a plurality of lasers to capture additional data of the at least one damaged area, the additional data including raw depth data, the directing the plurality of lasers further including;

identifying a location of the at least one damaged area by;

overlaying a first grid on at least one captured image of the insured item and a second grid on the reference image; and

comparing grid numbers of the at least one damaged area on the first grid to the second grid; and

directing the plurality of lasers to capture the additional data of the at least one damaged area based on the compared grid numbers;

mapping, based on the additional data captured from the plurality of lasers and the further processed image portion, a depth of damage to the at least one damaged area and identifying, based on the mapping, a type of damage to the at least one damaged area; and

outputting, through a communication module associated with the enhanced claims processing server, damage information to an insurance consumer associated with the insured item, the damage information including the depth of damage and type of damage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the loss information includes a name, address, and age of the insurance consumer and a description of damage associated with the insured item.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the claims processor, entering into an agreement with the insurance consumer as to terms under which the enhanced claims processing server analyzes and processes the insurance claim.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of lasers communicate with a laser processor to perform further imaging of the at least one damaged area.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cameras use a controlled lighting environment for easier imaging.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a plurality of images generated from the imaging in a data store associated with the enhanced claims processing server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one damaged area includes a plurality of dents.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of dents belongs to a type chosen from a group consisting of:

smooth dish, wrinkled, and turbulent.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the claims processor, directing a fluids processor associated with a fluid sensing device to detect a type of fluid leaking from the insured item to determine which interior parts in the insured item are damaged.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the claims processor, directing positioning of the insured item.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cameras communicate with a camera processor to perform imaging of the insured item.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the outputting includes displaying the damage information on a second display associated with the enhanced claims processing server.

13. A claims processing system comprising:

an input module configured to receive loss information related to an insured item;

a claims processor configured to direct a camera processor associated with a plurality of cameras to image the insured item, to generate a reproduced image of the insured item via stitching together first images generated by the plurality of cameras, and to determine at least one damaged area of the insured item based on the reproduced image, the claims processor further configured to direct a laser processor associated with a plurality of lasers to capture additional data to evaluate the at least one damaged area, the additional data including raw depth data, the laser processor configured to;

identify a location of the at least one damaged area by;

overlaying a first grid on at least one captured image of the insured item and a second grid on a reference image; and

comparing grid numbers of the at least one damaged area on the first grid to the second grid; and

directing the plurality of lasers to capture the additional data of the at least one damaged area based on the compared grid numbers;

the plurality of cameras configured to communicate with the camera processor to generate the first images of the insured item; and

the plurality of lasers configured to communicate with the laser processor to map a depth of damage to the at least one damaged area and, based on the mapping, identify a type of damage to the at least one damaged area.

14. The claims processing system of claim 13, wherein the claims processor is further configured to query an insurance consumer, through a display device associated with the claims processor, about accuracy of the loss information.

15. The claims processing system of claim 13, wherein the claims processor is further configured to access, through an output module associated with the claims processing system, a database of reference images that depict undamaged items similar to the insured item.

16. The claims processing system of claim 15, wherein the claims processor is further configured to compare the reference images to the first images to determine a severity of the at least one damaged area.

17. The claims processing system of claim 16, wherein the comparing involves using blur filters and gray-scaling.

18. The claims processing system of claim 16, wherein the claims processor is further configured to assign a confidence factor to the comparison based on how similar the reference images in the database are to the first images.

19. The claims processing system of claim 13, wherein the claims processor is further configured to access a database storing cost estimate information for repairing other items similar to the insured item and with damage similar to the at least one damaged area to determine a new cost estimate for repairing the insured item.

20. The claims processing system of claim 13, wherein the claims processor is further configured to direct an analysis facility to a location of the insured item.

21. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

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

direct a plurality of cameras to generate a plurality of first images of an insured vehicle;

access a first database storing a plurality of reference images depicting undamaged vehicles similar to the insured vehicle;

compare the plurality of first images to the plurality of reference images to determine at least one damaged area on the insured vehicle;

based on the determination, direct at least one laser to the at least one damaged area to capture additional data of the at least one damaged area to evaluate the at least one damaged area, the additional data including raw depth data, directing the at least one laser including;

identifying a location of the at least one damaged area by;

overlaying a first grid on at least one captured image of the insured vehicle and a second grid on a reference image; and

comparing grid numbers of the at least one damaged area on the first grid to the second grid; and

directing the at least one laser to capture the additional data of the at least one damaged area based on the compared grid numbers;

map, based on the additional data captured from the plurality of lasers, a depth of damage to the at least one damaged area and identify, based on the mapping, a type of damage to the at least one damaged area;

access a second database storing repair cost information for other vehicles similar to the insured vehicle that have similar damage to the insured vehicle;

determine a confidence factor for the repair cost information based on a similarity between the other vehicles and the insured vehicle; and

using the repair cost information, the depth of damage and type of damage, and the confidence factor, generate a cost estimate for repairing the at least one damaged area of the insured vehicle and a list of service providers for performing the repair.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the apparatus is further caused to:

generate a payment for compensating a claimant associated with the insured vehicle for a cost of the repair.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the cost estimate is generated less than 30 minutes after the plurality of cameras are directed to generate images.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the apparatus is further caused to receive, through an input communication module, a notice of loss associated with the insured vehicle.

25. A vehicle damage assessment system comprising:

a plurality of cameras, including;

a first camera configured to create at least an image of a first portion of a damaged vehicle, and

a second camera configured to create at least an image of a second portion of the damaged vehicle;

a plurality of lasers, including;

a first laser configured to image at least a first part of a first damaged area of the first portion of the damaged vehicle, and

a second laser configured to image at least a second part of a second damaged area of the second portion of the damaged vehicle;

an input entry portal comprising at least one of a graphic user interface, a keypad and a mouse;

a camera processor in communication with the plurality of cameras and configured to direct the plurality of cameras to image the first portion of the damaged vehicle and the second portion of the damaged vehicle;

a laser processor in communication with the plurality of lasers and configured to direct the plurality of lasers to image the first part of the first damaged area of the first portion of the damaged vehicle and the second part of the second damaged area of the second portion of the damaged vehicle, the directing the plurality of lasers including;

identifying a location of at least one damaged area by;

overlaying a first grid on at least one captured image of the insured vehicle and a second grid on a reference image; and

comparing grid numbers of the at least one damaged area on the first grid to the second grid; and

directing the plurality of lasers to capture additional data of the at least one damaged area based on the compared grid numbers;

the laser processor further configured to capture additional data including raw depth data to map, based on the additional data captured from the plurality of lasers, a depth of damage to the first portion of the damaged vehicle and the second portion of the damaged vehicle and identify, based on the mapping, a type of damage to the first portion of the damaged vehicle and a type of damage to the second portion of the damaged vehicle;

a claims processor configured to;

receive at least a first reference image to an undamaged first portion of a reference vehicle that is undamaged and otherwise similar to the first portion of the damaged vehicle;

receive at least a second reference image to an undamaged second portion of a reference vehicle that is undamaged and otherwise similar to the second portion of the damaged vehicle;

compare the at least a first reference image of the undamaged first portion of the reference vehicle to the image of the first portion of the damaged vehicle,

receive information regarding the image from the first laser of the at least the first part of the first damaged area of the first portion of the damaged vehicle,

determine a first severity of damage to the first portion of the damaged vehicle,

compare the at least a second reference image of the undamaged second portion of the reference vehicle to the image of the second portion of the damaged vehicle,

receive information regarding the image from the second laser of the at least the second part of the second damaged area of the second portion of the damaged vehicle,

determine a second severity of damage to the second portion of the damaged vehicle,

determine cost estimate information for repair of the first portion of the damaged vehicle and repair of the second portion of the damaged vehicle based on a confidence factor incorporating a similarity between the reference vehicle and the damaged vehicle;

a data store that includes information regarding a cost to repair the first portion of the reference vehicle and a cost to repair the second portion of the reference vehicle;

a graphic user interface configured to display the cost estimate information;

a payment processor configured to determine a payment based at least in part on the cost estimate information; and

a payment transfer processor configured to direct the payment to a customer associated with the damaged vehicle.

26. A claims processing system comprising:

an input module configured to receive loss information related to an insured item;

a claims processor configured to;

direct a camera processor associated with a plurality of cameras to image the insured item from a first side of the insured item and from a second side of the insured item; and

determine at least one damaged area of the insured item based on a comparison of images from the first side and second side;

the claims processor further configured to direct a laser processor associated with a plurality of lasers to capture additional data by;

identifying a location of the at least one damaged area by;

overlaying a first grid on at least one captured image of the insured item and a second grid on the reference image; and

comparing grid numbers of the at least one damaged area on the first grid to the second grid; and

directing the plurality of lasers to capture the additional data of the at least one damaged area based on the compared grid numbers;

the captured additional data including raw depth data to map a depth of damage to the at least one damaged area and, based on the mapping, identify a type of damage to the at least one damaged area; and

the plurality of lasers configured to communicate with the laser processor to map the depth of damage to the at least one damaged area.