Visual discovery tool for automotive manufacturers, with network encryption, data conditioning, and prediction engine

• US 10,430,848 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2018
• Issued: 10/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AutoAlert LLC
• Original Assignee: AutoAlert LLC
• Inventors: Cotton, Jeffrey Stuart, Warner, Boyd Hodgson, Walls, Thomas A., Zhuravchak, Levko, Milius, Dan Christian, Faulkner, Jeff Keith, Dullea, Mike Phillip
• Primary Examiner(s): Abdi, Kambiz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baggot, Breffni
• Application Number:
  US15/925,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20180218420A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/254 Extract, transform and load [ETL] procedures, e.g. ETL data flows in data warehouses
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0875 Itemisation or classification of parts, supplies or services, e.g. bill of materials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/01 Customer relationship services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0224 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0235 constrained by time limit or expiration date
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0278 Product appraisal
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0611 Request for offers or quotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof

Abstract

A visual discovery tool for automotive manufacturing with network encryption, data conditioning, and prediction can include an extraction device configured to receive data records from application-specific file source databases. The tool can further include a vehicle alert database that receives the vehicle records from the plurality of extraction databases. The visual discovery tool can include at least one hardware processor in communication with the extraction device and the vehicle alert database. The tool can be configured to selectively restrict access to an interactive display based on whether a client device receives authorization credentials.

Claims

1. A visual assessment tool, with network encryption, data conditioning, and prediction, for use by an automotive manufacturer, the tool comprising:

a vehicle records extraction interface configured to obtain vehicle records from application-specific file source databases and at least temporarily store the vehicle records in at least one vehicle records extraction database;

an external parameter extraction interface configured to obtain external parameters comprising current loan rates and/or incentives available from one or more external sources;

a vehicle alert database configured to receive at least some of the vehicle records from the vehicle records extraction database;

a vehicle manufacturer data interface configured to pass data from the vehicle alert database to a vehicle manufacturer database via encrypted network connection, thereby maintaining data security; and

at least one computer processor configured to communicate with the extraction interfaces and the vehicle alert database and to perform computer-executable instructions to at least;

use the extraction interface to receive, over a network, vehicle records from the application-specific file source databases;

load the vehicle records into one or more of the at least one extraction database based in part on the file source database from which each vehicle record was sent;

selectively remove, based on disqualifying criteria, one or more vehicle records received from the application-specific file source databases from one or more of the plurality of extraction databases;

selectively modify, based on modification criteria, one or more vehicle records in one or more of the plurality of extraction databases, the selective removal and selective modification resulting in standardized vehicle records;

transfer the standardized vehicle records to the vehicle alert database, wherein the standardized vehicle data records comprise;

a customer name for a previously sold vehicle and that customer'"'"'s contact information, the customer name comprising a name of a past customer not known to be currently shopping or looking for a new vehicle;

a vehicle identification number of the previously sold vehicle;

data from a deal that resulted in a previous sale to the customer, the data sufficient to show or obtain;

the customer'"'"'s current monthly payment for the previously sold vehicle;

an estimated current trade value of the previously sold vehicle; and

an estimated current payoff amount of the previously sold vehicle;

use the standardized vehicle records in the vehicle alert database to automatically evaluate a specific new deal proposal for each member of a set of past customers to determine which past customers are good prospects for offering such deal proposals on favorable terms, wherein favorable terms comprise at least the same or lower monthly payments for a given customer, thereby determining that certain past customers should be included in a graphical representation of aggregate alert data, the automatic evaluation comprising;

automatically determining for each of the past customers a new suggested replacement vehicle for the previously sold vehicle using a one-to-one algorithmic association protocol, thereby limiting use of computer resources by confining analysis to one new suggested vehicle per customer for the determination of whether that customer is an “

alert”

;

periodically receiving updates to current trade value and current payoff amount for the set of past customers;

dynamically receiving updates to one or more external parameters through the external parameter extraction interface;

determining customer-specific proposed payments and “

alert”

status for each new suggested replacement vehicle by;

obtaining a price of the new suggested replacement vehicle for each customer;

obtaining a net trade-in equity by combining the estimated trade value for each customer with the estimated payoff amount of the previously sold vehicle to that customer, wherein the trade-in equity may be either negative equity or positive equity;

determining an amount to be financed by combining the price of the new suggested vehicle with any obtained net trade-in equity, whether positive or negative;

using the amount to be financed, updating one or more external parameters to determine the new proposed payment;

comparing each customer'"'"'s current payment and the customer-specific new proposed payment to determine one or more differences; and

analyzing the differences to determine those meeting a criterion to identify the customer as an “

alert”

for outreach because the difference meets a favorability condition;

calculating the aggregate alert data for the favorable deals resulting from analyzing the differences, the aggregate alert data representing multiple alerts from multiple dealerships and preventing access to sensitive data about particular individuals;

via the vehicle manufacturer data interface, transmitting instructions for the graphical representation of the aggregate alert data for display using a graphical user interface, wherein the graphical representation prevents access to personally identifying information by omitting it from aggregate alert data and using encrypted connections for data transfer;

via a dynamic incentive adjustment tool, accepting user input to adjust at least one incentive parameter;

in response to the adjustment of the at least one incentive parameter using the dynamic incentive adjustment tool, dynamically determining the effect of the at least one incentive parameter adjustment on the number of customers for whom the favorability condition is satisfied by updating the aggregate alert data; and

in response to the adjustment of the at least one incentive parameter and the determination of the effect, dynamically configuring refreshed alert information for automatic display to a user through the graphical user interface by updating the instructions for the graphical representation of the aggregate alert data, the refreshed alert information corresponding to a subset of the set of past customers, the subset comprising those past customers for whom the favorability condition is satisfied after the updates to the external parameters have been applied;

wherein the refreshed alert information is configured to provide the user a visual assessment for use by automotive manufacturer personnel.

2. The visual assessment tool of claim 1, wherein dynamically receiving updates to the one or more external parameters through the external parameter extraction interface comprises updating the graphical user interface configured to dynamically accept new loan rates and/or cash incentives.

3. The visual assessment tool of claim 1, wherein transmitting the instructions for the graphical representation of aggregate alert data for display using the graphical user interface comprises transmitting display instructions to a client device configured for use by a vehicle manufacturer, the display instructions configured to initiate a display through the graphical user interface that comprises:

a total number of customers satisfying the favorability condition; and

a budget adjustment tool configured to allow a user to input a maximum allowed budget for making deals.

4. The visual assessment tool of claim 3, wherein the visual assessment tool is configured to selectively restrict access to the initiated display based on whether the client device receives authorization credentials.

5. The visual assessment tool of claim 1, wherein the visual assessment tool is further configured not to display any personally identifying information of any member of the set of past customers.

6. The visual assessment tool of claim 3, wherein the budget adjustment tool comprises a slider.

7. A computer visual discovery system for automotive manufacturing comprising:

a plurality of extraction interfaces, each of the extraction interfaces configured to receive data records from corresponding application-specific databases;

a vehicle manufacturer data interface configured to pass data from the vehicle alert database to a vehicle manufacturer database via encrypted connection; and

one or more hardware computer processors configured with specific computer executable instructions, wherein execution of the instructions by the hardware computer processors causes the system to;

receive, via the plurality of extraction interfaces and encrypted connection, a set of vehicle records from the application-specific databases, each of the set of vehicle records comprising;

a customer name for a previously sold vehicle and that customer'"'"'s contact information;

a vehicle identification number of the previously sold vehicle;

data from a deal that resulted in a previous sale to the customer, the data sufficient to show or obtain;

the customer'"'"'s current payment, which comprises the customer'"'"'s periodic payment for the previously sold vehicle;

an estimated trade value of the previously sold vehicle; and

an estimated payoff amount of the previously sold vehicle;

based on metadata associated with the vehicle records, sort the vehicle records received over the network;

selectively modify, based on qualifying criteria, the vehicle records received from the application-specific databases;

generate an interactive display interface in communication with a vehicle manufacturing database, the interactive display interface configured to display aggregate alert data obtained via the encrypted connection, thereby preventing disclosure of individualized information to a user, the interactive display interface further comprising;

a budget adjustment tool allowing dynamic selection of a maximum budget by a user;

a geographic map that dynamically updates in response to an adjustment by a user of the budget adjustment tool, the map comprising a plurality of regions; and

a plurality of alert indicators, each corresponding to a region of the plurality of regions, wherein each of the plurality of alert indicators represents a number of available new deal proposals for each of a plurality of past customers from multiple dealerships;

wherein, in dynamic response to the user selection of the maximum budget, the interactive display interface automatically updates one or more of the plurality of alert indicators and displays them in association with the regions of the geographic map, wherein each new deal proposal comprises a periodic payment for a replacement vehicle within a percentage threshold of the current payment, wherein the plurality of alert indicators prevents disclosure of any sensitive data about particular individuals via the interactive display interface and wherein updating the one or more alert indicators comprises;

determining, based on the maximum budget selected by the user, a new periodic payment for each of the plurality of past customers; and

via the vehicle manufacturer data interface, passing the new periodic payment to the vehicle manufacturer database; and

wherein the updated one or more alert indicators is configured to allow the user to visually and dynamically discover effects of real-world inputs from automotive manufacturers.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein determining a new periodic payment for each of the plurality of past customers comprises:

obtaining a price of a new suggested vehicle;

determining a net trade-in equity by combining the estimated trade value with the estimated payoff amount of the previously sold vehicle, wherein the trade-in equity may be either negative equity or positive equity;

determining an amount to be financed by combining the price of the new suggested vehicle with any obtained net trade-in equity, whether positive or negative;

using the amount to be financed and currently-available rate information for a loan duration to determine the new proposed payment;

comparing the customer'"'"'s current payment and the new proposed payment to determine one or more differences; and

analyzing the one or more differences to determine if at least one meets a criterion to identify the customer for outreach because a new favorable deal proposal has been identified to get that customer into the new suggested vehicle.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more hardware computer processors causes the system, in response to a user action, to adjust at least one changed data parameter for the suggested new vehicles and to determine whether the at least one changed data parameter increases the number of customers who can favorably get into the new suggested vehicle.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the execution of the instructions by the hardware computer processors causes the system to automatically calculate an expiration date for identified new favorable deal proposals.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the expiration date is calculated by determining that a new favorable deal proposal depends on a particular vehicle manufacturer incentive, and the expiration date corresponds to a date when the particular vehicle manufacturer incentive is no longer offered.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the interactive display interface comprises a notification indicating to vehicle manufacturer personnel of the expiration date when the particular vehicle manufacturer incentive is no longer offered.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the estimated trade value is obtained by using the vehicle identification number, a make, a model, a year, and a date of sale of the previously sold vehicle.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the estimated trade value is automatically obtained from a database of third-party industry valuation data, and price of the new suggested vehicle and currently-available interest rate information are automatically obtained from external databases.

15. The system of claim 7, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more hardware computer processors causes the system to automatically calculate the estimated payoff amount by multiplying the customer'"'"'s current payment with the number of remaining payments derived from information in the database of records.

16. The system of claim 7, wherein execution of the instructions by the one or more hardware computer processors causes the system to automatically calculate the estimated payoff amount by:

obtaining from one of the plurality of application-specific databases a capitalized cost comprising an amount financed for the previously-sold vehicle;

determining an accumulated amount paid by the customer toward the capitalized cost; and

subtracting the accumulated amount paid from the capitalized cost.

17. The system of claim 8, wherein the price of the new suggested vehicle comprises either a sales price for a sale transaction or a capitalized lease cost for a lease transaction.

18. The system of claim 7, wherein the percentage threshold is between about 0% and 10%.

19. The system of claim 7, wherein the interactive display interface further comprises at least three of the control selectors selected from the following group:

a location selector, an automobile year selector, an automobile make selector, an automobile model selector, an automobile trim selector, and a selector for a percentage of customers who are expected to participate in a new favorable deal proposal.

20. The system of claim 7, further comprising computer software configured for use with multiple automotive dealerships, each of the extraction interfaces configured to extract data from customer databases of those dealerships, and the interactive display interface is configured to allow OEM users to design and manage incentives and develop one or more private offer campaigns for specific sets of consumers of the automotive dealerships.