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

• US 10,510,124 B1
• Filed: 12/17/2018
• Issued: 12/17/2019
• 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:
  US16/222,703
• Time in Patent Office: 365 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 system comprising:

a marker-reading device configured to determine a plurality of machine-readable markers on a vehicle; and

a computing device in communication with the marker-reading device, wherein the computing device is configured to;

receive, from the marker-reading device, an indication of the plurality of machine-readable markers on the vehicle; and

determine, based on the plurality of machine-readable markers on the vehicle and historical data associated with the vehicle, damage to the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is further configured to:

determine, based on the plurality of machine-readable markers, an identifier associated with the vehicle; and

query, using the identifier, a database for the historical data associated with the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the computing device is configured to determine the damage to the vehicle by determining that one or more of the plurality of machine-readable markers is unreadable.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the historical data associated with the vehicle comprises an indication of machine-readable markers on the vehicle that was previously received from the marker-reading device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of machine-readable markers is located on a component of the vehicle and comprises data identifying the component of the vehicle;

and

wherein the computing device is configured to determine, based on the plurality of machine-readable markers, at least one component of the vehicle.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the historical data associated with the vehicle comprises a record of components of the vehicle;

and

wherein the computing device is configured to determine the damage to the vehicle by determining, based on the determined at least one component of the vehicle and the record of components of the vehicle, that the determined at least one component of the vehicle comprises a replacement component.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the historical data associated with the vehicle comprises an indication of a time that one or more of the plurality of machine-readable markers was read by one or more machines.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the computing device is configured to determine the damage to the vehicle by determining that at least one of the plurality of machine-readable markers had not previously been read.