Utilizing unmanned vehicles to initiate and/or facilitate claims processing

• US 10,538,325 B1
• Filed: 11/11/2015
• Issued: 01/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Newmark, Jordan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan K
• Application Number:
  US14/938,622
• Time in Patent Office: 1,532 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/00 UAVs specially adapted for particular uses or applications
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/26 for manufacturing, inspections or repairs
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/10 autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS]
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0011 associated with a remote control arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/205 Indicating the location of the monitored vehicles as destination, e.g. accidents, stolen, rental
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/21 for social networking applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

Unmanned vehicles can be terrestrial, aerial, nautical, or multi-mode. Unmanned vehicles may be used to survey a property in response to or in anticipation of damage to the property. For example, an unmanned vehicle may analyze information about the property and based on the information initiate an insurance claim for damage to the property.

Claims

1. An unmanned vehicle comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory having stored thereon executable instructions that when executed by the processor cause the processor to effectuate operations comprising;

maneuvering the unmanned vehicle to a first location proximate a property;

receiving sensor data indicating an obstruction between the first location and the property;

determining that a current distance between the obstruction and unmanned vehicle meets or exceeds a threshold distance;

based on the determining that the current distance meets or exceeds the threshold distance, maneuvering the unmanned vehicle to a second location proximate the property, wherein the obstruction is not located between the second location and the property;

generating data associated with the property;

analyzing the data;

based on the analyzing the data, determining if damage is still occurring to the property; and

based on determining that damage is not still occurring to the property, generating additional data associated with the property.

2. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the unmanned vehicle comprises an aerial device;

and

at least one of the first location and the second location comprises spatial position data.

3. The unmanned vehicle of claim 2, wherein the spatial position data comprises at least one of a geographic location and an altitude.

4. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the sensor data indicates that the obstruction would prevent the unmanned vehicle from generating the data at the first location.

5. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the unmanned vehicle comprises at least one of a visible light camera, an infrared camera, and a hyperspectral sensor.

6. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the unmanned vehicle comprises at least one of a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, and a gas sensor.

7. The unmanned vehicle of claim 1, wherein the operations further comprise:

determining proximity to another vehicle; and

based on the proximity to the another vehicle, modifying a current path of travel of the unmanned vehicle.

8. A method comprising:

maneuvering an unmanned vehicle to a first location proximate a property;

receiving sensor data indicating an obstruction between the first location and the property;

determining that a current distance between the obstruction and unmanned vehicle meets or exceeds a threshold distance;

based on the determining that the current distance meets or exceeds the threshold distance, maneuvering the unmanned vehicle to a second location proximate the property, wherein the obstruction is not located between the second location and the property;

generating data associated with the property;

analyzing the data;

based on the analyzing the data, determining if damage is still occurring to the property; and

based on determining that damage is not still occurring to the property, generating additional data associated with the property.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the unmanned vehicle comprises an aerial device;

and

at least one of the first location and the second location comprises spatial position data.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the data comprises at least one of a geographic location and an altitude.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the sensor data indicates that the obstruction would prevent the unmanned vehicle from generating the data from the first location.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the unmanned vehicle comprises a radar device.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the unmanned vehicle comprises a particle inspection device.

14. A system comprising:

an unmanned vehicle; and

a controller in communication with the unmanned vehicle, wherein the controller is configured to;

send, to the unmanned vehicle, data configured to cause the unmanned vehicle to travel to a first location proximate a property;

receive sensor data indicating an obstruction between the first location and the property;

determine that a current distance between the obstruction and unmanned vehicle meets or exceeds a threshold distance;

based on determining that the current distance meets or exceeds the threshold distance, send, to the unmanned vehicle, data configured to cause the unmanned vehicle to travel to a second location proximate the property, wherein the obstruction is not located between the second location and the property;

receive, from the unmanned vehicle, data associated with the property generated from a determined altitude;

analyze the data;

based on analyzing the data, determine if damage is still occurring to the property; and

based on determining that damage is not still occurring to the property, generate additional data associated with the property.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the unmanned vehicle comprises an aerial device;

and

at least one of the first location and the second location comprises spatial position data.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the data comprises at least one of a geographic location and an altitude.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the sensor data indicates that the obstruction would prevent the unmanned vehicle from generating the data from the first location.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the unmanned vehicle comprises a spectrometer.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the unmanned vehicle comprises a temperature sensor and a gas sensor.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is located external to the property.