Accident detection and recovery

• US 10,592,990 B1
• Filed: 08/21/2017
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Hanson, Randall M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Kito R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tibljas, Shacole C
• Application Number:
  US15/681,814
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 705 4
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/00 Measuring acceleration; Measuring deceleration; Measuring shock, i.e. sudden change of acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 15/04 for indicating maximum value
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/00 Measuring linear or angular speed; Measuring differences of linear or angular speeds G01P5/00 - G01P11/00 take precedence; direction and speed indication G01P13/045; counting mechanisms G06M
• CPC Class Codes: G01P 3/56 for comparing two speeds
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds

Abstract

One or more devices in an accident detection and recovery computing system may be configured to determine that vehicle accidents have occurred, collect and analyze accident characteristics and other related data, and providing customized accident recovery services. Mobile computing devices, alone or in combination with vehicle-based systems and external devices, may detect accidents or receive accident indication data. After determining that an accident has occurred, mobile computing devices and/or vehicle-based systems may be configured to determine accident characteristics, retrieve vehicle data and vehicle occupant data from one or external servers, determine the damages or potential damages resulting from the accident, and determine one or more accident recovery options or recommendations based on the accident damages. Various user interface screens may be generated and displayed via the user'"'"'s mobile device and/or a vehicle-based display device to provide the user with accident information, damages, and recovery options or recommendations.

Claims

1. A mobile computing device, comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more hardware memory units; and

one or more network interfaces,

wherein the mobile computing device is configured to access and employ the hardware memory units and processors to;

receive, via the one or more network interfaces and via a wireless communication network, an accident detection and recovery application;

execute the accident detection and recovery application, executing the accident detection and recovery application including executing computer-readable instructions to;

receive current location and time data from a Global Positioning System (GPS) associated with the mobile computing device;

determine, using at least one of;

movement sensors and location sensors within the mobile computing device, that the mobile computing device is within a first vehicle;

determine, based on the current location data, that the current location data corresponds to an area accessible to a vehicle;

after determining that the mobile computing device is within the first vehicle and that the current location data corresponds to an area accessible to a vehicle, determine, based on a spike in positive or negative accelerometer readings, that the first vehicle was involved in an accident;

determine, based at least on data received from the at least one of the movement sensors and the location sensors, one or more accident characteristics associated with the accident;

determine at least one of a type of potential damages or an amount of potential damages associated with the accident, based on the accident characteristics;

determine, based on the accident characteristics, a part of a body of one or more occupants of the first vehicle to evaluate for injury; and

generate and display an accident recovery user interface on the mobile computing device, the accident recovery user interface including recommendations based on the determined type or amount of potential damages and medical recommendations based on the determined part of the body of the one or more occupants of the first vehicle to evaluate for injury and a potential type of injury, the medical recommendations further being based on the location and current time data received from the GPS.

2. The mobile computing device of claim 1, wherein determining the one or more accident characteristics associated with the accident comprises:

receiving, from a vehicle-based computing device of the first vehicle, at least one of;

a speed of the first vehicle at the time of the accident;

an area of impact on the first vehicle during the accident; and

a number of passengers in the first vehicle at the time of the accident.

3. The mobile computing device of claim 1, wherein determining that the mobile computing device is in a vehicle includes:

retrieving and analyzing data from at least one of;

an accelerometer of the mobile computing device;

a speedometer of the mobile computing device; and

the Global Positioning System (GPS) or other location-based service (LBS) of the mobile computing device.

4. The mobile computing device of claim 1, wherein determining the type of potential damages or amount of potential damages associated with the accident further includes:

retrieving, from an external computer server, via the one or more network interfaces, at least one of physical attribute data or medical history data for the one or more occupants of the first vehicle; and

determining at least one of a type or amount of potential medical damages to the occupants of the first vehicle, based on the retrieved physical attribute data or medical history data of the occupants of the first vehicle, based on the accident characteristics, and based on the determined part of the body of the one or more occupants of the vehicle to evaluate for injury.

5. The mobile computing device of claim 1, wherein generating and displaying the accident recovery user interface comprises:

determining one or more insurance coverage characteristics applicable to the accident; and

determining an accident recovery recommendation based on the insurance coverage characteristics applicable to the accident, and based on the accident characteristics.

6. The mobile computing device of claim 5, wherein the mobile computing device is further configured to access and employ the memory units and processors to:

initiate at least one of;

an insurance claim;

a title transfer process; and

a vehicle damage repair estimate,

wherein the initiation of the insurance claim, title transfer process, or vehicle damage repair estimate is based on determined type or amount of potential damages associated with the accident, and the insurance coverage characteristics applicable to the accident.

7. The mobile computing device of claim 1, wherein the potential damages are further based on seating positions within the vehicle.

8. The mobile computing device of claim 1, wherein determining the one or more accident characteristics associated with the accident includes:

receiving data associated with individuals within the first vehicle at the time of the accident;

receiving speed data of the first vehicle at the time of the accident;

comparing the speed data to a plurality of speed thresholds,

wherein the speed thresholds are based on the data associated with the individuals within the first vehicle at the time of the accident.

9. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a mobile computing device and via a wireless communication network, an accident detection and recovery application;

executing, by the mobile computing device, the accident detection and recovery application, executing the accident detection and recovery application including executing a series of computer-readable instructions to;

receive, from a Global Positioning System (GPS) associated with the mobile computing device, current time and location data of the mobile computing device;

determine, by the mobile computing device and using at least one of;

movement sensors and location sensors within the mobile computing device, that the mobile computing device is in a first vehicle;

determine, based on the current location data, that the current location data corresponds to an area accessible to a vehicle;

after determining that the mobile computing device is within the first vehicle and that the current location data corresponds to an area accessible to a vehicle, determine, based on a short spike in positive or negative accelerometer readings, that the first vehicle was involved in an accident;

determine, by the mobile computing device and based at least on data received from the at least one of the movement sensors and the location sensors, one or more accident characteristics associated with the accident;

determine, by the mobile computing device, at least one of a type of potential damages or an amount of potential damages associated with the accident, based on the accident characteristics;

determine, based on the accident characteristics, a part of a body of one or more occupants of the first vehicle to evaluate for injury; and

generate and display, by the mobile computing device, an accident recovery user interface, the accident recovery user interface including recommendations based on the determined type or amount of potential damages and medical recommendations based on the determined part of the body of the one or more occupants of the first vehicle to evaluate for injury and a potential type of injury, the medical recommendations further being based on the location and current time data received from the GPS.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the one or more accident characteristics associated with the accident comprises:

receiving, from a vehicle-based computing device of the first vehicle, at least one of;

a speed of the first vehicle at the time of the accident;

an area of impact on the first vehicle during the accident; and

a number of passengers in the first vehicle at the time of the accident.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein determining that the mobile computing device is in a vehicle further includes:

retrieving and analyzing data from at least one of;

an accelerometer of the mobile computing device;

a speedometer of the mobile computing device; and

the Global Positioning System (GPS) or other location-based service (LBS) of the mobile computing device.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the type of potential damages or amount of potential damages associated with the accident further includes:

retrieving, from an external computer server, at least one of physical attribute data or medical history data for the one or more occupants of the first vehicle; and

determining at least one of a type or amount of potential medical damages to the occupants of the first vehicle, based on the retrieved physical attribute data or medical history data of the occupants of the first vehicle, based on the accident characteristics and based on the determined part of the body of the one or more occupants of the first vehicle to evaluate for injury.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein generating and displaying the accident recovery user interface comprises:

determining one or more insurance coverage characteristics applicable to the accident; and

determining an accident recovery recommendation based on the insurance coverage characteristics applicable to the accident, and based on the accident characteristics.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

initiating, by the mobile computing device, at least one of;

an insurance claim;

a title transfer process; and

a vehicle damage repair estimate,

wherein the initiation of the insurance claim, title transfer process, or vehicle damage repair estimate is based on determined type or amount of potential damages associated with the accident, and the insurance coverage characteristics applicable to the accident.

15. A system, comprising:

a mobile computing device, comprising;

a processing unit;

a hardware memory unit; and

a wireless network interface;

a vehicle-based computing device of a first vehicle, comprising;

a processing unit;

a hardware memory unit; and

a network interface configured to receive sensor data from vehicle sensors of the first vehicle; and

one or more computer servers, each said computer server comprising;

one or more processors;

one or more nonvolatile hardware memory units; and

one or more networking components,

wherein the mobile computing device further includes an accident detection and recovery application executing in a background of the mobile computing device, the accident detection and recovery application configured to access and employ the hardware memory unit and processor of the mobile computing device to;

determine that the mobile computing device is within the first vehicle based on communication with the vehicle-based computing device of the first vehicle;

receive current location and time data from a Global Positioning System (GPS) associated with the mobile computing device;

determine, based on the current location of the first vehicle, that the current location corresponds to an area accessible to a vehicle;

after determining that the mobile computing device is within the first vehicle and that the current location corresponds to an area accessible to a vehicle, determine, based on a short spike in positive or negative accelerometer readings, that the first vehicle was involved in an accident;

determine one or more accident characteristics associated with the accident;

determine at least one of a type of potential damages or an amount of potential damages associated with the accident based on the accident characteristics;

determine, based on the accident characteristics, a part of a body of one or more occupants of the vehicle to evaluate for injury;

retrieve, from the one or more computer servers, accident recovery data based on at least one of;

data identifying the first vehicle;

data identifying a user of the mobile computing device;

or

the one or more accident characteristics, and

display an accident recovery user interface on the mobile computing device, the accident recovery user interface including recommendations based on the accident recovery data retrieved from the one or more computer computers, recommendations based on the determined type or amount of potential damages, and medical recommendations based on the determined part of the body of the one or more occupants of the vehicle to evaluate for injury and a potential type of injury, the medical recommendations further being based on the location and current time data received from the GPS.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein retrieving the accident recovery data from the one or more computer servers comprises:

transmitting, to the one or more computer servers, identifying information corresponding to the one or more occupants of the first vehicle; and

receiving, from the one or more computer servers, at least one of physical attribute data or medical history data for the one or more occupants of the first vehicle.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein retrieving the accident recovery data from the one or more computer servers comprises:

transmitting the one or more accident characteristics to a vehicle repair server; and

receiving, from the vehicle repair server, a vehicle damage repair estimate.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein determining the one or more accident characteristics associated with the accident comprises:

receiving sensor data of the first vehicle, from the vehicle-based computing device of the first vehicle; and

analyzing the sensor data of the first vehicle to determine the accident characteristics.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the determined accident characteristics comprise at least one of:

a speed of the first vehicle at the time of the accident;

an area of impact on the first vehicle during the accident; and

a number of passengers in the first vehicle at the time of the accident.