COMPUTER-BASED TECHNOLOGY FOR AIDING THE REPAIR OF MOTOR VEHICLES
First Claim
1. A method of parameterizing repair of damage to a motor vehicle by using at least one processor and at least one non-transitory storage device storing executable code, said processor executing said stored executable code to provide a visually-perceptible display on a touch screen display, the method comprising:
- (1) automatically requesting, with the processor, a user to input dimensions of a dent;
(2) automatically requesting, with the processor, the user to input via the touch screen whether there are sharp creases or folds in a repair surface corresponding to the dent;
(3) automatically requesting, with the processor, the user to input via the touch screen whether there are gouges, tears or crushed material in the repair surface;
(4) automatically requesting, with the processor, the user to input via the touch screen how many hard worked surfaces are subject to repair in repairing the dent;
(5) in response to at least the received user inputs, automatically parameterizing at least time and cost to repair the dent;
(6) automatically, with the processor, iterating steps (1)-(5) for each of plural dents in the motor vehicle; and
(7) automatically providing, with the processor, totalized parameterized repair outputs that will result in changing the repair state of the motor vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A computer-assisted inspection system provides computer architectures and software controlled algorithms to automatically provide vehicle inspections and repair recommendations including estimated repair time and cost of depression type damage such as dents. Features provided by a handheld wireless touchscreen based inspection device include flat car part picking, auto grading including seller grading, and automatic calculation of body and bumper dent repair parameters and directions.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of parameterizing repair of damage to a motor vehicle by using at least one processor and at least one non-transitory storage device storing executable code, said processor executing said stored executable code to provide a visually-perceptible display on a touch screen display, the method comprising:
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(1) automatically requesting, with the processor, a user to input dimensions of a dent; (2) automatically requesting, with the processor, the user to input via the touch screen whether there are sharp creases or folds in a repair surface corresponding to the dent; (3) automatically requesting, with the processor, the user to input via the touch screen whether there are gouges, tears or crushed material in the repair surface; (4) automatically requesting, with the processor, the user to input via the touch screen how many hard worked surfaces are subject to repair in repairing the dent; (5) in response to at least the received user inputs, automatically parameterizing at least time and cost to repair the dent; (6) automatically, with the processor, iterating steps (1)-(5) for each of plural dents in the motor vehicle; and (7) automatically providing, with the processor, totalized parameterized repair outputs that will result in changing the repair state of the motor vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. In a computing system including a processor, at least one input device, and a display, said computing device including at least one storage device storing executable code to be executed by the processor, said processor at least in part controlling the display to display information that is visually perceptible by a user, said processor accepting input from the user via the at least one input device and affecting the information displayed on the display in order to provide interaction with the user, the computing device processor executing the executable code stored by the storage device to perform the following functions:
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(a) enable the user to input length and width dimensions of a dent in a motor vehicle body; (b) enable the user to input number of work hardened areas to be repaired; (c) enable the user to input the number of panel edges to be repaired; (d) enable the user to input the number of body lines to be repaired; (e) enable the user to input additional damage associated with the dent; (f) accept and process said user inputs; (g) in response to the accepted and processed user inputs, automatically calculating how much time required to repair the dent based on the length and width of the dent, adjusting the calculated repair time based on the input number of work hardened areas, panel edges, body lines, and additional damage; (h) based on the automatically calculated and adjusted time, automatically calculating how much it will cost to repair the dent; and (h) providing an electronic presentation enabling a user to authorize repair to thereby change the state of the motor vehicle body. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A non-transitory storage device storing executable instructions that when executed by at least one processor control the processor to parameterize repair of damage to a motor vehicle, said processor being configured to provide a visually-perceptible display on a touch screen display, the non-transitory storage device storing:
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first instructions controlling the processor to automatically request a user to input dimensions of a dent; second instructions controlling the processor to automatically request the user to input via the touch screen whether there are sharp creases or folds in a repair surface corresponding to the dent; third instructions controlling the processor to automatically request the user to input via the touch screen whether there are gouges, tears or crushed material in the repair surface; fourth instructions controlling the processor to automatically request the user to input via the touch screen how many hard worked surfaces are subject to repair in repairing the dent; fifth instructions controlling the processor to, in response to at least the received user inputs, automatically parameterize at least time and cost to repair the dent by using a length and width lookup matrix to calculate labor hours based on the width and length parameters, add additional body time based on number of work hard areas, number of panel edges, number of body lines, depth of the dent, sharp crease or fold, crushed metal and other factors; sixth instructions controlling the processor to automatically iterate execution of the first through fifth instructions for each of plural dents in the motor vehicle; and seventh instructions controlling the processor to automatically provide parameterized repair outputs that will result in changing the repair state of the motor vehicle.
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21. A computer-assisted process for allowing a seller to disclose parameterized condition information to potential purchasers by using a handheld device comprising at least one processor and at least one non-transitory storage device storing executable code, said processor executing said stored executable code to provide a visually-perceptible display on a touch screen display, the process comprising:
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(1) automatically requesting, with the processor, an inspector to input condition information referring to the condition of a motor vehicle by guiding the inspector through a virtual walk around of the vehicle using on-screen instructions and a pre-defined, resulting in data collection including item and damage values; (2) automatically requesting, with the processor, the inspector to capture and store photographs of the vehicle with a camera operatively connected to the handheld device; (3) automatically, wirelessly transmitting, from the handheld device processor to a further processor remote from the handheld device processor, at least the input condition information referring to the motor vehicle condition to a further processor; (4) with the further processor, mapping the input condition information to a seller parameterized grade, including mapping a higher precision grade parameter to a lower precision seller grade value, the mapping which the further processor automatically performs mapping at least Item and damage values and at least three of severity, item description, item code, damage description, damage code, severity description, action description, and action code; and (5) with the further processor, automatically delivering the lower precision seller grade value and other mapped information for inclusion in a human-and-machine readable seller condition report including at least some captured and stored photographs.
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Specification