Smart Phone App-Based Method and System of Collecting Information for Purchasing Used Cars
First Claim
1. A system for verifying a used vehicle for sale on a smart phone capable of capturing an image of a vehicle identification number (VIN) of the vehicle for sale, the system comprising:
- a remote verification and repair estimate module including;
a VIN decoder capable of matching a VIN with characteristic data of a vehicle associated with the VIN, the characteristic data including the vehicle year, make, and model;
a defect database having information related to defects that have occurred in different vehicles and the reference mileage at which such defects occurred; and
a defect predictor in communication with the VIN decoder and the defect database and configured to identify defects listed in the defect database corresponding to vehicles having similar characteristic data to the vehicle associated with the VIN; and
a computer readable medium downloadable onto the smart phone for configuring the smart phone to;
communicate a first signal to the remote verification and repair estimate module, the first signal including information corresponding to the captured image of the VIN;
receive a second signal from the remote verification and repair module including the characteristic data of the vehicle associated with the VIN communicated in the first signal, and the defects identified by the defect predictor; and
displaying the characteristic data and defects received in the second signal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Provided is a system for verifying a vehicle for sale on a smart phone. The system includes a VIN decoder capable of decoding a VIN to determine the vehicle year, make, and model of the vehicle for sale. The system further includes a defect predictor and defect database configured to identify defects in vehicles having similar characteristic data to the vehicle associated with the VIN. A computer readable medium is downloadable onto the smart phone to configure the phone to communicate information corresponding to a captured image of the VIN from the vehicle to the VIN decoder. The computer readable medium further configures the smart phone to receive a signal including the characteristic data of the vehicle associated with the VIN, and defects identified by the defect predictor. The computer readable medium further configures the phone to display the received characteristic data and defects.
85 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system for verifying a used vehicle for sale on a smart phone capable of capturing an image of a vehicle identification number (VIN) of the vehicle for sale, the system comprising:
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a remote verification and repair estimate module including; a VIN decoder capable of matching a VIN with characteristic data of a vehicle associated with the VIN, the characteristic data including the vehicle year, make, and model; a defect database having information related to defects that have occurred in different vehicles and the reference mileage at which such defects occurred; and a defect predictor in communication with the VIN decoder and the defect database and configured to identify defects listed in the defect database corresponding to vehicles having similar characteristic data to the vehicle associated with the VIN; and a computer readable medium downloadable onto the smart phone for configuring the smart phone to; communicate a first signal to the remote verification and repair estimate module, the first signal including information corresponding to the captured image of the VIN; receive a second signal from the remote verification and repair module including the characteristic data of the vehicle associated with the VIN communicated in the first signal, and the defects identified by the defect predictor; and displaying the characteristic data and defects received in the second signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for verifying a used vehicle for sale on a smart phone capable of capturing an image of a vehicle license plate of the vehicle for sale, the system comprising:
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a verification and repair estimate module including; a license plate decoder capable of matching a license plate with characteristic data of a vehicle associated with the license plate, the characteristic data including the vehicle year, make, and model; a defect database having information related to defects that have occurred in different vehicles and the reference mileage at which such defects occurred; and a defect predictor in communication with the license plate decoder and the defect database and configured to identify defects listed in the defect database corresponding to vehicles having similar characteristic data to the vehicle associated with the license plate; and a computer readable medium downloadable onto the smart phone for configuring the smart phone to; communicate a first signal to the verification and repair estimate module, the first signal including information corresponding to the captured image of the license plate; receive a second signal from the verification and repair module including the characteristic data of the vehicle associated with the license plate communicated in the first signal, and the defects identified by the defect predictor; and displaying the characteristic data and defects received in the second signal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A system for using a smart phone to verify vehicle characteristics of a used vehicle having an onboard computer, the smart phone being configured to capture an image of the vehicle identification number (VIN), the system comprising:
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a diagnostic tool connectable with vehicle'"'"'s onboard computer and configured to retrieve an electronic vehicle identification number (VIN) from the onboard computer; and a computer readable medium downloadable onto the smart phone for configuring the smart phone to; establish communication with the diagnostic tool to receive the electronic VIN therefrom; identify the VIN in an image captured by the smart phone; compare the electronic VIN with the VIN in the image; and communicate a positive verification signal when the electronic VIN matches the VIN in the image, and communicate a negative verification signal when the electronic VIN does not mage the VIN in the image. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A system for verifying vehicle characteristics of a used vehicle, the system comprising:
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a smart phone capable of capturing a first image of a VIN associated with the used vehicle and a second image of a license plate associated with the used vehicle; a license plate decoder in operative communication with the smart phone, the license plate decoder being configured to decode a license plate to determine the vehicle year, make and model; and a VIN decoder is in operative communication with the smart phone to receive the signal therefrom and decode the VIN to determine the vehicle year, make, and model; the VIN decoder and license plate decoder being configured to compare the results from the decoded VIN with the results from the decoded license plate to determine whether the VIN matches the license plate.
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Specification