DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND REPAIR BASED ON OBJECTIVE SURFACE DATA
First Claim
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1. A system for administering a damage assessment and repair process for a hail-damaged vehicle, the system comprising:
- a scanning system configured to capture a pre-repair scan including a digital surface representation of a surface of one or more panels of a vehicle based upon surface normals measured with deflection of light beams from a laser source reflected by the surface and to distinguish hail damage in the surface based on the digital surface representation, the scanning system further including a local computing system to receive supporting data including other observable vehicle conditions and objective data from a technician;
a remote resource coupled in a communicating relationship with the scanning system through a data network, the remote resource including a processor configured to administer a repair of the item by performing the steps of;
receiving a damage report including the digital surface representation including the hail damage and other observable vehicle conditions and objective data;
preparing an estimate for repairing the hail damage to the vehicle by selecting a lowest-cost repair alternative from among at least a first estimate using one or more local cost estimating rules for estimating repair cost using paintless dent repair and a second estimate using a remote repair cost tool provided by a third party and accessible through the data network for estimating repair cost based on the other observable vehicle conditions;
securing an approval of the estimate from a commercial repair entity responsible for repairing the hail damage to the vehicle; and
securing an approval of a repair based on the estimate from an owner of the vehicle; and
a user interface hosted by the remote resource and remotely accessible through the data network for administering the repair.
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Abstract
A scanning system captures a digital surface representation of an automotive vehicle that can be used to objectively assess hail damage and estimate repair costs. The system may also be used to administer downstream repair functions such as securing approvals from entities participating in the damage assessment and repair process and evaluating the adequacy of any physical repairs that have been performed.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A system for administering a damage assessment and repair process for a hail-damaged vehicle, the system comprising:
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a scanning system configured to capture a pre-repair scan including a digital surface representation of a surface of one or more panels of a vehicle based upon surface normals measured with deflection of light beams from a laser source reflected by the surface and to distinguish hail damage in the surface based on the digital surface representation, the scanning system further including a local computing system to receive supporting data including other observable vehicle conditions and objective data from a technician; a remote resource coupled in a communicating relationship with the scanning system through a data network, the remote resource including a processor configured to administer a repair of the item by performing the steps of; receiving a damage report including the digital surface representation including the hail damage and other observable vehicle conditions and objective data; preparing an estimate for repairing the hail damage to the vehicle by selecting a lowest-cost repair alternative from among at least a first estimate using one or more local cost estimating rules for estimating repair cost using paintless dent repair and a second estimate using a remote repair cost tool provided by a third party and accessible through the data network for estimating repair cost based on the other observable vehicle conditions; securing an approval of the estimate from a commercial repair entity responsible for repairing the hail damage to the vehicle; and securing an approval of a repair based on the estimate from an owner of the vehicle; and a user interface hosted by the remote resource and remotely accessible through the data network for administering the repair. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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5. (canceled)
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12-14. -14. (canceled)
Specification