Computerized method and system of determining right of way in an accident

• US 7,742,935 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2001
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Computer Sciences Corporation (DXC Technology Company)
• Original Assignee: Computer Sciences Corporation (DXC Technology Company)
• Inventors: Johnston, Tim, Wahlbin, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilligan; C. Luke
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gottschalk; Martin A
• Application Number:
  US09/969,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20020055860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,185 Days
• Field of Search: 704/5, 705/1, 705/4, 701/35
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for estimating right of way in an accident. In one embodiment, right of way estimation in a vehicle accident may be based on a plurality of characteristics that describe the accident. The characteristics from an actual accident may be compared to those in a past or theoretical accident.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing to a computer system a real set of characteristics for a real vehicle accident involving two or more vehicles;

wherein the computer system is configured to access a memory, wherein the memory comprises sets of characteristics for past or theoretical vehicle accidents involving two or more vehicles, wherein the sets of characteristics for the past or theoretical accidents comprise two or more pairs of impact points for the past or theoretical accidents, wherein, for each of at least one of the pairs for the past or theoretical accidents, one impact point of the pair is an impact point for a first vehicle in a past or theoretical vehicle accident and the other impact point of the pair is an impact point for a second vehicle in the past or theoretical vehicle accident, and wherein a determination of a right of way is associated with one or more of the sets of characteristics for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents,

wherein each of at least two of the two or more pairs of impact points for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents is associated with a roadway configuration/accident type combination, wherein the accident type specifies a relationship between two or more vehicles'"'"' paths on a roadway at the time of a vehicle accident, wherein the roadway configuration/accident type combination associated with at least one of the pairs of impact points for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents is different from the roadway configuration/accident type combination for at least one other of the pairs of impact points for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents,

wherein each of at least two of the pairs of impact points for the past or theoretical accidents is associated with a first base liability corresponding to a first vehicle in a past or theoretical accident having the right of way in the past or theoretical accident and a second base liability corresponding to a second vehicle haying the right of way in the past or theoretical accident;

comparing the real set of characteristics for the real vehicle accident to the sets of characteristics for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents to determine a nearest matching set of characteristics among the sets of characteristics for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents, wherein comparing the real set of characteristics for the real vehicle accident to the sets of characteristics for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents comprises;

specifying a roadway configuration for the real vehicle accident; and

specifying an accident type for the real vehicle accident, wherein the accident type for the real vehicle accident specifies a relationship between two or more vehicles'"'"' paths on a roadway at the time of the real vehicle accident;

determining which of two or more vehicles in the real vehicle accident had a right of way for the real vehicle accident based at least partially on the specified roadway configuration for the real vehicle accident and the specified accident type for the real vehicle accident;

specifying a pair of impact points for the real vehicle accident, wherein one of the impact points of the pair is an impact point for a first vehicle in the real vehicle accident and the other impact point of the pair is an impact point for a second vehicle in the real vehicle accident;

the computer system searching, from within a first database table having the pairs of impact points for the past or theoretical accidents, for a pair of impact points associated with the roadway configuration/accident type combination specified for the real vehicle accident that at least partially matches the pair of impact points specified for the real vehicle accident; and

determining an estimate of liability for a vehicle in the real vehicle accident, wherein determining the estimate of liability comprises the computer system extracting, from a second database table, at least one of the first base liability or the second base liability associated with at least one pair of impact points for the past or theoretical accidents associated with the roadway configuration/accident type combination specified for the real vehicle accident, wherein the estimated liability for the vehicle in the real vehicle accident is based on the first base liability if the vehicle had the right of way, wherein the estimated liability for the vehicle in the real vehicle accident is based on the estimate of the second base liability if the vehicle did not have had the right of way.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the real set of characteristics comprises a roadway configuration at a location of the real accident.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the roadway configuration is selected from the group consisting of a two or more lane road, a divided road with a median that can be crossed, a four-way intersection, a T-angle intersection, a merging of one roadway into another, a curve, a parking lot with two-way traffic, a parking lot with one way traffic, a center turn lane, and a two or more lane road divided by a physical barrier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the real set of characteristics comprises an accident type of the real accident.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the accident type is selected from the group consisting of a rear ender, a left turn crossing traffic, a left turn across traffic, a left turn entering traffic, a right turn entering traffic, dual turns to same lane, concurrent left turns, a U-turn, a parked vehicle merging into traffic from right, a parked vehicle merging into traffic from left, a merge from left, a merge from right, concurrent merges to a single lane, a collision with a parked vehicle, a collision while backing, a head on, and a straight cross traffic collision.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the real set of characteristics comprises a traffic control.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the traffic control is selected from the group consisting of a red light, a yellow light, a green light, a left turn arrow, a right turn arrow, a stop sign, a yield sign, a flashing red light, a flashing yellow light, a police officer signaling stop, a police officer signaling proceed, a crossing guard signaling proceed, a crossing guard signaling stop, a flagger signaling proceed, a flagger signaling stop, another person signaling proceed, another person signaling stop, an emergency vehicle, and a school bus.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the real set of characteristics comprises a jurisdiction.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the jurisdiction comprises a state or a territory of the United States.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the real set of characteristics comprises a roadway configuration at a location of the real accident and an accident type of the real accident.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the roadway configuration is selected from the group consisting of a two or more lane road, a divided road with a median that can be crossed, a four-way intersection, a T-angle intersection, a merging of one roadway into another, a curve, a parking lot with two-way traffic, a parking lot with one way traffic, a center turn lane, and a two or more lane road divided by a physical barrier.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the accident type is selected from the group consisting of a rear ender, a left turn crossing traffic, a left turn across traffic, a left turn entering traffic, a right turn entering traffic, dual turns to same lane, concurrent left turns, a U-turn, a parked vehicle merging into traffic from right, a parked vehicle merging into traffic from left, a merge from left, a merge from right, concurrent merges to a single lane, a collision with a parked vehicle, a collision while backing, a head on, and a straight cross traffic collision.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least two of the real set of characteristics comprise a roadway configuration at a location of the real accident and a traffic control.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the roadway configuration is selected from the group consisting of a two or more lane road, a divided road with a median that can be crossed, a four-way intersection, a T-angle intersection, a merging of one roadway into another, a curve, a parking lot with two-way traffic, a parking lot with one way traffic, a center turn lane, and a two or more lane road divided by a physical barrier.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the traffic control is selected from the group consisting of a red light, a yellow light, a green light, a left turn arrow, a right turn arrow, a stop sign, a yield sign, a flashing red light, a flashing yellow light, a police officer signaling stop, a police officer signaling proceed, a crossing guard signaling proceed, a crossing guard signaling stop, a flagger signaling proceed, a flagger signaling stop, another person signaling proceed, another person signaling stop, an emergency vehicle, and a school bus.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the real set of characteristics comprises a roadway configuration at a location of the real accident and a jurisdiction.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the roadway configuration is selected from the group consisting of a two or more lane road, a divided road with a median that can be crossed, a four-way intersection, a T-angle intersection, a merging of one roadway into another, a curve, a parking lot with two-way traffic, a parking lot with one way traffic, a center turn lane, and a two or more lane road divided by a physical barrier.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the jurisdiction comprises a state or a territory of the United States.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the real set of characteristics comprises an accident type of the real accident and a traffic control.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the accident type is selected from the group consisting of a rear ender, a left turn crossing traffic, a left turn across traffic, a left turn entering traffic, a right turn entering traffic, dual turns to same lane, concurrent left turns, a U-turn, a parked vehicle merging into traffic from right, a parked vehicle merging into traffic from left, a merge from left, a merge from right, concurrent merges to a single lane, a collision with a parked vehicle, a collision while backing, a head on, and a straight cross traffic collision.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the traffic control is selected from the group consisting of a red light, a yellow light, a green light, a left turn arrow, a right turn arrow, a stop sign, a yield sign, a flashing red light, a flashing yellow light, a police officer signaling stop, a police officer signaling proceed, a crossing guard signaling proceed, a crossing guard signaling stop, a flagger signaling proceed, a flagger signaling stop, another person signaling proceed, another person signaling stop, an emergency vehicle, and a school bus.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the real set of characteristics comprises an accident type of the real accident and a jurisdiction.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the accident type is selected from the group consisting of a rear ender, a left turn crossing traffic, a left turn across traffic, a left turn entering traffic, a right turn entering traffic, dual turns to same lane, concurrent left turns, a U-turn, a parked vehicle merging into traffic from right, a parked vehicle merging into traffic from left, a merge from left, a merge from right, concurrent merges to a single lane, a collision with a parked vehicle, a collision while backing, a head on, and a straight cross traffic collision.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the jurisdiction comprises a state or a territory of the United States.

25. The method of claim 1, wherein the real set of characteristics comprises a traffic control and a jurisdiction.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the traffic control is selected from the group consisting of a red light, a yellow light, a green light, a left turn arrow, a right turn arrow, a stop sign, a yield sign, a flashing red light, a flashing yellow light, a police officer signaling stop, a police officer signaling proceed, a crossing guard signaling proceed, a crossing guard signaling stop, a flagger signaling proceed, a flagger signaling stop, another person signaling proceed, another person signaling stop, an emergency vehicle, and a school bus.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the jurisdiction comprises a state or a territory of the United States.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the real set of characteristics comprises a roadway configuration at a location of the real accident, an accident type of the real accident, and a traffic control.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the roadway configuration is selected from the group consisting of a two or more lane road, a divided road with a median that can be crossed, a four-way intersection, a T-angle intersection, a merging of one roadway into another, a curve, a parking lot with two-way traffic, a parking lot with one way traffic, a center turn lane, and a two or more lane road divided by a physical barrier.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the accident type is selected from the group consisting of a rear ender, a left turn crossing traffic, a left turn across traffic, a left turn entering traffic, a right turn entering traffic, dual turns to same lane, concurrent left turns, a U-turn, a parked vehicle merging into traffic from right, a parked vehicle merging into traffic from left, a merge from left, a merge from right, concurrent merges to a single lane, a collision with a parked vehicle, a collision while backing, a head on, and a straight cross traffic collision.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein the traffic control is selected from the group consisting of a red light, a yellow light, a green light, a left turn arrow, a right turn arrow, a stop sign, a yield sign, a flashing red light, a flashing yellow light, a police officer signaling stop, a police officer signaling proceed, a crossing guard signaling proceed, a crossing guard signaling stop, a flagger signaling proceed, a flagger signaling stop, another person signaling proceed, another person signaling stop, an emergency vehicle, and a school bus.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the real set of characteristics comprises a roadway configuration at a location of the real accident, an accident type of the real accident, and a jurisdiction.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the roadway configuration is selected from the group consisting of a two or more lane road, a divided road with a median that can be crossed, a four-way intersection, a T-angle intersection, a merging of one roadway into another, a curve, a parking lot with two-way traffic, a parking lot with one way traffic, a center turn lane, and a two or more lane road divided by a physical barrier.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the accident type is selected from the group consisting of a rear ender, a left turn crossing traffic, a left turn across traffic, a left turn entering traffic, a right turn entering traffic, dual turns to same lane, concurrent left turns, a U-turn, a parked vehicle merging into traffic from right, a parked vehicle merging into traffic from left, a merge from left, a merge from right, concurrent merges to a single lane, a collision with a parked vehicle, a collision while backing, a head on, and a straight cross traffic collision.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the jurisdiction comprises a state or a territory of the United States.

36. The method of claim 1, wherein the real set of characteristics comprises a roadway configuration at a location of the real accident, a traffic control, and a jurisdiction.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the roadway configuration is selected from the group consisting of a two or more lane road, a divided road with a median that can be crossed, a four-way intersection, a T-angle intersection, a merging of one roadway into another, a curve, a parking lot with two-way traffic, a parking lot with one way traffic, a center turn lane, and a two or more lane road divided by a physical barrier.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the traffic control is selected from the group consisting of a red light, a yellow light, a green light, a left turn arrow, a right turn arrow, a stop sign, a yield sign, a flashing red light, a flashing yellow light, a police officer signaling stop, a police officer signaling proceed, a crossing guard signaling proceed, a crossing guard signaling stop, a flagger signaling proceed, a flagger signaling stop, another person signaling proceed, another person signaling stop, an emergency vehicle, and a school bus.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the jurisdiction comprises a state or a territory of the United States.

40. The method of claim 1, wherein the real set of characteristics comprises an accident type of the real accident, a traffic control, and a jurisdiction.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the accident type is selected from the group consisting of a rear ender, a left turn crossing traffic, a left turn across traffic, a left turn entering traffic, a right turn entering traffic, dual turns to same lane, concurrent left turns, a U-turn, a parked vehicle merging into traffic from right, a parked vehicle merging into traffic from left, a merge from left, a merge from right, concurrent merges to a single lane, a collision with a parked vehicle, a collision while backing, a head on, and a straight cross traffic collision.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the traffic control is selected from the group consisting of a red light, a yellow light, a green light, a left turn arrow, a right turn arrow, a stop sign, a yield sign, a flashing red light, a flashing yellow light, a police officer signaling stop, a police officer signaling proceed, a crossing guard signaling proceed, a crossing guard signaling stop, a flagger signaling proceed, a flagger signaling stop, another person signaling proceed, another person signaling stop, an emergency vehicle, and a school bus.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the jurisdiction comprises a state or a territory of the United States.

44. The method of claim 1, wherein the real set of characteristics comprises a roadway configuration at a location of the real accident, an accident type of the real accident, a traffic control, and a jurisdiction.

45. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first base liability and the second base liability comprises a lower bound of liability and an upper bound of liability.

46. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first base liability and the second base liability is estimated by one or more expert claims adjusters through a knowledge acquisition process.

47. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the estimate of liability for the real vehicle accident comprises determining plausibility of two or more accident type/roadway configurations and storing the results of the plausibility determinations.

48. The method of claim 1, wherein the sets characteristics for past or theoretical accidents comprise two or more impact groups for the past or theoretical accidents, wherein at least two of the pairs of impact points are included in the impact groups,

wherein each of at least two of the impact groups for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents is associated with a roadway configuration/accident type combination, wherein the accident type specifies a relationship between two or more vehicles'"'"' paths on a roadway at the time of a vehicle accident, wherein the roadway configuration/accident type combination associated with at least one of the impact groups for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents is different from the roadway configuration/accident type combination for at least one other of the impact groups for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents,

wherein the first base liability is the same for all the pairs of impact points in at least one of the impact groups for the past or theoretical accidents, wherein the second base liability is the same for all the pairs of impact points in at least one of the impact groups for the past or theoretical accidents, and

wherein the computer system searching for a pair of impact points associated with the roadway configuration/accident type combination specified for the real vehicle accident that at least partially matches the pair of impact points specified for the real vehicle accident comprises searching for the impact group from among the impact groups for the past or theoretical accidents that matches the pair of impact points specified in the real vehicle accident.

49. A system comprising:

a CPU;

a data memory coupled to the CPU, wherein the data memory comprises sets of characteristics for past or theoretical vehicle accidents involving two or more vehicles; and

a system memory coupled to the CPU, wherein the system memory is configured to store one or more computer programs executable by the CPU, and wherein the computer programs are executable to implement a method for estimating liability, the method comprising;

providing a real set of characteristics of for real vehicle accident involving two or more vehicles;

providing sets of characteristics for past or theoretical vehicle accidents involving two or more vehicles, wherein the sets of characteristics for the past or theoretical accidents comprise two or more pairs of impact points for the past or theoretical accidents, wherein, for each of at least one of the pairs for the past or theoretical accidents, one impact point of the pair is an impact point for a first vehicle in a past or theoretical vehicle accident and the other impact point of the pair is an impact point for a second vehicle in the past or theoretical vehicle accident, and wherein is associated with one or more of the set of characteristics for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents,

wherein each of at least two of the two or more pairs of impact points for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents is associated with a roadway configuration/accident type combination, wherein the accident type specifies a relationship between two or more vehicles'"'"' paths on a roadway at the time of a vehicle accident, wherein the roadway configuration/accident type combination associated with at least one of the pairs of impact points for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents is different from the roadway configuration/accident type combination for at least one other of the pairs of impact points for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents,

wherein each of at least two of the pairs of impact points for the past or theoretical accidents is associated with a first base liability corresponding to a first vehicle in a past or theoretical accident having the right of way in the past or theoretical accident and a second base liability corresponding to a second vehicle having the right of way in the past or theoretical accident;

comparing the real set of characteristics for the real vehicle accident to the sets of characteristics for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents to determine a nearest matching set of characteristics among the sets of characteristics for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents, wherein comparing the real set of characteristics for the real vehicle accident to the sets of characteristics for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents comprises;

specifying a roadway configuration for the real vehicle accident; and

specifying an accident type for the real vehicle accident, wherein the accident type for the real vehicle accident specifies a relationship between two or more vehicles'"'"' paths on a roadway at the time of the real vehicle accident;

determining which or two or more vehicles in the real vehicle accident had a right of way for the real vehicle accident based at least partially on the specified roadway configuration for the real vehicle accident and the specified accident type for the real vehicle accident;

specifying a pair of impact points for the real vehicle accident, wherein one of the impact points of the pair is an impact point for a first vehicle in the real vehicle accident and the other impact point of the pair is an impact point for a second vehicle in the real vehicle accident;

the computer system searching, from within a first database table having the pairs of impact points for the past or theoretical accidents, for a pair of impact points associated with the roadway configuration/accident type combination specified for the real vehicle accident that at least partially matches the pair of impact points specified for the real vehicle accident; and

determining an estimate of liability for a vehicle in the real vehicle accident, wherein determining the estimate of liability comprises the computer system extracting, from a second database table, at least one of the first base liability or the second base liability associated with at least one pair of impact points for the past or theoretical accidents associated with the roadway configuration/accident type combination specified for the real vehicle accident, wherein the estimated liability for the vehicle in the real vehicle accident is based on the first base liability if the vehicle had the right of way, wherein the estimated liability for the vehicle in the real vehicle accident is based on the estimate of the second base liability if the vehicle did not have had the right of way.

50. A computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions stored thereon, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to implement a method of determining right of way in a vehicle accident, the method comprising:

providing to a computer system a real set of characteristics for a real vehicle accident;

wherein the computer system is configured to access a memory, wherein the memory comprises sets of characteristics for past or theoretical vehicle accidents involving two or more vehicles, wherein the sets of characteristics for the past or theoretical accidents comprise two or more pairs of impact points for the past or theoretical accidents, wherein, for each of at least one of the pairs for the past or theoretical accidents, one impact point of the pair is an impact point for a first vehicle in a past or theoretical vehicle accident and the other impact point of the pair is an impact point for a second vehicle in the past or theoretical vehicle accident, and wherein a determination of a right of way is associated with one or more of the sets of characteristics for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents,

wherein each of at least two of the two or more pairs of impact points for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents is associated with a roadway configuration/accident type combination, wherein the accident type specifies a relationship between two or more vehicles'"'"' paths on a roadway at the time of a vehicle accident, wherein the roadway configuration/accident type combination associated with at least one of the pairs of impact points for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents is different from the roadway configuration/accident type combination for at least one other of the pairs of impact points for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents,

wherein each of at least two of the pairs of impact points for the past or theoretical accidents is associated with a first base liability corresponding to a first vehicle in a past or theoretical accident having the right of way in the past or theoretical accident and a second base liability corresponding to a second vehicle having the right of way in the past or theoretical accident;

comparing the real set of characteristics for the real vehicle accident to the sets of characteristics for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents to determine a nearest matching set of characteristics among the sets of characteristics for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents, wherein comparing the real set of characteristics for the real vehicle accident to the sets of characteristics for the past or theoretical vehicle accidents comprises;

specifying a roadway configuration for the real vehicle accident; and

specifying an accident type for the real vehicle accident, wherein the accident type for the real vehicle accident specifies a relationship between two or more vehicles'"'"' paths on a roadway at the time of the real vehicle accident;

determining which of two or more vehicles in the real vehicle accident had a right of way for the real vehicle accident based at least partially on the specified roadway configuration for the real vehicle accident and the specified accident type for the real vehicle accident;

specifying a pair of impact points for the real vehicle accident, wherein one of the impact points of the pair is an impact point for a first vehicle in the real vehicle accident and the other impact point of the pair is an impact point for a second vehicle in the real vehicle accident;

the computer system searching, from within a first database table having the pairs of impact points for the past or theoretical accidents, for a pair of impact points associated with the roadway configuration/accident type combination specified for the real vehicle accident that at least partially matches the pair of impact points specified for the real vehicle accident;

determining an estimate of liability for a vehicle in the real vehicle accident, wherein determining the estimate of liability comprises the computer system extracting, from a second database table, at least one of the first base liability or the second base liability associated with at least one pair of impact points for the past or theoretical accidents associated with the roadway configuration/accident type combination specified for the real vehicle accident, wherein the estimated liability for the vehicle in the real vehicle accident is based on the first base liability if the vehicle had the right of way, wherein the estimated liability for the vehicle in the real vehicle accident is based on the estimate of the second base liability if the vehicle did not have had the right of way.