Computer-based system and method for detecting risks

• US 7,783,673 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2005
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Swiss Reinsurance Company
• Original Assignee: Swiss Reinsurance Company
• Inventors: Frei, Rudolf, Schneider, Reto, Hett, Annabelle
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DEBBIE M
• Application Number:
  US10/594,591
• Publication Number:
  US 20080243917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,013 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A system detecting emerging risks in various systems and relating a detected risk to its relative impact on a system or product. A server receives and stores risk information from geographically distributed computerized data sources via a communication network. The risk information includes an identification and rating of a specific risk, and information associating the specific risk with a geographical area. Utilizing the risk information and area attributes, such as correlation factors and spreading patterns, a specific risk emerging in a first geographical area and spreading to one or more second geographical areas is detected. Emerging risks can be detected in geographical areas for which no risk information has been received, allowing to set up, maintain, and operate a risk detection system with a simplified technical infrastructure since it is not necessary to measure, transmit, and store risk indicators for all geographical areas for which emerging risks are detected.

Claims

1. A computer-based risk detection system comprising:

a server connected to a communication network;

a network interface, at the server, configured to receive risk information from geographical distributed computerized data sources located in first geographical areas via the communication network, the risk information including an identification of a specific risk, a rating of the specific risk, and information for associating the specific risk with one of the first geographical areas;

a memory configured to store received risk information, the identification of the specific risk and the rating of the specific risk being assigned to one of the first geographical areas;

a memory configured to store a plurality of correlation factors associated with geographical areas and a plurality of stored data about spreading patterns, wherein each of said plurality of correlation factors are associated with geographical areas and each of said plurality of stored data about spreading patterns correspond to a different one of a plurality of specific risks including risks associated with technical, ecological, geological, meteorological, epidemiological, cultural, political and economical systems;

a processor configured to detect a specific risk emerging in one of the first geographical areas and spreading to one or more second geographical areas based on stored risk information including the rating of the specific risk assigned to the one of the first geographical areas, the stored correlation factors and the data about spreading patterns; and

an output configured to provide to an interface output data depending on the detected emerging risk and the second geographical areas.

2. The risk detection system according to claim 1, wherein the interface is part of the risk detection system, the interface is configured to store the output data provided by the output, and the interface and the output data stored therein are accessible to devices external to the risk detection system.

3. The risk detection system according to claim 1, further comprising stored area attributes, and wherein the processor is configured to detect the emerging specific risk based on stored area attributes associated with the one of the first geographical areas and with the second geographical areas.

4. The risk detection system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to use an expert system to detect the emerging specific risk based on stored rules.

5. The risk detection system according to claim 1, further comprising a database, wherein the memory storing received risk information is configured to store the received risk information in the database, and the processor is configured to detect the emerging specific risk by periodically extracting risk information stored in the database.

6. The risk detection system according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate automatically a message to an administrator upon detection of an emerging specific risk.

7. The risk detection system according to claim 1, wherein the risk detection system is configured to relate a detected emerging risk to its relative impact on a technical product, a technical system, and/or an insurance product.

8. The risk detection system according to claim 1, wherein the risk information includes information relating to a relative impact of an identified specific risk on a technical product, a technical system, and/or an insurance product, and the output is configured to include in the output data provided to the interface state information or instructions.

9. A computer-readable recording medium including computer program code, which when executed by one or more processors of a computer-based risk detection server causes the server to perform a method for detecting risks such that:

the server receives risk information from geographical distributed computerized data sources located in first geographical areas via a communication network connected to the server, the risk information including an identification of a specific risk, a rating of the specific risk, and information for associating the specific risk with one of the first geographical areas,

the server stores the received risk information, the identification of the specific risk and the rating of the specific risk being assigned to one of the first geographical areas,

the server stores data about a plurality of spreading patterns and a plurality of correlation factors associated with geographical areas, wherein each of said plurality of correlation factors are associated with geographical areas and each of said plurality of stored data about spreading patterns correspond to a different one of a plurality of specific risks including risks associated with technical, ecological, geological, meteorological, epidemiological, cultural, political, and economical systems,

the server detects a specific risk emerging in one of the first geographical areas and spreading to one or more second geographical areas based on stored risk information including the rating of the specific risk assigned to the one of the first geographical areas, the stored correlation factors and the data about spreading patterns, and

the server provides to an interface output data depending on the detected emerging risk and the second geographical areas.

10. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 9, further comprising computer program code for controlling the processors of the server such that the server stores the output data in the interface, the interface being located in the server, and such that the server provides to devices external to the server access to the interface and to the output data stored therein.

11. The computer-readable recording medium computer program product according to claim 9, further comprising computer program code for controlling the processors of the server such that the server stores area attributes, and the server detects the emerging specific risk based on stored area attributes associated with the one of the first geographical areas and with the second geographical area.

12. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 9, further comprising computer program code for controlling the processors of the server such that the server stores rules for an expert system, and such that the server executes the expert system, the expert system being configured to detect the emerging specific risk based on the stored rules.

13. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 9, further comprising computer program code for controlling the processors of the server such that the server stores received risk information in a database, and such that the server detects the emerging specific risk by periodically extracting risk information stored in the database.

14. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 9, further comprising computer program code for controlling the processors of the server such that the server generates automatically a message to an administrator upon detection of an emerging specific risk.

15. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 9, further comprising computer program code for controlling the processors of the server such that the server relates a detected emerging risk to its relative impact on a technical product, a technical system, and/or an insurance product.

16. The computer-readable recording medium according to claim 9, further comprising computer program code for controlling the processors of the server such that the server receives and stores the risk information, the risk information including in addition information relating to a relative impact of an identified specific risk on a technical product, a technical system, and/or an insurance product, and such that the server includes in the output data provided to the interface state information or instructions.

17. A computer-based method for detecting risks, comprising:

transmitting from geographically distributed computerized data sources located in first geographical areas via a communication network risk information to a server, the risk information including an identification of a specific risk, a rating of the specific risk, and information for associating the specific risk with one of the first geographical areas;

receiving on the server the risk information transmitted by the geographical distributed computerized data sources;

storing by the server of received risk information, the identification of the specific risk and the rating of the specific risk being assigned to one of the first geographical areas;

storing in a memory data about a plurality of spreading patterns and a plurality of correlation factors associated with geographical areas, wherein each of said plurality of correlation factors are associated with geographical areas and each of said plurality of stored data about spreading patterns correspond to a different one of a plurality of specific risks including risks associated with technical, ecological, geological, meteorological, epidemiological, cultural, political, and/or economical systems;

detecting by the server a specific risk emerging in one of the first geographical areas and spreading to one or more second geographical areas based on stored risk information including the rating of the specific risk assigned to the one of the first geographical areas, the stored correlation factors and the data about spreading patterns; and

providing by the server to an interface output data depending on the detected emerging risk and the second geographical areas.

18. The computer-based method according to claim 17, wherein the output data is stored by the server in the interface, and the interface and the output data stored therein are made accessible to devices external to the server.

19. The computer-based method according to claim 17, wherein area attributes are stored in a memory, and the detecting the emerging specific risk is based on stored area attributes including correlation factors associated with the one of the first geographical areas and with the second geographical area.

20. The computer-based method according to claim 17, wherein rules for an expert system are stored in a memory, and the emerging specific risk is detected by an expert system based on the stored rules.

21. The computer-based method according to claim 17, wherein the received risk information is stored in a database, and the emerging specific risk is detected by periodically extracting risk information stored in the database.

22. The computer-based method according to claim 17, wherein a message to an administrator is generated automatically upon detection of an emerging specific risk.

23. The computer-based method according to claim 17, wherein a detected emerging risk is related to its relative impact on a technical product, a technical system, and/or an insurance product.

24. The computer-based method according to claim 17, wherein included in the risk information is information relating to a relative impact of an identified specific risk on a technical product, a technical system, and/or an insurance product, and state information or instructions are included in the output data provided to the interface.