System and method for allowing a vehicle owner to obtain a vehicle repair estimate
First Claim
1. A computerized method for preparing and presenting to a vehicle owner a vehicle cost of repair estimate, comprising:
- (a) receiving at a server from said vehicle owner vehicle identification data regarding a vehicle to be repaired;
(b) receiving at said server component identification data for at least one component of said vehicle to be repaired;
(c) in response to receiving at said server said vehicle identification data and said component identification data, retrieving from one or more databases;
(1) vehicle manufacturer component cost data associated with said at least one component;
(2) vehicle manufacturer labor time data associated with said at least one component; and
(3) labor rate data associated with said at least one component;
(d) determining at said server an average labor rate for completing a repair with said at least one component, said average labor rate representative of labor rates at a plurality of repair facilities;
(e) automatically calculating at said server a cost of repair estimate using;
(1) said vehicle manufacturer component cost data associated with said at least one component;
(2) said vehicle manufacturer labor time data associated with said at least one component; and
(3) said average labor rate data associated with said at least one component; and
(f) transmitting from said server for display to said vehicle owner said cost of repair estimate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An Internet-based (web-based) system and method for allowing a vehicle owner to obtain a fair repair estimate for a vehicle. The system and method allows information relating to the vehicle to be repaired and the components of the vehicle to be repaired or replaced to be entered by the vehicle owner into the user interface of a repair estimating website. Geographic location information may also be provided to facilitate the preparation of a more accurate estimate. The system and method retrieves necessary information from one or more databases and provides the information to one or more software applications that are used to quickly generate an electronic repair estimate. Various options may be selected to customize the repair estimate and to allow for other actions.
15 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A computerized method for preparing and presenting to a vehicle owner a vehicle cost of repair estimate, comprising:
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(a) receiving at a server from said vehicle owner vehicle identification data regarding a vehicle to be repaired; (b) receiving at said server component identification data for at least one component of said vehicle to be repaired; (c) in response to receiving at said server said vehicle identification data and said component identification data, retrieving from one or more databases; (1) vehicle manufacturer component cost data associated with said at least one component; (2) vehicle manufacturer labor time data associated with said at least one component; and (3) labor rate data associated with said at least one component; (d) determining at said server an average labor rate for completing a repair with said at least one component, said average labor rate representative of labor rates at a plurality of repair facilities; (e) automatically calculating at said server a cost of repair estimate using; (1) said vehicle manufacturer component cost data associated with said at least one component; (2) said vehicle manufacturer labor time data associated with said at least one component; and (3) said average labor rate data associated with said at least one component; and (f) transmitting from said server for display to said vehicle owner said cost of repair estimate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification