Compliance manager

• US 8,200,707 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2006
• Issued: 06/12/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitchell International Incorporated (Mitchell International Holding, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mitchell International Incorporated (Mitchell International Holding, Inc.)
• Inventors: Littooy, Hans, Pugliese, Vincent, Emmerson, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): LU, KUEN S
• Application Number:
  US11/557,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20080109128A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,043 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104.1, 707/802, 707/758
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

An estimate compliance tool to specify estimate compliance criteria is presented. In one embodiment, the tool can be provided using hardware, software or a combination thereof, and can be configured to include functionality to facilitate creation of rules to outline criteria for estimate creation or invoicing. In one embodiment, a user interface is provided to a user to provide the opportunity to enter vehicle and parts identification to which a rule will apply. The user can also be prompted to enter a rule requirement or suggestion such as, for example, the type of parts required. The system can include a first module configured to accept user input specifying vehicle criteria; a second module configured to accept user input specifying parts criteria; and a third module configured to create an estimate compliance rule based on the entered vehicle selection criteria and parts criteria. The system can further include a storage medium configured to store a plurality of created estimate compliance rules and a profile module configured to create a rules profile comprised of a plurality of estimate compliance rules. Additionally, a compatibility module configured to check a plurality of created rules for conflicting rule criteria can be provided.

Claims

1. An estimate compliance system to specify estimate compliance criteria for a vehicle repair estimate, comprising:

a processor;

a memory connected to the processor; and

a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions embedded therein, the instructions configured to implement the functionality of;

accepting user input specifying vehicle criteria;

accepting user input specifying parts criteria; and

creating an estimate compliance rule, wherein the estimate compliance rule defines a third party payor estimate compliance criterion specifying a third party payor requirement and specifying parts criteria for a type of vehicle remedial activity based on the vehicle criteria, and wherein the third party payor requirement is configured to be compared against the type of vehicle remedial activity.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further configured to present the user with predefined vehicle criteria from which the user input can be selected.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further configured to present the user with predefined parts criteria from which the user input can be selected.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further configured to create a rules profile comprising a plurality of estimate compliance rules.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further configured to check a plurality of estimate compliance rules for conflicting rule criteria.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further configured to provide the estimate compliance rule to a remediation facility.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle criteria comprises vehicle year or vehicle mileage.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are configured to further accept a criteria range.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle criteria comprises a vehicle class, vehicle make/model, vehicle type, or vehicle duty.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further configured to accept user input of a Boolean operator.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the parts criteria comprises identification of a part, component, assembly, subassembly or category of parts.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the parts criteria comprises a specification of part type.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further configured to accept user input specifying a non-compliance message.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions are further configured to accept user input to specify whether an identified criteria is excluded from or included in the estimate rule.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the estimate compliance rule relates to a reimbursement amount, a deducible, a discount, a part, a material, labor, a tax, a vehicle, an incident, invoicing, an inspection, a supplier, a facility, or required information for estimate.

16. A computer program product comprising a computer useable storage medium having computer program stored therein for enabling a computer system to specify compliance criteria for a vehicle repair estimate by performing the functions of:

enabling the computer to accept user input specifying vehicle criteria;

enabling the computer to accept user input specifying parts criteria;

enabling the computer to create an estimate compliance rule, wherein the estimate compliance rule defines a third party payor estimate compliance criterion specifying a third party payor requirement and specifying parts criteria for a type of vehicle remedial activity based on the vehicle criteria, and wherein the third party payor requirement is configured to be compared against the type of vehicle remedial activity.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer program logic further comprises computer readable program code for enabling the computer to present the user with predefined vehicle criteria from which the user input can be selected.

18. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer program logic further comprises computer readable program code for enabling the computer to present the user with predefined parts criteria from which the user input can be selected.

19. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer program logic further comprises medium computer readable program code for enabling the computer to create a rules profile comprising a plurality of estimate compliance rules.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer program logic further comprises medium computer readable program code for enabling the computer to check the plurality of estimate compliance rules for conflicting rule criteria.

21. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer program logic further comprises medium computer readable program code for enabling the computer to provide the estimate compliance rule to a remediation facility.

22. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the vehicle criteria comprises vehicle year or vehicle mileage.

23. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first and second computer readable program code further comprises program code for enabling the computer to at further accept a criteria range.

24. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the vehicle criteria further comprises a vehicle mileage condition configured to accept user input to specify a range of applicable mileage.

25. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the vehicle criteria comprises a vehicle class, vehicle make/model, vehicle type or vehicle duty.

26. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the first computer readable program code further comprises computer readable program code for enabling the computer to accept user input of a Boolean operator.

27. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the parts criteria comprises identification of a part, component, assembly, subassembly or category of parts.

28. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the parts criteria comprises a specification of part type.

29. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer program logic further comprises medium computer readable program code for enabling the computer to accept user input specifying a non-compliance message.

30. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer program logic further comprises medium computer readable program code for enabling the computer to accept user input to specify whether an identified criteria is excluded from or included in the estimate rule.

31. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the estimate compliance rule relates to a reimbursement amount, a deducible, a discount, apart, a material, labor, a tax, a vehicle, an incident, invoicing, an inspection, a supplier, a facility, or required information for estimate.

32. An estimate compliance method, operating on a computer, for specifying estimate compliance criteria for a vehicle repair estimate, comprising the steps of:

prompting a user for inputting vehicle criteria and parts criteria;

accepting vehicle criteria and parts criteria selected by the user;

creating an estimate compliance rule, wherein the estimate compliance rule defines a third party payor estimate compliance criterion specifying a third party payor requirement and

specifying parts criteria for a type of vehicle remedial activity based on the vehicle criteria, and

wherein the third party payor requirement is configured to be compared against the type of vehicle remedial activity; and

sending the estimate compliance rule to a remediation facility.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of creating a rules profile comprised of a plurality of estimate compliance rules.

34. The method of claim 32, further comprising the step of checking the estimate compliance rule for conflicting rule criteria.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the estimate compliance rule relates to a reimbursement amount, a deducible, a discount, apart, a material, labor, a tax, a vehicle, an incident, invoicing, an inspection, a supplier, a facility, or required information for estimate.