System and method for determining potential for curbstoning and generating an advisory

• US 8,606,648 B1
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CARFAX Incorporated (S&P Global Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CARFAX Incorporated (S&P Global Inc.)
• Inventors: Bayer, Gerald A., Silversmith, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fisher, Paul R
• Application Number:
  US10/831,356
• Time in Patent Office: 3,515 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.61, 705/26.35, 705/27.1, 705/317
• US Class Current: 705/26.61
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A vehicle history information system and a method for determining the potential for curbstoning. In one embodiment, the vehicle history information system includes a vehicle history database with at least one vehicle history dataset related to a particular vehicle, the vehicle history dataset having at least one vehicle history record regarding the particular vehicle, and a record analysis module adapted to analyze the vehicle history dataset of the particular vehicle to determine whether there is a potential for curbstoning the particular vehicle based on the vehicle history record. In one implementation, the vehicle history record is an auto auction record which may indicate a sale of the particular vehicle and/or an offer for sale of the particular vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle history information system comprising:

a vehicle history database including at least one vehicle history dataset related to a particular vehicle, said at least one vehicle history dataset having at least one vehicle history record regarding said particular vehicle; and

a record analysis module adapted to analyze said at least one vehicle history dataset of said particular vehicle to determine whether there is a potential for curbstoning said particular vehicle based on said at least one vehicle history record.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one vehicle history record is an auto auction record.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said auto auction record indicates at least one of a sale of said particular vehicle and an offer for sale of said particular vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said record analysis module is adapted to determine whether a record date of said at least one vehicle history record of said particular vehicle is within a predetermined time period of an analysis date on which said at least one vehicle history dataset of said particular vehicle is analyzed.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said record analysis module determines that there is the potential for curbstoning of said particular vehicle if said at least one vehicle history record indicates a record date that is within said predetermined time period.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said predetermined time period is less than 90 days.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said predetermined time period is approximately 60 days.

8. The system of claim 1, further including a user interface module adapted to generate an advisory that warns of the potential for curbstoning if said record analysis module determines that there is the potential for curbstoning of said particular vehicle.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said user interface module is adapted to display said advisory.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said advisory includes hyperlinks to additional information regarding curbstoning.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein said user interface module is further adapted to generate a vehicle history report that provides information regarding said particular vehicle based on said vehicle history dataset of said particular vehicle.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said user interface module is further adapted to incorporate said advisory into said vehicle history report.

13. A vehicle history information system comprising:

a vehicle history database including at least one dataset related to a particular vehicle, said at least one vehicle history dataset having an auto auction record which indicates at least one of a sale of said particular vehicle and an offer for sale of said particular vehicle;

a record analysis module adapted to determine whether said auto auction record indicates a record date that is within a predetermined time period of an analysis date on which said auto auction record of said particular vehicle is analyzed; and

a user interface module adapted to generate an advisory if said auto auction record indicates a record date that is within said predetermined time period.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said user interface module is further adapted to display said advisory.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein said user interface module is further adapted to generate a vehicle history report, and to incorporate said advisory into said vehicle history report.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 14, wherein said at least one vehicle history record is an auto auction record.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 16, wherein said auto auction record indicates at least one of a sale of said particular vehicle and an offer for sale of said particular vehicle.

18. A computer-implemented method for determining the potential for curbstoning comprising the steps of:

providing a vehicle history information system including a vehicle history database having a record analysis module and a vehicle history dataset related to a particular vehicle, said vehicle history dataset having at least one vehicle history record regarding said particular vehicle; and

determining whether there is a potential for curbstoning of said particular vehicle based on said at least one vehicle history record, wherein the vehicle history information system determines whether there is the potential for curbstoning.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, further including the step of determining whether said at least one vehicle history record indicates a record date within a predetermined time period of an analysis date on which said at least one vehicle history record is analyzed.

20. The computer-implemented method of claim 19, further including the step of determining that there is the potential for curbstoning if said at least one vehicle history record indicates a record date within said predetermined time period.

21. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, wherein said predetermined time period is less than 90 days.

22. The computer-implemented method of claim 20, wherein said predetermined time period is approximately 60 days.

23. The computer-implemented method of claim 18, further including the step of generating an advisory that warns of the potential for curbstoning of said particular vehicle.

24. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, further including the step of displaying said advisory.

25. The computer-implemented method of claim 24, wherein said advisory includes hyperlinks to additional information regarding curbstoning.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, further including the steps of generating a vehicle history report that provides vehicle history information associated with said particular vehicle, and incorporating said advisory into said vehicle history report.

27. A computer-implemented method comprising:

providing a vehicle history information system including a record analysis module and a vehicle history database with at least one vehicle history dataset regarding a particular vehicle, said at least one vehicle history dataset having an auto auction record which indicates at least one of a sale of said particular vehicle and an offer for sale of said particular vehicle;

determining whether said auto auction record indicates a record date that is within a predetermined time period of an analysis date on which said auto auction record of said particular vehicle is analyzed, wherein the vehicle history information system determines whether the auto auction record is within the predetermined time period of the analysis date on which the auto auction record of the particular vehicle is analyzed; and

generating an advisory if said auto auction record indicates a record date that is within said predetermined time period, wherein the vehicle history information system generates the advisory.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 27, further including the step of displaying said advisory.

29. The computer-implemented method of claim 27, further including the steps of generating a vehicle history report that provides vehicle history information associated with said particular vehicle, and incorporating said advisory into said vehicle history report.

30. A computer readable storage medium containing executable instructions which cause a data processing system to perform a method, the method comprising:

parsing a vehicle history database having a vehicle history dataset related to a particular vehicle, said vehicle history dataset having at least one vehicle history record regarding said particular vehicle; and

determining whether there is a potential for curbstoning of said particular vehicle based on said at least one vehicle history record.

31. The medium of claim 30, wherein said at least one vehicle history record is an auto auction record that indicates at least one of a sale of said particular vehicle and an offer for sale of said particular vehicle.

32. The medium of claim 31, further including instructions for determining whether a record date of said at least one vehicle history record is within a predetermined time period of an analysis date on which said at least one vehicle history record is analyzed.

33. The medium of claim 32, wherein said predetermined time period is approximately 60 days.

34. The medium of claim 30, further including instructions for generating an advisory that warns of the potential for curbstoning.

35. The medium of claim 34, further including instructions for displaying said advisory.

36. The medium of claim 34, further including instructions for generating a vehicle history report that provides vehicle history information associated with said particular vehicle, and incorporating said advisory into said vehicle history report.

37. A computer readable storage medium containing executable instructions which cause a data processing system to perform a method comprising:

parsing a vehicle history database including at least one vehicle history dataset regarding a particular vehicle, said at least one vehicle history dataset having an auto auction record which indicates at least one of a sale of said particular vehicle and an offer for sale of said particular vehicle;

determining whether said auto auction record indicates a record date that is within a predetermined time period of an analysis date on which said auto auction record of said particular vehicle is analyzed; and

generating an advisory if said auto auction record indicates a record date that is within said predetermined time period.

38. The medium of claim 37, further including instructions for displaying said advisory.

39. The medium of claim 37, further including instructions for generating a vehicle history report that provides vehicle history information associated with said particular vehicle, and incorporating said advisory into said vehicle history report.