Vehicle repair cost estimate acquisition system and method

• US 9,721,301 B2
• Filed: 06/20/2011
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SHzoom, LLC
• Original Assignee: SHzoom, LLC
• Inventors: Cook, Ingrid
• Primary Examiner(s): Erb, Nathan
• Application Number:
  US13/164,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20110313951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,234 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A computer-based method for obtaining repair estimates for a vehicle, and a related network server, are provided. The method comprises receiving a vehicle identification number (VIN) over a network from a customer computer, retrieving vehicle information, associated with the VIN, from a database, sending the vehicle information and a graphical representation of the vehicle, including a plurality of selectable vehicle damage locations, over the network to the customer computer, receiving a selection of at least one vehicle damage location over the network from the customer computer, receiving at least one image of the vehicle over the network from the customer computer, storing the vehicle information, the selected damage location and the vehicle image as a repair job in a non-volatile memory or the database, and sending a notification, indicating that the new repair job is available for review, over the network to at least one repair provider computer.

Claims

1. A computer-based method, comprising:

storing, in a first database, vehicle information for a plurality of vehicles, the vehicle information for each vehicle comprising;

a vehicle identification number (VIN) associated with a specific year, make, and model of a vehicle;

a representation corresponding to the vehicle, each representation comprising a plurality of predetermined selectable damage locations corresponding to different portions of the vehicle, the representation associated with the VIN; and

a list of vehicle components associated with each predetermined selectable damage location;

receiving, at a network server, a VIN for a vehicle of a consumer from a consumer computing device of the consumer, wherein the consumer computing device is not pre-loaded with images of all of the plurality of vehicles and the associated vehicle components for the plurality of vehicles;

in response to receiving the VIN from the consumer computing device, by the network server;

retrieving, by the network server from the first database, the vehicle information comprising the representation corresponding to the vehicle associated with the VIN;

creating an image including selectable damage locations corresponding to the vehicle associated with the received VIN, the image based on the representation corresponding to the vehicle stored in the first database; and

sending, to the consumer computing device, the created image including the selectable damage locations corresponding to the vehicle for display in a user interface at the consumer computing device;

receiving, by the network server from the consumer computing device, a selection from within the user interface on the consumer computing device of at least one of the plurality of predetermined selectable damage locations, and at least one image of an actually damaged location of the vehicle that is retrieved from a memory of the consumer computing device;

in response to receiving the selection of the at least one of the plurality of predetermined selectable damage locations;

retrieving, by the network server, the stored list of vehicle components associated with the selected at least one of the plurality of predetermined selectable damage locations for the vehicle associated with the received VIN; and

transmitting the list of vehicle components from the network server to the consumer computing device;

receiving, by the network server from the consumer computing device, a selection from within the user interface of at least one vehicle component from the transmitted list of vehicle components associated with the selected at least one damage location; and

creating, in response to receiving the selection from within the user interface of the at least one vehicle component, a new repair job record for estimating a repair of the vehicle, the repair job record comprising the retrieved vehicle information, the selected at least one damage location, the selected at least one vehicle component, and the at least one image of the actually damaged location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the network server from a repair provider, a selection of the repair job record;

receiving, by the network server from the repair provider, a repair bid comprising a bid amount and an estimated time to complete the repair for the selected repair job record;

storing, by the network server, the repair bid in a second database and associating, by the network server, the repair bid with the repair job record in the first database; and

providing, for display to the consumer computing device, a notification indicating that the repair bid is available for review.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising for the selected repair job record:

receiving, from the repair provider, a request for additional information; and

sending the additional information to the repair provider.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the notification is a text message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the created image including selectable damage locations corresponding to the vehicle is created by the network server using information about the vehicle based on the VIN for the vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the new repair job record in a second database; and

transmitting, from the network server to a computing device of at least one repair provider, a notification indicating that the new repair job record is available for review in the second database.

7. A network server, comprising:

a processor coupled to a network and a first database; and

a memory, coupled to the processor, storing instructions which, upon execution by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method comprising;

storing, in a first database, vehicle information for a plurality of vehicles, the vehicle information for each vehicle comprising;

a vehicle identification number (VIN) associated with a specific year, make, and model of a vehicle;

a representation corresponding to the vehicle, each representation comprising a plurality of predetermined selectable damage locations corresponding to different portions of the vehicle, the representation associated with the VIN; and

a list of vehicle components associated with each predetermined selectable damage location;

in response to receiving a VIN for a vehicle of a consumer from a consumer computing device of the consumer that is not pre-loaded with images of all of the plurality of vehicles and the associated vehicle components for the plurality of vehicles;

retrieving, by the network server from the first database, the vehicle information comprising the representation corresponding to the vehicle associated with the VIN; and

creating, by the network server, an image including selectable damage locations corresponding to the vehicle associated with the VIN, the image based on the representation corresponding to the vehicle stored in the first database;

sending, by the network server to the consumer computing device, the created image including the selectable damage locations corresponding to the vehicle for display in a user interface at the consumer computing device;

receiving, by the network server from the consumer computing device, a selection from within the user interface on the consumer computing device of at least one of the plurality of predetermined selectable damage locations, and at least one image of an actually damaged location of the vehicle that is retrieved from a memory of the consumer computing device;

in response to receiving the selection of the at least one of the plurality of predetermined selectable damage locations;

retrieving the stored list of vehicle components associated with the selected at least one of the plurality of predetermined selectable damage locations for the vehicle associated with the received VIN; and

transmitting the list of vehicle components from the network server to the consumer computing device;

receiving, by the network server from the consumer computing device, a selection from within the user interface of at least one vehicle component from the transmitted list of vehicle components associated with the selected at least one damage location; and

creating, in response to receiving the selection from within the user interface of the at least one vehicle component, a new repair job record for estimating a repair of the vehicle, the repair job record comprising the retrieved vehicle information, the selected at least one damage location, the selected at least one vehicle component, and the at least one image of the actually damaged location.

8. The network server of claim 7, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for:

receiving, from a repair provider, a selection of the repair job record;

receiving, from the repair provider, a repair bid comprising a bid amount and an estimated time to complete the repair for the selected repair job record;

associating the repair bid with the repair job record; and

providing, for display to the consumer computing device, a notification indicating that the repair bid is available for review.

9. The network server of claim 8, wherein, for each selected repair job record, the instructions further comprise instructions for:

receiving, from the repair provider, a request for additional information; and

sending the additional information to the repair provider.

10. The network server of claim 8, wherein the notification is a text message.

11. The network server of claim 7, wherein the memory further stores instructions for:

storing the new repair job record in a second database; and

transmitting, from the network server to a computing device of at least one repair provider, a notification indicating that the new repair job record is available for review in the second database.