Automatic exchange of information in response to a collision event

• US 10,032,226 B1
• Filed: 06/24/2014
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Suizzo, Nicholas A., Ismaili, Alinawaz, Brandmaier, Jennifer A., Gillespie, James, Hughes, Stephen, Koza, Daniel, Loo, William, Lowry, Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Tinkler, Muriel
• Application Number:
  US14/313,753
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

Systems and methods for the automatic exchange of insurance information in response to a collision event are provided. A wireless communication device may collect telematics data related to operation of a vehicle. The wireless communication device may detect the occurrence of a collision event involving the vehicle based on the telematics data collected. The wireless communication device may discover another wireless communication device locating in the vicinity of the collision event that has also detected a collision event. The wireless device may initiate an exchange of insurance information with that other wireless communication device. Other types of information may be exchanged between the wireless devices as well as between an insurance system in signal communication with the wireless devices in response to a collision event.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

generating, at a first wireless computing device during operation of a vehicle, first vehicle operation data describing operation of the vehicle;

detecting, by the first wireless computing device, a collision event involving the vehicle based on the first vehicle operation data including an observed change in acceleration of the vehicle;

establishing, by the first wireless computing device, a communication session with an insurance system;

receiving, by the first wireless computing device and from the insurance system, first insurance information;

wherein detection of the collision event activates the first wireless computing device to initiate a discovery mode to determine whether a second wireless computing device is located in a vicinity of the collision event and also detected at least one collision event, the discovery mode including broadcasting, by the first wireless computing device, of an indication that the collision event has occurred and a date and time of the collision event;

discovering, by the first wireless computing device, a second wireless computing device, the discovering including receiving, in response to the broadcasting and by the first wireless computing device, an acknowledgement response from the second wireless computing device;

responsive to discovery of the second wireless computing device;

activating a handshake mode between the first wireless computing device and the second wireless computing device to establish a communication session between the first wireless computing device and the second wireless computing device;

initiating transmission by the first wireless computing device to the second wireless computing device, of the first insurance information and at least a portion of the first vehicle operation data,

receive, from the second wireless computing device, second insurance information and second vehicle operation data, and

transmit, to the insurance system, third vehicle operation data comprising the second vehicle operation data and at least a portion of the first vehicle operation data;

identify, by the insurance system, an at-fault participant for the collision event based on the third vehicle operation data.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein:

the broadcast, by the first wireless computing device, includes an identifier associated with an operator of the first wireless computing device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein:

the discovery mode further comprises receiving, at the first wireless computing device, a wireless communication from the second wireless computing device indicating that the second wireless computing device has detected at least one collision event.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein:

the first wireless computing device initiates transmission by transmitting, to the insurance system, a request comprising an identifier associated with the second wireless computing device; and

receipt of the request causes the insurance system to transmit the first insurance information to the second wireless computing device.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein:

establishing the communication session between the first wireless computing device and the second wireless computing device activates the first wireless computing device to;

transmit, to the second wireless computing device during the communication session between the first wireless computing device and the second wireless computing device, at least a portion of the first vehicle operation data, and

receive, from the second wireless computing device during the communication session between the first wireless computing device and the second wireless computing device, the second vehicle operation data.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein:

the insurance system is associated with an insurance provider that insures an operator associated with the first wireless computing device.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein:

receipt of the third vehicle operation data further causes the insurance system to identify an order in which a plurality of collision events occurred based on the third vehicle operation data.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein:

the first vehicle operation data comprises acceleration data generated by an accelerometer of the first wireless computing device; and

detection of the collision event is based on an analysis of the acceleration data at the first wireless computing device.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein:

receipt of the third vehicle operation data at the insurance system further causes the insurance system to automatically create an insurance claim and automatically populate the insurance claim with information associated with an individual associated with the first wireless computing device.

9. A wireless computing device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by one of the processors, cause the wireless computing device to;

generate, during operation of a vehicle, vehicle operation data describing operation of the vehicle;

detect a collision event involving the vehicle based on the vehicle operation data including an observed change in acceleration;

establish a communication session with an insurance system;

receive, from the insurance system, first insurance information;

responsive to detection of the collision event, initiate a discovery mode in order to determine whether another wireless computing device within a vicinity of the collision event has also detected at least one collision event, the discovery mode including broadcasting an indication that a collision event has occurred and a date and time of the collision event;

discovering the other wireless computing device, the discovering including receiving, in response to the broadcasting, an acknowledgement response from the other wireless computing device;

responsive to discovering the other wireless computing device;

activating a handshake mode between the wireless computing device and the other wireless computing device to establish a communication session between the wireless computing device and the other wireless computing device;

initiating an exchange of the first insurance information and vehicle operation data with the other wireless computing device; and

transmitting, to the insurance system, the exchanged vehicle operation data;

wherein receipt of the exchanged vehicle operation data causes the insurance system to identify an at-fault participant for the collision event based on the exchanged vehicle operation data.

10. The wireless computing device of claim 9 wherein:

the discovery mode further comprises broadcasting, at a periodic interval, individual wireless communications that indicate the wireless computing device has detected the collision involving the vehicle.

11. The wireless computing device of claim 9 wherein:

the discovery mode further comprises receiving a wireless communication from the other wireless computing device indicating that the other wireless computing device has detected at least one collision event.

12. The wireless computing device of claim 9 wherein:

the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the wireless computing device to, responsive to detection of the collision event,

transmit, to the insurance system, a request comprising an identifier associated with the other wireless computing device;

wherein receipt of the request causes the insurance system to transmit insurance information associated with an operator of the wireless computing device to the other wireless computing device.

13. The wireless computing device of claim 9 further comprising:

an accelerometer; and

wherein the vehicle operation data comprises acceleration data generated by the accelerometer.

14. The wireless computing device of claim 9 further comprising:

a wireless transceiver having an effective radiated power of around 25 milliwatts to around 100 milliwatts.

16. The wireless computing device of claim 9, wherein:

receipt of the exchanged vehicle operation data at the insurance system further causes the insurance system to automatically create an insurance claim and automatically populate the insurance claim with information associated with an individual associated with the wireless computing device.