Vehicle damage detector

• US 10,410,290 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2016
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: MacNeille, Perry Robinson, Gusikhin, Oleg Yurievitch, Liu, Yimin
• Primary Examiner(s): Norman, Samica L
• Application Number:
  US15/080,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20170278194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 705 1449, 701 314
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 17/0185 for failure detection
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2400/94 Deformation of a vehicle part
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/04 Means for informing, instructing or displaying
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/08 Failure or malfunction detecting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/70 Computer memory; Data storage, e.g. maps for adaptive control
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction

Abstract

A vehicle damage detector includes: a vehicle with a motor, a suspension, a wheel, a sensor configured to report a suspension displacement; processor(s) configured to: estimate existing suspension damage based on the reports, project marginal future suspension damage based on a route and the existing suspension damage, calculate a marginal decrease in vehicle value from taking the projected route.

Claims

1. A vehicle damage detector comprising:

a vehicle with a motor, a suspension, a wheel, a sensor configured to report a suspension displacement;

processor(s) configured to;

estimate existing suspension damage based on the reports,

project marginal future suspension damage based on a route and the existing suspension damage,

calculate a marginal decrease in vehicle value from taking the projected route.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor(s) are configured to estimate existing damage of a non-suspension component based on the existing suspension damage.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor(s) are configured to estimate the existing damage of said component through circumstantial models derived from aggregated data extracted from a plurality of vehicles.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor(s) are configured to compile the aggregated data and automatically update the circumstantial models.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the processor(s) are configured to price an insurance policy based on the marginal decrease in vehicle value associated with the route.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor(s) are configured to cause the vehicle to display the priced insurance policies.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the insurance policies include extended service plans.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the displacement includes displacements of a shock absorber and a main spring linked to the shock absorber.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor(s) are configured to project net future damage to non-suspension components based on the route and the existing suspension damage.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the processor(s) are configured to cause the vehicle to display a map illustrating, for each of a plurality of routes, the marginal decrease in vehicle value associated with the route.

11. A method of detecting damage to a vehicle having a motor, a suspension, a wheel, and a sensor configured to report a suspension displacement, comprising:

with processor(s);

estimating existing suspension damage based on the reports,

projecting marginal future suspension damage based on a route and the existing suspension damage,

calculating a marginal decrease in vehicle value from taking the projected route.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the processor(s) are configured to estimate existing damage of a non-suspension component based on the existing suspension damage.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the processor(s) are configured to estimate the existing damage of said component through circumstantial models derived from aggregated data extracted from a plurality of vehicles.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the processor(s) are configured to compile the aggregated data and automatically update the circumstantial models.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the processor(s) are configured to price an insurance policy based on the marginal decrease in vehicle value associated with the route.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the processor(s) are configured to cause the vehicle to display the priced insurance policies.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the insurance policies include extended service plans.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the displacement includes displacements of a shock absorber and a main spring linked to the shock absorber.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the processor(s) are configured to project net future damage to non-suspension components based on the route and the existing suspension damage.

20. A vehicle damage detector comprising:

a vehicle with a motor, a suspension, a wheel, a sensor configured to report a suspension displacement;

processor(s) configured to;

estimate existing suspension damage based on the reports,

project marginal future suspension damage based on a route and the existing suspension damage,

calculate a marginal decrease in vehicle value from taking the projected route,

vary the projected marginal future suspension damage based on the existing suspension damage.