Roadside assistance service provider assignment system

• US 10,650,334 B1
• Filed: 03/06/2019
• Issued: 05/12/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Brandmaier, Jennifer A., Balabas, Jason, Chen, Tao, Lieggi, Christopher J., Spinneweber, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lett, Thomas J
• Application Number:
  US16/294,246
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 705 714
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0234 related to maintenance or repairing of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/12 specially adapted for electronic shopping systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/90 Services for handling of emergency or hazardous situations, e.g. earthquake and tsunami warning systems [ETWS]

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure provide a computer-implemented method and system for the assignment of roadside assistance service providers such as tow trucks to distressed vehicles/drivers requiring roadside assistance. The methods and systems may include a roadside assistance service provider system with a collection module, an assignment module, and a feedback module. The collection module collects roadside assistance service provider information and historical statistics from real-world information and stores the information in a database that may then be analyzed using particular rules and formulas. The assignment module assigns particular roadside assistance service providers to particular distressed vehicles/drivers based on one or more characteristics. The feedback module may provide near real-time cues to the tow truck driver'"'"'s mobile device, such as alerting when the amount of time spent on a task exceeds a predefined threshold, flagging high priority tasks/assignments, providing a step-by-step checklist for the repair.

Claims

1. A roadside assistance system, the system comprising:

a roadside assistance service provider server having at least one processor;

a roadside assistance service provider application for use on a mobile device and executing on the roadside assistance service provider server;

a plurality of sensors positioned on a vehicle of a roadside assistance service provider, wherein the plurality of sensors collects roadside assistance service provider information; and

a GPS module on the mobile device that acquires GPS information of a user vehicle, the GPS module in communication with the roadside assistance service provider application, wherein the GPS module provides the acquired GPS information to the roadside assistance service provider application and the roadside assistance service provider server;

wherein the roadside assistance service provider application upon execution of computer-executable instructions from the roadside assistance service provider server is configured to;

receive, by the roadside assistance service provider server, a roadside assistance service request, wherein the roadside assistance service request includes one or more of the following;

jump start the user vehicle, flat tire change for the user vehicle, fuel a lack of fuel user vehicle, or unlock a locked out user vehicle;

determine, by the roadside assistance service provider server, a selected service provider based on one or more factors, wherein the one or more factors include one or more of the following a ranking of the roadside assistance service providers, wherein the ranking includes one or more of the following;

a proximity in location between the user vehicle and the selected service provider, a length of time-to-travel between the user vehicle and the selected service provider, or an on-time performance of the selected service provider;

send, by the roadside assistance service provider server to the roadside assistance service provider application, the roadside assistance service request to the selected service provider;

receive, through the roadside assistance service provider application, acceptance of the roadside assistance service request from the selected service provider;

provide, by the roadside assistance service provider server and the GPS module and plurality of sensors, event notifications to the roadside assistance service provider application of a status of the selected service provider with respect to the roadside assistance service request, wherein the event notifications are near real-time cues to the roadside assistance service provider via the mobile device; and

receive, through the roadside assistance service provider application, confirmation of completion of the roadside assistance service request from the selected service provider.

2. The roadside assistance system of claim 1, wherein the event notifications include one or more of the following:

time until arrival, alerting when an amount of time spent on a task exceeds a predefined threshold, flagging high priority tasks, flagging high priority assignments, and providing a step-by-step checklist for the roadside assistance service request.

3. The roadside assistance system of claim 1, wherein the GPS information includes location, velocity, route, and destination.

4. The roadside assistance system of claim 1, wherein the roadside assistance service provider information includes a location of the selected service provider, a type of the selected service provider, a set of ratings of the selected service provider.

5. The roadside assistance system of claim 1, wherein the roadside assistance service provider information includes real-time information that includes one or more of the following:

an availability of the selected service provider, a start time for the selected service provider, or a completion time for the selected service provider.

6. The roadside assistance system of claim 1, wherein the event notification is provided on a display through the roadside assistance service provider application to the selected service provider.

7. The roadside assistance system of claim 1, wherein the roadside assistance service provider application upon execution of computer-executable instructions from the roadside assistance service provider server is further configured to:

provide, by the roadside assistance service provider server and through the roadside assistance service provider application, electronic payment for completing the roadside assistance service request to the selected service provider.

8. The roadside assistance system of claim 7, wherein the electronic payment is automatic with a pre-entered payment method when the roadside assistance service request is complete.

9. The roadside assistance system of claim 1, wherein the roadside assistance service provider application upon execution of computer-executable instructions from the roadside assistance service provider server is further configured to:

receive, by the roadside assistance service provider server, an evaluation of the selected service provider after the roadside assistance service request is complete.

10. The roadside assistance system of claim 1, wherein the roadside assistance service provider application upon execution of computer-executable instructions from the roadside assistance service provider server is further configured to:

receive, by the roadside assistance service provider server, an evaluation from the selected service provider after the roadside assistance service request is complete.

11. The roadside assistance system of claim 1, wherein the roadside assistance service provider application upon execution of computer-executable instructions from the roadside assistance service provider server is further configured to:

receive, by the roadside assistance service provider server, a registration from a group of service providers, wherein the registration includes interviews, background checks, and a driver'"'"'s record check.

12. The roadside assistance system of claim 11, wherein the registration further includes validation of completed training for the group of service providers.

13. One or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause an apparatus to:

(a) receive, through a roadside assistance service provider application for use on a mobile device executing on a roadside assistance service provider server having at least one processor, a roadside assistance service request;

(b) collect roadside assistance service provider information by a plurality of sensors in communication with a vehicle of a roadside assistance service provider;

(c) receive, by the roadside assistance service provider server, GPS information from a GPS module on the mobile device that acquires the GPS information of a user vehicle, the GPS module in communication with the roadside assistance service provider application;

(d) receive, by the roadside assistance service provider server, a roadside assistance service request, wherein the roadside assistance service request includes one or more of the following;

jump start the user vehicle, flat tire change of the user vehicle, fuel a lack of fuel user vehicle, or unlock a locked out user vehicle;

(e) determine, by the roadside assistance service provider server, a selected service provider based on one or more factors, wherein the one or more factors include one or more of the following;

proximity in location between the user vehicle and the selected service provider, prior driver'"'"'s ratings for the selected service provider, a skill set of the selected service provider, or a cost of the selected service provider;

(f) send, by the roadside assistance service provider server to the roadside assistance service provider application, the roadside assistance service request to the selected service provider;

(g) receive, through the roadside assistance service provider application, acceptance of the roadside assistance service request from the selected service provider;

(h) provide, by the roadside assistance service provider server and the GPS module and plurality of sensors, event notifications to the roadside assistance service provider application of a status of the selected service provider with respect to the roadside assistance service request; and

(i) receive, through the roadside assistance service provider application, confirmation of completion of the roadside assistance service request from the selected service provider.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer readable instructions of claim 13, wherein the GPS information includes location, velocity, route, and destination.

15. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer readable instructions of claim 13, wherein the roadside assistance service provider information includes real-time information that includes one or more of the following:

an availability of the selected service provider, a start time for the selected service provider, or a completion time for the selected service provider.

16. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer readable instructions of claim 13 that, when executed, cause an apparatus to further:

provide, by the roadside assistance service provider server and through the roadside assistance service provider application, electronic payment for completing the roadside assistance service request to the selected service provider, wherein the electronic payment is automatic with a pre-entered payment method when the roadside assistance service request is complete.

17. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media storing computer readable instructions of claim 13 that, when executed, cause an apparatus to further:

receive, by the roadside assistance service provider server, a registration from a group of service providers, wherein the registration includes interviews, background checks, and a driver'"'"'s record check, wherein the registration further includes validation of completed training for the group of service providers.

18. A roadside assistance system, the system comprising:

a roadside assistance service provider server having at least one processor;

a roadside assistance service provider application for use on a mobile device and executing on the roadside assistance service provider server;

a plurality of sensors positioned on a vehicle of a roadside assistance service provider, wherein the plurality of sensors collects roadside assistance service provider information; and

a GPS module on the mobile device that acquires GPS information of a user vehicle, the GPS module in communication with the roadside assistance service provider application, wherein the GPS module provides the acquired GPS information to the roadside assistance service provider application and the roadside assistance service provider server;

wherein the roadside assistance service provider application upon execution of computer-executable instructions from the roadside assistance service provider server is configured to;

receive, by the roadside assistance service provider server, a registration from a group of service providers, wherein the registration includes interviews, background checks, and a driver'"'"'s record check, wherein the registration further includes validation of completed training for the group of service providers;

receive, by the roadside assistance service provider server, a roadside assistance service request, wherein the roadside assistance service request includes one or more of the following;

jump start the user vehicle, flat tire change for the user vehicle, fuel a lack of fuel user vehicle, or unlock a locked out user vehicle;

determine, by the roadside assistance service provider server, a selected service provider based on one or more factors, wherein the one or more factors include one or more of the following;

proximity in location between the user vehicle and the selected service provider, a length of time-to-travel between the user vehicle and the selected service provider, or an on-time performance of the selected service provider;

send, by the roadside assistance service provider server to the roadside assistance service provider application, the roadside assistance service request to the selected service provider;

receive, through the roadside assistance service provider application, acceptance of the roadside assistance service request from the selected service provider; and

receive, through the roadside assistance service provider application, confirmation of completion of the roadside assistance service request from the selected service provider.

19. The roadside assistance system of claim 18, wherein the roadside assistance service provider information includes real-time information that includes one or more of the following:

an availability of the selected service provider, a start time for the selected service provider, or a completion time for the selected service provider.

20. The roadside assistance system of claim 18, wherein the roadside assistance service provider application upon execution of computer-executable instructions from the roadside assistance service provider server is further configured to:

provide, by the roadside assistance service provider server and through the roadside assistance service provider application, electronic payment for completing the roadside assistance service request to the selected service provider, wherein the electronic payment is automatic with a pre-entered payment method when the roadside assistance service request is complete.