Home device sensing

• US 10,810,681 B1
• Filed: 07/01/2019
• Issued: 10/20/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Parker, Carolyn, Johnson, Robert H., Suizzo, Nicholas A., Srey, Rothana, Willett, Sean P., Madigan, Regina, Zhang, Nan
• Primary Examiner(s): Campen, Kelly S
• Application Number:
  US16/458,463
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 705 4, 705 35, 705 36 R, 705 728
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning

Abstract

Systems, methods, apparatuses and computer-readable media for receiving data from one or more sensors associated with one or more home devices, such as appliances, home systems, etc. are presented. In some examples, the data may be used to determine whether the home device is operating within an expected range. The data may also be used to determine an insurance rate or premium for a user associated with the home device(s). In some arrangements, the data may be used to determine an age of a home device, as well as a likelihood of failure of that device. This information may be used to determine or adjust insurance premiums or rates and/or provide incentives to users to repair or replace the home device(s).

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a processing unit comprising a processor; and

a memory unit storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the processing unit, cause the system to;

establish, with one or more sensing devices associated with a home device located in a home, a first wireless connection;

receive, while the first wireless connection is established and via the first wireless connection, and from the one or more sensing devices associated with the home device, one or more signals;

process, by an application executing on the system, the one or more received signals to determine one or more operating characteristics of the home device associated with the sensing device;

determine, based on the determined one or more operating characteristics of the home device associated with the sensing device, whether the home device is operating within an expected operating range;

responsive to determining that the home device is operating within the expected operating range, generate a first insurance rate for insuring the home;

responsive to determining that the home device is not operating within the expected operating range, generate a second insurance rate for insuring the home, the second insurance rate being different from the first insurance rate;

establish, with a mobile device, a second wireless connection, wherein the mobile device is different from the one or more sensing devices; and

send, while the second wireless connection is established, via the second wireless connection, and to the mobile device, one of the first insurance rate and the second insurance rate to insure the home.

2. The system of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

receive data associated with an identification of the home device; and

determine an age of the home device wherein determining the age of the home device is based on the one or more operating characteristics and the received data associated with identification of the home device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the data associated with the home device includes at least one of:

a manufacturer of the home device, a model of the home device, a serial number of the home device, and a year of manufacture of the home device.

4. The system of claim 2, further including instructions that, when executed, cause the system to determine, based on the one or more operating characteristics, a determined likelihood of failure of the home device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein at least one of:

the first insurance rate and the second insurance rate is generated based on the age of the home device and the determined likelihood of failure.

6. The system of claim 1, further including instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

responsive to determining that the home device is not operating within the expected operating range, determine whether a failure of a portion of the home device or the home device entirely is detected.

7. The system of claim 1, further including instructions, that, when executed, cause the system to:

identify, based on the determined one or more operating characteristics of the home device, a pattern of usage of the home, and

wherein at least one of;

the first insurance rate and the second insurance rate are generated based on the pattern of usage of the home.

8. A method, comprising:

establishing, with one or more sensing devices associated with a home device located in a home, a first wireless connection;

receiving, while the first wireless connection is established, via the first wireless connection, and from the one or more sensing devices associated with the home device, one or more signals;

processing, by an application executing on a sensing system having at least one processor, the one or more received signals to determine one or more operating characteristics of the home device associated with the sensing device;

determining, based on the determined one or more operating characteristics of the home device associated with the sensing device, whether the home device is operating within an expected operating range;

if it is determined that the home device is operating within the expected operating range, generating a first insurance rate for insuring the home;

if it is determined that the home device is not operating within the expected operating range, generating a second insurance rate for insuring the home, the second insurance rate being different from the first insurance rate;

establishing, with a mobile device, a second wireless connection, wherein the mobile device is different from the one or more sensing devices; and

sending, while the second wireless connection is established, via the second wireless connection, and to the mobile device, one of the first insurance rate and the second insurance rate to insure the home.

9. The method of claim 8, further including:

receiving data associated with an identification of the home device; and

determining an age of the home device wherein determining the age of the home device is based on the one or more operating characteristics and the received data associated with identification of the home device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the data associated with the home device includes at least one of:

a manufacturer of the home device, a model of the home device, a serial number of the home device, and a year of manufacture of the home device.

11. The method of claim 9, further including determining, based on the one or more operating characteristics, a determined likelihood of failure of the home device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of:

the first insurance rate and the second insurance rate is generated based on the age of the home device and the determined likelihood of failure.

13. The method of claim 8, further including:

when it is determined that the home device is not operating within the expected operating range, determining whether a failure of a portion of the home device or the home device entirely is detected.

14. The method of claim 8, further including instructions, that, when executed, cause the system to:

identifying, based on the determined one or more operating characteristics of the home device, a pattern of usage of the home, and

wherein at least one of;

the first insurance rate and the second insurance rate are generated based on the pattern of usage of the home.

15. A system, comprising:

a processing unit comprising a processor; and

a memory unit storing computer-executable instructions, which when executed by the processing unit, cause the system to;

establish, with one or more sensing devices associated with a home device located in a home, a first wireless connection;

receive, while the first wireless connection is established and via the first wireless connection, and from the one or more sensing devices associated with the home device, one or more signals;

process, by an application executing on the system, the one or more received signals to determine one or more operating characteristics of the home device associated with the sensing device;

determine, based on the determined one or more operating characteristics of the home device associated with the sensing device, whether the home device is operating within an expected operating range;

responsive to determining that the home device is operating within the expected operating range, store the determined one or more operating characteristics;

responsive to determining that the home device is not operating within the expected operating range;

generate a notification indicating that the home device is not operating within the expected operating range;

establish, with a mobile device, a second wireless connection, wherein the mobile device is different from the one or more sensing devices; and

send, while the second wireless connection is established, via the second wireless connection, and to the mobile device, the generated notification.

16. The system of claim 15, further including instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

receive data associated with an identification of the home device; and

determine an age of the home device wherein determining the age of the home device is based on the one or more operating characteristics and the received data associated with identification of the home device.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the data associated with the home device includes at least one of:

a manufacturer of the home device, a model of the home device, a serial number of the home device, and a year of manufacture of the home device.

18. The system of claim 16, further including instructions that, when executed, cause the system to determine, based on the one or more operating characteristics, a determined likelihood of failure of the home device.

19. The system of claim 18, further including instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

generate an insurance rate for the home based on the determination of whether the one or more operating characteristics are within the expected operating range, the age of the home device and the determined likelihood of failure.

20. The system of claim 15, further including instructions that, when executed, cause the system to:

responsive to determining that the home device is not operating within the expected operating range, determine whether a failure of a portion of the home device or the home device entirely is detected.