System and method for determining vehicle odometer rollback

• US 20060009885A1
• Filed: 07/11/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CARFAX Incorporated (S&P Global Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CARFAX Incorporated (S&P Global Inc.)
• Inventors: Raines, Richard T., Korman, Steve
• Granted Patent: US 7,505,838 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A vehicle history information system adapted to determine vehicle odometer rollback. In one embodiment, the system includes a vehicle history report module adapted to retrieve vehicle history records associated with a particular vehicle, at least two vehicle history records having associated date information, odometer reading, and data source information. The system further includes an odometer rollback determination module adapted to analyze the vehicle history records to determine a likelihood of an odometer rollback at least partially based on the data source information.

Claims

1. A vehicle history information system adapted to determine vehicle odometer rollback comprising:

a vehicle history report module adapted to retrieve vehicle history records associated with a particular vehicle, at least two vehicle history records having associated date information, odometer reading, and data source information; and

an odometer rollback determination module adapted to analyze said at least two vehicle history records to determine a likelihood of an odometer rollback at least partially based on said data source information.

2. The vehicle history information system of claim 1, wherein said odometer rollback determination module further determines whether an odometer discrepancy exists between said at least two vehicle history records.

3. The vehicle history information system of claim 2, wherein said odometer rollback determination module further determines whether an odometer discrepancy qualifies as a potential odometer rollback.

4. The vehicle history information system of claim 3, wherein said odometer rollback determination module determines that an odometer discrepancy qualifies as a potential odometer rollback if the odometer discrepancy is more than a predetermined number of miles.

5. The vehicle history information system of claim 1, wherein said odometer rollback determination module is further adapted to classify data sources of said at least two vehicle history records based on the associated data source information, the classifications of data sources being indicative of level of confidence in accuracy of odometer reading provided by the data sources.

6. The vehicle history information system of claim 5, wherein said odometer rollback determination module determines the likelihood of an odometer rollback at least partially based on the classifications of the data sources.

7. The vehicle history information system of claim 6, wherein said at least two vehicle history records includes a trigger record and a target record, said target record having an associated date information that is later than said trigger record, and having an associated odometer reading that is less than said trigger record.

8. The vehicle history information system of claim 7, wherein said at least two vehicle history records further includes a validating record having at least associated date information and data source information, said validating record having an associated date information that is later than said trigger record and said target record.

9. The vehicle history information system of claim 8, wherein said odometer rollback determination module further classifies data source of said validating record, and determines the likelihood of an odometer rollback based on classification of data sources of said validating record, said trigger record, and said target record.

10. The vehicle history information system of claim 6, wherein said odometer rollback determination module applies a rule based on classification of the data sources of said at least two vehicle history records in determining the likelihood of an odometer rollback.

11. The vehicle history information system of claim 10, wherein the applied rule assigns a rollback classification tier indicating that an odometer discrepancy is an odometer rollback or a false-positive odometer rollback.

12. The vehicle history information system of claim 10, further including a rules database adapted to retrievably store a plurality of rules that are applied by said odometer rollback determination module based on classification of the data sources associated with the at least two vehicle history records.

13. The vehicle history information system of claim 12, wherein said rules database is further adapted to retrievably store said classification of said plurality of data sources.

14. The vehicle history information system of claim 1, further including a vehicle history database having vehicle history records relating to vehicle history of one or more vehicles, said vehicle history report module retrieving vehicle history records from said database.

15. The vehicle history information system of claim 14, wherein said vehicle history records relating to vehicle history of one or more vehicles stored in said database are obtained from a plurality of data sources.

16. The vehicle history information system of claim 1, further including a user interface module adapted to report the determined likelihood of an odometer rollback.

17. A vehicle history information system adapted to determine vehicle odometer rollback comprising:

a vehicle history report module adapted to retrieve vehicle history records associated with a particular vehicle, at least two vehicle history records having associated date information, odometer reading, and data source information; and

an odometer rollback determination module adapted to classify data sources of said at least two vehicle history records using said data source information corresponding to the level of confidence in accuracy of odometer reading provided by said data sources, and determine the likelihood of an odometer rollback at least partially based on the classifications of the data sources of said at least two vehicle history records.

18. The vehicle history information system of claim 17, wherein said at least two vehicle history records includes a trigger record and a target record, said target record having an associated date information that is later than said trigger record, and having an associated odometer reading that is less than said trigger record.

19. The vehicle history information system of claim 18, wherein said at least two vehicle history records further includes a validating record having at least associated date information that is later than said trigger record and said target record and data source information, said odometer rollback determination module further classifying data source associated with said validating record, and determining the likelihood of an odometer rollback based on classification of data sources of said validating record, said trigger record, and said target record.

20. The vehicle history information system of claim 19, wherein said odometer rollback determination module applies a rule based on classification of the data sources of said validating record, said trigger record, and said target record to determine the likelihood of an odometer rollback, said applied rule assigning a rollback classification tier indicating that an odometer discrepancy is an odometer rollback or a false-positive odometer rollback.

21. A method of determining vehicle odometer rollback comprising:

retrieving vehicle history records associated with a particular vehicle, at least two vehicle history records having associated date information, odometer reading, and data source information; and

analyzing said at least two vehicle history records to determine a likelihood of an odometer rollback at least partially based on said data source information.

22. The method of claim 21, further including determining whether an odometer discrepancy exists between said at least two vehicle history records.

23. The method of claim 22, further including determining whether an odometer discrepancy qualifies as a potential odometer rollback.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein an odometer discrepancy qualifies as a potential odometer rollback if the odometer discrepancy is more than a predetermined number of miles.

25. The method of claim 21, further including classifying data sources of said at least two vehicle history records based on the associated data source information, the classifications of data sources being indicative of level of confidence in accuracy of odometer reading provided by the data sources.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein determination of the likelihood of an odometer rollback is at least partially based on the classifications of the data sources.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said at least two vehicle history records includes a trigger record and a target record, said target record having an associated date information that is later than said trigger record, and having an associated odometer reading that is less than said trigger record.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said at least two vehicle history records further includes a validating record having at least associated date information and data source information, said validating record having an associated date information that is later than said trigger record and said target record.

29. The method of claim 28, further including classifying source of said validating record, and determining of the likelihood of an odometer rollback is based on classification of data sources of said validating record, said trigger record, and said target record.

30. The method of claim 26, further including application of a rule based on classification of the data sources of said at least two vehicle history records in determining the likelihood of an odometer rollback.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the applied rule assigns a rollback classification tier indicating that an odometer discrepancy is an odometer rollback or a false-positive odometer rollback.

32. The method of claim 30, further including providing a rules database adapted to retrievably store a plurality of rules that are applied by said odometer rollback determination module based on classification of the data sources associated with the at least two vehicle history records.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said rules database is further adapted to retrievably store said classification of said plurality of data sources.

34. The method of claim 21, further including providing a vehicle history database having vehicle history records relating to vehicle history of one or more vehicles.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said vehicle history records relating to vehicle history of one or more vehicles stored in said vehicle history database are obtained from a plurality of data sources.

36. The method of claim 21, further including reporting the determined likelihood of an odometer rollback.

37. A computer readable storage medium comprising:

instructions for retrieving vehicle history records associated with a particular vehicle, at least two vehicle history records having associated date information, odometer reading, and data source information; and

instructions for analyzing said at least two vehicle history records to determine a likelihood of an odometer rollback at least partially based on said data source information.

38. The storage medium of claim 37, further including instructions for determining whether an odometer discrepancy exists between said at least two vehicle history records.

39. The storage medium of claim 38, further including instructions for determining whether an odometer discrepancy qualifies as a potential odometer rollback.

40. The storage medium of claim 39, wherein an odometer discrepancy qualifies as a potential odometer rollback if the odometer discrepancy is more than a predetermined number of miles.

41. The storage medium of claim 37, further including instructions for classifying data sources of said at least two vehicle history records based on the associated data source information, the classifications of data sources being indicative of level of confidence in accuracy of odometer reading provided by the data sources.

42. The storage medium of claim 41, wherein determination of the likelihood of an odometer rollback is at least partially based on the classifications of the data sources.

43. The storage medium of claim 42, wherein said at least two vehicle history records includes a trigger record and a target record, said target record having an associated date information that is later than said trigger record, and having an associated odometer reading that is less than said trigger record.

44. The storage medium of claim 43, wherein said at least two vehicle history records further includes a validating record having at least associated date information and data source information, said validating record having an associated date information that is later than said trigger record and said target record.

45. The storage medium of claim 44, further including instructions for classifying source of said validating record, and determining the likelihood of an odometer rollback is based on classification of data sources of said validating record, said trigger record, and said target record.

46. The storage medium of claim 42, further including instructions for application of a rule based on classification of the data sources of said at least two vehicle history records in determining the likelihood of an odometer rollback.

47. The storage medium of claim 46, wherein the applied rule assigns a rollback classification tier indicating that an odometer discrepancy is an odometer rollback or a false-positive odometer rollback.

48. The storage medium of claim 46, further including a rules database adapted to retrievably store a plurality of rules that are applied by said odometer rollback determination module based on classification of the data sources associated with the at least two vehicle history records.

49. The storage medium of claim 48, wherein said rules database is further adapted to retrievably store said classification of said plurality of data sources.

50. The storage medium of claim 37, further including a vehicle history database having vehicle history records relating to vehicle history of one or more vehicles.

51. The storage medium of claim 50, wherein said vehicle history records relating to vehicle history of one or more vehicles stored in said vehicle history database are obtained from a plurality of data sources.

52. The storage medium of claim 37, further including instructions for reporting the determined likelihood of an odometer rollback.