SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INSURANCE BASED UPON STATUS OF VEHICLE SOFTWARE

• US 20150088550A1
• Filed: 09/20/2013
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Elwha LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Bowers, Jeffrey A., Hagelstein, Peter L., Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Kare, Jordin T., Tegreene, Clarence T., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Wood, Victoria Y.H.
• Granted Patent: US 10,169,821 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A vehicle may be configured to determine a characteristic of a software program operating on the vehicle. The characteristic may be provided to an insurer, and the insurer may determine a property of an insurance policy based on the characteristic. The characteristic may be, for example, a feature, a setting, and/or a version of the software program. The insurer may indicate to a vehicle operator and/or owner how changing the characteristic may affect the property of the insurance policy. The insurance policy may be formalized and agreed to by the insurer and/or the insured. The vehicle may also or instead save pre-collision status data, such adjustable parameters, internal variables, dynamic decisions, and/or identification of a software program, when a collision is detected. The pre-collision status data may be used to diagnose problems with the software program, determine fault, and/or determine future properties of insurance policies.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving information pertaining to a characteristic of a software program operating on a computer system of a vehicle; and

determining, using a processor, a property of an insurance policy using the characteristic of the software program.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein the software program is configured to control receipt of traffic information.

38. The method of claim 1, wherein the software program is configured to control a safety system.

40. The method of claim 1, wherein the software program is configured to control a collision avoidance system.

47. The method of claim 40, wherein the software program is configured to control a prediction/planning algorithm.

50. The method of claim 1, wherein the software program is configured to automatically control maneuvering of the vehicle.

51. The method of claim 1, wherein the software program is configured to control a communication system.

53. The method of claim 1, wherein the software program is configured to control an entertainment system.

56. The method of claim 1, wherein the software program is configured to govern vehicle performance.

60. The method of claim 1, wherein the software program is configured to control a mapping function.

64. The method of claim 1, wherein the software program is configured to control driver impairment detection.

75. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring the characteristic of the software program during vehicle operation; and

dynamically adjusting the property of the insurance policy based upon the monitored characteristic of the software program.

76. The method of claim 75, wherein monitoring the characteristic of the software program comprises receiving real-time information pertaining to the characteristic of the software program during vehicle operation via a communication network.

79. The method of claim 76, further comprising accessing a history of the real-time information pertaining to the characteristic of the software program.

96. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing information pertaining to the property of the insurance policy to an operator of the vehicle.

97. The method of claim 96, wherein providing the information pertaining to the property of the insurance policy to the operator of the vehicle comprises providing real-time advice associated with an effect on the property of the characteristic of the software program.

98. The method of claim 96, wherein providing the information pertaining to the property of the insurance policy to the operator of the vehicle comprises providing an alert to the operator of the vehicle indicating an effect on the property of the characteristic of the software program.

101. The method of claim 98, wherein the alert is sent to a portable communication device of the operator of the vehicle.

105. The method of claim 98, wherein the alert comprises a visual alert.

106. The method of claim 105, wherein the alert comprises a visual indication of a change in the property of the insurance policy on a heads-up display of the vehicle.

117. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving information comprises receiving the information from a provider of the software program.

119. The method of claim 117, wherein the information is received from the provider when the software program is successfully installed.

2-34. -34. (canceled)

36-37. -37. (canceled)

39. (canceled)

41-46. -46. (canceled)

48-49. -49. (canceled)

52. (canceled)

54-55. -55. (canceled)

57-59. -59. (canceled)

61-63. -63. (canceled)

65-74. -74. (canceled)

77-78. -78. (canceled)

80-95. -95. (canceled)

99-100. -100. (canceled)

102-104. -104. (canceled)

107-116. -116. (canceled)

118. (canceled)

120-198. -198. (canceled)

199. A system comprising:

a communications module configured to receive information pertaining to a characteristic of a software program operating on a computer system of a vehicle; and

an insurance module operating on a processor of a computing device, the insurance module configured to determine a property of an insurance policy using the characteristic of the software program.

200. The system of claim 199, wherein the characteristic comprises a setting of the software program.

201. The system of claim 199, wherein the characteristic comprises a type of the software program.

202. The system of claim 199, wherein the characteristic comprises a feature of the software program.

205. The system of claim 199, wherein the characteristic comprises an indication that a feature of the software program has been disabled.

206. The system of claim 199, wherein the characteristic comprises a version of the software program.

207. The system of claim 206, wherein the communications module is configured to receive a version number for the version of the software program.

209. The system of claim 206, wherein the communications module is configured to transmit an indication that the software program should be upgraded to at least one of a vehicle owner and a vehicle operator.

212. The system of claim 209, wherein the communications module is configured to transmit an indication of differences in the property of the insurance policy for different versions of the software program.

264. The system of claim 199, wherein the characteristic of the software program is operator specific.

271. The system of claim 199, wherein the characteristic depends on a number of operators using the vehicle.

272. The system of claim 199, wherein the characteristic depends on a number of occupants of the vehicle.

309. The system of claim 199, wherein the characteristic comprises an identification of the software program.

203-204. -204. (canceled)

208. (canceled)

210-211. -211. (canceled)

213-263. -263. (canceled)

265-270. -270. (canceled)

273-308. -308. (canceled)

310-396. -396. (canceled)