Systems and methods for recording and using information about conditions present in a house or other location

• US 8,289,160 B1
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Issued: 10/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Billman, Bradly Jay
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US12/474,551
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540, 340/539.1, 340/628, 340/531, 340/584, 340/602, 705/4, 702/183
• US Class Current: 340/540
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/18 Status alarms G08B21/02 takes precedence

Abstract

A data recorder may be installed in a house or other type of building in order to record conditions present at the building. The data recorded may be analyzed in order to forensically assess conditions that have led to damage or destruction of the building, or to prospectively forecast the possibility of future damage or destruction. A decision may be made based on analysis of the data, and an action may be taken based on the decision. Examples of data that may be recorded include temperature, wind speed, humidity, or any other information. Examples of decisions that may be made include insurance claim decisions, underwriting decisions, reinsurance decisions, alert decisions, or any other types of decisions.

Claims

1. A system for collecting data concerning conditions present at a building, the system comprising:

at least one subsystem that installs a data recorder in a building at least partially covered by an insurance policy;

at least one subsystem that engages in a contact with the data recorder;

at least one subsystem that receives data collected by the data recorder, the data representing at least one physical condition present at the building;

at least one subsystem that stores the data;

at least one subsystem that performs an analysis of the data;

at least one subsystem that determines whether to issue an alert to an owner of the building based on the at least one physical condition present at the building;

at least one subsystem that takes a tangible action based on the analysis; and

at least one subsystem that compares the data to data collected by another data recorder in another building, wherein the another building is associated with a different level of physical damage than the building.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one subsystem that initiates said contact with said data recorder.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said contact is engaged in by receiving a request for said contact that is initiated by said data recorder.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said data recorder comprises or uses a temperature sensor, and wherein said physical condition comprises a temperature present inside or outside said building.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said data recorder comprises a wind speed sensor, and wherein said physical condition comprises a wind speed present at said building.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said data recorder comprises a clock, and wherein said data comprise timestamps indicating times at which said data were collected.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said data recorder comprises, or makes use of, (a) a sensor that records a condition of a plumbing system present at said building or (b) a sensor that records a condition of an electrical system present at said building.

8. A system for analyzing data about conditions present at a building, the system comprising:

at least one subsystem that receives data from a data recorder located at a building at least partially covered by an insurance policy, said data representing one or more physical conditions present at said building;

at least one subsystem that analyzes said data to determine a risk of damage or destruction present at said building, or to analyze a cause of damage or destruction that has occurred to said building;

at least one subsystem that, subsequent to analysis of said data, makes a decision associated with whether to issue an alert to an owner of said building based on said risk of damage or destruction based on analysis of said data;

at least one subsystem that takes a tangible action based on said decision and

at least one subsystem that compares said data to data collected by another data recorder located at another building, wherein the another building is associated with a different level of physical damage than said building.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said building has been destroyed, and wherein said analysis comprises a forensic analysis to determine a cause of destruction of said building.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein said analysis comprises a forensic analysis to determine said building'"'"'s behavior under a set of physical conditions.

11. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

at least one subsystem that analyzes said data to determine said building'"'"'s resistance to wind, said data comprising information about wind speed present at said building.

12. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

at least one subsystem that analyzes said data to determine a risk of mold, or of decay of a structure, due to temperature or humidity conditions, said data comprising information collected by a temperature sensor or a humidity sensor.

13. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

at least one subsystem that analyzes said data to determine a risk of future wind damage to said building, wherein said data comprises information about wind speed present at said building during a period of time.

14. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

at least one subsystem that analyzes said data, and data collected at other buildings, to determine physical conditions present in a vicinity of said building.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-readable instructions for making a decision based on data collected at a building by a data recorder, the computer-readable instructions comprising instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform acts comprising:

receiving data from said data recorder, said data representing a physical condition present at a building at least partially covered by an insurance policy;

analyzing said data to determine risk of future damage or destruction to said building, or to analyze a cause of past damage or destruction to said building;

making a decision associated with whether to issue an alert to an owner of said building based on said risk of future damage or destruction subsequent to based on analysis of said data;

taking a tangible action based on said decision; and

comparing the data to data collected by another data recorder at another building, wherein the another building is associated with a different level of physical damage than said building.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer-readable instructions further comprise instructions that cause the computer to perform acts comprising:

determining whether to pay an insurance claim for past damage to, or destruction of, said building, based on analysis of said data.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer-readable instructions further comprise instructions that cause the computer to perform acts comprising:

determining whether to subrogate a claim for past damage to, or destruction of, said building based on analysis of said data.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer-readable instructions further comprise instructions that cause the computer to perform acts comprising:

determining whether to underwrite an insurance policy on said building based on said risk of future damage.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer-readable instructions further comprise instructions that cause the computer to perform acts comprising:

determining a price at which to insure said building based on said risk of future damage.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the computer-readable instructions further comprise instructions that cause the computer to perform acts comprising:

determining whether to purchase reinsurance based on said risk of future damage.