Systems and methods for recording an accident

• US 8,571,895 B1
• Filed: 04/08/2008
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Medina, Reynaldo III, Oakes, Charles L. III, Bueche, Michael Patrick Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kalinowski, Alexander
• Application Number:
  US12/099,447
• Time in Patent Office: 2,030 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

The described embodiments contemplate a system, method and computer-readable medium with computer-executable instructions for recording information relating to an accident. In one exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, once an accident is detected, a storage file is created, and information relating to the accident is stored in the storage file. In another exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, an insurance company may process a claim by receiving a notification that an accident has occurred, transmitting a request to record information relating to the accident, receiving the information, establishing an accident record, and processing an insurance claim. In another exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, an accident is detected, primary accident information is transmitted from a first recording device, a communication link is established between the first recording device and a second recording device, and a request is transmitted to the second recording device to transmit secondary accident information.

Claims

1. A method using a computing device having a non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with computer-readable instructions stored thereon that are executed by a processor to allow an insurance company to process an insurance claim submitted by a customer, the method comprising:

receiving, by the computing device, a notification that an accident involving a vehicle has occurred and a determination of the magnitude of the accident that has occurred, the determination based on an output of a detector, wherein the output of the detector is generated based on an emergency signal relating to the accident that is broadcast to an emergency responder and is intercepted by the detector;

transmitting, by the computing device, a request to record information relating to the accident to one or more devices involved in the accident and one or more devices proximate to a location of the accident;

sending, by the computing device, instructions to a mobile computing device associated with the customer, wherein the instructions include instructions to assist the customer in collecting information relating to the accident;

receiving, by the computing device, recorded information relating to the accident and information collected by the customer;

establishing, by the computing device, an accident record based on the received information; and

determining, with the computing device, whether to automatically process an insurance claim based on the accident record and on the indication of the magnitude of the accident.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification is transmitted by the customer or by a government organization.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the government organization is the police.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is sent to a receiver located on an automobile associated with the customer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the recorded information relating to the accident is an audio recording, a video recording, or weather information.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the audio recording is created through the use of a cellular telephone or a tape recorder.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the video recording is created through the use of one or more video cameras installed on one or more automobiles, one or more traffic monitoring cameras, or one or more handheld video recording devices.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon for an insurance company to process an insurance claim submitted by a customer, the computer-readable instructions comprising instructions to:

receive a notification that an accident involving a vehicle has occurred and a determination of the magnitude of the accident that has occurred, the determination based on an output of a detector, wherein the output of the detector is generated based on an emergency signal relating to the accident that is broadcast to an emergency responder and is intercepted by the detector;

transmit a request to record information relating to the accident to one or more devices involved in the accident and one or more devices proximate to a location of the accident;

send instructions to a mobile computing device associated with the customer, wherein the instructions include instructions to assist the customer in collecting information relating to the accident;

receive recorded information relating to the accident and information collected by the customer;

establish an accident record based on the received information; and

determine whether to automatically process an insurance claim based on the accident record and on the indication of the magnitude of the accident.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the notification is transmitted by the customer or by a government organization.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the government organization is the police.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the request is sent to a receiver locate d on an automobile associated with the customer.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the recorded information relating to the accident is an audio recording, a video recording, or weather information.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the audio recording is created through the use of a cellular telephone or a tape recorder.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the video recording is created through the use of one or more video cameras installed on one or more automobiles, one or more traffic monitoring cameras, or one or more handheld video recording devices.

15. A system, comprising:

a processor;

a memory storing computer-readable instructions for an insurance company to process an insurance claim submitted by a customer, the computer-readable instructions executable by the processor to;

receive a notification that an accident involving a vehicle has occurred and a determination of the magnitude of the accident that has occurred, the determination based on an output of a detector, wherein the output of the detector is generated based on an emergency signal relating to the accident that is broadcast to an emergency responder and is intercepted by the detector;

transmit a request to record information relating to the accident to one or more devices involved in the accident and one or more devices proximate to a location of the accident;

send instructions to a mobile computing device associated with the customer, wherein the instructions include instructions to assist the customer in collecting information relating to the accident;

receive recorded information relating to the accident and information collected by the customer;

establish an accident record based on the received information; and

determining whether to automatically process an insurance claim based on the accident record and on the indication of the magnitude of the accident.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the notification is transmitted by the customer or by a government organization.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the government organization is the police.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the request is sent to a receiver located on an automobile associated with the customer.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the recorded information relating to the accident is an audio recording, a video recording, or weather information.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the audio recording is created through the use of a cellular telephone or a tape recorder.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the video recording is created through the use of one or more video cameras installed on one or more automobiles, one or more traffic monitoring cameras, or one or more handheld video recording devices.