System, method, and computer-readable medium for facilitating delivery of replacement parts for a damaged vehicle

• US 9,799,010 B1
• Filed: 06/05/2015
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Original Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Inventors: Leise, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haq, Naeem
• Application Number:
  US14/732,331
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/021 Means for detecting failure or malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0205 Diagnosing or detecting failures; Failure detection models
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 21/00 Measuring arrangements or details thereof, where the measuring technique is not covered by the other groups of this subclass, unspecified or not relevant
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/00 Testing of vehicles testing fluid tightness G01M3/00; testing elastic properties of bodies or chassis, e.g. torsion-testing, G01M5/00; testing alignment of vehicle headlight devices G01M11/06; testing of engines G01M15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/06 Position of source determined by co-ordinating a plurality of position lines defined by path-difference measurements G01S5/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0275 Fault isolation and identification, e.g. classify fault; estimate cause or root of failure
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08355 Routing methods
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0185 Product, service or business identity fraud
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0206 Price or cost determination based on market factors
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0625 Directed, with specific intent or strategy
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0639 Item locations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/00 Registering or indicating the working of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 : Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 : Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

A system, method, and computer-readable medium for delivering replacement vehicle parts to facilitate treatment of a vehicle damaged in a crash utilizes a vehicle parts network including one or more vehicle parts markets. For repairable vehicles, the vehicle treatment system determines the approximate extent of damage to the vehicle and coordinates the delivery of replacement vehicle parts to a selected vehicle treatment facility. For damaged vehicles not capable or feasible to be repaired (e.g., total loss vehicles), the vehicle treatment system may determine the undamaged vehicle parts and coordinate the delivery of the undamaged vehicle parts to vehicle treatment and/or storage facilities within the vehicle parts network.

Claims

1. A method for delivering replacement parts to facilitate treatment of a vehicle damaged in a crash, the method executed in part by one or more processors programmed to perform the method, the method comprising:

receiving, by the one or more processors via one or more sensors coupled to the damaged vehicle, crash information of the damaged vehicle;

analyzing, by the one or more processors, the crash information with collision data of a vehicle type that includes or is similar to the vehicle type of the damaged vehicle;

identifying one or more damaged vehicle parts of the damaged vehicle based on the analyzed crash information;

compiling a list of replacement vehicle parts based on the identified one or more damaged vehicle parts of the damaged vehicle;

searching, by one or more processors, a vehicle parts network including one or more vehicle parts markets for one or more replacement vehicle parts included within the compiled list of replacement vehicle parts;

identifying, by the one or more processors, one or more vehicle parts suppliers within the vehicle parts network possessing at least one of the one or more replacement vehicle parts included within the compiled list of replacement vehicle parts;

generating, by the one or more processors, a transportation route for delivering the replacement vehicle parts included within the compiled list of replacement vehicle parts, the generated transportation route including an aggregation of the identified one or more vehicle parts suppliers possessing at least one of the one or more replacement vehicle parts included within the compiled list of replacement vehicle parts; and

transmitting a request to a transporter for delivery of the replacement vehicle parts included within the compiled list of replacement vehicle parts, wherein the request includes the generated transportation route and the compiled list of replacement vehicle parts.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the one or more damaged vehicle parts includes determining a vehicle treatment complexity level associated with treating the damaged vehicle based on the received crash information, the treatment complexity level including a damaged vehicle parts list including the identified one or more damaged vehicles parts, a price schedule for treating the damaged vehicle, and a time duration for completing treatment of the damaged vehicle, wherein treating the damaged vehicle includes repairing, salvaging, or scrapping the damaged vehicle.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising generating the transportation route further based on the determined treatment complexity level.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the treatment complexity level includes analyzing the received crash information of the damaged vehicle.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the treatment complexity level includes evaluating, via the one or more processors, the received crash information of the damaged vehicle with vehicle collision data of a vehicle type that includes the damaged vehicle.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving crash information about a damaged vehicle includes receiving a description of the damaged vehicle, and wherein the received description includes an auditory description and/or a visual description.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving crash information of the damaged vehicle includes receiving, by the one or more processors, vehicle operating information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the vehicle operating information includes acceleration or velocity of the damaged vehicle associated with an impact related to the crash.

9. A method for delivering replacement parts to facilitate treatment of a vehicle damaged in a crash, the method executed in part by one or more processors programmed to perform the method, the method comprising

receiving, by the one or more processors via one or more sensors coupled to the damaged vehicle, crash information of the damaged vehicle;

analyzing, by the one or more processors, the crash information with collision data of a vehicle type that includes or is similar to the vehicle type of the damaged vehicle;

determining, by the one or more processors, a vehicle treatment complexity level associated with treating the damaged vehicle based on the analyzed crash information;

identifying one or more damaged vehicle parts of the damaged vehicle based on the determined vehicle treatment complexity level;

searching, by the one or more processors, a vehicle parts network including one or more vehicle parts markets for replacement vehicle parts corresponding to the identified one or more damaged vehicle parts of the damaged vehicle based on the determined vehicle treatment complexity levels;

identifying, by the one or more processors, one or more vehicle parts suppliers within the vehicle parts network possessing at least one of the searched for replacement vehicle parts corresponding to the identified one or more damaged vehicle parts;

generating, by the one or more processors, a transportation route for delivering the searched for replacement vehicle parts, the generated transportation route including an aggregation of the identified one or more vehicle parts suppliers possessing at least one of the one or more replacement vehicle parts corresponding to the identified one or more damaged vehicle parts; and

transmitting a request to a transporter for delivery of the replacement vehicle parts included within the compiled list of replacement vehicle parts, wherein the request includes the generated transportation route and the vehicle treatment complexity level.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining the vehicle treatment complexity level includes evaluating, via the one or more processors, the received crash information of the damaged vehicle with vehicle collision data of a vehicle type that includes the damaged vehicle.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating the delivery route based on the vehicle treatment complexity level.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the vehicle treatment complexity level includes analyzing the received crash information of the damaged vehicle.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the treatment complexity level includes a price schedule for treating the damaged vehicle, a time duration for completing treatment of the damaged vehicle, and a damaged vehicle parts list based on the identified one or more damaged vehicle parts, and wherein treating the damaged vehicle includes repairing, salvaging, or scrapping the damaged vehicle.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving crash information about a damaged vehicle includes receiving a description of the damaged vehicle, and wherein the received description includes an auditory description and/or a visual description.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving crash information of the damaged vehicle includes receiving, by the one or more processors, vehicle operating information.

16. A system for delivering replacement parts to facilitate treatment of a vehicle damaged in a crash, the system comprising:

a computing device including one or more processors; and

one or more memory devices coupled to the one or more processors of the computing device, the one or more memory devices storing executable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors of the computing device cause the system to;

receive crash information, via one or more sensors coupled to the damaged vehicle, of the damaged vehicle;

analyze the crash information with collision data of a vehicle type that includes or is similar to the vehicle type of the damaged vehicle;

identify one or more damaged vehicle parts of the damaged vehicle based on the analyzed crash information;

compile a list of replacement vehicle parts based on the identified one or more damaged vehicle parts of the damaged vehicle;

search a vehicle parts network including one or more vehicle parts markets for one or more replacement vehicle parts included within the compiled list of replacement vehicle parts;

identify one or more vehicle parts suppliers within the vehicle parts network possessing at least one of the one or more replacement vehicle parts included within the compiled list of replacement vehicle parts;

generate a transportation route for delivering the replacement vehicle parts included within the compiled list of replacement vehicle parts, the generated transportation route including an aggregation of the identified one or more vehicle parts suppliers possessing at least one of the one or more replacement vehicle parts included within the compiled list of replacement vehicle parts; and

transmit a request to a transporter for delivery of the replacement vehicle parts included within the compiled list of replacement vehicle parts, wherein the request includes the generated transportation route and the compiled list of replacement vehicle parts.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising an executable instruction to evaluate the crash information of the damaged vehicle with the vehicle collision data of a vehicle type that includes the damaged vehicle.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the vehicle collision data includes a particular treatment complexity level equated to a particular collision data.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

one or more sensors coupled to the one or more processors to monitor operating information of the damaged vehicle and facilitate communication of the crash information of the damaged vehicle to the one or more processors.

20. A tangible, non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by one or more processors of a computer system cause the computer system to:

receive crash information, via one or more sensors coupled to the damaged vehicle, of the damaged vehicle;

analyze the crash information with collision data of a vehicle type that includes or is similar to the vehicle type of the damaged vehicle;

identify one or more damaged vehicle parts of the damaged vehicle based on the analyzed crash information;

compile a list of replacement vehicle parts based on the identified one or more damaged vehicle parts of the damaged vehicle;

search a vehicle parts network including one or more vehicle parts markets for one or more replacement vehicle parts included within the compiled list of replacement vehicle parts;

identify one or more vehicle parts suppliers within the vehicle parts network possessing at least one of the one or more replacement vehicle parts included within the compiled list of replacement vehicle parts;

generate a transportation route for delivering the replacement vehicle parts included within the compiled list of replacement vehicle parts, the generated transportation route including an aggregation of the identified one or more vehicle parts suppliers possessing at least one of the one or more replacement vehicle parts included within the compiled list of replacement vehicle parts; and

transmit a request to a transporter for delivery of the replacement vehicle parts included within the compiled list of replacement vehicle parts, wherein the request includes the generated transportation route and the compiled list of replacement vehicle parts.