US6185540B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Insurance estimating system
Assignee: Goldman Sachs Bank USA
•
Filing: 1998-11-17
•
Granted: 2001-02-06
•
Expires: 2018-11-17
Abstract
Abstract The present invention is an insurance estimating system that presents a number of advances over the prior art. The invention enables an insurance estimator to quickly and accurately estimate damage to various parts of a vehicle. The invention allows the estimator to analyze damage to various “layers” of a vehicle. If damage to an outer layer of a vehicle is visible, the insurance estimator will quickly perform a damage estimate using the catastrophe or drill in and drill out features of the invention. Nevertheless, the estimator will be reminded to also look for damage in lower layers of the vehicle that are not readily visible. Conversely, an estimator may begin estimating damage to a vehicle by focusing on the interior of a vehicle which has significant interior damage. The invention then reminds the estimator not to overlook slight damage to outer layers of the vehicle. The catastrophe feature of the invention permits insurance estimators to quickly and accurately perform a large number of damage estimates when damage is primarily to outer layers of the vehicle, such as damage resulting from hail, sand, or flood. The invention allows an insurance estimator to select a desired vehicle part for repair, replacement, or other operations, in a number of quick and convenient ways, and gives the estimator a number of options. The invention also prevents “double charging” when there is a possibility that a vehicle part may be selected more than once.
Inventors
- 👤 James Schreitmueller
- 👤 Gerhard Blendstrup
- 👤 Nasser Shariatpanahy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 16:00
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06Q; G06Q30/00; G06Q30/06; G06Q40/00; G06Q40/08; G06T; G06T17/00; Y; Y02; Y02A; Y02A10/00; Y02A10/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
59 words
In a computer system, a method for estimating damage to a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: simultaneously displaying a plurality of types of identifiers representing vehicle parts; selecting a vehicle part by selecting an identifier from said plurality of types of identifiers; and obtaining an estimate of damage to a vehicle based upon said selected vehicle part.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
59 words
In a computer system, a method for estimating damage to a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of: simultaneously displaying a plurality of types of identifiers representing vehicle parts; selecting a vehicle part by selecting an identifier from said plurality of types of identifiers; and obtaining an estimate of damage to a vehicle based upon said selected vehicle part.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of types of identifiers is a textual list.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said textual list comprises a list of vehicle parts displayed by said computer system.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said selecting a vehicle part step comprises the step of selecting a vehicle part from said list of vehicle parts.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said vehicle is an automobile.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of types of identifiers is a graphics icon.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein one of said plurality of types of identifiers is a hot spot.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said graphics icons comprise images of vehicle parts displayed by a computer system.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 7 wherein each of said hot spots comprises a symbol associated with a vehicle part displayed by said computer system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said selecting step comprises the step of selecting a graphics icon.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method of claim 7 wherein said selecting step comprises the step of selecting a hot spot.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
106 words
An article of manufacture comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for estimating damage to a vehicle, the computer readable program code in said article of manufacture comprising: computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to simultaneously display a plurality of types of identifiers representing vehicle parts; computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to allow selection of a vehicle part by selecting an identifier from said plurality of types of identifiers; and computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to obtain an estimate of damage to a vehicle based upon said selected vehicle part.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
106 words
An article of manufacture comprising: a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for estimating damage to a vehicle, the computer readable program code in said article of manufacture comprising: computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to simultaneously display a plurality of types of identifiers representing vehicle parts; computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to allow selection of a vehicle part by selecting an identifier from said plurality of types of identifiers; and computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to obtain an estimate of damage to a vehicle based upon said selected vehicle part.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
The article of manufacture of claim 12 wherein one of said plurality of types of identifiers is a textual list.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The article of manufacture of claim 12 wherein one of said plurality of types of identifiers is a graphics icon.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The article of manufacture of claim 12 wherein one of said plurality of types of identifiers is a hot spot.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
The article of manufacture of claim 13 wherein said program code configured to cause a computer to display a plurality of types of identifiers further comprises computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to display said textual list in a menu.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
The article of manufacture of claim 14 wherein said graphics icons are comprised of images of vehicle parts.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
The article of manufacture of claim 15 wherein each of said hot spots is comprised of a symbol associated with a vehicle part.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
17 words
The article of manufacture of claim 16 wherein said textual list comprises a list of vehicle parts.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
52 words
The article of manufacture of claim 14 wherein said program code configured to cause a computer to allow selection of a vehicle part by selecting an identifier from said plurality of types of identifiers further comprises computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to allow selection of a graphics icon.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
52 words
The article of manufacture of claim 15 wherein said program code configured to cause a computer to allow selection of a vehicle part by selecting an identifier from said plurality of types of identifiers further comprises computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to allow selection of a hot spot.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
13 words
The article of manufacture of claim 12 wherein said vehicle is an automobile.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US5146404A
Cited
US4899292A
Cited
US5128859A
Cited
US5432904A
Cited
US5504674A
Cited
US5485560A
Cited
US5655087A
Cited
US5414626A
Cited
US5515269A
Cited
US5689435A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-02-06 | 2004-08-07 | 2005-02-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-02-06 | 2008-08-07 | 2009-02-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-02-06 | 2012-08-07 | 2013-02-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |