Patent ID: 7818187
Filing Date: 2010-10-19
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method of estimating liability for a vehicle accident under consideration, comprising: a computer system executing program instructions to implement: associating, in a memory of the computer system, one or more estimates of base liability with one or more sets of characteristics for past or theoretical accidents; associating, in a memory of the computer system, one or more numerical factor shifts with each of at least two values of a speed factor, wherein at least one of the values of the speed factor is based on a comparison between a specified speed of a reacting vehicle with a speed for avoiding, wherein the specified speed is an actual speed, a safe speed, or a speed limit for an accident, wherein the speed for avoiding is an approximate speed that allows the reacting vehicle to avoid an accident, and wherein the speed for avoiding is a maintain-to-delay speed for the vehicle accident or a brake-to-delay speed for the vehicle accident, wherein the maintain-to-delay speed for the vehicle accident is an approximate maximum speed to avoid the vehicle accident by maintaining a constant rate of speed, wherein the brake-to-delay speed for the vehicle accident is an approximate maximum speed to avoid the vehicle accident by braking without stopping; estimating, for the vehicle accident under consideration, an actual speed of a vehicle involved in the vehicle accident; providing at least one specified speed of the vehicle involved in the vehicle accident under consideration; comparing, using the computer system, the actual speed to at least one specified speed, wherein at least one of the compared specified speeds comprises a safe speed for the vehicle assessed using a coefficient of friction of a road surface, wherein comparing the actual speed to at least one specified speed comprises calculating, using the computer system, an excess of the actual speed over the at least one compared specified speed; estimating a base liability for the vehicle involved in the vehicle accident under consideration, wherein the estimate of base liability for the vehicle is based at least in part on at least one of the estimates of base liability associated with the one or more sets of characteristics for past or theoretical accidents; assessing an opportunity of the vehicle to avoid the vehicle accident under consideration, wherein assessing the opportunity of the vehicle to avoid the vehicle accident under consideration comprises: estimating a contribution to liability of the vehicle involved in the vehicle accident based at least in part on the comparison of the actual speed to the at least one specified speed,