Abstract:
An apparatus and method for generating a damaged vehicle estimate for a damaged vehicle. A mobile device is used to capture a photo image of the damaged vehicle and receive vehicle information from a user. The mobile device displays a graphical image of the damaged vehicle. A user can provide input on the graphical image that indicates a location of damage on the damaged vehicle. The photo image, marked graphical image and the vehicle information are transferred from the mobile device to a computer where a damaged vehicle estimate is generated. The damaged vehicle estimate is transferred to the mobile device and displayed to a user.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/890,986, filed Oct. 15, 2013. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The subject matter disclosed generally relates to a method and system for generating an insurance estimate for a damaged vehicle. 
         [0004]    2. Background Information 
         [0005]    When a vehicle such as an automobile is damaged the owner may file a claim with an insurance carrier. A claims adjuster typically inspects the vehicle to determine the amount of damage and the costs required to repair the automobile. The owner of the vehicle or the vehicle repair facility may receive a check equal to the estimated cost of the repairs. 
         [0006]    The repair costs and other information may be entered by the adjuster into an estimate report. After inspection the adjuster sends the estimate report to a home office for approval. To improve the efficiency of the claims process there have been developed computer systems and accompanying software that automate the estimate process. By way of example, the assignee of the present invention, Audatex, Inc., (“Audatex”) provides a software product under the trademark Audatex Estimating that allows a claims adjuster to enter estimate data. The data includes a list of damaged parts. The parts can be selected by entering text describing the part(s) or by selection of a graphical depiction of the vehicle part(s). The Estimating product includes a database that provides the cost of the selected parts and the labor cost associated with repairing the parts. The Estimating product is utilized by an estimator who must visit the damaged vehicle to generate the estimate. It would be desirable to provide a product that would allow a consumer to remotely provide information to an insurance estimator. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    An apparatus and method for generating a damaged vehicle estimate for a damaged vehicle. A mobile device is used to capture a photo image of a damaged vehicle and receive vehicle information from a user. The mobile device displays a graphical image of the damaged vehicle. A user can provide input on the graphical image that indicates a location of damage on the damaged vehicle. The photo image, marked graphical image and the vehicle information are transferred from the mobile device to a computer where a damaged vehicle estimate is generated. The damaged vehicle estimate is transferred to the mobile device and displayed to a user. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a schematic of a network system that can be used to generate an repair cost estimate for a damaged vehicle; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a schematic of a mobile device of the system; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an illustration showing a mobile device displaying a graphical overlay of a vehicle; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an illustration showing a mobile device displaying a graphical overlay of a vehicle and a photo image of the damaged vehicle out of alignment; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is an illustration showing the photo image of the damaged vehicle in alignment with the graphical overlay; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is an illustration showing a graphical image of a vehicle displayed by the mobile device; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is an illustration showing an insurance claim page; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is an illustration showing an insurance estimating page that allows a user to select damaged parts; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is an illustration showing an estimate page that provides an damaged vehicle insurance estimate; and, 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is an illustration showing a mobile device displaying a damaged vehicle insurance estimate. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    Disclosed is a device and method for obtaining a damaged vehicle insurance estimate through a mobile device such as a cell phone. A user can load an application on their cell phone that can be utilized to request and receive an estimate for repairing a damaged vehicle. The application may request user information including an identification of the vehicle make, model and year. A three dimensional graphical depiction of the vehicle is downloaded and depicted on the mobile device. Using an input device such as a finger or pen the user can mark the areas of damage on the graphical vehicle. Levels of damage severity can be created by multiple inputs. For example, the user can repeatedly tap the same area of the display to show a deeper dent on the exterior of the vehicle. The application may also prompt the user to take photo images of the damaged vehicle. The application displays a graphic overlay of the vehicle. The user can manipulate the mobile device so that an image of the vehicle is aligned with the graphical overlay of the vehicle. The user then captures the photo image. The graphical overlay can be oriented on the screen in a manner so that the stored image of the vehicle is captured at a predetermined horizontal angle, vertical height and/or vehicle size. The marked three dimensional graphical representation of the vehicle, the photo images and the vehicle information are uploaded to an estimating computer. An estimator views the vehicle information, marked graphical representation and the photos and generates an estimate. The estimate is then downloaded to the mobile device. The user can view the estimate. The mobile device application may also provide listings and map views of repair shops available in the user&#39;s area. The application may also allow the user to track repair status updates. Although an insurance estimate is discussed, it is to be understood that the present invention can be utilized to perform shop and/or consumer estimates. 
         [0019]    Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numbers,  FIG. 1  shows a system  10  that can be used to generate a damage estimate for a damaged vehicle. The system  10  may include at least one client  12  that is connected to an electronic communication network  14 . The electronic communication network  14  may be a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet. Accordingly, communication may be transmitted through the network  14  in TCP/IP format. The client  12  could be any type of device that can access the network  14 . 
         [0020]    The system  10  may further include an claim server  16  connected to the network  14 . The claim server  16  may provide a web based portal that provides access to a repair cost estimate and/or a vehicle valuation web site. The web site may provide one or more web pages that can be used by a representative to generate a repair cost estimate and/or a vehicle valuation. By way of example, the representative may utilize the web pages to determine the estimate and/or a vehicle valuation of a vehicle, or claims adjuster submitting vehicle information on a theft claim, or a policy system that requires vehicle data to provide a price quote. Although one claim server  16  is shown, it is to be understood that the claim server may include two or more separate servers including a web server and an application server that together perform various functions. 
         [0021]    The system may also include an OEM server  18  that can be coupled to the claim server  16  and clients  12  through the network  14 . The OEM server  18  may contain a database that includes vehicle model information and vehicle option information. The OEM server  18  may provide vehicle model information and vehicle options information based on a VIN. Although a web based system is shown and described, it is to be understood that a non-web based system could be employed. 
         [0022]    The system  10  includes a mobile device  20  that can be used to capture images and information of a vehicle. The device  20  may be a smartphone, tablet or a similar device that contains a camera and a screen. The mobile device  20  may be coupled to the client  12 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of a mobile device  20 . The camera device  20  includes a processor  30  connected to one or more memory devices  32  through a bus  34 . The memory device  32  may include both volatile and non-volatile memory such as read only memory (ROM) or random access memory (RAM). The processor  30  is capable of operating software programs in accordance with instructions and data stored within the memory device  32 . Without limiting the scope of the invention the term computer readable medium may include the memory device  32 . The computer readable medium may contain software programs in binary form that can be read and manipulated by the processor  30 . 
         [0024]    The mobile device  20  further includes a screen  36  and a camera  38 . The device  20  may also include transceivers and network ports to communicate with external sources such as the servers  16  and  18  shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0025]    The servers  16  and  18  may contain relational databases that correlate data with individual data fields and a relational database management system (RDBMS). The RDBMS of the server  16  may include a reference to a website that can be accessed by the client  12  and/or camera device  20 . The website has one or more specific uniform resource locators (URL) that can be used to access the site through the network  14 . The URL can be entered through a web-based application resident in the client computer  12  and/or device  20 . By way of example, the web based application may be a browser. Servers  16  and/or  18  may contain a database of graphic overlays that are associated with vehicle information. The servers  16  and/or  18  may also contain three dimensional graphical representations of vehicles that are searchable from vehicle information such as the make, model and year of a car. 
         [0026]      FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5  show how a photograph of a vehicle  50  can be captured using a graphic overlay  52  The user can enter information regarding the vehicle. For example, the user can input the year, make and model of the vehicle. A graphical overlay  52  of the identified vehicle is displayed on the mobile device  20  as shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the user can then operate the camera device to obtain an image of the vehicle  50  that is displayed with the graphical overlay  52 . The graphical overlay  52  may be transparent so that the user can see the image of the vehicle. Although a process wherein the overlay  52  is displayed before the image of the vehicle  50 , it is to be understood that the process may be reversed so that the vehicle  50  can be displayed before the overlay  52 . 
         [0027]    The user can move the camera to align the vehicle image  50  with the graphical overlay  52  as shown in  FIG. 5 . The vehicle image  50  can be stored in memory when the image  50  is aligned with the graphical overlay  52 . This can be accomplished by the user “clicking” the camera to capture the image of the vehicle  50 . The graphical image  52  can be displayed in a manner so that the stored image has a predetermined horizontal angle, vertical height, size, resolution and/or quality. The stored image may be provided with an insurance estimate. Creating standardized image parameters such as horizontal angle and height promotes consistency and uniformity in the estimating process. 
         [0028]    The graphical overlay  52  can be created by extrapolating a 2D image showing only the outline and various highlights of the vehicle from a 3D model of the vehicle. The area between the outline may be shaded but still transparent when overlayed onto the video image captured by the camera. The color of the shaded area and outlines can be varied. For example, the shaded area and outlines may be gray, but the user can change the color to yellow. This would be desirable if the vehicle is gray and would be difficult to distinguish from a gray shaded area and outline. Some vehicle components, such as the front driver side wheel may be created in the overlay  52 . This would allow the user to align the wheel of the image captured by the camera with the graphical wheel provided by the overlay. 
         [0029]    By way of example, the assignee Audatex has a database(s) that contains 3D models of various vehicles. The overlays may be created from these 3D models. For example, the 3D models can be rotated and otherwise manipulated to achieve the desired horizontal angle, vertical height and vehicle size. The outline of the 3D model is then extrapolated to create the overlay  52 . Overlays for various vehicles can be created and stored in a database(s). 
         [0030]      FIG. 6  shows a three dimensional graphical depiction of a vehicle  60 . The user can provide input such as tapping the screen to mark the damaged areas  62  of the vehicle. Further tapping on a damaged area may be used to indicate more severe damage. 
         [0031]    The photo images of the vehicle and the marked graphical representation can be uploaded and used in a process to create an insurance estimate.  FIG. 7  shows an example of a claim page  100  used to create an insurance estimate. The claim page may include a VIN field  102  that allows a user to enter a VIN. The page  100  may include vehicle information fields, including but not limited to ORIGIN  104 , MAKE  106 , YEAR  108 , MODEL  110 , STYLE  112 , ENGINE  114  and TRANSMISSION  116 , exterior and interior Paint code, color, refinish type and production date fields. The page may further include vehicle package fields  118  and vehicle option fields  120  that can be selected and deselected to indicate the options of a vehicle. Entering the VIN may automatically populate certain fields of the page  100 . 
         [0032]    A representative may enter and/or select damaged parts for the vehicle.  FIG. 8  shows an example of an estimating page  200  that allows the user to enter and/or select damaged parts of a vehicle. The page  200  may include a graphical section  202  that can be selected by the representative and a text section  204  that lists a plurality of selectable parts for the vehicle. The parts that are selected to be replaced or repaired can be listed in section  206 . An estimate page can be displayed by selecting the “Estimate Total” link  208  shown in  FIG. 7 .  FIG. 9  shows a page  220  that displays a running cost total of the estimated damage of the vehicle. The process may have a feature (not shown) that provides a warning to the representative that the cost total exceeds a “totaled” value at which point the representative may discontinue the process and request a vehicle valuation. After all of the parts to be repaired or damaged are selected the representative may obtain a final repair cost estimate and/or vehicle valuation. The photograph of the vehicle can be associated with the estimate. For example, the photograph can be attached to the estimate file. 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIG. 10 , the estimate can be downloaded to the mobile device  20  and displayed by the device screen. The repair value  250  can be displayed by the device. A button  252  that allows the user to view further details regarding the estimate can also be displayed. The mobile device  20  may also display REQUEST REPAIR, REQUEST PAYMENT and CONTACT ME buttons  254 . 
         [0034]    While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad invention, and that this invention not be limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since various other modifications may occur to those ordinarily skilled in the art.