IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,086,196
Granted Patent B2
US 11,086,196 · App. 13/601,035 · Granted Aug 10, 2021

Photo guide for vehicle

Inventor: Neal Lowell (San Diego, CA)
Assignee: Audatex North America, LLC
G03B15/00G06Q40/08G06T19/006
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,086,196
App. No.
13/601,035
Granted
Aug 10, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A device and method for assisting a user in photographing a vehicle for documenting a condition of the vehicle. The method includes receiving information regarding the vehicle and displaying a graphic overlay of the vehicle. A video image of the vehicle is captured with a camera and is displayed with the graphical overlay. The video image of the vehicle is aligned with the graphical overlay of the vehicle and the image of the vehicle is stored. 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 photograph of the vehicle can be attached to an insurance estimate. Standardizing the horizontal angle, vertical and/or vehicle size of the photographed vehicle promotes consistency and uniformity in the estimating process.

Claims (5)

1. A system for generating an insurance estimate for a damaged vehicle, comprising:

a camera that receives user input regarding a year, make and model of the vehicle, said camera including a processor that causes a screen to display an image of the vehicle and a graphical overlay that includes a 2D image outline of the vehicle, that are visible to a user, the graphical overlay is in a shape that has an outline of the vehicle and is located at a predetermined orientation relative to said screen, said predetermined orientation including a predetermined horizontal angle and predetermined vertical height, said graphical overlay comprising a transparent area surrounded by the outline of the vehicle, the transparent area being devoid of any other graphical overlays, said graphical overlay of the vehicle is created by extrapolating said 2D image outline from a 3D model of the vehicle, said camera captures a screen shot when said image of said vehicle is aligned with said graphical overlay, said camera including memory that stores said screen shot, and

an estimate server that receives said screen shot from said camera, said estimate server displays one or more estimate pages are used by an operator to generate an estimate to repair the damaged vehicle and attaches said screen shot to an estimate file that contains said estimate.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said graphical overlay of the vehicle is provided by a database of vehicle graphic overlays.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein said graphical overlay depicts a portion of the vehicle.

Assignments (9)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INCORRECT PATENT NUMBER D856640 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 056598 FRAME 0059. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Nov 17, 2021
From: OMNITRACS, LLC; ROADNET TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; SMARTDRIVE SYSTEMS, INC.; XRS CORPORATION; HYPERQUEST, LLC (F/K/A HYPERQUEST, INC.); AUDATEX NORTH AMERICA, LLC (F/K/A AUDATEX NORTH AMERICA, INC.); CLAIMS SERVICES GROUP, LLC; DMEAUTOMOTIVE LLC; ENSERVIO, LLC (F/K/A ENSERVIO, INC.); MOBILE PRODUCTIVITY, LLC; SEE PROGRESS, LLC (F/K/A SEE PROGRESS, INC.); SOLERA HOLDINGS, LLC (F/K/A SOLERA HOLDINGS, INC.); EDRIVING FLEET LLC; FINANCE EXPRESS LLC
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058175/0775 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INCORRECT PATENT NUMBER D856640 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 056601 FRAME 0630. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Nov 17, 2021
From: OMNITRACS, LLC; ROADNET TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; SMARTDRIVE SYSTEMS, INC.; XRS CORPORATION; HYPERQUEST, LLC (F/K/A HYPERQUEST, INC.); AUDATEX NORTH AMERICA, LLC (F/K/A AUDATEX NORTH AMERICA, INC.); CLAIMS SERVICES GROUP, LLC; DMEAUTOMOTIVE LLC; ENSERVIO, LLC (F/K/A ENSERVIO, INC.); MOBILE PRODUCTIVITY, LLC; SEE PROGRESS, LLC (F/K/A SEE PROGRESS, INC.); SOLERA HOLDINGS, LLC (F/K/A SOLERA HOLDINGS, INC.); EDRIVING FLEET LLC; FINANCE EXPRESS LLC
To: GOLDMAN SACHS LENDING PARTNERS LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 058174/0907 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 16, 2021
From: OMNITRACS, LLC; ROADNET TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; SMARTDRIVE SYSTEMS, INC.; XRS CORPORATION; HYPERQUEST, LLC (F/K/A HYPERQUEST, INC.); AUDATEX NORTH AMERICA, LLC (F/K/A AUDATEX NORTH AMERICA, INC.); CLAIMS SERVICES GROUP, LLC; DMEAUTOMOTIVE LLC; ENSERVIO, LLC (F/K/A ENSERVIO, INC.); MOBILE PRODUCTIVITY, LLC; SEE PROGRESS, LLC (F/K/A SEE PROGRESS, INC.); SOLERA HOLDINGS, LLC (F/K/A SOLERA HOLDINGS, INC.); EDRIVING FLEET LLC; FINANCE EXPRESS LLC
To: ALTER DOMUS (US) LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056598/0059 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 16, 2021
From: OMNITRACS, LLC; ROADNET TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; SMARTDRIVE SYSTEMS, INC.; XRS CORPORATION; HYPERQUEST, LLC (F/K/A HYPERQUEST, INC.); AUDATEX NORTH AMERICA, LLC (F/K/A AUDATEX NORTH AMERICA, INC.); CLAIMS SERVICES GROUP, LLC; DMEAUTOMOTIVE LLC; ENSERVIO, LLC (F/K/A ENSERVIO, INC.); MOBILE PRODUCTIVITY, LLC; SEE PROGRESS, LLC (F/K/A SEE PROGRESS, INC.); SOLERA HOLDINGS, LLC (F/K/A SOLERA HOLDINGS, INC.); EDRIVING FLEET LLC; FINANCE EXPRESS LLC
To: GOLDMAN SACHS LENDING PARTNERS LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 056601/0630 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 15, 2021
From: AUDATEX NORTH AMERICA, INC.
To: AUDATEX NORTH AMERICA, LLC
Reel/Frame 056593/0698 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2021
From: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA
To: AUDATEX NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 056493/0896 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 61150752 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 037887 FRAME 0946. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE CORRECT PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER IS 62150752. Recorded Dec 9, 2016
From: AUDATEX NORTH AMERICA, INC.
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040876/0050 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 3, 2016
From: AUDATEX NORTH AMERICA, INC.
To: GOLDMAN SACHS BANK USA, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 037887/0946 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 13, 2012
From: LOWELL, NEAL
To: AUDATEX NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Reel/Frame 029290/0936 →