IP Library Granted Patent US 12,626,306
Granted Patent B1
US 12,626,306 · App. 18/404,528 · Granted May 12, 2026

Systems and methods for recommending action after assessing risk of property damage

Inventors: Richard McAlister (San Antonio, TX); Susan Dunham (San Antonio, TX); Randall Yarbrough (San Antonio, TX); Anthony Bishop (Fair Oaks Ranch, TX)
Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)
G06Q40/08G06Q50/16G08G1/017
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,626,306
App. No.
18/404,528
Filed
Jan 4, 2024
Granted
May 12, 2026
Kind
B1
Art Unit
3695
USPC
705/4
Abstract

A system may include one or more sensors that acquire location information associated with the one or more sensors. The system may also include a processor that receives a first set of data comprising environmental information associated with a location, receives the location information from the one or more sensors, and determines whether a risk of damage to property associated with at least one of the one or more sensors is greater than a threshold based on the location information and the environmental information. When the risk is greater than the threshold, the processor may send a notification including the risk of damage to the property to a computing device that may provide an audio or visual indication of the notification.

Claims (53)

1 . A method, comprising:

determining, via a processing system, an expected location of a mobile object by identifying an additional expected location of an individual associated with the mobile object from information pertaining to the individual, wherein the information comprises a travel itinerary, an electronic news source, social media data, or any combination thereof;

estimating, via the processing system, a risk of damage to the mobile object or the individual based on the expected location and one or more trends indicated in the social media data provided by one or more social media sites;

determining, via the processing system, whether the risk of damage is greater than a threshold;

sending, via the processing system, a notification comprising the risk of damage to a computing device associated with the individual in response to the risk of damage being greater than the threshold, wherein the notification comprises one or more recommended actions to move the mobile object for mitigating the risk of damage;

verifying, via the processing system, that the mobile object has moved from the expected location, by:

acquiring, via a first light sensor, a first light measurement at the expected location;

acquiring, via a second light sensor, a second light measurement associated with the mobile object;

determining, via the processing system, whether the first light measurement and the second light measurement are within a threshold light differential;

determining, via the processing system, the mobile object is not at the expected location in response to the first light measurement and the second light measurement being outside the threshold light differential; and

providing, via the processing system, an indication of results of the verifying to an electronic device.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic news source provides data regarding one or more weather alerts, one or more natural disaster alerts, one or more non-natural disaster alerts, or any combination thereof.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein estimating the risk of damage is based on empirical data associated with an event at the expected location.

4 . The method of claim 1 , comprising receiving, via the processing system, feedback data associated with whether the mobile object has moved from the expected location based on the indication of the results of the verifying.

5 . The method of claim 1 , comprising storing, via the processing system, the indication of the results in a database.

6 . The method of claim 1 , comprising maintaining, via the processing system, a rating associated with the individual based on the indication of the results.

7 . The method of claim 6 , comprising increasing, via the processing system, the rating associated with the individual based on the indication of the results comprising that the mobile object has moved from the expected location.

8 . The method of claim 6 , comprising maintaining or decreasing, via the processing system, the rating associated with the individual based on the indication of the results comprising that the mobile object has not moved from the expected location.

9 . The method of claim 6 , comprising storing, via the processing system, the rating associated with the individual in a database.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first light sensor is disposed within a structure.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the second light sensor is disposed on the mobile object.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the social media data is indicative of the one or more trends on the one or more social media sites that are not directly associated with the individual.

13 . The method of claim 1 , comprising determining, via the processing system, the travel itinerary based at least in part on an email, a text message, map software, or any combination thereof.

14 . A system comprising,

a first light sensor configured to detect a first light measurement at a first location;

a second light sensor configured to detect a second light measurement associated with a mobile object; and

a processing system configured to:

determine an expected location of the mobile object by identifying an additional expected location of an individual associated with the mobile object from information pertaining to the individual, wherein the information comprises a travel itinerary, an electronic news source, social media data, or any combination thereof;

estimate a risk of damage to the mobile object or the individual based on the expected location and one or more trends indicated in the social media data provided by one or more social media sites;

determine whether the risk of damage is greater than a threshold;

send a notification comprising the risk of damage to a computing device associated with the individual in response to the risk of damage being greater than the threshold, wherein the notification comprises one or more recommended actions to move the mobile object for mitigating the risk of damage;

verify that the mobile object has moved from the first location, by:

acquiring, via the first light sensor, the first light measurement at the first location;

acquiring, via the second light sensor, the second light measurement;

determining whether the first light measurement and the second light measurement are within a threshold light differential;

determining that the mobile object is not at the first location in response to the first light measurement and the second light measurement being outside the threshold light differential; and

provide an indication of results of the verifying to an electronic device.

15 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the social media data is indicative of the one or more trends on the one or more social media sites that are not directly associated with the individual.

16 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the processing system is configured to maintain a rating associated with the individual based on the indication of the results.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the processing system is configured to adjust a rate of the individual based on the rating.

18 . The system of claim 14 , wherein the information comprises data from one or more emails, one or more text messages, one or more travel service organizations, or any combination thereof.

19 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising computer-executable instructions configured to cause a processing system to:

determine an expected location of a mobile object by identifying an additional expected location of an individual associated with the mobile object from information pertaining to the individual, wherein the information comprises a travel itinerary, an electronic news source, social media data, or any combination thereof;

estimate a risk of damage to the mobile object or the individual based on the expected location and one or more trends indicated in the social media data provided by one or more social media sites;

determine whether the risk of damage is greater than a threshold;

send a notification comprising the risk of damage to a computing device associated with the individual in response to the risk of damage being greater than the threshold, wherein the notification comprises one or more recommended actions to move the mobile object for mitigating the risk of damage;

verify that the mobile object has moved from the expected location, by:

acquiring, via a first humidity sensor, a first humidity measurement at the expected location;

acquiring, via a second humidity sensor, a second humidity measurement of the mobile object;

determining whether the first humidity measurement and the second humidity measurement are within a threshold humidity differential;

determining that the mobile object is not at the expected location in response to the first humidity measurement and the second humidity measurement being outside the threshold humidity differential; and

providing an indication of results of the verifying to an electronic device.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the information comprises a residential address, a business address, a particular location on a particular day of a week, or any combination thereof.

Continuity (3)
Continuation 17240237 · Apr 26, 2021
Continuation 15210678 · Jul 14, 2016
Provisional Application 62220089 · Sep 17, 2015
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