IP Library Granted Patent US 12,499,497
Granted Patent B2
US 12,499,497 · App. 18/647,386 · Granted Dec 16, 2025

Policyholder setup in secure personal and financial information storage and chatbot access by trusted individuals

Inventors: Edward W. Breitweiser (Bloomington, IL); Larry Ingrum (Mahomet, IL); Brian A. Steigerwald (Bloomington, IL); Shreeti Banerjee (Bloomington, IL)
Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
G06Q50/186G06F21/6245G06N20/00G06Q10/10G06Q10/20G06Q30/0203G06Q40/02G06Q40/08G06Q40/12G06Q50/01G06Q50/16G07C5/008G16H10/60G16H40/67H04L51/02H04L51/04H04L67/12
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,499,497
App. No.
18/647,386
Filed
Apr 26, 2024
Granted
Dec 16, 2025
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2447
USPC
705/312
Abstract

A computer-implement method and computer system may be configured to facilitate policyholder setup in connection with estate handling. An audible or visible chatbot avator or dopplegänger may lead a trustee, beneficiary, or family member through the estate of an impaired or deceased user. A computer system may have been provided with, or gather, sample voice and visual recordings associated with a user that are used to build the chatbot avatar that simulates the user audibly and/or visually. The computer system may have previously prompted the user for necessary items to properly handle their estate, such as information related to financial accounts, loans, insurance policies, etc. and user names and passwords to various electronic accounts.

Claims (62)

1 . A computer-implemented method for configuring a computer system to provide storage, management and/or retrieval services associated with a digital asset, the method comprising:

establishing, via a processor of the computing system, a digital account associated with a digital asset service;

associating, via the processor and through the digital asset service, a digital asset with the digital account, the digital asset including at least one digital file associated with a property;

receiving, via the processor, information identifying a user authorized to access the digital asset;

sending, via the processor, based on the information, and to an electronic device, an executable item causing the electronic device to connect to the digital asset service using a computer application;

receiving, via the processor and through the computer application, a request to use the digital asset service;

establishing, by the processor and via the computer application, a conversation between a virtual avatar and the user; and

causing, by the processor and during the conversation, the virtual avatar to respond to the request, wherein in responding to the request, the virtual avatar simulates a characteristic of an owner of the digital account in at least one of text or voice.

2 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing, via the processor and to the owner of the digital account, a computer programmable tool configured to collect data associated with the digital asset; and

receiving, via the processor and from the owner of the digital account, an authorization to use the computer programmable tool to collect the data associated with the digital asset.

3 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the data associated with the digital asset is collected from a third-party system.

4 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the computer programmable tool is configured to periodically collect the data associated with the digital asset.

5 . The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising:

receiving, via the processor, personal information associated with the owner of the digital account;

inputting, by the processor, the personal information and the digital asset to a machine learning module; and

executing, by the processor, the machine learning module to generate a virtual avatar representing a personality of the owner of the digital account.

6 . The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising:

receiving, by the processor and via the computer application, a request from the user to access the digital asset; and

establishing, by the processor and through the computer application, a conversation between the virtual avatar and the user.

7 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the digital asset includes at least one of a life insurance policy, a homeowner insurance policy, a renter insurance policy, a vehicle insurance policy, or a medical insurance policy.

8 . The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

sending, via the processor, based on the information, and to the electronic device, an invitation to the user to enroll the digital asset service.

9 . A computer system for providing storage, management and/or retrieval services associated with a digital asset, comprising:

a processor, and

a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:

establish a digital account associated with a digital asset service;

associate a digital asset with the digital account, the digital asset including at least one digital file associated with a property;

receive information identifying a user authorized to access the digital asset;

send, based on the information, and to an electronic device, an executable item causing the electronic device to connect to the digital asset service using a computer application;

receive, through the computer application, a request to use the digital asset service;

establishing, via the computer application, a conversation between a virtual avatar and the user; and

causing, during the conversation, the virtual avatar to respond to the request, wherein in responding to the request the virtual avatar simulates a characteristic of an owner of the digital account in at least one of text or voice.

10 . The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

provide, to the owner of the digital account, a computer programmable tool configured to collect data associated with the digital asset; and

receive, from the owner of the digital account, an authorization to use the computer programmable tool to collect the data associated with the digital asset.

11 . The computer system of claim 10 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

receive personal information associated with the owner of the digital account;

input the personal information and the digital asset to a machine learning module; and

execute the machine learning module to generate the virtual avatar representing a personality of the owner of the digital account.

12 . The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the information identifying the user authorized to access the digital asset includes at least one of a role of the user or a type of data associated with the digital asset that can be provided to the user.

13 . The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the computer programmable tool is configured to periodically collect the data associated with the digital asset from a third-party system.

14 . The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the digital asset includes at least one of a life insurance policy, a homeowner insurance policy, a renter insurance policy, a vehicle insurance policy, or a medical insurance policy.

15 . The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

send, based on the information, and to the electronic device, an invitation to enroll the digital asset service.

16 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for providing storage, management and/or retrieval services associated with a digital asset, that, when executed by a processor cause the processor to:

establish a digital account associated with a digital asset service;

associate a digital asset with the digital account, the digital asset including at least one digital file associated with a property;

receive information identifying a user authorized to access the digital asset;

send, based on the information, and to an electronic device, an executable item causing the electronic device to connect to the digital asset service using a computer application;

receive, through the computer application, a request to use the digital asset service;

establish, via the computer application, a conversation between a virtual avatar and the user; and

cause, during the conversation, the virtual avatar to respond to the request, wherein in responding to the request the virtual avatar simulates a characteristic of an owner of the digital account in at least one of text or voice.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

provide, to the owner of the digital account, a computer programmable tool configured to collect data associated with the digital asset; and

receive, from the owner of the digital account, an authorization to use the computer programmable tool to collect the data associated with the digital asset.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the computer programmable tool is configured to periodically collect the data associated with the digital asset from a third-party system.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 17 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

receive personal information associated with the owner of the digital account;

input the personal information and the digital asset to a machine learning module; and

execute the machine learning module to generate the virtual avatar representing a personality of the owner of the digital account.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the digital asset includes at least one of a life insurance policy, a homeowner insurance policy, a renter insurance policy, a vehicle insurance policy, or a medical insurance policy.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2026
From: BREITWEISER, EDWARD W.; STEIGERWALD, BRIAN A.; BANERJEE, SHREETI
To: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
Reel/Frame 073736/0001 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 18074555 · Dec 5, 2022
Continuation 17089388 · Nov 4, 2020
Provisional Application 63108528 · Nov 2, 2020
Provisional Application 62947374 · Dec 12, 2019
Provisional Application 62931486 · Nov 6, 2019
Provisional Application 62930830 · Nov 5, 2019
Related Publication 20240296510A1 · Sep 5, 2024
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