IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,236,726
Granted Patent B2
US 12,236,726 · App. 18/404,659 · Granted Feb 25, 2025

Systems and methods for autonomous vehicle incident management and recertification

Inventors: Jennifer Criswell Kellett (Phoenix, AZ); An Ho (Tempe, AZ); Jerome Scott Trayer (Tempe, AZ); Jacob Thomas Simonson (Tempe, AZ); Jeremy Myers (Phoenix, AZ); Kip Wilson (Cave Creek, AZ)
Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
G07C5/008G07C5/0816G07C5/085G05D1/0088
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,236,726
App. No.
18/404,659
Filed
Jan 4, 2024
Granted
Feb 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3668
USPC
701/32.2
Abstract

An incident management system for managing an incident response may be provided. The incident management system may include an incident management (IM) computing device and a vehicle. The IM computing device may include a processor and memory, the processor may be programmed to receive a notification that an incident has occurred, the notification including sensor data and sub-system data. The processor may analyze the data to determine an incident response, the determination including categorizing the incident based on damage determined from the data. The processor may also identify a responding party based on the incident response and the category of the incident. The processor may further parse the data to generate a set of critical data. The critical data may be based on the responding party. The processor may transmit a message to the responding party including the critical data and the location of the vehicle.

Claims (59)

1. A computer system comprising at least one computing device comprising at least one processor and at least one memory device, the at least one computing device in communication with at least one vehicle control system of an autonomous vehicle, a plurality of recertifying computing devices, and a plurality of roadside assistance facilities computing devices, wherein the at least one processor is configured to:

receive, from the at least one vehicle control system, incident data associated with an incident involving the autonomous vehicle;

determine a damage to the autonomous vehicle associated with the incident by analyzing the incident data;

generate, based upon the determined damage, an incident response indicating required repairs for recertifying the autonomous vehicle for operation;

identify, based upon the incident response and a location of the autonomous vehicle, (i) a recertifying party associated with at least one of the plurality of recertifying computing devices, the recertifying party eligible to carry out the required repairs on the autonomous vehicle, and (ii) a roadside assistance facility associated with at least one of the plurality of roadside assistance facilities computing devices, the roadside assistance facility identified to transport the autonomous vehicle to the recertifying party;

receive recertification data from the at least one recertifying computing device;

determine, based upon the recertification data, that the required repairs were performed on the autonomous vehicle; and

recertify the autonomous vehicle for on-road operation based upon determining that the required repairs were performed on the autonomous vehicle.

2. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the incident response further indicates a list of requirements associated with the incident to be satisfied, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to satisfy the requirements by performing at least one of:

transmitting data associated with the autonomous vehicle to each party involved in the incident; or

transmitting a report to local authorities that the incident occurred.

3. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to transmit, to the roadside assistance facility, a transport request to transport the autonomous vehicle to the recertifying party, the transport request including the location of the autonomous vehicle and a location of the recertifying party.

4. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising the autonomous vehicle, wherein the autonomous vehicle comprises a plurality of sensors configured to collect the incident data including sub-system data of the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the vehicle control system is configured to determine that the incident has occurred.

5. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive, from the at least one recertifying computing device, an updated blockchain including the recertification data, the recertification data including procedures performed on the autonomous vehicle; and

store the updated blockchain associated with the autonomous vehicle in a recertification events database.

6. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

generate a block on a blockchain by creating a data structure including the incident data, damage data associated with the determined damage, repair data, and test data; and

store the blockchain in a database.

7. The computer system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to store at least one block in a node of a distributed blockchain network accessible to the at least one recertifying computing device.

8. A computer-implemented method implemented using a computer system including at least one computing device that includes at least one processor and at least one memory device, the at least one computing device in communication with at least one vehicle control system of an autonomous vehicle, a plurality of recertifying computing devices, and a plurality of roadside assistance facilities computing devices, the method comprising:

receiving, from the at least one vehicle control system, incident data associated with an incident involving the autonomous vehicle;

determining a damage to the autonomous vehicle associated with the incident by analyzing the incident data;

generating, based upon the determined damage, an incident response indicating required repairs for recertifying the autonomous vehicle for operation;

identifying, based upon the incident response and a location of the autonomous vehicle, (i) a recertifying party associated with at least one of the plurality of recertifying computing devices, the recertifying party eligible to carry out the required repairs on the autonomous vehicle, and (ii) a roadside assistance facility associated with at least one of the plurality of roadside assistance facilities computing devices, the roadside assistance facility identified to transport the autonomous vehicle to the recertifying party;

receiving recertification data from the at least one recertifying computing device;

determining, based upon the recertification data, that the required repairs were performed on the autonomous vehicle; and

recertifying the autonomous vehicle for on-road operation based upon determining that the required repairs were performed on the autonomous vehicle.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the incident response further indicates a list of requirements associated with the incident to be satisfied, and wherein the method further comprises satisfying the requirements by performing at least one of:

transmitting data associated with the autonomous vehicle to each party involved in the incident; or

transmitting a report to local authorities that the incident occurred.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 further comprising transmitting, to the roadside assistance facility, a transport request to transport the autonomous vehicle to the recertifying party, the transport request including the location of the autonomous vehicle and a location of the recertifying party.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 , wherein the computer system further includes the autonomous vehicle, wherein the autonomous vehicle includes a plurality of sensors configured to collect the incident data including sub-system data of the autonomous vehicle, and wherein the vehicle control system is configured to determine that the incident has occurred.

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

receiving, from the at least one recertifying computing device, an updated blockchain including the recertification data, the recertification data including procedures performed on the autonomous vehicle; and

storing the updated blockchain associated with the autonomous vehicle in a recertification events database.

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

generating a block on a blockchain by creating a data structure including the incident data, damage data associated with the determined damage, repair data, and test data; and

storing the blockchain in a database.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 8 further comprising storing at least one block in a node of a distributed blockchain network accessible to the at least one recertifying computing device.

15. At least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by at least one processor of a computing device in communication with at least one vehicle control system of an autonomous vehicle, a plurality of recertifying computing devices, and a plurality of roadside assistance facilities computing devices, the computer-executable instructions cause the at least one processor to:

receive, from the at least one vehicle control system, incident data associated with an incident involving the autonomous vehicle;

determine a damage to the autonomous vehicle associated with the incident by analyzing the incident data;

generate, based upon the determined damage, an incident response indicating required repairs for recertifying the autonomous vehicle for operation;

identify, based upon the incident response and a location of the autonomous vehicle, (i) a recertifying party associated with at least one of the plurality of recertifying computing devices, the recertifying party eligible to carry out the required repairs on the autonomous vehicle, and (ii) a roadside assistance facility associated with at least one of the plurality of roadside assistance facilities computing devices, the roadside assistance facility identified to transport the autonomous vehicle to the recertifying party;

receive recertification data from the at least one recertifying computing device;

determine, based upon the recertification data, that the required repairs were performed on the autonomous vehicle; and

recertify the autonomous vehicle for on-road operation based upon determining that the required repairs were performed on the autonomous vehicle.

16. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the incident response further indicates a list of requirements associated with the incident to be satisfied, and wherein the at least one processor is further configured to satisfy the requirements by performing at least one of:

transmitting data associated with the autonomous vehicle to each party involved in the incident; or

transmitting a report to local authorities that the incident occurred.

17. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to transmit, to the roadside assistance facility, a transport request to transport the autonomous vehicle to the recertifying party, the transport request including the location of the autonomous vehicle and a location of the recertifying party.

18. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

receive, from the at least one recertifying computing device, an updated blockchain including the recertification data, the recertification data including procedures performed on the autonomous vehicle; and

store the updated blockchain associated with the autonomous vehicle in a recertification events database.

19. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to:

generate a block on a blockchain by creating a data structure including the incident data, damage data associated with the determined damage, repair data, and test data; and

store the blockchain in a database.

20. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to store at least one block in a node of a distributed blockchain network accessible to the at least one recertifying computing device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 10, 2024
From: KELLETT, JENNIFER CRISWELL; HO, AN; TRAYER, JEROME SCOTT; SIMONSON, JACOB THOMAS; MYERS, JEREMY; WILSON, KIP
To: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
Reel/Frame 066079/0567 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 16850700 · Apr 16, 2020
Provisional Application 62835251 · Apr 17, 2019
Provisional Application 62965326 · Jan 24, 2020
Related Publication 20240153321A1 · May 9, 2024
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