Inspection facility

Abstract

An enhanced claims settlement apparatus may process insurance claims rapidly and accurately. The apparatus may first receive a notification of loss associated with an insured item (e.g., car, boat, truck, home, etc.). The apparatus may then apply various algorithms for using sensors to identify, analyze, and estimate the cost of damage associated with the insured item. The sensors that are a part of the enhanced claims settlement server may include cameras, tactile sensors, electromagnetic sensors, etc. that may communicate data to a processor associated with the server. Once the data has been generated and analyzed by the sensors, a claim settlement file may be transmitted to a claimant.

1 . An inspection system comprising:
 a physical analysis location at which a vehicle is positioned;   a plurality of sensors, including one or more cameras and a plurality of lasers;
 the plurality of lasers disposed in the physical analysis location and each laser of the plurality of lasers coupled to a robotic arm of a plurality of robotic arms; 
 wherein each robotic arm is operated to aim the plurality of lasers at the vehicle when the vehicle is positioned at the physical analysis location; 
 wherein each robotic arm is operated to position and arrange the plurality of lasers relative to the vehicle such that the plurality of lasers are configured to make laser measurements of the vehicle from a plurality of angles when the vehicle is positioned at the physical analysis location, and 
 wherein the plurality of lasers are configured to generate data characterizing damage to the vehicle when the vehicle is positioned at the physical analysis location and 
 the plurality of sensors including one or more cameras are disposed in the physical analysis location and aimed at the vehicle when the vehicle is positioned at the physical analysis location; and 
   a computing device communicatively connected with the plurality of robotic arms and the plurality of lasers, the computing device comprising a memory having instructions that, when executed, cause the computing device to:
 receive a first notice of loss comprising information indicative of damage to the vehicle; 
 control operation of the plurality of sensors such that the plurality of sensors detect the vehicle positioned at the physical analysis location and detect the orientation of the vehicle; 
 control operation of the plurality of robotic arms to position and arrange the plurality of lasers such that each of the lasers are aimed at the vehicle; 
 control operation of the plurality of robotic arms, based on the detection of the orientation of the vehicle, to position and arrange the plurality of lasers relative to the damage to the vehicle; 
 initiate an inspection of the damage to the vehicle positioned at the physical analysis location based on detecting the vehicle, 
 send control signals, during the inspection, to the plurality of lasers, the control signals instructing the plurality of lasers to operate based on tracking at least one specific point of the vehicle where damage was initially indicated in the first notice of loss, 
 generate the data characterizing the damage to the vehicle by making the laser measurements of the vehicle from the plurality of angles using the plurality of lasers, 
 receive from the plurality of lasers, the generated data characterizing the damage to the vehicle, 
 analyze the generated data and identify the damage to the vehicle based on the generated data, 
 estimate an extent of repair required to the vehicle based, at least in part, on the damage identified, and 
 send control signals to an interface instructing the interface to interactively present information relating to the extent of repair required to the vehicle. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising: a card reader communicatively connected with the computing device and configured to provide notification of an insurance claim related to the vehicle, the notification responsive to a swipe of an insurance card or a credit card through the card reader. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the memory further causes the computing device to receive, from a device configured to automatically detect vehicle accidents, a first notice of loss related to the vehicle, wherein the first notice of loss is automatically transmitted from the device in response to detecting information indicative of an accident involving the vehicle. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first notice of loss comprises telematics information collected by the device during operation of the vehicle. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the telematics information comprises one or more speed measurements, one or more braking measurements, and one or more acceleration measurements of the vehicle either before, after, or before and after a time the accident occurred. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the telematics information comprises one or more vehicle parameters collected via an on-board diagnostic (OBD) system associated with the vehicle. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more vehicle parameters comprise one or more of a vehicle mileage measurement, a coolant temperature measurement, an engine speed measurement, a timing advance measurement, a throttle position measurement, and one or more readings from an oxygen sensor in the vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the computing device to provide an interface that presents a plurality of questions to an individual and receive a plurality of answers to the plurality of questions, the plurality of questions comprising a first question about prior damage to the vehicle, a second question about liability for the prior damage, and a third question about an accident involving the vehicle. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the computing device to perform a comparison between the plurality of answers and the generated data, and determine whether an insurance claim related to the vehicle is fraudulent based on the comparison. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the computing device to notify a claims adjuster upon detection of discrepancies between the plurality of answers and the generated data for manual processing of the insurance claim. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the computing device to obtain, from a weather condition database, weather information describing a weather condition during an accident involving the vehicle, obtain, from a law enforcement database, a police report of the accident, and obtain, from a medical records database, medical information associated with one or more individuals involved in the accident. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the computing device to: automatically control, during the inspection, operation of a plurality of mechanical devices to position the vehicle at the physical analysis location. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of angles comprise a front of the vehicle, a rear of the vehicle, a left side of the vehicle, a right side of the vehicle, and a top of the vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program instructions stored thereon that when executed by a processor, cause a computing device to:
 receive a first notice of loss comprising information indicative of damage to a vehicle;   control operation of a plurality of sensors such that the plurality of sensors detect the vehicle positioned and the physical analysis location and detect the orientation of the vehicle;   control operation of a plurality of robotic arms to position and arrange a plurality of lasers such that each of the lasers are aimed at the vehicle when the vehicle is positioned at a physical analysis location;   control operation of the plurality of robotic arms, based on the detection of the orientation of the vehicle, to position and arrange the plurality of lasers relative to the damage to the vehicle;   initiate an inspection of damage to the vehicle positioned at the physical analysis location based on the detection of the vehicle and the detection of the orientation of the vehicle,
 wherein the analysis location comprises the plurality of sensors, including one or more cameras configured to generate one or more images of the vehicle, 
 wherein once the plurality of lasers are positioned and arranged relative to the vehicle, the plurality of lasers are configured to make laser measurements of the vehicle from a plurality of angles when the vehicle is positioned at the physical analysis location, 
 wherein the plurality of lasers are configured to generate data characterizing the damage to the vehicle when the vehicle is positioned at the physical analysis location, and 
 wherein the plurality of lasers are communicatively coupled with the computing device; 
   send control signals, during the inspection and while the vehicle is positioned at the physical analysis location, to the plurality of lasers to operate based on tracking at least one specific point of the vehicle where damage was initially indicated in the first notice of loss;   generate the data characterizing the damage to the vehicle by making the laser measurements of the vehicle from the plurality of angles using the plurality of lasers;   receive, from the plurality of lasers, the generated data characterizing the damage to the vehicle;   analyze the generated data and identify the damage to the vehicle based on the generated data;   receive input information responsive to a questionnaire   receive telematics information from a vehicle telematics system;   compare telematics information with input information responsive to the questionnaire;   generate a report indicating the damage to the vehicle; and   send control signals to an interface, instructing the interface to interactively present the report indicating the damage to the vehicle.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 14 , wherein analyzing the generated data comprises comparing one or more images of the vehicle with one or more images of an undamaged vehicle of similar make and model. 
     
     
         16 . A method of inspecting a vehicle comprising:
 receiving a vehicle at a physical analysis location,   wherein the physical analysis location comprises a plurality of sensors, including one or more cameras and a plurality of lasers aimed at the vehicle when the vehicle is positioned at the physical analysis location, each of the plurality of lasers coupled to a robotic arm of a plurality of robotic arm,   controlling, by the computing device, the operation of the plurality of robotic arms to position and arrange the plurality of lasers such that each of the lasers are aimed at the vehicle when the vehicle is positioned at the physical analysis location;   controlling, by the computing device, the operation of the plurality sensors such that the plurality sensors detect the vehicle position and the physical analysis location and detect the orientation of the vehicle;   controlling, by the computing device and based on the detection of the orientation of the vehicle, the operation of the plurality of robotic arms to position and arrange the plurality of lasers relative to the damage of the vehicle
 wherein the plurality of lasers are configured to make laser measurements of the vehicle from a plurality of angles when the vehicle is positioned at the physical analysis location, 
 wherein the plurality of sensors are configured to scan a tire and identify damage, 
 wherein the plurality of lasers are configured to generate data characterizing damage to the vehicle when the vehicle is positioned at the physical analysis location, and 
 wherein the plurality of sensors including one or more cameras are aimed at the vehicle when the vehicle is positioned at the physical analysis location; 
   receiving, by a computing device communicatively connected with the plurality of lasers and the plurality of sensors, a first notice of loss comprising information indicative of damage to the vehicle;   controlling, by the computing device, the operation of the plurality of cameras to detect the vehicle positioned at the physical analysis location, the plurality of cameras detecting the vehicle and the orientation of the vehicle;   initiating, by the computing device communicatively connected with the plurality of lasers and the plurality of sensors, an inspection of the damage to the vehicle positioned at the physical analysis location based on detecting the vehicle, wherein the inspection comprises inspecting the damage to the vehicle using the plurality of lasers;   sending control signals, by the computing device and during the inspection, to the plurality of lasers based on tracking at least one specific point of the vehicle where damage was initially indicated in the first notice of loss;   generating data characterizing the damage to the vehicle by making the laser measurements of the vehicle from the plurality of angles using the plurality of lasers;   analyzing, by the computing device, the generated data and identifying, by the computing device, the damage to the vehicle based on the generated data;   generating a notification that the damage to the vehicle has been detected; and   sending control signals to an interface instructing the interface to interactively present information relating to the notification and the damage to the vehicle.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising: receiving, from a device configured to automatically detect vehicle accidents, a first notice of loss related to the vehicle, wherein the first notice of loss is automatically transmitted from the device in response to detecting information indicative of an accident involving the vehicle. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the first notice of loss comprises telematics information collected by the device during operation of the vehicle, wherein the telematics information comprises one or more speed measurements, one or more braking measurements, and one or more acceleration measurements of the vehicle either before, after, or before and after a time the accident occurred. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 automatically controlling, during the inspection, operation of a plurality of mechanical devices to position the vehicle at the physical analysis location.   
     
     
         21 . The inspection system of  claim 1 , wherein controlling the order by which the plurality of lasers are operated during the inspection comprises controlling simultaneous operation of at least two lasers of the plurality of lasers.