Patents by Inventor Scott T. Christensen
Scott T. Christensen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 11972491Abstract: Computer-implemented methods, servers, and tangible, non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions for creating one or more new insurance policy quotes for a customer associated with a customer vehicle may be may be described. The computer-implemented methods, servers, and instructions may include receiving a coverage type for the customer vehicle, causing usage data corresponding to the coverage type to be tracked, receiving the usage data, generating the new insurance policy quotes corresponding to the coverage type based upon at least the usage data, and causing the new insurance policy quotes to be displayed.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2022Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: Scott T. Christensen, Gregory Hayward, Christopher E. Gay, Steven Cielocha, Todd Binion
-
Patent number: 11970089Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling an interior configuration of a vehicle following a collision. Sensor data that includes, or is derived from data that includes, data collected by one or more sensors is received, and a vehicle accident condition indicative of an accident having occurred is detected by processing the sensor data. After detecting the vehicle accident condition, an actuator component is caused to prevent a passenger from adjusting an interior vehicle component outside a predetermined range of physical configurations, while allowing the passenger to adjust the interior vehicle component within the predetermined range of physical configurations.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2022Date of Patent: April 30, 2024Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: Scott T. Christensen, Brian M. Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve Roberson
-
Publication number: 20240127362Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring use and determining risks associated with operation of a vehicle having one or more autonomous operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, operating data may be recorded during operation of the vehicle. This may include information regarding the vehicle, the vehicle environment, use of the autonomous operation features, and/or control decisions made by the features. The control decisions may include actions the feature would have taken to control the vehicle, but which were not taken because a vehicle operator was controlling the relevant aspect of vehicle operation at the time. The operating data may be recorded in a log, which may then be used to determine risk levels associated with vehicle operation based upon risk levels associated with the autonomous operation features. The risk levels may further be used to adjust an insurance policy associated with the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2023Publication date: April 18, 2024Inventors: Blake Konrardy, Scott T. Christensen, Gregory Hayward, Scott Farris
-
Patent number: 11960287Abstract: Systems and methods for modifying operation of an autonomous vehicle in an emergency situation are disclosed. According to aspects, a computing device associated with the autonomous vehicle detects, based on sensor(s), an emergency event associated with the autonomous vehicle. In response to detecting the emergency event, the computing device determines location(s) of emergency vehicle(s) and determines an assistance location for the autonomous vehicle. The computing device determines which of the emergency vehicle(s) is a nearest emergency vehicle that is nearest to the assistance location, and transmits the assistance location to the nearest emergency vehicle. The computing device then causes the autonomous vehicle to travel to the assistance location.Type: GrantFiled: August 16, 2021Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: Scott T. Christensen, Gregory L. Hayward
-
Publication number: 20240110804Abstract: Methods and systems for communicating between autonomous vehicles are described herein. Such communication may be performed for signaling, collision avoidance, path coordination, and/or autonomous control. A computing device may receive data for the same road segment from autonomous vehicles, including (i) an indication of a location within the road segment, and (ii) an indication of a condition of the road segment. The computing device may generate, from the data for the same road segment, an overall indication of the condition of the road segment, which may include a recommendation to vehicles approaching the road segment. Additionally, the computing device may receive a request from a computing device within a vehicle approaching the road segment to display vehicle data. The overall indication for the road segment may then be displayed on a user interface of the computing device.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2023Publication date: April 4, 2024Inventors: Blake Konrardy, Scott T. Christensen, Gregory Hayward, Scott Farris
-
Publication number: 20240096215Abstract: Systems and methods for situational modification of autonomous vehicle operation are disclosed. According to aspects, a computing device may detect the occurrence of an emergency event and may determine a current operation of an autonomous vehicle that may be associated with the emergency event. The computing device may determine a modification to operation of the autonomous vehicle, where the modification may represent a violation of a roadway regulation that may enable effective handling of the emergency event. The computing device may generate a set of instructions for the autonomous vehicle to execute to cause the autonomous vehicle to undertake the operation modification.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2023Publication date: March 21, 2024Inventors: Scott T. Christensen, Gregory L. Hayward
-
Publication number: 20240087040Abstract: Methods and systems for processing trip-based insurance policies for vehicles. According to aspects, a trip-based insurance policy of a vehicle specifies an amount of trip units for insured vehicle travel and has an associated policy term. In certain cases, a customer may exhaust trip units before an expiration of the policy term. The methods and systems therefore enable the purchase of additional trip units so that the customer remains insured. In other cases, upon expiration of the policy term, an insurance provider may calculate an amount of unused trip units. The insurance provider may determine one or more types of credit that are based on the amount of unused trip units. The insurance provider may also apply the one or more types of credit to an account of the customer.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2023Publication date: March 14, 2024Inventors: Gregory Hayward, Scott T. Christensen
-
Patent number: 11920938Abstract: Methods and systems for autonomous vehicle recharging or refueling are disclosed. Autonomous electric vehicles may be automatically recharged by routing the vehicles to available charging stations when not in operation, according to methods described herein. A charge level of the battery of an autonomous electric vehicle may be monitored until it reaches a recharging threshold, at which point an on-board computer may generate a predicted use profile for the vehicle. Based upon the predicted use profile, a time and location for the vehicle to recharge may be determined. In some embodiments, the vehicle may be controlled to automatically travel to a charging station, recharge the battery, and return to its starting location in order to recharge when not in use.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2020Date of Patent: March 5, 2024Assignees: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, KIA CORPORATIONInventors: Blake Konrardy, Scott T. Christensen, Gregory Hayward, Scott Farris
-
Patent number: 11898862Abstract: Methods and systems for assessing, detecting, and responding to malfunctions involving components of autonomous vehicles and/or smart homes are described herein. Autonomous operation features and related components can be assessed using direct or indirect data regarding operation. Such assessment may be performed to determine the robustness of autonomous systems, including the use of virtual assessment of software components within a simulated environment. To this end, a server may retrieve one or more routines associated with autonomous operation. The server may also generate a set of test data associated with test conditions. The server may also execute an emulator that virtually simulates autonomous environment. The test data may be presented to the routines executing in the emulator to generate output data. The server may then analyze the output data to determine a quality metric.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2023Date of Patent: February 13, 2024Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: Blake Konrardy, Scott T. Christensen, Gregory Hayward, Scott Farris
-
Patent number: 11879742Abstract: Methods and systems for communicating between autonomous vehicles are described herein. Such communication may be performed for signaling, collision avoidance, path coordination, and/or autonomous control. A computing device may receive data for the same road segment from autonomous vehicles, including (i) an indication of a location within the road segment, and (ii) an indication of a condition of the road segment. The computing device may generate, from the data for the same road segment, an overall indication of the condition of the road segment, which may include a recommendation to vehicles approaching the road segment. Additionally, the computing device may receive a request from a computing device within a vehicle approaching the road segment to display vehicle data. The overall indication for the road segment may then be displayed on a user interface of the computing device.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2023Date of Patent: January 23, 2024Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: Blake Konrardy, Scott T. Christensen, Gregory Hayward, Scott Farris
-
Patent number: 11869092Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring use and determining risks associated with operation of a vehicle having one or more autonomous operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, operating data may be recorded during operation of the vehicle. This may include information regarding the vehicle, the vehicle environment, use of the autonomous operation features, and/or control decisions made by the features. The control decisions may include actions the feature would have taken to control the vehicle, but which were not taken because a vehicle operator was controlling the relevant aspect of vehicle operation at the time. The operating data may be recorded in a log, which may then be used to determine risk levels associated with vehicle operation based upon risk levels associated with the autonomous operation features. The risk levels may further be used to adjust an insurance policy associated with the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2022Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: Blake Konrardy, Scott T. Christensen, Gregory Hayward, Scott Farris
-
Publication number: 20240001876Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for dampening impact to a vehicle. The system may include a vehicle frame component; a plurality of adjustable exterior vehicle body components coupled to the frame component, wherein the vehicle body components are on different sides of a vehicle and are configurable to dampen an external force exerted on the vehicle; a plurality of actuator components configured to adjust physical configurations of the vehicle body components relative to the frame component; a component configured to collect data representing an external environment of the vehicle; and one or more processors configured to detect, by processing the data, an external driving condition, wherein the external driving condition is an impending collision between the vehicle and one or more objects external to the vehicle, and when the external driving condition is detected, cause the actuator components to correspondingly adjust the physical configurations of the vehicle body components.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2023Publication date: January 4, 2024Inventors: Scott T. Christensen, Brian Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve F. Roberson
-
Patent number: 11840243Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for controlling operation of a vehicle. An example system for controlling operation of a vehicle includes one or more data collection components and one or more processors. The one or more data collection components are configured to collect data representative of a physical configuration of an interior vehicle component. The one or more processors are configured to access the collected data, determine, by processing the collected data, the physical configuration of the interior vehicle component, select a manner of operation based upon the determined physical configuration of the interior vehicle component, and cause the vehicle to operate according to the manner of operation.Type: GrantFiled: October 16, 2020Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: Scott T. Christensen, Brian M. Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve Roberson
-
Patent number: 11837087Abstract: Systems and methods for situational modification of autonomous vehicle operation are disclosed. According to aspects, a computing device may detect the occurrence of an emergency event and may determine a current operation of an autonomous vehicle that may be associated with the emergency event. The computing device may determine a modification to operation of the autonomous vehicle, where the modification may represent a violation of a roadway regulation that may enable effective handling of the emergency event. The computing device may generate a set of instructions for the autonomous vehicle to execute to cause the autonomous vehicle to undertake the operation modification.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2022Date of Patent: December 5, 2023Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: Scott T. Christensen, Gregory L. Hayward
-
Publication number: 20230387481Abstract: A server and non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for monitoring one or more batteries of an electric vehicle (EV) comprising computing instructions for (i) receiving, from an electronic device associated with the EV, telematics data generated by one or more sensors associated with the electronic device that is indicative of operation of the EV; (ii) determining a battery status of the one or more batteries based upon the telematics data; and (iii) mapping the battery status of the one more batteries to a digital record corresponding to the EV in a database.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2022Publication date: November 30, 2023Inventors: Ryan Michael Gross, Matthew S. Megyese, Joseph P. Harr, Scott T. Christensen, Vicki King, Shawn Renee Harbaugh
-
Publication number: 20230386331Abstract: Systems and methods for real-time detection and mitigation anomalous behavior of a remote vehicle are provided, e.g., vehicle behavior that is consistent with distracted or unexpectedly disabled driving. On-board and off-board sensors associated with a subject vehicle may monitor the subject vehicle's environment, and behavior characteristics of a remote vehicle operating within the subject vehicle's environment may be determined based upon collected sensor data. The remote vehicle's behavior characteristics may be utilized to detect or determine the presence of anomalous behavior, which may be anomalous for the current contextual conditions of the vehicles' environment. Mitigating actions for detected remote vehicle anomalous behaviors may be suggested and/or automatically implemented at the subject vehicle and/or at proximate vehicles to avoid or reduce the risk of accidents, injury, or death resulting from the anomalous behavior. In some situations, authorities may be notified.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2023Publication date: November 30, 2023Inventors: John A. Nepomuceno, Scott T. Christensen, Duane Christiansen, Steven C. Cielocha, Kristopher Keith Gaudin, Michael Bernico, Nathan L. Tofte, Steve Roberson, Brian Fields
-
Patent number: 11820306Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for dampening impact to a vehicle. The system may include a vehicle frame component; a plurality of adjustable exterior vehicle body components coupled to the frame component, wherein the vehicle body components are on different sides of a vehicle and are configurable to dampen an external force exerted on the vehicle; a plurality of actuator components configured to adjust physical configurations of the vehicle body components relative to the frame component; a component configured to collect data representing an external environment of the vehicle; and one or more processors configured to detect, by processing the data, an external driving condition, wherein the external driving condition is an impending collision between the vehicle and one or more objects external to the vehicle, and when the external driving condition is detected, cause the actuator components to correspondingly adjust the physical configurations of the vehicle body components.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2021Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: Scott T. Christensen, Brian M. Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve Roberson
-
Patent number: 11823284Abstract: Methods and systems for processing trip-based insurance policies for vehicles. According to aspects, a trip-based insurance policy of a vehicle specifies an amount of trip units for insured vehicle travel and has an associated policy term. In certain cases, a customer may exhaust trip units before an expiration of the policy term. The methods and systems therefore enable the purchase of additional trip units so that the customer remains insured. In other cases, upon expiration of the policy term, an insurance provider may calculate an amount of unused trip units. The insurance provider may determine one or more types of credit that are based on the amount of unused trip units. The insurance provider may also apply the one or more types of credit to an account of the customer.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2023Date of Patent: November 21, 2023Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: Gregory Hayward, Scott T. Christensen
-
Publication number: 20230334585Abstract: Methods and systems for determining risk associated with operation of autonomous vehicles using autonomous communication are provided. According to certain aspects, autonomous operation features associated with a vehicle may be determined, including features associated with autonomous communication between vehicles or with infrastructure. This information may be used to determine risk levels for a plurality of features, which may be based upon test data regarding the features or actual loss data. Expected use levels and autonomous communication levels may further be determined and used with the risk levels to determine a total risk level associated with operation of the vehicle. The autonomous communication levels may indicate the types of communications, the levels of communication with other vehicles or infrastructure, or the frequency of autonomous communication. The total risk level may be used to determine or adjust aspects of an insurance policy associated with the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2023Publication date: October 19, 2023Applicant: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance CompanyInventors: Blake Konrardy, Scott T. Christensen, Gregory Hayward, Scott Farris
-
Publication number: 20230332909Abstract: Methods and systems for assessing, detecting, and responding to malfunctions involving components of autonomous vehicle and/or smart homes are described herein. Autonomous operation features and related components can be assessed using direct or indirect data regarding operation. Such assessment may be performed to determine the condition of components for salvage following a collision or other loss-event. To this end, the information regarding a plurality of components may be received. A component of the plurality of components may be identified for assessment. Assessment may including causing test signals to be sent to the identified component. In response to the test signal, one or more responses may be received. The received response may be compared to an expected response to determine whether the identified component is salvageable.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2023Publication date: October 19, 2023Applicants: HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY, Kia CorporationInventors: Blake KONRARDY, Scott T. Christensen, Gregory HAYWARD, Scott Farris