Patents by Inventor Stephen R. Prevatt

Stephen R. Prevatt 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: 11970089
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Scott T. Christensen, Brian M. Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve Roberson
  • Publication number: 20240075942
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Scott Thomas Christensen, Brian Mark Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve Roberson
  • Publication number: 20240001876
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Inventors: Scott T. Christensen, Brian Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve F. Roberson
  • Patent number: 11840243
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Scott T. Christensen, Brian M. Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve Roberson
  • Patent number: 11820306
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Scott T. Christensen, Brian M. Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve Roberson
  • Publication number: 20230234597
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for dynamically protecting transportable articles in vehicles. A system for dynamically protecting a transportable article in a vehicle may include one or more processors and non-volatile memory storing instructions. The instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to determine at least one of a characteristic or a trait of the transportable article; detect, based on sensed data, an emergency condition; select one or more article protection components based on (i) the at least one of the characteristic or the trait of the transportable article, and (ii) the detected emergency condition; and in response to detecting the emergency condition, deploy the selected one or more article protection components to protect the transportable article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2023
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Inventors: Scott T. Christensen, Brian Mark Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve Roberson
  • Publication number: 20230109893
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for improving safety of one or more vehicle occupants. An example method for improving safety of one or more vehicle occupants includes accessing interior vehicle configuration data that is generated by, or derived from data generated by an interior data collection component, the data representing an interior space of a vehicle; determining, by processing the interior vehicle configuration data, location and orientation of one or more vehicle occupants; selecting a plurality of vehicle safety components to be active based on the location and orientation of the one or more vehicle occupants, and setting the plurality of vehicle safety components to an active state in which the plurality of vehicle safety components are deployed, when an emergency condition is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Scott T. Christensen, Brian Mark Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve Roberson
  • Patent number: 11623651
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for dynamically protecting transportable articles in vehicles. A system for dynamically protecting a transportable article in a vehicle may include one or more processors and non-volatile memory storing instructions. The instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to determine at least one of a characteristic or a trait of the transportable article; detect, based on sensed data, an emergency condition; select one or more article protection components based on (i) the at least one of the characteristic or the trait of the transportable article, and (ii) the detected emergency condition; and in response to detecting the emergency condition, deploy the selected one or more article protection components to protect the transportable article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Scott T. Christensen, Brian M. Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve Roberson
  • Publication number: 20230013136
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2022
    Publication date: January 19, 2023
    Inventors: Scott T. Christensen, Brian M. Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve Roberson
  • Patent number: 11554736
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for improving safety of one or more vehicle occupants. An example method for improving safety of one or more vehicle occupants includes accessing interior vehicle configuration data that is generated by, or derived from data generated by an interior data collection component, the data representing an interior space of a vehicle; determining, by processing the interior vehicle configuration data, location and orientation of one or more vehicle occupants; selecting a plurality of vehicle safety components to be active based on the location and orientation of the one or more vehicle occupants, and setting the plurality of vehicle safety components to an active state in which the plurality of vehicle safety components are deployed, when an emergency condition is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Scott T. Christensen, Brian M. Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve Roberson
  • Patent number: 11485254
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling an interior configuration of a vehicle. The system may include an interior vehicle component; an actuator component configured to adjust/restrict movement of a physical configuration of the interior vehicle component; one or more sensors configured to collect data corresponding to a state of the vehicle, an action of the vehicle, and/or an internal or external environment of the vehicle; and one or more processors configured to receive sensor data and detect, by processing the sensor data, a vehicle accident condition. After the one or more processors detect the vehicle accident condition, the one or more processors may cause the actuator component to adjust the interior vehicle component from a first physical configuration to a second physical configuration, or may cause the actuator component to restrict movement of the interior vehicle component to a predetermined range of physical configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Scott T. Christensen, Brian M. Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve Roberson
  • Publication number: 20220314839
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling an interior configuration of a vehicle. The system may include an interior vehicle component, an actuator component configured to adjust a physical configuration of the interior vehicle component, an external communication component configured to collect driving environment data representing an external environment of the vehicle, and one or more processors configured to receive driving environment data and detect, by processing the driving environment data, an external driving condition. When the one or more processors detect the external driving condition, the one or more processors may cause the actuator component to adjust the interior vehicle component from a first physical configuration to a second physical configuration, or may cause the actuator component to restrict movement of the interior vehicle component to a predetermined range of physical configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Brian Mark Fields, Steve Roberson, Scott Thomas Christensen, Stephen R. Prevatt
  • Publication number: 20220258747
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for dynamically protecting transportable articles in vehicles. A system for dynamically protecting a transportable article in a vehicle may include one or more processors and non-volatile memory storing instructions. The instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to determine at least one of a characteristic or a trait of the transportable article; detect, based on sensed data, an emergency condition; select one or more article protection components based on (i) the at least one of the characteristic or the trait of the transportable article, and (ii) the detected emergency condition; and in response to detecting the emergency condition, deploy the selected one or more article protection components to protect the transportable article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Scott Thomas Christensen, Brian M. Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve Roberson
  • Patent number: 11400834
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling an interior configuration of a vehicle. The system may include an interior vehicle component, an actuator component configured to adjust a physical configuration of the interior vehicle component, an external communication component configured to collect driving environment data representing an external environment of the vehicle, and one or more processors configured to receive driving environment data and detect, by processing the driving environment data, an external driving condition. When the one or more processors detect the external driving condition, the one or more processors may cause the actuator component to adjust the interior vehicle component from a first physical configuration to a second physical configuration, or may cause the actuator component to restrict movement of the interior vehicle component to a predetermined range of physical configurations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Brian Mark Fields, Steve Roberson, Scott T. Christensen, Stephen R. Prevatt
  • Patent number: 11352017
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for dynamically protecting transportable articles in vehicles. A system for dynamically protecting a transportable article in a vehicle may include one or more processors and non-volatile memory storing instructions. The instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to access sensed data representative of at least one of a characteristic or a trait of a transportable article in a vehicle, determine based on the data the at least one of the characteristic or the trait of the transportable article, select one or more article protection components based on the determined at least one of the characteristic or the trait of the transportable article, and deploy the selected one or more article protection components to protect the transportable article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Scott T. Christensen, Brian M. Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve Roberson
  • Publication number: 20220109739
    Abstract: Systems and methods for providing an aspirational safe driving incentive to drivers having the propensity or ability to improve high risk driving behaviors are provided. Drivers exhibiting high risk driving behaviors may be identified, and initial vehicle telematics data associated with each of the drivers may be collected and analyzed in order to determine which drivers have propensity or ability to improve their high risk driving behaviors. These candidate drivers may receive a probationary safe driving incentive along with feedback configured to improve the drivers' high risk driving behaviors. Updated vehicle telematics data associated with each candidate driver may be collected in order to evaluate an extent to which each candidate driver has improved his or her high risk driving behaviors. Accordingly, a candidate driver's probationary safe driving incentive may be modified or maintained based on the extent to which the candidate has improved upon high risk driving behaviors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Inventors: Brian Mark Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve Roberson
  • Publication number: 20220089063
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling an interior configuration of a vehicle. The system may include an interior vehicle component, an actuator component configured to adjust a physical configuration of the interior vehicle component, a vehicle operation controller configured to generate vehicle operation data representing the operation of the vehicle, and one or more processors configured to receive vehicle operation data and detect, by processing the vehicle operation data, a specific action taken by the vehicle. When the one or more processors detect a specific action taken by the vehicle, the one or more processors may cause the actuator component to restrict movement of the interior vehicle component to a predetermined range of physical configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Publication date: March 24, 2022
    Inventors: Brian Mark Fields, Steve Roberson, Scott T. Christensen, Stephen R. Prevatt
  • Publication number: 20210350468
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for detecting suspicious or fraudulent insurance claim filings may include receiving a list of individuals who file insurance claims; receiving a list of contacts for each individual; receiving information regarding relationships between the contacts; forming a plurality of ego networks that each include a central hub, a plurality of nodes, and a plurality of edges; determining a number of nodes for each ego network; determining a number edges for each ego network; forming a plurality of data points from the numbers of nodes and the numbers of edges; and calculating a distance of each data point from a predetermined normal relationship function to facilitate identifying outliers that warrant investigation or may be associated with insurance claim buildup.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Publication date: November 11, 2021
    Applicant: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventor: Stephen R. Prevatt
  • Publication number: 20210323446
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling an interior configuration of a vehicle. The system may include an interior vehicle component; an actuator component configured to adjust/restrict movement of a physical configuration of the interior vehicle component; one or more sensors configured to collect data corresponding to a state of the vehicle, an action of the vehicle, and/or an internal or external environment of the vehicle; and one or more processors configured to receive sensor data and detect, by processing the sensor data, a vehicle accident condition. After the one or more processors detect the vehicle accident condition, the one or more processors may cause the actuator component to adjust the interior vehicle component from a first physical configuration to a second physical configuration, or may cause the actuator component to restrict movement of the interior vehicle component to a predetermined range of physical configurations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Scott T. Christensen, Brian M. Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve Roberson
  • Publication number: 20210323444
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for controlling an interior configuration of a vehicle. The system may include an interior vehicle component, an actuator component configured to adjust a physical configuration of the interior vehicle component, a vehicle operation controller configured to generate vehicle operation data representing the operation of the vehicle, and one or more processors configured to receive vehicle operation data and detect, by processing the vehicle operation data, a specific action taken by the vehicle. When the one or more processors detect a specific action taken by the vehicle, the one or more processors may cause the actuator component to adjust the interior vehicle component from a first physical configuration to a second physical configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Publication date: October 21, 2021
    Inventors: Brian Mark Fields, Steve Roberson, Scott T. Christensen, Stephen R. Prevatt