Patents by Inventor Brian Mark Fields

Brian Mark Fields 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: 12657595
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving software version data generated by an on-board system of a vehicle via a network, wherein the software version data indicates a version of software executed by the on-board system to control operational parameters of the vehicle. The method also includes determining, based at least upon (i) the software version data and (ii) a known current version of the software, whether a latest software update was installed for the on-board system, setting, based at least upon whether the latest software update was installed for the on-board system, at least a portion of a driver profile associated with the driver, and transmitting the at least the portion of the driver profile to a third party server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2026
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Leo Nelson Chan, Jacob J. Alt, Matthew S. Megyese, Steven C. Cielocha, Kristopher Keith Gaudin, Brian Mark Fields
  • Patent number: 12658047
    Abstract: Methods and systems for alerting a user of accident-prone locations are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the method comprises: (1) receiving, by one or more processors and from a user device associated with the user, location data and motion data of the user device; (2) determining, by the one or more processors, based upon the motion data, that the user has started a trip; (3) loading, by the one or more processors, an accident density map surrounding a location of the user device based upon the location data; (4) determining, by the one or more processors, based upon the accident density map, at least one accident-prone location within a scope of the accident density map, wherein the at least one accident-prone location meets at least one predetermined criterion; and/or (5) presenting, by the one or more processors via the user device, an indication of the at least one accident-prone location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2026
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE
    Inventors: Joseph Robert Brannan, Vicki King, Brian Mark Fields, Nathan L. Tofte
  • Patent number: 12651430
    Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring and analyzing vehicle seats, vehicle seat installation, and/or vehicle seat operation. The systems and methods may include (1) obtaining, by one or more processors, image data of a vehicle seat located within a vehicle, wherein the image data may include one or more connecting points of the vehicle seat to the vehicle; (2) inputting, by the one or more processors, the image data into a machine vision model that is trained: (a) using historical image data of vehicle seats within vehicles, (b) to learn a relationship between extracted features of the historical image data and a properness of an installation of a vehicle seat, and/or (c) to output a determination of a properness of an installation of a vehicle seat in response to detecting input image data; and/or (3) presenting, by the one or more processors, an indication of the output of the machine vision model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2026
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Catherine Espel-Logan, Brian Mark Fields, Joshua John Freitas, Melissa Collette Miles, Jeanne Koehler
  • Patent number: 12650832
    Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring use, determining risk, and pricing insurance policies for a vehicle having autonomous or semi-autonomous operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, a computer-implemented method for generating or updating usage-based insurance policies for an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle may be provided. A request to generate an insurance quote may be received via wireless communication, and with the customer's permission, risk levels associated with intended usage by the customer of the vehicle may be determined. An insurance policy may be adjusted based upon the risk levels and the intended vehicle usage. The insurance policy may then be presented on the customer's mobile device for review and approval. In some aspects, the vehicle may be rented, and the intended vehicle usage is measured in distance or duration of vehicle operation. Insurance discounts may be provided to risk averse vehicle owners based upon low risk levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2024
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2026
    Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
    Inventors: Brian Mark Fields, Chien Che Huang, Mohamed A. Wazeer, Shawn C. Bennett, Steven C. Cielocha, Ronny S. Bryant, Stephen A. Kohaus, Terry Quakenbush, Richard A. Novak, Aaron Scott Chan, Craig M. Main, Weixin Wu, Torri Wollenschlager, Carol Marie Csanda, Stacey Gorsuch, Todd Binion
  • Patent number: 12637089
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining the performance of a driver of a vehicle based on changes, over time, in the context and environment in which the vehicle operates, and any resultant driver behavior are disclosed. A set of driver response data is created from based on an analysis of time-series data indicative of the driver's operation of the vehicle in conjunction with time-series data indicative of changes in the vehicle's context/environment. The driver response data indicates the types and magnitudes of the driver's responses to various changes in the vehicle's operating context/environment and the driver's time-to-respond for each of the responses. That is, the driver response data indicates how a driver compensated his or her behavior (if at all) in response to different changes in the vehicle's context and/or environment. The driver response data may be compared to one or more thresholds to determine the driver's performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2026
    Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
    Inventor: Brian Mark Fields
  • Publication number: 20260133791
    Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring use, determining risk, and pricing insurance policies for a vehicle having one or more autonomous or semi-autonomous operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, the operating status of the features, the identity of a vehicle operator, risk levels for operation of the vehicle by the vehicle operator, or damage to the vehicle may be determined based upon sensor or other data. According to further aspects, decisions regarding transferring control between the features and the vehicle operator may be made based upon sensor data and information regarding the vehicle operator. Additional aspects may recommend or install updates to the autonomous operation features based upon determined risk levels. Some aspects may include monitoring transportation infrastructure and communicating information about the infrastructure to vehicles.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2025
    Publication date: May 14, 2026
    Inventors: Brian Mark Fields, Chien Che Huang, Mohamed A. Wazeer, Shawn C. Bennett, Steven C. Cielocha, Ronny S. Bryant, Stephen A. Kohaus, Terry Quakenbush, Richard A. Novak, Aaron Scott Chan, Craig M. Main, Weixin Wu, Torri Wollenschlager, Carol Marie Csanda, Stacey Gorsuch, Todd Binion
  • Publication number: 20260127847
    Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically evaluating a vehicle seat replacement after a vehicle collision. Upon detecting a vehicle collision is detected, obtaining vehicle seat condition data from vehicle seat sensors and vehicle condition data from vehicle sensors. Analyzing the vehicle seat condition data and/or the vehicle condition data to detect one or more collision conditions indicating (i) the vehicle is not drivable, (ii) a vehicle door proximate the vehicle seat is damaged, (iii) an airbag of the vehicle is deployed, and/or (iv) the vehicle seat is visibly damaged. In response to detecting the one or more collision conditions, generating a recommendation to replace the vehicle seat and providing the recommendation to a user device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2025
    Publication date: May 7, 2026
    Inventors: Catherine Espel-Logan, Brian Mark Fields, Joshua John Freitas, Melissa Collette Miles, Jeanne Koehler
  • Publication number: 20260125062
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for operating an autonomous vehicle based on real-time operating data. The operating data may be data about vehicles, drivers, passengers, as well as relevant environmental conditions and contextual data. In some cases, historical data for the preceding data types may be used. The systems and methods may obtain a set of real-time operating data indicative of one or more behaviors of an autonomous vehicle. One or more operations may be performed on the set of real-time operating data. An instruction to modify a particular vehicle operation may be generated based on output from the operations and the one or more behaviors of the autonomous vehicle, and the instruction to modify the particular vehicle operation may be provided to a particular processor that is on-board the vehicle and that controls the particular vehicle operation, to thereby automatically modify the particular vehicle operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2025
    Publication date: May 7, 2026
    Inventor: Brian Mark Fields
  • Patent number: 12614234
    Abstract: The following relates generally to building a ground truth insurance database. In some embodiments, one or more processors: (1) receive potential insurance database information comprising (i) insurance company application (app) information, (ii) anonymized insurance claim information, (iii) police report information, and/or (iv) auxiliary information; (2) retrieve, from an insurance ground truth insurance database, existing ground truth insurance information by querying the ground truth database based upon the potential insurance database information; (3) determine if the potential insurance database information should be added to the insurance ground truth database by comparing the potential insurance database information to the existing ground truth insurance information; and/or (4) if the potential insurance database information should be added to the insurance ground truth database, add the potential insurance database information to the insurance ground truth database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2026
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE
    Inventors: Brian Mark Fields, Nathan L. Tofte, Joseph Robert Brannan, Vicki King, Justin Davis
  • Publication number: 20260061955
    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: November 10, 2025
    Publication date: March 5, 2026
    Inventors: Scott T. Christensen, Brian Mark Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve Roberson
  • Patent number: 12567115
    Abstract: The following relates generally to AI-based review of insurance claims complaints. In some embodiments, one or more processors: (1) receive, via a chatbot, an insurance claim complaint; (2) categorize, via the chatbot, the insurance claim complaint by determining a category of the insurance claim complaint, the category comprising a tone category or a policy category; (3) build, via the chatbot, a complaint report including information of the insurance claim complaint and an indication of the category; and/or (5) send, via the chatbot, the complaint report to an insurance complaint administrator computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2026
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Joseph Robert Brannan, Vicki King, Brian Mark Fields, Nathan L. Tofte
  • Patent number: 12555335
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for enhancing and developing a damage scene virtual reality (VR) visualization. Annotated immersive multimedia image(s) may be received from a first user, where the annotated immersive multimedia image(s) can be associated with a damage scene. A VR visualization of the annotated immersive multimedia image(s) may be rendered using a VR device associated with a second user. The VR visualization may be used to determine a damage amount, where the damage amount is determined from one or more damaged items identifiable in the annotated immersive multimedia image(s).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2026
    Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
    Inventors: Brian Mark Fields, Lee Marvin John Assam
  • Patent number: 12524219
    Abstract: Methods and systems for monitoring use, determining risk, and pricing insurance policies for a vehicle having one or more autonomous or semi-autonomous operation features are provided. According to certain aspects, the operating status of the features, the identity of a vehicle operator, risk levels for operation of the vehicle by the vehicle operator, or damage to the vehicle may be determined based upon sensor or other data. According to further aspects, decisions regarding transferring control between the features and the vehicle operator may be made based upon sensor data and information regarding the vehicle operator. Additional aspects may recommend or install updates to the autonomous operation features based upon determined risk levels. Some aspects may include monitoring transportation infrastructure and communicating information about the infrastructure to vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2026
    Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
    Inventors: Brian Mark Fields, Chien Che Huang, Mohamed A. Wazeer, Shawn C. Bennett, Steven C. Cielocha, Ronny S. Bryant, Stephen Kohaus, Terry Quakenbush, Richard A. Novak, Craig M. Main, Weixin Wu, Torri Wollenschlager, Carol Marie Csanda, Stacey Gorsuch, Todd Binion, Aaron Scott Chan
  • Patent number: 12517513
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for operating an autonomous vehicle based on real-time operating data. The operating data may be data about vehicles, drivers, passengers, as well as relevant environmental conditions and contextual data. In some cases, historical data for the preceding data types may be used. The systems and methods may obtain a set of real-time operating data indicative of one or more behaviors of an autonomous vehicle. One or more operations may be performed on the set of real-time operating data. An instruction to modify a particular vehicle operation may be generated based on output from the operations and the one or more behaviors of the autonomous vehicle, and the instruction to modify the particular vehicle operation may be provided to a particular processor that is on-board the vehicle and that controls the particular vehicle operation, to thereby automatically modify the particular vehicle operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2024
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2026
    Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company
    Inventor: Brian Mark Fields
  • Publication number: 20260003604
    Abstract: According to certain aspects, a computer-implemented method for operating an autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicle may be provided. With the customer's permission, an identity of a vehicle operator may be identified and a vehicle operator profile may be retrieved. Operating data regarding autonomous operation features operating the vehicle may be received from vehicle-mounted sensors. When a request to disable an autonomous feature is received, a risk level for the autonomous feature is determined and compared with a driver behavior setting for the autonomous feature stored in the vehicle operator profile. Based upon the risk level comparison, the autonomous vehicle retains control of vehicle or the autonomous feature is disengaged depending upon which is the safer driver- the autonomous vehicle or the vehicle human occupant. As a result, unsafe disengagement of self-driving functionality for autonomous vehicles may be alleviated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2025
    Publication date: January 1, 2026
    Inventors: Brian Mark Fields, Chien Che Huang, Mohamed A. Wazeer, Shawn C. Bennett, Steven C. Cielocha, Ronny S. Bryant, Stephen Kohaus, Terry Quakenbush, Richard A. Novak, Aaron Scott Chan, Craig M. Main, Weixin Wu, Torri Wollenschlager, Carol Marie Csanda, Stacey Gorsuch, Todd Binion
  • Patent number: 12509098
    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: November 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2025
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Scott Thomas Christensen, Brian Mark Fields, Stephen R. Prevatt, Steve Roberson
  • Publication number: 20250388226
    Abstract: Vehicles may have autonomous capabilities that permit the vehicle to navigate according to varying levels of participation by a human operator. A human operator may be associated with a driving capability profile and the environment surrounding a vehicle may be associated with an environmental risk profile. A vehicle, or another party in communication with a vehicle, may determine whether, based on the human operator's driving capability profile and the environmental risk profile, it is likely that the vehicle will be navigated more safely if there is a change to the vehicle's autonomous capabilities and a corresponding change to the human operator's driving responsibilities. If it is determined that a change in autonomous vehicle capability is likely to increase safe navigation of the vehicle, an insurer may offer an insurance premium cost reduction if the human operator agrees to the proposed change in autonomous capabilities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2025
    Publication date: December 25, 2025
    Inventors: Brian Mark Fields, Leo Nelson Chan, Kristopher Keith Gaudin, Aaron Williams
  • Publication number: 20250356779
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining a quality of driving of a vehicle is presented. The method may include receiving, during a trip, information indicating a driving metric associated with a driving of the vehicle, and crowdsourced data indicative of the driving metric. The method may further include determining an indication of the quality of the driving of the vehicle based on the information indicating the driving metric. The indication of the quality of driving may indicate a low quality of driving or a high quality of driving during a portion of the trip along a route traveled by the vehicle. The method may further include providing, within a user interface during the trip, a playback of the driving of the vehicle that visually indicates the quality of the driving of the vehicle as a gradation on a section of a map corresponding to the portion of the trip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2025
    Publication date: November 20, 2025
    Inventors: Brian Mark Fields, Nicholas R. Baker, Lee Marvin John Assam
  • Patent number: 12469279
    Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically evaluating a vehicle seat replacement after a vehicle collision. Upon detecting a vehicle collision is detected, obtaining vehicle seat condition data from vehicle seat sensors and vehicle condition data from vehicle sensors. Analyzing the vehicle seat condition data and/or the vehicle condition data to detect one or more collision conditions indicating (i) the vehicle is not drivable, (ii) a vehicle door proximate the vehicle seat is damaged, (iii) an airbag of the vehicle is deployed, and/or (iv) the vehicle seat is visibly damaged. In response to detecting the one or more collision conditions, generating a recommendation to replace the vehicle seat and providing the recommendation to a user device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2024
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2025
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Catherine Espel-Logan, Brian Mark Fields, Joshua John Freitas, Melissa Collette Miles, Jeanne Koehler
  • Patent number: 12462707
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining a quality of driving of a vehicle is presented. Information indicating at least one driving condition may be received from at least one driving condition information indicating device. The at least one driving condition may be different from each of a plurality of driving metrics, and may affect a relationship between the quality of driving and at least one of the plurality of driving metrics. Information indicating the at least one driving metric may be received. At least one indication of the quality of driving of the vehicle may be determined based on the information indicating the at least one driving metric and the received information from the at least one driving condition information indicating device. The at least one indication of the quality of driving may be provided to at least one of the driver, a driving instructor, or an insurance provider.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2023
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2025
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Brian Mark Fields, Nicholas R. Baker, Lee Marvin John Assam