Patents by Inventor Eric Bellas
Eric Bellas 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).
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Patent number: 11477010Abstract: The present embodiments relate to systems and methods for using a blockchain to record information related to the lifecycle of a vehicle associated with a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). For example, the VIN lifecycle process may be used to develop safety-feature based insurance models. The systems and methods may include calculating a safety rating for a safety feature based upon data accessed at a blockchain. The safety rating may be used to generate a product associated with a new vehicle type, such as an insurance product covering the new vehicle type. The systems and methods described herein may allow for using a blockchain which gives the option for private information, and permissioned participants in the blockchain. In particular, the systems and methods may allow for a distributed consensus amongst businesses, consumers, and authorities, as to the validity of information and transactions stored on the blockchain.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2020Date of Patent: October 18, 2022Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: William J. Leise, Douglas A. Graff, Stacie A. McCullough, Shawn M. Call, Eric Bellas, Jaime Skaggs, Jacob J. Alt, Eric R. Moore, Vicki King
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Patent number: 11442918Abstract: The present embodiments relate to systems and methods for using a blockchain to record information related to processes and services in the vehicle industry. The systems and methods may include (1) receiving an indication of vehicle being involved a vehicle collision and a vehicle VIN; (2) accessing, at a memory, a loss history blockchain associated with the vehicle using the VIN as a key; (3) receiving vehicle sensor data generated or collected prior to, during, and/or after the vehicle collision; (4) creating a block to add to the loss history blockchain that includes the vehicle sensor data, or otherwise updating the loss history blockchain with the vehicle sensor data associated with the vehicle collision; (5) analyzing the vehicle sensor data to reconstruct the vehicle collision; and/or (6) updating the loss history blockchain to include and/or indicate the reconstructed vehicle collision by including the created block.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2021Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: William J. Leise, Jacob J. Alt, Jaime Skaggs, Eric Bellas, Shawn M. Call, Eric R. Moore, Melinda Teresa Magerkurth, Vicki King
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Patent number: 11443063Abstract: Methods and systems for processing a blockchain comprising a plurality of immutable sales records corresponding to sales made by agents of an entity are provided. According to certain aspects, a transaction request indicating a sale made by an agent of the entity may be received at a first node. A block including a sales record indicating the sale made by the agent may be added to a blockchain and transmitted to another node for validation. The first node may add the block to a copy of the blockchain, where the block may be identified by a hash value that references a previous block in the blockchain that includes at least one additional sales record.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2020Date of Patent: September 13, 2022Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: Melinda Teresa Magerkurth, Eric Bellas, Jaime Skaggs, Shawn M. Call, Eric R. Moore, Vicki King, Burton J. Floyd, David Turrentine, Steven T. Olson, Timothy Caleb Wells, Corin Rebekah Chapman, Edward W. Breitweiser, Robert Gomez, Shelia Cummings Smith
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Patent number: 11429969Abstract: The present methods and systems relate to using and accessing data stored in a blockchain, and in particular, interacting with the blockchain and users via smart contracts to handle account funding and distribution methods. The methods and systems include receiving a transaction from a participant, and verifying the transaction, such as by accessing a smart contract stored on the blockchain and checking a set of parameters against a set of conditions stored in the smart contract. Depending on whether the set of parameters satisfy the conditions, the results may be communicated to participants about the success or failure of the transaction.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2020Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: Jacob J. Alt, Eric Bellas, Jaime Skaggs, Shawn M. Call, Melinda Teresa Magerkurth, Vicki King, Charles H. Roscow, Scott Shoop, Greg Hayes, Robert Alpine Jennings, Amber Nelson-Wolfe, Shyam Tummala
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Publication number: 20220269668Abstract: The present embodiments relate to systems and methods for using a blockchain to record information related to processes and services in the vehicle industry. For example, (1) receiving vehicle data from one or more remote computing devices; (2) detecting a change in a condition of the vehicle from analysis of the vehicle data, such as that the vehicle has been in a collision and is now a total loss; (3) identifying a VIN of the vehicle or retrieving the VIN from a memory unit when a change in a condition of the vehicle is detected; (4) generating a transaction (i) including the vehicle's VIN, and (ii) describing the detected change in the condition of the vehicle and/or the status of the total loss vehicle; and/or (5) transmitting the transaction to facilitate creating and/or maintaining a VIN-based distributed ledger for the particular vehicle and/or transferring ownership of the total loss vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2022Publication date: August 25, 2022Inventors: William J. Leise, Jacob J. Alt, Jaime Skaggs, Eric Bellas, Shawn M. Call, Eric R. Moore, Melinda Teresa Magerkurth, Vicki King
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Publication number: 20220237706Abstract: The present embodiments relate to systems and methods for using a blockchain or shared ledger to generate Usage-Based Insurance quotes for a vehicle tracked over its lifecycle according to a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or other vehicle identifier. A mileage report stored on the shared ledger may be searched according to the vehicle's VIN and a Usage-Based Insurance quote may be generated based upon the mileage report. Periodic updates to the mileage report may be broadcast to the blockchain in transactions that updated the shared ledger. An estimated vehicle usage may be determined based upon the cryptographic proof of the blockchain and a Usage-Based Insurance quote generated thereon.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2022Publication date: July 28, 2022Inventors: William J. Leise, Douglas A. Graff, Stacie A. McCullough, Shawn M. Call, Eric Bellas, Jaime Skaggs, Jacob J. Alt, Eric R. Moore, Vicki King
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Publication number: 20220198575Abstract: The present embodiments relate to systems and methods for using a blockchain or shared ledger to generate Usage-Based Insurance quotes for a vehicle tracked over its lifecycle according to a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or other vehicle identifier. A mileage report stored on the shared ledger may be searched according to the vehicle's VIN and a Usage-Based Insurance quote may be generated based upon the mileage report. Periodic updates to the mileage report may be broadcast to the blockchain in transactions that updated the shared ledger. An estimated vehicle usage may be determined based upon the cryptographic proof of the blockchain and a Usage-Based Insurance quote generated thereon.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2022Publication date: June 23, 2022Inventors: William J. Leise, Douglas A. Graff, Stacie A. McCullough, Shawn M. Call, Eric Bellas, Jaime Skaggs, Jacob J. Alt, Eric R. Moore, Vicki King
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Patent number: 11362809Abstract: The present embodiments relate to systems and methods for using a blockchain or shared ledger to record information regarding a vehicle identified by a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or other vehicle identifier. The blockchain may be used to handle vehicles after vehicle collisions based upon sensor data regarding the collision and the vehicle stored on-chain. An indication that a vehicle has been involved in a collision is received including sensor data collected at substantially the time of the vehicle collision. A transaction is broadcast to the blockchain to reflect the sensor data of the vehicle. Since the chain is searchable by VIN, any future searches for the vehicle by VIN include the sensor data collected substantially at the time of the collision.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2020Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: William J. Leise, Douglas A. Graff, Stacie A. McCullough, Shawn M. Call, Eric Bellas, Jaime Skaggs, Jacob J. Alt, Eric R. Moore, Vicki King
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Patent number: 11334952Abstract: The present embodiments relate to systems and methods for using a blockchain or shared ledger to generate Usage-Based Insurance quotes for a vehicle tracked over its lifecycle according to a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or other vehicle identifier. A mileage report stored on the shared ledger may be searched according to the vehicle's VIN and a Usage-Based Insurance quote may be generated based upon the mileage report. Periodic updates to the mileage report may be broadcast to the blockchain in transactions that updated the shared ledger. An estimated vehicle usage may be determined based upon the cryptographic proof of the blockchain and a Usage-Based Insurance quote generated thereon.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2018Date of Patent: May 17, 2022Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: William J. Leise, Douglas A. Graff, Stacie A. McCullough, Shawn M. Call, Eric Bellas, Jaime Skaggs, Jacob J. Alt, Eric R. Moore, Vicki King
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Publication number: 20220147505Abstract: The present embodiments relate to systems and methods for using a blockchain to record information related to processes and services in the vehicle industry. The systems and methods may include (1) receiving an indication of vehicle being involved a vehicle collision and a vehicle VIN; (2) accessing, at a memory, a loss history blockchain associated with the vehicle using the VIN as a key; (3) receiving vehicle sensor data generated or collected prior to, during, and/or after the vehicle collision; (4) creating a block to add to the loss history blockchain that includes the vehicle sensor data, or otherwise updating the loss history blockchain with the vehicle sensor data associated with the vehicle collision; (5) analyzing the vehicle sensor data to reconstruct the vehicle collision; and/or (6) updating the loss history blockchain to include and/or indicate the reconstructed vehicle collision by including the created block.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 27, 2022Publication date: May 12, 2022Inventors: William J. Leise, Jacob J. Alt, Jaime Skaggs, Eric Bellas, Shawn M. Call, Eric R. Moore, Melinda Teresa Magerkurth, Vicki King
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Publication number: 20220147937Abstract: A shared ledger operated by a group of network participants according to a set of consensus rules manages and resolves subrogation claims between a clamant and a defendant with arbitration. Evidence regarding the value of the subrogation claim is sent to the shared ledger by the parties to the subrogation claim, such as sending data to a smart contract deployed on the shared ledger. The parties to the claim may request arbitration, especially after attempts to settle the claim on-chain between the two parties have failed. An arbitrator may request evidence from the parties and/or request responses from the parties to accept damages calculations and/or settlement offers. Once the claim is resolved, the arbitrator may release funds on the chain to the prevailing party or may accept confirmation that any payments have been made between the parties off-chain.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2022Publication date: May 12, 2022Inventors: Shawn M. Call, Jaime Skaggs, Eric Bellas, Douglas A. Graff, William J. Leise, Vicki King, Jacob J. Alt, Eric R. Moore, Stacie A. McCullough
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Publication number: 20220138741Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for interacting with a blockchain and users of the blockchain to perform banking identity authentication services. For example, a method may include receiving a bank transaction from a participant; verifying the bank transaction; generating and communicating a confirmation that the bank transaction is valid to the participant; adding the bank transaction to a block of bank transactions; generating a cryptographic hash for the block of bank transactions; solving a cryptographic puzzle involving the hash of the block of bank transactions; adding the block to the blockchain; and/or transmitting the solution to the cryptographic puzzle, and the block of bank transactions to another participant. Otherwise, if the identity data is not valid, generating and communicating the confirmation that the bank transaction is not valid to the participant.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2018Publication date: May 5, 2022Inventors: Jacob J. Alt, Eric Bellas, Jaime Skaggs, Shawn M. Call, Melinda Teresa Magerkurth, Vicki King, Charles H. Roscow, Scott Shoop, Greg Hayes, Robert Alpine Jennings, Amber Nelson-Wolfe, Shyam Tummala
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Publication number: 20220138711Abstract: Methods and systems for processing a blockchain comprising a plurality of immutable insurance policy payment records corresponding to insurance policies are provided. According to certain aspects, a transaction request indicating a policy payment for an insurance policy may be received at a first node. A block including an insurance policy payment record indicating the policy payment may be added to a blockchain and transmitted to another node for validation. The first node may add the block to a copy of the blockchain, where the block may be identified by a hash value that references a previous block in the blockchain that includes at least one additional insurance policy payment record.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 20, 2022Publication date: May 5, 2022Inventors: Melinda Teresa Magerkurth, Eric Bellas, Jaime Skaggs, Shawn M. Call, Eric R. Moore, Vicki King, Burton J. Floyd, David Turrentine, Steven T. Olson, Timothy Caleb Wells, Corin Rebekah Chapman, Edward W. Breitweiser, Robert Gomez, Shelia Cummings Smith
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Publication number: 20220123918Abstract: The present embodiments relate to systems and methods for using a blockchain or shared ledger to handle a total loss of a vehicle associated with a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). A vehicle lifecycle may be tracked on a blockchain according to VIN. If the vehicle suffers a total loss, a transaction is broadcast to the blockchain to update the shared ledger to record the loss status of the vehicle. The blockchain may also include other information, such as mileage, regarding the vehicle and searchable by VIN. The other information and the loss status may be used to determine whether the vehicle likely represents a total loss.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2021Publication date: April 21, 2022Inventors: William J. Leise, Douglas A. Graff, Stacie A. McCullough, Shawn M. Call, Eric Bellas, Jaime Skaggs, Jacob J. Alt, Eric R. Moore, Vicki King
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Patent number: 11301936Abstract: The present embodiments relate to systems and methods for using a blockchain to record information related to processes and services in the vehicle industry. For example, (1) receiving vehicle data from one or more remote computing devices; (2) detecting a change in a condition of the vehicle from analysis of the vehicle data, such as that the vehicle has been in a collision and is now a total loss; (3) identifying a VIN of the vehicle or retrieving the VIN from a memory unit when a change in a condition of the vehicle is detected; (4) generating a transaction (i) including the vehicle's VIN, and (ii) describing the detected change in the condition of the vehicle and/or the status of the total loss vehicle; and/or (5) transmitting the transaction to facilitate creating and/or maintaining a VIN-based distributed ledger for the particular vehicle and/or transferring ownership of the total loss vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2018Date of Patent: April 12, 2022Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: William J. Leise, Jacob J. Alt, Jaime Skaggs, Eric Bellas, Shawn M. Call, Eric R. Moore, Melinda Teresa Magerkurth, Vicki King
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Publication number: 20220108568Abstract: A method includes receiving initial sensor data and additional sensor data; and generating combined sensor data. A computing device for includes one or more processors; and one or more memories coupled to the one or more processors, the one or more memories including non-transitory computer executable instructions stored therein that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: receive initial sensor data and additional sensor data; and generate combined sensor data. A computer readable storage medium includes non-transitory computer readable instructions stored thereon for generating data regarding a vehicle crash, wherein the instructions when executed on one or more processors cause the one or more processors to: receive initial sensor data and additional sensor data; and generate combined sensor data.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2021Publication date: April 7, 2022Inventors: Eric Bellas, Shawn M. Call, Gregory D. Carter, Ronald R. Duehr, Jeffrey David Hevrin, Sara Elizabeth Collins
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Publication number: 20220084027Abstract: The present methods and systems relate to using and accessing data stored in a blockchain, and in particular, interacting with the blockchain and users via smart contracts to handle account funding and distribution methods. The methods and systems include receiving a transaction from a participant, and verifying the transaction, such as by accessing a smart contract stored on the blockchain and checking a set of parameters against a set of conditions stored in the smart contract. Depending on whether the set of parameters satisfy the conditions, the results may be communicated to participants about the success or failure of the transaction.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2021Publication date: March 17, 2022Inventors: Jacob J. Alt, Eric Bellas, Jaime Skaggs, Shawn M. Call, Melinda Teresa Magerkurth, Vicki King, Charles H. Roscow, Scott Shoop, Greg Hayes, Robert Alpine Jennings, Amber Nelson-Wolfe, Shyam Tummala
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Patent number: 11269849Abstract: The present embodiments relate to systems and methods for using a blockchain to record information related to processes and services in the vehicle industry. The systems and methods may include (1) receiving an indication of vehicle being involved a vehicle collision and a vehicle VIN; (2) accessing, at a memory, a loss history blockchain associated with the vehicle using the VIN as a key; (3) receiving vehicle sensor data generated or collected prior to, during, and/or after the vehicle collision; (4) creating a block to add to the loss history blockchain that includes the vehicle sensor data, or otherwise updating the loss history blockchain with the vehicle sensor data associated with the vehicle collision; (5) analyzing the vehicle sensor data to reconstruct the vehicle collision; and/or (6) updating the loss history blockchain to include and/or indicate the reconstructed vehicle collision by including the created block.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2020Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: William J. Leise, Jacob J. Alt, Jaime Skaggs, Eric Bellas, Shawn M. Call, Eric R. Moore, Melinda Teresa Magerkurth, Vicki King
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Patent number: 11270276Abstract: Methods and systems for processing a blockchain comprising a plurality of immutable insurance policy payment records corresponding to insurance policies are provided. According to certain aspects, a transaction request indicating a policy payment for an insurance policy may be received at a first node. A block including an insurance policy payment record indicating the policy payment may be added to a blockchain and transmitted to another node for validation. The first node may add the block to a copy of the blockchain, where the block may be identified by a hash value that references a previous block in the blockchain that includes at least one additional insurance policy payment record.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2018Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: Melinda Teresa Magerkurth, Eric Bellas, Jaime Skaggs, Shawn M. Call, Eric R. Moore, Vicki King, Burton J. Floyd, David Turrentine, Steven T. Olson, Timothy Caleb Wells, Corin Rebekah Chapman, Edward W. Breitweiser, Robert Gomez, Shelia Cummings Smith
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Patent number: 11270383Abstract: A shared ledger operated by a group of network participants according to a set of consensus rules manages and resolves subrogation claims between a clamant and a defendant with arbitration. Evidence regarding the value of the subrogation claim is sent to the shared ledger by the parties to the subrogation claim, such as sending data to a smart contract deployed on the shared ledger. The parties to the claim may request arbitration, especially after attempts to settle the claim on-chain between the two parties have failed. An arbitrator may request evidence from the parties and/or request responses from the parties to accept damages calculations and/or settlement offers. Once the claim is resolved, the arbitrator may release funds on the chain to the prevailing party or may accept confirmation that any payments have been made between the parties off-chain.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2018Date of Patent: March 8, 2022Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANYInventors: Shawn M. Call, Jaime Skaggs, Eric Bellas, Douglas A. Graff, William J. Leise, Vicki King, Jacob J. Alt, Eric R. Moore, Stacie A. McCullough