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).

  • Patent number: 10929931
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed with respect to using a distributed ledger, such as a blockchain, for facilitating carrier discovery. More specifically, the distributed ledger may be utilized to track insured individuals, their insurance policies, the insurance companies holding each of their policies, etc. This may be useful for facilitating exchange of insurance information between drivers after an automobile accident when drivers want to exchange insurance information and/or verify that the other is insured, facilitating subrogation (e.g., when an insurance company pays for an first insured party's losses but subsequently pursues reimbursement from an insurance company of a second at-fault party), and/or facilitating a determination of whether a driver has excess liability coverage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Ronny S. Bryant, Stacie A. McCullough, Mitchell J. Hill, Jacob J. Alt, Jaime Skaggs, Shawn M. Call, Eric Bellas, Vicki King, Melinda Teresa Magerkurth
  • Patent number: 10930089
    Abstract: 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), or other vehicle identifier. For example, the VIN lifecycle process may be used to detect a need to recalibrate one or more sensors. A baseline frequency may be determined at which a safety feature is expected to be triggered based upon data accessed at a blockchain. The baseline frequency maybe compared to a current frequency to identify a need that one or more sensors should be recalibrated. 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: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: William J. Leise, Douglas A. Graff, Stacie A. McCullough, Shawn M. Call, Eric Bellas, Jaime Skaggs, Jacob J. Alt, Eric R. Moore, Vicki King
  • Publication number: 20210042361
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Inventors: William J. Leise, Douglas A. Graff, Stacie A. McCullough, Shawn M. Call, Eric Bellas, Jaime Skaggs, Jacob J. Alt, Eric R. Moore, Vicki King
  • Publication number: 20210027555
    Abstract: A method for generating data regarding a vehicle crash includes receiving initial sensor data, determining that the initial sensor data includes sensor data indicating a crash has occurred, receiving additional sensor data; and generating combined sensor data. A computing device for generating data regarding a vehicle crash includes a processor and a memory including instructions that when executed cause the processor to receive initial sensor data, determine that the initial sensor data includes sensor data indicating that a crash has occurred, receive 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 crash, wherein the instructions when executed cause a processor to receive initial sensor data; receive additional sensor data, determine that the initial sensor data includes sensor data indicating that a crash has occurred; and generate combined sensor data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Eric Bellas, Shawn M. Call, Gregory D. Carter, Ronald R. Duehr, Jeffrey David Hevrin, Sara Elizabeth Collins
  • Patent number: 10861015
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: 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
  • Patent number: 10839015
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: William J. Leise, Douglas A. Graff, Stacie A. McCullough, Shawn M. Call, Eric Bellas, Jaime Skaggs, Jacob J. Alt, Eric R. Moore, Vicki King
  • Patent number: 10832242
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: 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
  • Patent number: 10832504
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating data regarding a vehicle crash is presented. Initial sensor data output by a sensor(s) of a mobile computing device may be received. It may be determined whether the initial sensor data includes sensor data indicating that a crash of a vehicle has occurred. Additional sensor data output by the sensor(s) of the mobile computing device may be received when it is determined that the initial sensor data includes sensor data indicating the crash has occurred. The additional sensor data may be received for a first amount of time after it is determined that the initial sensor data includes sensor data indicating the crash has occurred. Combined sensor data may be generated based on the initial sensor data and the additional sensor data, where the combined sensor data may include sensor data corresponding to time before the crash and corresponding to time after the crash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Eric Bellas, Shawn M. Call, Gregory Dwayne Carter, Ronald R. Duehr, Jeffrey David Hevrin, Sara Elizabeth Collins
  • Patent number: 10832214
    Abstract: 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), or other vehicle identifier. For example, the VIN lifecycle process may be used to ensure the transferability of title, including when information relevant to transferability is not easily determinable, such as after a collision occurs. The systems and methods may include the reception of a mileage report corresponding to a vehicle and updating a blockchain to associate the vehicle with mileage information. 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 allow for a distributed consensus amongst businesses, consumers, and authorities, as to the validity of information and transactions stored on the blockchain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: William J. Leise, Douglas A. Graff, Stacie A. McCullough, Shawn M. Call, Eric Bellas, Jaime Skaggs, Jacob J. Alt, Eric R. Moore, Vicki King
  • Patent number: 10824747
    Abstract: Methods and systems for managing and/or processing a blockchain to maintain data security for confidential and/or personal data are provided. According to certain aspects, the disclosed data security techniques may enable access sharing functionality utilizing the blockchain. For example, access sharing may be utilized to share policy information. The policy information may be associated with a smart contract. Accordingly, the policy information may be encrypted using a public key for the smart contract and compiled into a block of the blockchain. In response to a request to provide access to the information to a particular node, the private key for the smart contract may be encrypted using the public key for the particular node and compiled into a block of the blockchain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: 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
  • Patent number: 10824746
    Abstract: Methods and systems for managing and/or processing a blockchain to maintain data security for confidential and/or personal data are provided. According to certain aspects, the disclosed data security techniques may enable access sharing functionality utilizing the blockchain. For example, access sharing may be utilized to file documents, share policy information, and/or comply with an audit. The data security techniques disclosed herein also enable the use of smart contracts to transfer funds associated with payment obligations and/or other forms of blockchain based payments, comply with anti-money laundering requirements, report industry data, validate interest payments and/or maintain agent sales data. Data security may be achieved through the use of public key/private key encryption techniques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: 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
  • Patent number: 10824759
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: 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
  • Patent number: 10817953
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for creating, maintaining, and interacting with a distributed ledger for VIN recordkeeping related to a particular vehicle. The systems and methods include the use of smart contracts, and receiving information about the vehicle, such as a description of the vehicle, whether the vehicle is covered by insurance, financial information related to the vehicle, and any maintenance data about the vehicle. This information may be used to create a distributed ledger for the particular vehicle, and during the vehicle's lifetime events related to the vehicle may be recorded in the distributed ledger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: William J. Leise, Jacob J. Alt, Jaime Skaggs, Eric Bellas, Shawn M. Call, Eric R. Moore, Melinda Teresa Magerkurth, Vicki King
  • Patent number: 10805068
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: William J. Leise, Douglas A. Graff, Stacie A. McCullough, Shawn M. Call, Eric Bellas, Jaime Skaggs, Jacob J. Alt, Eric R. Moore, Vicki King
  • Patent number: 10740849
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for interacting with smart contracts stored on a blockchain to control vehicle related activity. The systems and methods may include (1) receiving one or more transactions from one or more computing devices, the transactions associated with a particular vehicle and include a VIN for the vehicle and indicative of at least one of a trigger condition associated with the vehicle; (2) compiling the one or more transactions into a block of transactions; (3) distributing the block to a plurality of validation entities to form a consensus on an update to the distributed ledger; (4) routing the one or more transactions within the block to respective smart contracts associated with the VIN; and/or (5) automatically executing an action the particular smart contract directs should be performed in response to the particular trigger condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: William J. Leise, Jacob J. Alt, Jaime Skaggs, Eric Bellas, Shawn M. Call, Eric R. Moore, Melinda Teresa Magerkurth, Vicki King
  • Patent number: 10733160
    Abstract: Methods and systems maintain a distributed ledger of transactions pertaining to a particular vehicle. The method may include (1) receiving, by one or more processors, vehicle data from one or more remote computing devices; (2) detecting, by the one or more processors, a vehicle-related event from analysis of the vehicle data; (3) identifying, by the one or more processors, a VIN of the vehicle when a vehicle-related event is detected; (4) generating, by the one or more processors, a transaction including (i) the vehicle's VIN, and (ii) describing the vehicle-related event; and (5) transmitting, by the one or more processors, to a server the transaction to facilitate maintaining a VIN-based distributed ledger for the particular vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: William J. Leise, Jacob J. Alt, Jaime Skaggs, Eric Bellas, Shawn M. Call, Eric R. Moore, Melinda Teresa Magerkurth, Vicki King
  • Patent number: 10719501
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: William J. Leise, Jacob J. Alt, Jaime Skaggs, Eric Bellas, Shawn M. Call, Eric R. Moore, Melinda Teresa Magerkurth, Vicki King
  • Patent number: 10360742
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for generating vehicle crash data is presented. It may be determined whether a first mobile computing device has detected that a crash of a vehicle has occurred. It may also be determined whether a second mobile computing device(s) has detected that the crash has occurred. Sensor data output by at least one sensor of the first mobile computing device and/or the second mobile computing device(s) may be received when it is determined that the first mobile computing device and/or the second mobile computing device(s) has detected that the crash has occurred. Vehicle crash data may be generated based on such sensor data, and may include an initial confirmation that the crash has occurred, an indication of crash severity, an indication of a number of vehicle occupants, and/or an indication that the crash has not occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Eric Bellas, Shawn M. Call, Gregory Dwayne Carter, Ronald R. Duehr, Jeffrey David Hevrin, Sara Elizabeth Collins
  • Publication number: 20150154711
    Abstract: A method for identifying a primary vehicle associated with a user of a mobile device includes receiving an indication of a vehicle entry event from a mobile device and retrieving sensor data from the mobile device. The method further includes receiving an indication of a vehicle exit event from the mobile device, generating a trip log including portions of the sensor data, and storing the trip log in a trip database. A server, or other suitable computing device, then analyzes the trip log and a plurality of previously stored trip logs in the trip database to determine a primary vehicle corresponding to the user of the mobile device. The method may allow a computing device to assign gathered mobile device data to a specific household vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Nicholas U. Christopulos, Nicholas R. Baker, Eric Bellas, Benjamin F. Bowne