Patents by Inventor Steven J. Balbach

Steven J. Balbach 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).

  • Publication number: 20240078571
    Abstract: Methods and systems for analyzing vehicle operation data associated with a temporary or periodic usage of a vehicle by a driver. In aspects, the vehicle operation data may be analyzed to assess a performance of the driver during operation of the vehicle. Based on the performance of the driver, the driver may qualify for a reward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Kerry Lynne Cote, Nicholas R. Baker, Mark E. Clauss, Todd Binion, Andrea Lee Rhoades, Steven J. Balbach, Brian Mark Fields, Kyle Pott
  • Patent number: 11810139
    Abstract: Methods and systems for analyzing vehicle operation data associated with a temporary or periodic usage of a vehicle by a driver. In aspects, the vehicle operation data may be analyzed to assess a performance of the driver during operation of the vehicle. Based on the performance of the driver, the driver may qualify for a reward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Kerry Cote, Nicholas R. Baker, Mark E. Clauss, Todd Binion, Andrea Lee Rhoades, Steven J. Balbach, Brian Mark Fields, Kyle Pott
  • Publication number: 20220198497
    Abstract: Methods and systems for analyzing vehicle operation data associated with a temporary or periodic usage of a vehicle by a driver. In aspects, the vehicle operation data may be analyzed to assess a performance of the driver during operation of the vehicle. Based on the performance of the driver, the driver may qualify for a reward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Publication date: June 23, 2022
    Inventors: Kerry Cote, Nicholas R. Baker, Mark E. Clauss, Todd Binion, Andrea Lee Rhoades, Steven J. Balbach, Brian Mark Fields, Kyle Pott
  • Patent number: 10832270
    Abstract: Methods and systems for analyzing vehicle operation data associated with a temporary or periodic usage of a vehicle by a driver. In aspects, the driver may associate with an electronic device within the vehicle that may record or collect the vehicle operation data. After the vehicle operation has concluded, the vehicle operation data may be analyzed to assess a performance of the driver during operation of the vehicle, whereby the performance may be influenced by positive or negative driving events. Based on the performance of the driver, a profile or account of the user may be processed accordingly such that the user may be incentivized to modify certain driving behaviors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Kerry Cote, Nicholas R. Baker, Mark E. Clauss, Todd Binion, Andrea Lee Rhoades, Steven J. Balbach, Brian Mark Fields, Kyle Pott
  • Patent number: 10534968
    Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatus, and non-transitory media are described for verifying a vehicle's odometer mileage that is associated with an insurance policy. The described techniques include sending a notification to a mobile computing device requesting an update of the odometer mileage. The notification may be generated in response to the current date being within a threshold number of days prior to the insurance policy's expiration date. In response to the notification, a user may capture an image of the odometer with the mobile computing device, which may also include data indicative of the status of the mobile computing device. One or more optical character recognition (OCR) processes may be applied to the captured image to determine various odometer mileages. Aspects include verifying the odometer mileage when different OCR processes produce the same odometer mileage result and using the status of the mobile computing device to flag potentially fraudulent images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Mark E. Clauss, David W. Thurber, Matthew Eric Riley, Sr., Richard J. Lovings, Steven J. Balbach, Nicholas R. Baker, J. Lynn Wilson
  • Patent number: 10127570
    Abstract: Methods and systems for analyzing vehicle operation data associated with a temporary or periodic usage of a vehicle by a driver. In aspects, the driver may associate with an electronic device within the vehicle that may record or collect the vehicle operation data. After the vehicle operation has concluded, the vehicle operation data may be analyzed to assess a performance of the driver during operation of the vehicle, whereby the performance may be influenced by positive or negative driving events. Based on the performance of the driver, a profile or account of the user may be processed accordingly such that the user may be incentivized to modify certain driving behaviors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Kerry Cote, Nicholas R. Baker, Mark E. Clauss, Todd Binion, Andrea Lee Rhoades, Steven J. Balbach, Brian Mark Fields, Kyle Pott
  • Patent number: 10013697
    Abstract: Methods and systems for analyzing vehicle operation data associated with a temporary or periodic usage of a vehicle by a driver. In aspects, the driver may associate with an electronic device within the vehicle that may record or collect the vehicle operation data. After the vehicle operation has concluded, the vehicle operation data may be analyzed to assess a performance of the driver during operation of the vehicle, whereby the performance may be influenced by positive or negative driving events. Based on the performance of the driver, a profile or account of the user may be processed accordingly such that the user may be incentivized to modify certain driving behaviors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Kerry Cote, Nicholas R. Baker, Mark E. Clauss, Todd Binion, Andrea Lee Rhoades, Steven J. Balbach, Brian Mark Fields, Kyle Pott
  • Publication number: 20150254781
    Abstract: A method includes receiving and storing sensor data including a first plurality of data points indicative of a plurality of respective states of the environment external to a vehicle at a plurality of respective times, external data including a second plurality of data points indicative of an additional plurality of respective states of the external environment, and synchronization data. The external data is data that was received by the vehicle from a handheld mobile communication device of a pedestrian external to the vehicle via a wireless link, and is indicative of objects sensed by the handheld mobile communication device. The method also includes generating an animated re-creation of an event involving the vehicle using the stored data, and causing the animated re-creation of the event to be displayed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Todd Binion, Joe Harr, Brian Mark Fields, Steve C. Cielocha, Steven J. Balbach