Method for generating vehicle repair estimate reports based on predictive estimating

Abstract

Consumer safety of repaired vehicles can be improved by providing systems and methods for generating vehicle repair estimate reports based on predictive estimating and transmitting these reports to clients. A master server serviced by a vehicle manufacturer generates a vehicle repair estimate report based on predictive estimating and transmits this report to a client via a web-based graphical user interface. Also, a master server serviced by a vehicle manufacturer generates a vehicle repair estimate report based on predictive estimating and transmits this report to a client via a vehicle repair claims management user interface. The vehicle repair estimate report based on predictive estimating may comprise repair packages and repair information relating to recommended replacement parts and quantities thereof, the part numbers for the suggested replacement parts, the price estimate for the suggested replacement parts, manufacturer-recommended repair instructions, and other relevant information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for generating a vehicle repair report based on predictive estimating, and transmitting said report to a client, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing, using at least one master server, a graphical user interface to said client;   (b) requesting, using said at least one master server, vehicle identification information from said client via said graphical user interface;   (c) receiving, using said at least one master server, said vehicle identification information from said client via said graphical user interface;   (d) validating, using said at least one master server and at least one database, said vehicle identification information;   (e) generating, using said at least one master server and said at least one database, a listing of major vehicle parts associated with said vehicle identification information;   (f) transmitting, using said at least one master server, to said client via said graphical user interface said listing of major vehicle parts associated with said vehicle identification information;   (g) requesting, using said at least one master server, said client to select a major vehicle part from said listing, via said graphical user interface;   (h) receiving, using said at least one master server, said selected major vehicle part from said client, via said graphical user interface;   (i) retrieving, using said at least one master server and said at least one database, stored relevant vehicle repair information relating to said selected major vehicle part;   (j) generating, using said at least one master server and said at least one database, said vehicle repair estimate report based on predictive estimating, wherein said report comprises repair packages and corresponding vehicle repair information;   (k) transmitting, using said at least one master server, said report to said client via said graphical user interface; and   (l) providing, using said at least one master server, said client an option to request for removal at least one vehicle part from said report via said graphical user interface, and if said at least one master server receives from said client said request to remove said at least one vehicle part, then generating, using said at least one master server and said at least one database, an updated vehicle repair estimate report based on predictive estimating removing said at least one vehicle part, and transmitting, using said at least one master sever, said updated report to said client via said graphical user interface.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 repeating steps (g) through (l) to provide said client an option to add another major vehicle part from said listing to said report or to said updated report.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 providing, using said at least one master server, said client an option to request for purchase at least one vehicle part from said report or from said updated report, via said graphical user interface.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising the step of:
 receiving, using said at least one master server, from said client said purchase request via said graphical user interface.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising the step of:
 transmitting, using said at least one master server, said purchase request to at least one billing center and at least one parts fulfillment center for fulfillment of said purchase request.   
     
     
         6 . A method for generating a vehicle repair report based on predictive estimating, and transmitting said report to a client via a vehicle repair claims management user interface, comprising the steps of:
 (a) requesting, using said at least one master server, vehicle identification information from said client via said vehicle repair claims management user interface;   (b) receiving, using said at least one master server, said vehicle identification information from said client via said vehicle repair claims management user interface;   (c) validating, using said at least one master server and at least one database, said vehicle identification information;   (d) generating, using said at least one master server and said at least one database, a listing of major vehicle parts associated with said vehicle identification information;   (e) transmitting, using said at least one master server, to said client via said vehicle repair claims management user interface said listing of major vehicle parts associated with said vehicle identification information;   (f) requesting, using said at least one master server, said client to select a major vehicle part from said listing, via said vehicle repair claims management user interface;   (g) receiving, using said at least one master server, said selected major vehicle part from said client, via said vehicle repair claims management user interface;   (h) retrieving, using said at least one master server and said at least one database, stored relevant vehicle repair information relating to said selected major vehicle part;   (i) generating, using said at least one master server and said at least one database, said vehicle repair estimate report based on predictive estimating, wherein said report comprises repair packages and corresponding vehicle repair information;   (j) transmitting, using said at least one master server, said report to said client via said vehicle repair claims management user interface; and   (k) providing, using said at least one master server, said client an option to request for removal at least one vehicle part from said report via said vehicle repair claims management user interface, and if said at least one master server receives from said client said request to remove said at least one vehicle part, then generating, using said at least one master server and said at least one database, an updated vehicle repair estimate report based on predictive estimating removing said at least one vehicle part, and transmitting, using said at least one master sever, said updated report to said client via said vehicle repair claims management user interface.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the step of:
 repeating steps (f) through (k) to provide said client an option to add another major vehicle part from said listing to said report or to said updated report.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the step of:
 providing, using said at least one master server, said client an option to request for purchase at least one vehicle part from said report or from said updated report, via said vehicle repair claims management user interface.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of:
 receiving, using said at least one master server, from said client said purchase request via said vehicle repair claims management user interface.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of:
 transmitting, using said at least one master server, said purchase request to at least one billing center and at least one parts fulfillment center for fulfillment of said purchase request.   
     
     
         11 . A method for generating vehicle manufacturer-recommended vehicle repair information, and transmitting said information to a client, comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing, using at least one master server, a graphical user interface to said client;   (b) requesting, using said at least one master server, vehicle identification information from said client via said graphical user interface;   (c) receiving, using said at least one master server, said vehicle identification information from said client via said graphical user interface;   (d) validating, using said at least one master server and at least one database, said vehicle identification information;   (e) generating, using said at least one master server and said at least one database, a listing of major vehicle parts associated with said vehicle identification information;   (f) transmitting, using said at least one master server, to said client via said graphical user interface said listing of major vehicle parts associated with said vehicle identification information;   (g) requesting, using said at least one master server, said client to select a major vehicle part from said listing, via said graphical user interface;   (h) receiving, using said at least one master server, said selected major vehicle part from said client, via said graphical user interface;   (i) retrieving, using said at least one master server and said at least one database, stored relevant vehicle manufacturer-recommended vehicle repair information relating to said selected major vehicle part;   (j) generating, using said at least one master server and said at least one database, said vehicle manufacturer-recommended vehicle repair information, wherein said information comprises vehicle manufacturer-recommended information relating to suggested parts to be replaced and quantities thereof, suggested prices for suggested replacement parts, part numbers for suggested replacement parts, identification of one-time use vehicle parts, and repair instructions; and   (k) transmitting, using said at least one master server, said information to said client via said graphical user interface.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of:
 repeating steps (g) through (k) to provide said client an option to select an additional major vehicle part from said listing in order to obtain vehicle manufacturer-recommended vehicle repair information corresponding to said selected additional major vehicle part.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of:
 providing, using said at least one master server, said client an option to request for purchase at least one vehicle part from said vehicle manufacturer-recommended vehicle repair information, via said graphical user interface.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising the step of:
 receiving, using said at least one master server, from said client said purchase request via said graphical user interface.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the step of:
 transmitting, using said at least one master server, said purchase request to at least one billing center and at least one parts fulfillment center for fulfillment of said purchase request.   
     
     
         16 . A method for generating vehicle manufacturer-recommended vehicle repair information, and transmitting said information to a client via a vehicle repair claims management user interface, comprising the steps of:
 (a) requesting, using said at least one master server, vehicle identification information from said client via said vehicle repair claims management user interface;   (b) receiving, using said at least one master server, said vehicle identification information from said client via said vehicle repair claims management user interface;   (c) validating, using said at least one master server and at least one database, said vehicle identification information;   (d) generating, using said at least one master server and said at least one database, a listing of major vehicle parts associated with said vehicle identification information;   (e) transmitting, using said at least one master server, to said client via said vehicle repair claims management user interface said listing of major vehicle parts associated with said vehicle identification information;   (f) requesting, using said at least one master server, said client to select a major vehicle part from said listing, via said vehicle repair claims management user interface;   (g) receiving, using said at least one master server, said selected major vehicle part from said client, via said vehicle repair claims management user interface;   (h) retrieving, using said at least one master server and said at least one database, stored relevant vehicle manufacturer-recommended vehicle repair information relating to said selected major vehicle part;   (i) generating, using said at least one master server and said at least one database, said vehicle manufacturer-recommended vehicle repair information, wherein said information comprises vehicle manufacturer-recommended information relating to suggested parts to be replaced and quantities thereof, suggested prices for suggested replacement parts, part numbers for suggested replacement parts, identification of one-time use vehicle parts, and repair instructions; and   (j) transmitting, using said at least one master server, said information to said client via said vehicle repair claims management user interface.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of:
 repeating steps (f) through (j) to provide said client an option to select an additional major vehicle part from said listing in order to obtain vehicle manufacturer-recommended vehicle repair information corresponding to said selected additional major vehicle part.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of:
 providing, using said at least one master server, said client an option to request for purchase at least one vehicle part from said vehicle manufacturer-recommended vehicle repair information, via said vehicle repair claims management user interface.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising the step of:
 receiving, using said at least one master server, from said client said purchase request via said vehicle repair claims management user interface.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising the step of:
 transmitting, using said at least one master server, said purchase request to at least one billing center and at least one parts fulfillment center for fulfillment of said purchase request.