VIN Audit Fraud Detection via Crowdsourced GPS Verification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for auditing vehicle identification numbers (VINs) face challenges such as unclear photographs due to windshield reflections, reuse of old images, and intentional or unintentional omission of VINs, leading to potential audit fraud.

Innovation Solution

A system utilizing digital photographs of VINs collected with GPS information and crowdsourcing for verification, which includes CAPTCHA validation and fraud detection to ensure accurate and reliable VIN audits.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If auditors take photographs of VINs through windshield glass, then VIN identification can be performed, but photograph quality deteriorates due to reflections and visual artifacts

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveVIN identification capabilityVSAvoidphotograph readability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary processing system that receives photographs taken through windshield glass and applies image processing techniques to remove reflections and visual artifacts. This intermediary step between photograph capture and VIN reading resolves the contradiction by maintaining ease of operation while improving photograph quality through computational mediation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical/optical approach of taking clear photographs directly with cameras positioned to avoid reflections, substituting it with an electronic/image processing approach that can correct reflections and artifacts after capture, thereby maintaining operational simplicity while improving image quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Productivity

If auditors reuse the same photograph of a VIN for multiple audit records, then data collection efficiency improves, but fraud detection capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaudit efficiencyVSAvoidfraud detection accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the system tracks whether a VIN has been previously photographed and alerts the auditor accordingly. This feedback loop maintains efficiency by preventing redundant photographing while preserving reliability by ensuring each vehicle is properly documented at the time of audit through timely notifications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary checking against a database of previously audited vehicles before allowing photograph reuse. This preliminary action identifies potential fraud cases in advance while still permitting efficient reuse of photographs for legitimate duplicate audits, thus maintaining both productivity and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If auditors manually record VINs without verification, then audit process speed improves, but accuracy deteriorates due to intentional or unintentional omissions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaudit speedVSAvoidVIN recording accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service through automated VIN recognition technology that captures and records VINs without manual intervention. The system serves itself by automatically reading VINs from photographs, eliminating human error and intentional fraud while maintaining rapid audit speeds through automated data entry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of writing down or typing VINs with an automated optical character recognition system that extracts VIN data directly from photographs. This substitution eliminates human error and fraud while maintaining high speed through automated processing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Reliability

If the system implements crowdsourcing verification for VIN audits, then fraud detection accuracy improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefraud detection accuracyVSAvoidverification system structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by using a single centralized server to perform multiple functions: storing audit data, processing photographs, implementing fraud detection algorithms, and managing crowdsourcing verification. This multi-functional approach improves fraud detection accuracy while minimizing system complexity by consolidating operations into one versatile platform.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10796317B2Method and system for auditing and verifying vehicle identification numbers (VINs) with audit fraud detection

Publication Date: 2020.10.06 POSITIONING UNIVERSAL HOLDINGS INC

AI summary

A method and system for auditing and verifying vehicle identification numbers (VINs) with fraud detection. Digital photographs of vehicle VINs are collected and verified with crowdsourcing and Global Positioning System (GPS) information of the vehicles, GPS information and motion information of a mobile network device used to collect the digital photographs of the vehicle VINs and a number of manually entered VINs. The method and system is used to detect fraud associated with VIN audits of vehicle lots.