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Insurance Abstract
A Vehicle Insurance Status Display System (VISDS) method and system
of providing readily perceivable access to selected key information
regarding the insurance status of a vehicle. The VISDS provides
an at least partially symbolized representation of the germane informational
content of a vehicle owner's manner of insuring that vehicle in
accordance with the relevant laws of the relevant jurisdiction that
the vehicle is registered in. The at least partially symbolized
representation is prepared in the form of a display for exhibiting
on the vehicle. The manners of symbolizing utilize perception facilitating
modes to enhance the readiness of perception of the selected key
information, and in particular the germane informational content
of the insurance status date for that vehicle, which is the date
through which the vehicle is properly insured.
Insurance Claims
1. A method of displaying information relating to a vehicle's insurance
status comprising the steps of: depicting at least a first and second
indicator elements, said first indicator element including at least
a first piece of information that relates to an insurance policy
for the vehicle, said second indicator element including at least
a second piece of information that relates to the insurance policy
for the vehicle, said depicting involving selectively portraying
said indicator elements in selected perception facilitating modes,
said perception facilitating modes providing capabilities of facilitating
perception of said insurance policy related pieces of information,
at least a first of said perception facilitating modes being capable
of providing a differing degree of perception facilitating than
at least a second of said perception facilitating modes; attributing
said insurance policy related pieces of information with differing
degrees of significance, and determining at least one association
between: (a) at least one of the degrees of significance attributed
to at least one of said first and second insurance policy related
pieces of information, and (b) at least one of the degrees of perception
facilitating provided by at least one of said first and second perception
facilitating modes; and selecting one of said first and second perception
facilitating modes for portraying said first indicator element and
the other of said first and second perception facilitating modes
for portraying said second indicator element, said selecting of
perception facilitating mode for portraying the indicator elements
being made in accordance with at least one of the determined associations
between said degrees of significance and said degrees of perception
facilitating.
2. A method of displaying information relating to a vehicle's insurance
status comprising the steps of: configuring a display of information
that relates to the status of a vehicle's liability insurance policy,
said display being capable of including a plurality of modes of
portraying representations of said insurance status related information;
depicting within said display at least one indicator element, said
indicator element including at least one representation of one part
of said insurance status related information, said depicting involving
portraying said indicator element in at least one visual perception
facilitating mode, said visual perception facilitating modes providing
differing capabilities, said differing capabilities including varying
degrees of facilitating visual perception of said insurance status
related information; and portraying said indicator element in at
least a selected one of said visual perception facilitating modes,
said selected visual perception facilitating mode providing a differing
degree of visual perception facilitating than does the mode of portraying
a different part of the display's insurance status related information.
3. A method of indicating a vehicle's insurance status comprising
the steps of: ascertaining an amount of information sufficient to
indicate a given vehicle's insurance status, said sufficient amount
of information being subdivisible into insurance status datums,
each of said insurance status datums denoting at least one aspect
of a vehicle's insurance status; forming an insurance status data
set containing at least said sufficient amount of vehicle insurance
status indicating information, said insurance status data set including
at least one of said insurance status datums; symbolizing at least
a portion of at least one insurance status datum's informational
content with at least one visual signifier, said symbolizing involving
at least one perception facilitating mode which enhances the readiness
of visual perception of the informational content symbolized by
said visual signifier; and representing said insurance status data
set with an arrangement of said visual signifiers, said arrangement
of the visual signifiers forming a display that enhances the readiness
of visual perception of the insurance status data set.
4. The method of indicating a vehicle's insurance status according
to claim 3, wherein assorted perception facilitating modes are differentiated
by their varying manners of facilitating the readiness of visual
perception, at least one of said varying manners of facilitating
being selected from a group consisting of: a) character-based facilitating
wherein the visual signifiers include at least one alphanumeric
character symbolized in a perception facilitating manner; b) background-differentiated
perception facilitating wherein selected visual signifiers' symbolizing
involves specific visual backgrounds, said specific visual backgrounds
effecting said facilitating by aiding at least one of locating and
comprehending said selected foreground visual signifiers; c) placement-location
based perception facilitating wherein the location in which at least
a portion of said visual display is placed facilitates perception
of at least one visual signifier within said display, said locations
including at least one of differing locations within said display
and differing locations on said vehicle; d) photo-active perception
facilitating wherein at least a portion of said display is photonically
active in a manner producing a visual effect beyond the mere visible;
e) shape-based perception facilitating wherein at least one of said
visual signifiers, a portion of said display, and said display's
overall shape is configured in a selected shape; f) pattern-based
perception facilitating wherein at least a portion of said display
utilizes a visual pattern, said pattern being an aspect of at least
one of a foreground, middle-ground, and background of said patterned
display portion; g) And combinations thereof.
5. The method of indicating a vehicle's insurance status according
to claim 3, wherein at least one attribute of a given visual signifier's
informational content at least partially influences the perception
facilitating mode utilized in symbolizing said visual signifier,
said informational content influenced perception facilitating modes
being selected from a group consisting of: a) content-allotment
based facilitating wherein specific manners of symbolizing are only
allotted to visual signifiers that include at least one specific
attribute within their informational content; b) content-significance
based facilitating wherein at least one manner of symbolizing is
influenced by a degree of significance of at least one attribute
of the visual signifier's informational content; c) content-priority
based facilitating wherein at least one manner of symbolizing is
influenced by a relative priority of at least one attribute of the
visual signifier's informational content; d) and combinations thereof.
6. The method of indicating a vehicle's insurance status according
to claim 4, wherein at least one attribute of a given visual signifier's
informational content at least partially influences which of said
varying facilitating manner perception facilitating modes is utilized
for symbolizing said given visual signifier, said informational
content attributes including at least one of a relative significance
and a relative priority of the informational content being symbolized.
7. The method of indicating a vehicle's insurance status according
to claim 3, wherein said insurance status data set, in addition
to said insurance status indicating information, further includes
insurance related information that is non-status indicating, said
non-status indicating insurance related information being subdivisible
into insurance non-status datums that are also symbolized with at
least one visual signifier; at least one portion of the insurance
status indicating information being primary insurance related information
and at least one portion of the non-status indicating insurance
related information being secondary insurance related information,
and said symbolizing of said insurance status datums is not uniform
for the entirety of all said insurance status datums and all said
insurance non-status datums within said insurance status data set,
said symbolizing variations involving variations in utilizing said
perception facilitating modes so that perception of at least one
visual signifier of said primary insurance status datums is more
readily perceived than is at least one visual signifier of said
secondary insurance non-status datums.
8. The method of indicating a vehicle's insurance status according
to claim 3, wherein said display is incorporated into an affixable
exhibit suitable for securing to said vehicle and said method further
comprises at least one optional step selected from a group consisting
of: a) affixing said exhibit to the vehicle so that said exhibit's
display of visual signifiers is readily visible from the vehicle's
exterior; b) affixing said exhibit to the vehicle in at least one
manner prescribed for facilitating perception of said display's
informational content by a suitable display perceiver; c) affixing
said exhibit to the vehicle at a vehicle site prescribed for facilitating
perception of said display's informational content by a suitable
display perceiver; d) providing said affixable exhibit; e) and combinations
thereof.
9. The method of indicating a vehicle's insurance status according
to claim 3, further comprising the step of utilizing said method
by at least one of insurance related organizations and insurance
businesses.
10. The method of indicating a vehicle's insurance status according
to claim 3, further comprising the step of utilizing said method
by at least one of an authority and an organization effecting an
authorized undertaking.
11. A system for indicating a vehicle's insurance status comprising:
a display of at least one, and generally a plurality of, visual
signifiers, each of said visual signifiers symbolizing at least
a portion of an insurance status datum's informational content,
said insurance status datums being a subdivision of an insurance
status data set, said insurance status data set including at least
an amount of information sufficient to indicate a vehicle's insurance
status, each of said insurance status datums denoting at least one
aspect of the vehicle's insurance status; at least one of the visual
signifiers symbolizing involving at least one perception facilitating
mode, said perception facilitating modes enhancing a readiness of
visual perception of the informational content symbolized by said
at least one visual signifier; said display representing the insurance
status data set with an arrangement of said visual signifiers, said
arrangement of the visual signifiers potentially further enhancing
the readiness of visual perception of the insurance status data
set.
12. The system for indicating a vehicle's insurance status according
to claim 11, wherein assorted perception facilitating modes are
differentiated by their varying manners of facilitating the readiness
of visual perception, at least one of said varying manners of facilitating
being selected from a group consisting of: a) character-based facilitating
wherein the visual signifiers include at least one alphanumeric
character symbolized in a perception facilitating manner; b) background-differentiated
perception facilitating wherein selected visual signifiers' symbolizing
involves specific visual backgrounds, said specific visual backgrounds
effecting said facilitating by aiding at least one of locating and
comprehending said selected foreground visual signifiers; c) placement-location
based perception facilitating wherein the location in which at least
a portion of said visual display is placed facilitates perception
of at least one visual signifier within said display, said locations
including at least one of differing locations within said display
and differing locations on said vehicle; d) photo-active perception
facilitating wherein at least a portion of said display is photonically
active in a manner producing a visual effect beyond the mere visible;
e) shape-based perception facilitating wherein at least one of said
visual signifiers, a portion of said display, and said display's
overall shape is configured in a selected shape; f) pattern-based
perception facilitating wherein at least a portion of said display
utilizes a visual pattern, said pattern being an aspect of at least
one of a foreground, middle-ground, and background of said patterned
display portion; g) and combinations thereof.
13. The system for indicating a vehicle's insurance status according
to claim 11, wherein at least one attribute of a given visual signifier's
informational content at least partially influences the perception
facilitating mode utilized in symbolizing said visual signifier,
said informational content influenced perception facilitating modes
being selected from a group consisting of: a) content-allotment
based facilitating wherein specific manners of symbolizing are only
allotted to visual signifiers that include at least one specific
attribute within their informational content; b) content-significance
based facilitating wherein at least one manner of symbolizing is
influenced by a degree of significance of at least one attribute
of the visual signifier's informational content; c) content-priority
based facilitating wherein at least one manner of symbolizing is
influenced by a relative priority of at least one attribute of the
visual signifier's informational content; d) and combinations thereof.
14. The system for indicating a vehicle's insurance status according
to claim 12, wherein at least one attribute of a given visual signifier's
informational content at least partially influences which of said
varying facilitating manner perception facilitating modes is utilized
for symbolizing said given visual signifier, said informational
content attributes including at least one of a relative significance
and a relative priority of the informational content being symbolized.
15. The system for indicating a vehicle's insurance status according
to claim 11, wherein said insurance status data set, in addition
to said insurance status indicating information, further includes
insurance related information that is non-status indicating, said
non-status indicating insurance related information being subdivisible
into insurance non-status datums that are also symbolized with at
least one visual signifier; at least one portion of the insurance
status indicating information being primary insurance related information
and at least one portion of the non-status indicating insurance
related information being secondary insurance related information,
and said symbolizing of said insurance status datums is not uniform
for the entirety of all said insurance status datums and all said
insurance non-status datums within said insurance status data set,
said symbolizing variations involving variations in utilizing said
perception facilitating modes so that perception of at least one
visual signifier of said primary insurance status datums is more
readily perceived than is at least one visual signifier of said
secondary insurance non-status datums.
16. The system for indicating a vehicle's insurance status according
to claim 11, wherein said display is incorporated into an affixable
exhibit suitable for securing to said vehicle in a disposition that
enables ready perception of the display's visual signifiers from
the vehicle's exterior.
17. The system for indicating a vehicle's insurance status according
to claim 16, wherein said affixable exhibit incorporates at least
an affixing part and a first removable display part, said affixing
part providing said vehicle securing capability and said first removable
display part incorporating a first version of said visual signifiers
of the insurance status datums, said removable part being replaceable
with an updated second removable display part that incorporates
a second version of the visual signifiers, said second version of
the visual signifiers incorporating insurance status data set changes
from the insurance status data set incorporated in said first version
of the visual signifiers.
18. A system for providing a readily perceivable representation
of a vehicle's insurance status comprising: a display of visual
signifiers, said display being affixable to a vehicle so as to be
visible from said vehicle's exterior, each of said visual signifiers
symbolically denoting at least one aspect of the display's informational
content and each of said visual signifiers corresponding to at least
one datum of information that relates to said vehicle's insurance
status, at least one of said visual signifiers' symbolizing being
effected in the manner of at least one perception facilitating mode;
said perception facilitating modes being manners of symbolizing
representations, said representations utilizing at least one symbolizing
technique that enhances the readiness of perception of the datum
of insurance status related information that the visual signifier
denotes, said symbolizing techniques involving at least one way
of denoting information that does not involve solely presenting
said information in generally uniform alphanumeric characters.
19. The system for providing a readily perceivable representation
of a vehicle's insurance status according to claim 18, wherein at
least one of said perception readiness enhancing symbolizing techniques
is selected from a group consisting of: a) denoting at least one
insurance status related informational datum with varying character
sizing; b) denoting at least one insurance status related informational
datum with varying character shading; c) denoting at least one insurance
status related informational datum with varying character arrangements;
d) denoting at least one insurance status related informational
datum with selected placement locations of at least one selected
visual signifier; e) denoting at least one insurance status related
informational datum with selected visual backgrounds for at least
one selected visual signifier; f) denoting at least one insurance
status related informational datum with selected shapes for at least
one selected visual signifier; g) denoting at least one insurance
status related informational datum with selected patterns for at
least one selected visual signifier; h) denoting at least one insurance
status related informational datum with selected photo-active effects
for at least one selected visual signifier; i) denoting at least
one insurance status related informational datum with selected visual
signifiers being symbolized only with selected forms of representation;
j) denoting at least one insurance status related informational
datum with selected visual signifiers that are allotted to said
informational datums according to the content of said insurance
status related informational datums; k) denoting at least one insurance
status related informational datum with selected visual signifiers
that are prioritized according to the priority of said insurance
status related informational datums; l) denoting at least one insurance
status related informational datum with selected visual signifiers
that are allotted according to the content of said insurance status
related informational datums; m) and combinations thereof.
20. The system for providing a readily perceivable representation
of a vehicle's insurance status according to claim 18, further comprising
an association that utilizes said vehicle insurance status representations
in concert with at least one of an insurance related communication
system, an administering insurance related organization, an insurance
related business, and a governing authority.
Insurance Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This non-provisional patent application claims the benefit
of priority from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/755,729,
inventor Hunsaker, Darryl Mark, filed on Dec. 30, 2005.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] 1. Field of the Invention
[0004] The present invention includes systems and methods that
relate generally to means of providing car insurance status information
and more specifically to means of displaying information that relates
to the insurance status of a vehicle so that said status can be
comprehended promptly and accurately, as well as providing capabilities
of comprehending said status information at a remove from the vehicle.
[0005] 2. Related Art
[0006] Motor vehicles driven on public roads in the United States
are generally required to be insured by their owners for damages
or injuries that may be caused by that vehicle's operation. Liability
insurance is mandatory in 47 states and the District of Columbia.
New Hampshire, Tennessee and Wisconsin do not have mandatory insurance
laws. According to the Insurance Institute, approximately 14% of
the motorists in the U.S. do not carry insurance. Some studies have
resulted in estimates that the actual percentage is closer to 20%.
In some metro areas, the percentages can even be greater than 50%.
Approximately 6% of the cost of a vehicle insurance premium paid
by the average vehicle owner is due to uninsured motorists. A system
for regulating and enforcing these requirements have been instituted
by the governments of the states, but these systems do not yet operate
optimally. It is well known that there is significant room for improvement
in this area. Several states have tried a database approach with
limited degrees of success due to problems with high error rates.
This approach is also very costly since it requires every insurance
carrier to comply (some do or will not) and because the database
system needs to be updated on a daily basis to maintain an acceptable
measure of accuracy. In March of 2005, the Missouri State Auditor,
Claire McCaskill, released a report titled "Efforts to Enforce
Uninsured Motorist Law". The report detailed that motorists
in Missouri are required to carry "uninsured motorist"
coverage to compensate for the numbers of motorists that do not
comply with the insurance requirements. For the average motorist
the cost of the uninsured motorist coverage is estimated in this
report to be $23.00 per vehicle annually, costing about $90 million
annually for just the state of Missouri, which is not even one of
the 10 most populous states in the U.S. The report also suggests
a budget request for approximately $8.2 million to initiate a system
for monitoring insurance companies and motorists to reduce the number
of uninsured motorists. Just paying for such a system is also problematic
given the budget constraints most state governments are coping with.
Additionally, the uninsured motorist coverage that policy holders
(often by state mandate) pay extra for generally covers only bodily
injury (normally with a small limit) and does not provide any coverage
for property damage. A reduction in the number of uninsured motorists
would help to reduce some of this burden placed upon those motorists
that do abide by the regulations.
[0007] One major impediment to more effective administration and
enforcement of these insurance laws are difficulties in monitoring
the current actual insurance status of vehicles. While there may
be some variations in detail among the various states, certain aspects
are relatively common among them. At present, motorists receive
a proof-of-insurance ID card when they sign up for an insurance
policy, and they are usually required to present this insurance
card to a police officer when requested. However, the status indication
and expiration date on the card may have been accurate when the
card was issued, but may no longer be correct by the time the officer
sees the card. Insurance policies can often be paid for over time,
with the printed information on the card reflecting the expiration
date for the policy if it were to be fully paid for. When the motorist
does not continue with the payments, or simply cancels the policy,
the officer will not know from looking at the card that the motorist
is actually no longer insured. Also, unless an officer conducts
such an investigation of a vehicle and motorist, there is no way
for the officer to readily determine whether or not a given vehicle
passing by even has a card indicating that a policy was issued for
that vehicle, outside of the question of whether or not that policy
is still in effect.
[0008] The issue of how to provide a law enforcement officer ready
access to relevant vehicle information by visual inspection is germane
to vehicle license plate design as well. But there are also significant
differences between the requirements for providing ready visual
access to license plate information and the requirements that are
relevant to insurance status information. The license plate is issued
by the state, and no other manner of procuring license plates is
available. The state can specify the term, contents, and design
of the plates, and it is not possible to get a set of plates (or
renewal decal) for any period other than those specified by the
state, nor is it possible to get the vehicle plates or renewal for
a partial term or on a payment over time status (the payments for
which being possibly discontinued prior to completion). Additionally,
the license plates are designed with the primary purpose of providing
a unique identifying label to each vehicle that is always available
for ready access by visual inspection. It is also important for
an officer to be able to recognize the plate number from at least
a certain distance, and in a short period of time, when circumstances
dictate. Hence, the license plate number (and letters or symbols)
dominates the design of the plates both in prominence and placement,
and the expiration information is given a secondary display status.
By contrast, insurance policies are provided by private parties,
they are variable in their terms and specifications, and they can
be procured even though the term indicated may not have been fully
paid for.
[0009] The pertinent insurance information that a police officer
might need is provided on the aforementioned insurance ID cards,
but an officer can generally only access this information if the
driver is stopped for some other reason. When the driver is unavailable,
or the vehicle is parked, an officer usually cannot access the pertinent
information. Placing the insurance card information in a place of
constant prominence, such as a vehicle window, could provide access
to the information at all times, but will also present other difficulties.
Among these difficulties is the inability, with normal vision, to
be able to read this information from any significant distance,
due to the need to arrange a substantial amount of insurance information
upon a small card. Since the police officer's purpose is chiefly
to ascertain whether or not the vehicle is properly insured, the
majority of this information is unnecessary. In addition, the insurance
card includes a significant amount of personal information that
would not be advisable to make available to any passerby. There
exists then, an unmet need for a means to provide law enforcement
personnel with ready access to the insurance status of a vehicle.
This means of ready access should be intelligible quickly and accurately
from a specified distance (such as the distance that typically separates
two vehicles in traffic), and will preferably not provide unnecessary
details or unrelated personal information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] In accordance with the above described problems and constraints
on the possible solutions, the present invention is a system and
method of providing upon a vehicle ready visual access to the insurance
status of that vehicle.
[0011] Among the key attributes of the present invention are its
capabilities of providing a law enforcement officer with constantly
ready access and rapid recognition of a vehicle's pertinent insurance
status information. Related attributes of the present invention
are it's capabilities of enabling this rapid recognition of insurance
status information when a law enforcement officer is at a specified
distance such as is typical when the officer is driving in traffic
behind the vehicle in question. An insurance status indicator, such
as a decal, according to the present invention will routinely be
disposed in a specified location on the vehicle, such as upon the
lower right or left corner of the front and/or rear vehicle windshields.
Of course, if there was no other consideration than ensuring that
an officer could easily read the pertinent information, the decal
could be simply made as large as the windshield. Since that is clearly
impractical, it is necessary to balance the need to provide relatively
unobstructed vision through the vehicle glass against the need to
make the information on the decal as readily visible as possible.
The larger the size of the decal, the larger, and hence the more
easily read, can be the display of the information on the decal.
Thus, a problem solved by the present invention is how to present
the crucial insurance status information in a form that is quickly
and accurately recognized, even from some distance, while avoiding
the need to obscure more than a minimal amount of the window glass.
The present invention is not only suitable for display upon a vehicle
window, however. Certain embodiments of the system of the present
invention are adapted for flexible deployment, and can be affixed
to a bumper, a license plate, or practically any portion of a vehicle's
exterior. Though the majority of the description herein of the Vehicle
Insurance Status Display System (referred to hereafter as VISDS)
is focused on displaying the status information in a vehicle's window,
this is not limiting of the available means of disposing the present
invention, and it is within the scope of the present invention to
dispose the VISDS on any portion of a vehicle that is visible from
the exterior of the vehicle. For example, the balancing issue between
larger display size and lesser vehicle obscuring is also germane
when disposing the status information decal on a car's license plate
or a portion of its body material.
[0012] Research into human perception and performance has been
utilized to solve the problem of maximizing the ease and speed of
recognition of the insurance status information while curtailing
the undesirable effects of increasing decal size. The specific area
of research into human perception and performance that is of principal
concern here are investigations of display factors and the effects
of those display factors on a person's ease and speed of recognition
(also referred to as reaction time or RT) of the information in
that display. Among the factors that are potentially significant
are: [0013] 1. Characteristics of the overall display, such as size,
shape, overall arrangement, or location of the display's disposition;
[0014] 2. Characteristics of the ways in which the information in
the display is symbolically depicted, such as whether text or graphical
symbols are utilized; [0015] 3. Variations in the ways in which
the information in the display is physically depicted, such as differences
in text size or symbol colors, or specific placement locations (within
the overall display arrangement) of specific categories of information;
and [0016] 4. Aspects of the relationships between the various parts
of the information in the display, such as text density or types
of associations between differing forms of information content.
[0017] One of the foremost organizations concerned with studying
aspects of how people perform in various situations is the Human
Factors and Ergonomics Society (referred to hereafter as HFES).
As stated on the HFES website (home page url: http://www.hfes.org/Web/Default.aspx)
in the section titled "about HFES": "The Society's
mission is to promote the discovery and exchange of knowledge concerning
the characteristics of human beings that are applicable to the design
of systems and devices of all kinds." The HFES maintains a
"directory of human factors/ergonomics (HF/E) consultants and
expert witnesses", which is a compendium of various specialists
whom more than qualify as those of skill in the art, in their respective
areas of specialization. One of these listed consultants and expert
witnesses is James R. McCracken, Ph.D., who is listed as, among
other things, an "Expert in the neurological and physiological
bases of cognition." According to Dr. McCracken, a landmark
2-volume reference in the field is the "Handbook of Human Perception
and Performance" (referred to hereafter as HHPP), editors Kenneth
R. Boff, Lloyd Kaufman, and James P. Thomas, New York: Wiley, 1986.
Volume 1 of the HHPP addresses "Sensory processes and perception",
while Volume 2 addresses "Cognitive processes and performance".
Of particular relevance to the issues the present invention contends
with is the focus of volume 2, Chapter 30: "Motor Control".
One of these issues is a factor termed "decision time"
which is defined in p. 30-3, col. 1 as "decision processes,
. . . measured by reaction time, which is defined as the time from
onset of a signal calling for response until the beginning of responses."
A variety of influences on reaction time are discussed, including
the observation in p. 30-4, col. 2 that "In general, reaction
time increases whenever the number of possible stimuli and responses
that are appropriate for some situation increases." In the
case of the insurance decal the stimuli would be the information
signifiers, such as numbers or symbols, that are present on the
decal. This research observation demonstrates that research has
confirmed the common experience that the more items necessary to
search through, the longer it will take to make the required reaction.
Hence, the performance of the decal, in terms of ease and speed
of recognition by an observer, is enhanced by limiting the number
of stimuli present to those that are required for the performance
of its function. The significance of this benefit of the present
invention is further verified in the HHPP (also on p. 30-4, col.
2) with the further observation that "Reaction time increases
linearly with the logarithm of the number of choices". This
point is reiterated by Donders, F. C. (On the speed of mental processes);
from "Attention & performance II", W. G. Koster (ED.
& Trans.), Amsterdam: North Holland, 1969, and again related
in the HHPP in p. 30-5, col. 1: " . . . Reaction time has been
known to increase markedly when more than one signal and response
can occur in a given setting."
[0018] Reaction time to a display is also affected by other characteristics.
One such factor was investigated by S. W. Keele in an article titled
"Effects of input and output modes on decision time" in
the J. Exp. Psych., 85, 157-164, 1970. As summarized in the HHPP:
"Keele (1970) presented either colors or shapes as stimuli,
and subjects responded by pressing keys . . . . Reaction time appears
to depend both on the number of stimuli and the number of responses."
This research by Keele addresses the issue of how choices in the
amount and forms of information display can impact reaction time,
as well as effects upon an observer's reaction time that relate
to requiring the observer to be capable of multiple responses to
at least one aspect of the display. Embodiments of the VISDS apply
Keele's research insights for formulating display strategies capable
of optimizing performance while accounting for the assorted constraints
that influence these displays.
[0019] Chapter 28 of the HHPP is entitled: "Visual Information
Processing", and as related on p. 28-2: "This chapter
is devoted to an information-processing analysis of visual perception."
Of particular relevance to the present invention is section 2 of
Ch. 28, entitled: "Visual search", described as: "This
section reviews information-processing studies of visual search
and visual processing of displays . . . . " This section is
of obvious significance to the VISDS since a critical task that
the present invention is designed to facilitate is the visual search
of a display, and the processing of the information contained in
that display. The HHPP, on p. 28-25, in reference to a research
article by Ellis, S. H. & Chase, W. G., titled: "Parallel
processing in item recognition" that appeared in Perception
& Psychophysics, 10, 379-384, 1971 notes: "Ellis &
Chase (1971) have suggested that feature comparisons and item comparisons
. . . can be conducted in parallel." The HHPP then goes on
to further convey that: "The interesting result of this study
was that subject could reject nontargets on the basis of a physical
feature faster than they could on the basis of a memory search only
if the target set was large; for small target sets (one or two items)
memory search was faster than a physical feature test". In
other words, if an observer of the display needed only to distinguish
among one or two targets, that observer could determine more quickly
based solely on memory (by comparison to discriminating by physical
feature) what was the target of the visual search of that display.
But, if the number of possible targets that required scrutiny were
more numerous, then the observer would discriminate more quickly
on the basis of a physical characteristic of the target. Various
embodiments of the VISDS include alternatives that employ designs
which utilize these observer targeting dynamics to provide reduced
recognition time capabilities. In certain circumstances, such as
when a police officer is only judging whether or not a particular
vehicle has up-to-date insurance and that vehicle is from the state
where the officer has jurisdiction, the officer could work quickly
from memory of the familiar display layout to find the appropriate
information. Displays according to the present invention will customarily
have layouts that are not likely to substantially vary among differing
insurance companies, at least within a specific state, and may often
have substantially standardized layouts for multiple states, so
that officers in one state can efficiently search the insurance
displays of another state.
[0020] While utilization of the speed advantages available in the
memory-based, minimal target number visual search strategy is a
significant advantage of certain embodiments of the VISDS, both
those embodiments, as well as other embodiments of the VISDS are
capable of employing additional means of improving visual search
and processing. As cited in the preceding paragraph, in reference
to the research of Ellis & Chase (1971), the HHPP quotation
further noted that the process of visual target identification can
also be facilitated by physical features of the target (or nontarget).
These physical features can assume a variety of forms, and differing
embodiments of the VISDS can employ differing permutations of these
forms of physical features, both separately and in combinations.
In addition, since an embodiment of the VISDS often has more than
one bit of information to be processed by an observing officer,
a single embodiment can vary both the individual forms of physical
features, as well as the number of forms of physical features, employed
to identify differing aspects of its visual display.
[0021] Differing forms of visual target physical features can also
differ in the degree of assistance they provide when identifying
a target within a visual display. The differences in assistance
can be due to varying aspects of the display, the observation conditions,
the requirements for success in the observation process, and other
factors, even before account is made for differences in how well
human perception innately responds to these differing forms. L.
G. Williams, in a research article titled: "The effect of target
specification on objects fixated during visual search", Perception
and Psychophysics, 1, 315-318, 1966; explored how differing forms
of physical features perform differently for assisting in the speed
of recognition of specified targets in a visual display. The HHPP,
on p. 28-26 summarized the import of Williams' research by pronouncing:
[0022] "Williams (1966) has provided the definitive study on
the determinants of eye fixations during visual search. In Williams'
(1966) study, subjects searched large cluttered visual display for
a form containing a two-digit target number printed on it . . .
. The question of interest was whether subjects could use information
about a target's size, color, or shape to determine which forms
to look at. [0023] "The results shown in tables 2B.3 and 2B.4
are very clear. Subjects could use any color and the largest size
to direct their eye movements, but they derived very little benefit
from knowing the shape of the object or the size other than the
largest size."
[0024] The VISDS incorporates the findings of Williams cited immediately
above, as well others who have explored the field of how visual
display factors affect human perception and performance. Williams'
1966 study provides useful guidance in how to devise a display that
can perform optimally in certain circumstances, but its results
do not preclude that even those forms of the physical features of
visual displays which were found by Williams to provide very little
benefit in the circumstances of the 1966 study, such as the shape
of an object, could provide significant benefits in the real world
circumstances of an insurance display decal according to the present
invention. Among the factors that can impact the performance of
a particular display, which differs from Williams' setup, is the
need for a display to accomplish multiple functions. These functions
may be required separately from each other, or may relate in specified
manners, such as one function being subordinate to another. An example
of a paramount function and a related, subordinate function would
be the indication of the expiration date of the insurance status
being paramount and the indication of the Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN) that confirms that this decal does belong to this vehicle
being a subordinate function. The importance of Williams' study
is not just that in certain circumstances a target identified by
size is preferable to a target identified by shape, but it is also
noteworthy that the study indicates in general that not all forms
of physical features perform equally well, and hence not all forms
of visual displays perform equally well. There are significant performance
differences that can be achieved by utilizing differing display
methodologies, and the application and optimization of these differing
methodologies is one of the principal benefits of the present invention.
[0025] The VISDS generally involves configuring a display of information
related to the status of a liability insurance policy for a vehicle.
The display is generally affixed to the vehicle whose liability
insurance policy it contains information regarding. The information
within the display can be divided into parts, such as an effective
(i.e. start) date, an expiration date, or a vehicle identification
number (referred to hereafter as VIN). A part of the insurance status
related information can be visually represented in a variety of
ways, just as a number can be represented by digits, or by words
that are the names of the digits within that number. Among the modes
of representation that the VISDS is capable of using for portraying
these parts of the insurance status related information are alphanumeric
characters, including letters and numbers, that can be arranged
into words, abbreviations, letter and number combinations, and other
permutations. Other VISDS modes of representation include, but are
not limited to: symbols, patterns, pattern contrasts, colors, color
contrasts, surface treatments (such as reflectivity or antiglare
coatings), foreground vs. background contrasts, shadings and shadows,
3 dimensional appearances and effects, holograms, shapes, sizes,
degrees of opacity or transparency, spatial placement (both of various
part of the insurance status related information within the display
and of the location of the display on the vehicle), encoding (such
as bar codes), as well as display content allocation and arrangement
techniques.
[0026] The present invention encompasses methods and apparatuses,
both of which are collectively referred to herein as systems. A
display configured according to the VISDS includes at least one
indicator element defined as a visually perceivable aspect of the
display. Individual indicator elements often contain at least one
part of the information that relates to the liability insurance
policy for the vehicle. More specifically, at least one of the indicator
elements includes at least one part of the information that is central
for determining the current status of the liability insurance policy
for the vehicle, and such an indicator element portrays that part
of the information with a specific type of representational mode
defined herein as a perception facilitating mode. A perception facilitating
mode of representation of an indicator element is a portrayal of
the information within that element that facilitates the perceiving
of that information. More than one mode of perception facilitating
can be utilized in a single indicator element, a mode of perception
facilitating may be utilized for only a portion of an indicator
element, and the same mode of perception facilitating can be utilized
for more than one indicator element. The particular modes of perception
facilitating utilized in individual indicator elements will vary,
depending on a number of factors that can include, but are not limited
to: [0027] a) The relative degree of significance of the information
within the indicator element; [0028] b) The number and arrangement
of other indicator elements within the display; [0029] c) The circumstances
and constraints of the situations in which the display is being
perceived; [0030] d) The relative degree of perception facilitating
preferred; [0031] e) The mode of representation of the information
within the indicator element and the issues which affect how humans
perceive that mode of representation; and [0032] f) The performance,
content, and form constraints shaped by external strictures such
as state regulations.
[0033] Among the novel benefits of the VISDS are its capabilities
of employing techniques that apply the results of the visual perception
research described previously to address the immediately above listed
factors, as well as others, and balance their effects while providing
suitable levels of performance. Illustrative examples of the range
of techniques (each of which can consist of an individual mode of
representation, or combinations of multiple modes of representation)
that are capable of being advantageous are: [0034] a) Size differentiation
between indicator elements of differing significance, as well as
between indicator elements of relatively close proximity of placement
within a given display; [0035] b) Standardized placement locations
(within a display) of at least one indicator element, or of relative
placement locations of groups of indicator elements, that include
particular parts of the insurance related information; [0036] c)
Assignments to indicator elements of particular colors (characterized
by hue, saturation, and/or mixing) to at least one of the foreground,
middle ground, or background of that indicator element as well as
particular combinations of fore, middle, or background colors for
indicating specific parts of the insurance related information contained
by that indicator element; [0037] d) Assignments to indicator elements
of particular patterns to at least one of the foreground, middle
ground, or background of that indicator element as well as particular
combinations of fore, middle, or background patterns for indicating
specific parts of the insurance related information contained by
that indicator element; [0038] e) Assignments of particular shapes
to an indicator element that indicates a specific part of the insurance
related information is contained within that indicator element;
[0039] f) Assignments of particular surface treatments (such as
a reflectivity coating to facilitate low-light perception) to indicator
elements that contain particular parts of the insurance related
information; [0040] g) Further assignments of other VISDS modes
of representation, described previously, to indicator elements that
contain particular parts of the insurance related information; [0041]
h) Limitations on the quantity and nature of both the parts of insurance
related information within a given indicator element and of the
indicator elements as a group that are in a particular display;
and [0042] i) Combinations of the above techniques a) through h).
[0043] In general, displays according to the present invention
will contain selected quantities of information that relates to
the current status of a liability insurance policy for a vehicle.
The sum amount of information contained within such a display will
usually be limited according to various criteria, these criteria
normally including preferences against inclusion of information
that is extraneous to determining the status of the liability insurance
policy for the vehicle. The display will include at least one indicator
element (and often a number of indicator elements) that each contains
at least a part of the insurance related information at issue, and
those indicator elements will often be portrayed in one or more
modes of representation. Certain of these modes of representation
are defined herein as perception facilitating modes that are utilized
to facilitate perception of the information within an indicator
element by varying degrees. The overall configuration of a particular
display, the arrangement of indicator elements within that display,
the modes of representation of those indicator elements and in particular
the indicator elements which contain significant insurance related
information and are therefore portrayed in perception facilitating
modes combine to provide an observer such as a police officer with
a relatively rapid and straightforward recognition of the current
insurance status of the vehicle in question. The present invention
also provides such an officer with a capability of determining the
insurance status from a greater distance than could be accomplished
if the insurance card itself were simply to be displayed. The benefits
and advantages of the present invention not only include resolutions
of the previously described difficulties inherent in the present
situation, but will also provide additional advantages due to the
potential of preventing other problems from occurring by early identification
of those whom are less inclined to be responsible towards their
fellow motorists.
[0044] Other objects and features will be in part apparent and
in part pointed out hereinafter.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0045] FIG. 1 depicts a first embodiment of a display according
to the present invention.
[0046] FIG. 2 depicts a second embodiment of a display according
to the present invention.
[0047] FIG. 3 depicts a third embodiment of a display according
to the present invention.
[0048] FIG. 4 depicts a fourth embodiment of a display according
to the present invention.
[0049] FIG. 5 depicts a first alternative arrangement of a fifth
embodiment of a display according to the present invention.
[0050] FIG. 6 depicts a second alternative arrangement of a fifth
embodiment of a display according to the present invention.
[0051] FIG. 7 depicts a third alternative arrangement of a fifth
embodiment of a display according to the present invention.
[0052] FIG. 8 depicts a fourth alternative arrangement of a fifth
embodiment of a display according to the present invention.
[0053] FIG. 9 depicts a sixth embodiment of a display according
to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0054] In the following description, identical numbers indicate
identical elements. Where an element has been described in one Figure,
and is unaltered in detail or relation in any other Figure, said
element description applies to all Figures.
[0055] Referring initially to FIG. 1, a first display configuration
110 is depicted. The first display configuration 110 includes a
first left border indicator element 112. The first left border indicator
element 112 is a vertically disposed rectangular block comprising
a background color 114 and a first foreground alphanumeric representation
116 of a part of the insurance related information. The first foreground
alphanumeric representation 116 is portrayed in black characters,
which contrasts with the first background color 114 to provide a
first character-based perception facilitating mode. A second character-based
perception facilitating mode is configured by selecting to portray
the first foreground alphanumeric representation 116 in a different
color (not shown), wherein the different color is selected to provide
enhanced optical contrast with the first background color 114, or
in an optically active manner such as by using a reflective coating
(not shown). The color utilized for the first background color 114
is capable of being selected according to a number of criteria,
such as coinciding a color for the month of the insurance policy
expiration date with the color used by that state to designate the
month of expiration for that state's license plates. The insurance
related information in the first left border indicator element 112
is also portrayed in a content-allotment perception facilitating
mode that allots only a limited range of content for the first left
border indicator element 112, i.e. only abbreviations for the month
and year in which the relevant insurance policy expires, thereby
speeding up an officer's determination whether or not closer inspection
is required. A third character-based perception facilitating mode
is also utilized wherein the first foreground alphanumeric representation
116 is portrayed in larger characters than any other aspect of the
first display configuration 110. A fourth character-based perception
facilitating mode is used as well wherein the characters are configured
so that the content is read in two directions, namely an upper,
vertically arranged month abbreviation and a lower, horizontally
arranged year abbreviation, so that an officer can more rapidly
target the specific parts of the insurance related information within
the display that are needed.
[0056] To the right of first left border indicator element 112
is disposed a text field 118 that comprises the majority of the
first display configuration 110. Text field 118 contains the majority
of the display's detailed information that relates to the current
status of the liability insurance policy for the vehicle, and is
both an indicator element as a whole as well as a field that contains
smaller separate indicator elements. The configuration of text field
118 is another application of the content-allotment perception facilitating
mode that limits the amount of secondary information present within
text field 118. In the context of the present invention, secondary
information would be information that relates generally to the arena
of vehicles, state requirements, insurance policies, and insurance
regulations, but does not pertain directly to determining the current
status of the insurance policy for the particular vehicle in question,
which is referred to herein as primary information. To illustrate,
in the first display configuration 110, the abbreviations for the
month and year in the first foreground alphanumeric representation
116 are primary information, while the address of the insurance
company that underwrites the insurance policy in text field 118
is secondary information. The selective distribution of information
to visually distinguished indicator elements, such as primary insurance
related information in first left border indicator element 112 and
secondary insurance related information in text field 118 is an
expression of a content-significance based perception facilitating
mode, wherein an officer would know that the most significant insurance
related information is found against a color background (though
it should be noted that the content-significance based perception
facilitating mode is not limited only to color or its lack as a
marker of significance, but also encompasses any other means of
utilizing a visually distinguishable background for providing an
indication of the significance of the content within that background.)
Text field 118 is portrayed as black alphanumeric characters on
a white (or blank) background. The configuration of the contrast
between the first background color 114 and the uncolored background
of text field 118 is an expression of a first background-differentiated
perception facilitating mode. The observing officer would know that
the content of the field colored with first background color 114
is to be considered first, and would not have to take the time to
inspect text field 118 also in order to find the first foreground
alphanumeric representation 116 that indicates the month and year
of the expiration date of the insurance policy for the vehicle.
In the case of the first display configuration 110, if the day of
the month were relevant to determining the current status of the
insurance policy on the day the first display configuration 110
were being observed, the officer would then inspect text field 118
to ascertain that information. First display configuration 110 also
utilizes an expression of a first placement-location based perception
facilitating mode, wherein the location within a display that a
part of the insurance related information is placed indicates the
significance of that part of the insurance related information.
In the case of the first display configuration 110, the placement
along the left side of the display indicates to an observing officer
that the most significant current insurance status related information
is most readily found there. A second placement-location based perception
facilitating mode is utilized in arranging the configuration of
the information content within the text field 118, wherein the relative
location that a particular part of the insurance related information
is placed is a known convention, either within an individual state's
prescribed display configuration or between a number of states,
so that an observing officer can readily target and inspect a specific
part of the insurance related information more readily. In the case
of first display configuration 110, the detailed information that
identifies the type of vehicle, the specific VIN of the vehicle
to confirm the identity of the vehicle that the insurance policy
applies to, the policy's effective and expiration dates, and the
policy no. are placed in a central text block 120. The other information
within text field 118 are exemplary of the additional types of information
that may be chosen to be included within a display according to
the present invention.
[0057] Referring next to FIG. 2, wherein a second display configuration
210 is depicted. The differences between second display configuration
210 and first display configuration 110 are principally due to the
differences between first left border indicator element 112 and
second left border indicator element 212. First left border indicator
element 112 utilizes a plurality of perception facilitating modes
including: [0058] the first character-based perception facilitating
mode, [0059] the second character-based perception facilitating
mode, [0060] the third character-based perception facilitating mode,
[0061] the fourth character-based perception facilitating mode,
[0062] the content-significance based perception facilitating mode,
[0063] the first placement-location based perception facilitating
mode, and [0064] the second placement-location based perception
facilitating mode. With the exception of the fourth character-based
perception facilitating mode, the second left border indicator element
212 also utilizes these perception facilitating modes, although
expressed differently in a couple of cases. In addition, the second
left border indicator element 212 also utilizes a second background-differentiated
perception facilitating mode wherein visual targeting of a day of
the month indicator element 214 is facilitated by an augmented background
contrast 216. The augmented background contrast 216 is a faux shadow
effect that further distinguishes indicator element 214 and thereby
aids visual targeting of the insurance related information within
indicator element 214. The faux shadow effect of augmented background
contrast 216 is capable of being comprised of a variety of perception
facilitating modes, including: [0065] The second background-differentiated
perception facilitating mode wherein the augmented background contrast
216 is comprised of an additional, middle-ground contrast color
that differs from both the color of the day of the month indicator
element 214 as well as from a background color 218 of the second
left border indicator element 212; and [0066] a photo-active perception
facilitating mode wherein the portions of the second left border
indicator element 212 that comprise the augmented background contrast
216 provide a response to photonic stimulation beyond that provided
by a material that is merely visible by illumination, such as a
reflective or scintillation effect, as well as a separate form of
response to photons of a particular wavelength such as a material
that shines a different color when illuminated by UV radiation.
Second left border indicator element 212 also utilizes the content-allotment
perception facilitating mode similarly to the first left border
indicator element 118, but contrasts in that the digits of the day
of the month indicator element 214 are also included and in that
those digits are of greater size than the other insurance related
information content of second left border indicator element 212
in a utilization of the third character-based perception facilitating
mode. Text field 220 is analogous to text field 118, with a relatively
few differences in overall dimensions and layout.
[0067] Referring next to FIG. 3, wherein a third display configuration
310 is depicted. The third display configuration 310 differs in
several significant manners from the previously described display
configurations 110 and 210. The overall shape 312 of the third display
configuration 310 is configured as an ellipsoid, a shape that will
be known and readily targeted by an observing police officer. The
alternative, specified ellipsoid shape of third display configuration
310 is an expression of a shape-based perception facilitating mode,
wherein the selected shape of an aspect of a given display configuration
facilitates the targeting of at least a part of the insurance related
information associated with the shape of that aspect, in the case
of third display configuration 310, the applicable aspect is the
overall shape itself. While the rectangular shapes of the first
and second display configurations 110 and 210 are also utilizations
of the shape-based perception facilitating mode, because a rectangular
shaped decal is relatively common for other uses (such as a decal
indicating a service interval for the vehicle), it is considered
to be a less optimal expression of the shape-based perception facilitating
mode for the present purposes. In the cases of the first and second
(as well as any other) display configuration, the initial targeting
of the display will regularly utilize a third placement-location
based perception facilitating mode, wherein the location upon the
vehicle that the overall display is placed is selected so as to
facilitate the observing officers targeting (and hence perceiving)
of the display. An example of the third placement-location based
perception facilitating mode would be a state regulation requiring
that a display be affixed to the lower right or left side of the
rear vehicle glass, a requirement that an officer will know in advance
so that he/she can readily inspect the display without need to first
take time to locate it. Utilization of the third placement-location
based perception facilitating mode for the third display configuration
310 will usually be the case also, but the ellipsoid shape 312 expression
of the shape-based perception facilitating mode will further facilitate
the targeting of the display as well. It should be understood that
the ellipsoid shape, in and of itself, is not limiting of the means
of expression of the shape-based perception facilitating mode, which
can also utilize other shapes, but rather the optimal expression
of the shape-based perception facilitating mode is achievable through
the use of an overall shape that is both readily recognized and
at least somewhat distinctive. In the case of the shape-based perception
facilitating mode the previously cited research that found that
shapes did not provide a significant effect in facilitating targeting
is not applicable, since the present situation is not analogous
to locating one particular shape in a group of dozens of potential
targets.
[0068] The third display configuration 310 presents an alternative
layout that does not have the subdivided arrangements of the first
and second display configurations 110 and 210, respectively. A single
background field 314 encompasses the entire insurance related information
containing area of the third display configuration 310. While the
background field 314 is depicted as a uniform composition (which
can encompass a variety of colors, intensities, optical effects,
and other visually perceivable aspects), it is also capable of being
presented with gradations and other variations across its extent
(not shown). The third display configuration 310 also utilizes:
[0069] The first character-based perception facilitating mode by
representing, among other ways, the year of the expiration date
within numeric indicator element 316 with a portrayal of black digits
that contrast with background field 314; [0070] the second character-based
perception facilitating mode by representing the effective and expiration
dates within numeric indicator element 318 with digits portrayed
in a color that contrasts with background field 314; [0071] the
content-allotment perception facilitating mode by allotting for
inclusion a limited amount of representations of insurance related
information; [0072] the third character-based perception facilitating
mode by portraying indicator elements 316 and 318 in substantially
larger characters than the characters used to represent any other
insurance related information within the third display configuration
310; [0073] the first placement-location based perception facilitating
mode by placing indicator elements 316 and 318 in a central location
that corresponds to the significance of these indicator elements
in providing an observing officer with ready perception of the effective
and expiration dates of the vehicle's insurance policy; [0074] the
second placement-location based perception facilitating mode by
placing indicator elements 316 and 318 in a central location that
an observing officer has preexisting knowledge of; [0075] the content-significance
based perception facilitating mode by selecting to only portray
representations of insurance related information that most readily
provides the critical dates of the vehicle's insurance policy within
indicator elements 316 and 318; [0076] as well as being capable
of utilizing the photo-active perception facilitating mode.
[0077] Referring now to FIG. 4 which depicts a fourth display configuration
410. The fourth display configuration 410 is more similar to the
third display configuration 310 than to either the first or second
display configurations 110 and 210, respectively. Fourth display
configuration 410 is also an expression of the shape-based perception
facilitating mode, in the case of fourth display configuration 410,
the applicable aspect again being the overall shape, which is hexagonal
in this instance. It is evident that the variety of available shapes
within the scope of the present invention are not limited to just
rectangles, ellipses, and hexagons, but also encompass virtually
any shape that may be deemed useful. In a manner similar to the
ellipsoid shape of the third display configuration 310, the hexagonal
shape (though chosen for description in part for purposes of illustrative
distinction) of the fourth display configuration 410 is also considered
to be relatively uncommon and hence provides a more readily targeted
form for a display according to the present invention. The fourth
display configuration 410 also presents still another alternative
layout that does not have the subdivided arrangements of the first
and second display configurations 110 and 210, respectively. In
addition, the indicator elements of the fourth display configuration
410 are both different in their insurance related information content
as well as in their visual portrayals, relative to the first, second,
and third display configurations 110, 210, and 310, respectively.
Among the differences of the fourth display configuration 410 are
the utilization of a patterned background field 412, in an expression
of a pattern-based perception facilitating mode. The third display
configuration 310 also utilizes the pattern-based perception facilitating
mode, in this instance a closely spaced diagonal pin striping, that
is so arranged as to present a nearly solid appearance. For the
fourth display configuration 410, the pattern is a field of discrete
dots that are arranged to be both distinctly visible individually
and yet still present a uniform field appearance. The single background
pattern field 412 encompasses the entire insurance related information
containing area of the fourth display configuration 410. While the
background pattern field 412 is depicted as a uniform composition
(which can encompass a variety of colors, intensities, optical effects,
and other visually perceivable aspects), it is also capable of being
presented with gradations and other variations across its extent
(not shown). Additional perception facilitating modes that the fourth
display configuration 410 utilizes include: [0078] The first character-based
perception facilitating mode by representing, among other ways,
abbreviated expiration date and effective date indicator elements
414 and 416, respectively, with portrayals of solid black digits
that contrast with background pattern field 412; [0079] the content-allotment
perception facilitating mode, by allotting for inclusion a limited
amount of representations of insurance related information; [0080]
the third character-based perception facilitating mode, by portraying
indicator elements 414 and 416 in substantially larger characters
than the characters used to represent any other insurance related
information within the fourth display configuration 410; [0081]
the first placement-location based perception facilitating mode,
by placing indicator elements 414 and 416 in a central location
that corresponds to the significance of these indicator elements
in providing an observing officer with ready perception of the effective
and expiration dates of the vehicle's insurance policy; [0082] the
second placement-location based perception facilitating mode, by
placing indicator elements 414 and 416 in relatively central locations
that an observing officer has preexisting knowledge of; [0083] the
content-significance based perception facilitating mode, by selecting
to only portray representations of insurance related information
that most readily provides the critical dates of the vehicle's insurance
policy within indicator elements 414 and 416; [0084] as well as
being capable of utilizing the photo-active perception facilitating
mode.
[0085] The fourth display configuration 410 contains a different
amount and form of insurance related information than do the previously
described embodiments of the present invention. The insurance related
information in the fourth display configuration 410 that identifies
the individual insurance policy and company that issued the policy
is a policy status ID # 418 and a insurance policy verification
phone # 420. This alternative configuration for this information
is specifically related to the present task of identifying an insurance
policy on a publicly viewable space (a vehicle window) that may
not be appropriate for displaying the actual policy number, due
to privacy issues. This potential concern is addressed by inclusion
of the insurance status ID # 418, which is individually assigned
to the vehicle owner's insurance policy, but does not provide that
actual policy number publicly. The insurance policy verification
phone number 420 is available specifically for the purpose of verifying
and expanding on the insurance related information when called by
a law enforcement officer. The ID # 418 will identify the related
individual insurance policy, and access to this information can
be controlled by limiting knowledge of a needed password to only
law enforcement officers, or through a similar process. Additionally,
as an optional capability, the ID # 418 can also be utilized as
a means for an individual to at least determine some aspect of the
insurance related information pertaining to a given vehicle when
no individual connected to that vehicle is present. For example,
if a first driver where to scrape a second car when leaving a parking
lot and the first driver wanted to do the responsible thing and
leave information for the driver of the second car, but the second
driver is not present and waiting for the second driver is not practical,
the first driver could call the insurance policy verification phone
number 420 and leave information pertaining to their identity, their
insurance, and the details of the incident which caused the scrape.
The insurance policy verification phone number 420 can have a no-password,
messaging option wherein the ID# 418 can be used to target a message
to the owner of the second car, without having to leave a note that
may be blown away or make compromising personal information potentially
available to prying third party eyes. As an incentive to encourage
such responsible behavior, it may be preferable to reach an agreement
among insurance companies to provide a benefit for taking this self-reporting
action, such as mitigating future insurance rate increases for the
first driver due to this accident, in a manner that would decrease
costs for the insurance industry as a whole. The variation in content
and degree of public revelation of insurance related information
is not unique to the fourth display configuration 410, and can also
be utilized for any embodiment of the VISDS.
[0086] FIGS. 5-8 depict first through fourth variants of a fifth
display configuration 610-810, respectively. The variants of the
fifth display configuration have certain perception facilitating
modes in common, with a limited number of variations in how some
aspects of the common perception facilitating modes are implemented.
In FIG. 5, the fifth display configuration first variant 510 is
a square display of insurance status related information that includes
at least a sufficient amount of information required to ascertain
the insurance status of a vehicle the fifth display configuration
first variant 510 is displayed on. In general, the fifth display
configuration first variant 510 will be incorporated into an affixable
exhibit for effecting said on-vehicle display, wherein the manner
of affixing the exhibit can be chosen form any of a number of well
known techniques, such as using a static adhesion plastic sticker
of the familiar types used to affix to a vehicle's window parking
permit or registration information. The manner of affixing can also
incorporate a form of pocket of removable tabs (not shown) that
will allow the exhibit to be continuously affixed to the vehicle
while also allowing the display of insurance status related information
to be replaceable when it becomes necessary to update the insurance
status related information. The sufficient amount of insurance status
related information is subdivided into insurance status datums that
are symbolized with visual signifiers. The symbolizing process utilizes
various perception facilitating modes to enhance the readiness of
perception of the visual signifiers, which are arranged in the fifth
display configuration first variant 510 so as to maintain or augment
the enhancement of the readiness of visual perception of the visual
signifiers' informational content. The fifth display configuration
first variant 510 is generally segregated into a primary insurance
related information field 512 and a secondary insurance related
information field 514. The four variants of the fifth display configuration
utilize the placement location based perception facilitating mode
to enhance the readiness of perception of the visual signifiers
of the primary insurance related information. A first aspect of
the use of the placement location based perception facilitating
mode in the fifth display configuration is the locating of the primary
insurance related information field 512 in the vicinity of a top
border of the fifth display configuration first variant 510. In
use, it will be understood by the relevant authorities that the
relative location of the primary insurance related information is
at least partially indicative of the insurance validity date (i.e.
the ending date that the insurance for that vehicle is valid) of
the vehicle's insurance policy. In the case of the fifth display
configuration, it will be understood that when the primary insurance
related information is located along the top border that this location
symbolizes that the validity date is within the first quarter of
the year indicated, and when the primary insurance related information
is located along the right side border that this location symbolizes
that the validity date is within the second quarter of the year
indicated, and so on continuing clockwise about the border of fifth
display configuration.
[0087] The fifth display configuration first variant 510 also utilizes
the background differentiated perception facilitating mode to enhance
the viewer's perception of the location of the primary insurance
related information with a shading 516 of at least a portion of
the background of the primary insurance related information filed
512, while not shading the background of the secondary insurance
related information field 514. In addition to the quarter-year indicating
rotation of the primary insurance related information field 512,
the shading 516 is also color coded with three differing hues that
indicate which month of the quarter-year that the insurance validity
date falls within. For example, when the primary insurance related
information field 512 indicates the insurance validity date falls
within the first quarter of the year such as in the fifth display
configuration first variant 510, the first month of the quarter-year,
January, is symbolized by the shading 516 having a green hue, and
when the insurance validity date falls within the second or third
months the hue of the shading 516 would be yellow or red, respectively.
By applying the same progression of standard colors corresponding
to the progression of months in a given quarter-year for the shading
of the other three quarter-years' primary insurance related information
fields, an observer is readily able to determine the month of the
insurance validity date, for example when the primary insurance
related information field is red and is disposed along the lower
border of the display, then it is immediately clear that the insurance
validity date falls within the month of September. It is thus apparent
that the present invention can greatly enhance the readiness of
perception of salient aspects of the insurance validity date, since
in many cases it will only be necessary to ascertain the month that
the insurance validity date falls within in order to determine if
the insurance status of the vehicle is permissible. Additionally,
a second shading color (not shown) can be applied to the background
of the secondary insurance related information field 517 to indicate
for ready perception the year of the insurance validity date. The
shading of the primary insurance related information filed 512 can
also optionally incorporate the pattern based perception facilitating
mode by effecting the shading 516 with a visually distinctive pattern.
At least one of the character based perception facilitating modes
are also utilized to distinguish the primary insurance related information
field 512 from the secondary insurance related information field
514, such as utilizing substantially larger and differently configured
characters in the primary insurance related information filed 512.
By exclusively reserving the border vicinities for the visual signifiers
of the primary insurance related information, the fifth display
configuration variants also employ the content allotment perception
facilitating mode. Although the four variants of the fifth display
configuration are shown as each utilizing differing visual signifiers
for symbolizing the informational content of the insurance status
datums within the primary insurance related information field 512,
it should be understood that when in use, a similar arrangement
of visual signifiers in the primary insurance related information
field 512 will be utilized for all four quarters of the year, with
the differences in placement location as shown for the four quarter-years
and appropriate, but limited variations in the dispositions of the
visual signifiers. The four variants shown characterize four alternative
manners of arranging visual signifiers of the primary insurance
related information, and when in use generally only one of the variants
will be employed, with the relevant modifications to show which
applicable quarter-year the insurance validity date falls within.
The principal differences between the four variants of the fifth
display configuration are in how the insurance datums of the primary
insurance related information field 512 are symbolized with visual
signifiers. The remainder of the descriptions herein of these four
variants will be focused largely on these differences, with any
additional differences being detailed where appropriate.
[0088] The primary insurance related information field 512 includes
a relatively large character based insurance validity date visual
signifier 518 for ready perception of the insurance validity date.
A shading interruption 520 is an augmenting visual signifier of
the location of the a more specific visual signifier: an insurance
validity date locator bar 522. The shading interruption can alternatively
be configured (all not shown), in addition to the lack of shading
shown in FIG. 5, as a shading change in color, hue, or saturation;
as a change in shading pattern or an introduction of a pattern where
the remainder of the shading 516 has none; or as an introduction
of a photo active region such as a fluorescent or reflective background.
The location of the insurance validity date locator bar 522, relative
to the left and right border edges of the fifth display configuration
first variant 510, is also a visual signifier of the insurance validity
date. Since the various quarterly primary insurance related information
fields rotate about the perimeter of the fifth display configuration
first variant 510 in a clockwise fashion, it is natural to designate
the closest clockwise edge of each quarter-year's primary insurance
related information field as the starting day of the month of the
insurance validity date, and the farthest clockwise edge as the
ending date of the month of the insurance validity date. In the
case of the primary insurance related information field 512, the
relative spacing of the shading interruption 520 and the insurance
validity date locator bar 522 being much closer to the left (i.e.
closest clockwise edge) than to the right (i.e. farthest clockwise
edge) border edges symbolically enables the ready perception that
the insurance validity date falls close to the beginning of the
relevant month, without even a need to read the character based
insurance validity date visual signifier 518.
[0089] In FIG. 6, the primary insurance related information field
512 is disposed along the right side border of the fifth display
configuration second variant 610, symbolically indicating that the
insurance validity date falls within the second quarter-year of
the year. In the fifth display configuration second variant 610,
a partial background shading 612 extends across only a portion of
the primary insurance related information field 512, with the relative
extent that the partial background shading 612 covers from the closest
clockwise edge (i.e. top edge) to the farthest clockwise edge (i.e.
bottom edge) symbolically denoting the relative position within
the relevant month where the insurance validity date falls. For
example, in the case of the fifth display configuration second variant
610, the insurance validity date falls near the midway point in
the relevant month of May, and accordingly the partial background
shading 612 covers about halfway across the extent of the primary
insurance related information field 512. The remainder of the primary
insurance related information field 512 can be unshaded as shown,
or can be configured with any of other manner of background shading
or visual effect that will provide a useable contrast to the partial
background shading 612. In the case where the extent of the partial
background shading 612 is such that it is possible for it to indicate
more than one quarter-year, such as when the partial background
shading 612 extends downward only as far as the limit point of the
primary insurance related information field 512 in the fifth display
configuration first variant 510, the additional inclusion of the
character based insurance validity date visual signifier 518 helps
to resolve the potential ambiguity. A peripheral frame 614 of the
primary insurance related information field 512 further facilitates
the readiness of perception of the relevant quarter-year that the
insurance validity date falls within.
[0090] In FIG. 7, the primary insurance related information field
512 of the fifth display configuration third variant 710 utilizes
background-differentiated, shape based, and placement location based
perception facilitating modes to symbolize the insurance validity
date. A shaped background first shading 712 is configured in a triangular
shape with the relative location of its vertex 714 between the closest
clockwise edge (i.e. right edge) and the farthest clockwise edge
(i.e. left edge) indicating where in the relevant month that the
insurance validity date falls. For example, the vertex 714 being
positioned approximately two-thirds of the way towards the farthest
clockwise edge denotes that the insurance validity date falls approximately
two-thirds of the way through the month of the insurance validity
date. An optional, shaped background second shading 716 that substantially
differs form the shaped background first shading 712 can also be
utilized to further enhance the readiness of perception of the position
of the vertex 714, which itself symbolically denotes the day of
the month on which the insurance validity date falls. In FIG. 8,
the primary insurance related information field 512 is disposed
along the left periphery of the fifth display configuration fourth
variant 810 and includes the shading 516. A patterned shaft 812
disposed along the internal edge of the primary insurance related
information field 512 extends upward from the closest clockwise
edge (i.e. bottom edge) towards the farthest clockwise edge (i.e.
top edge) of the fifth display configuration fourth variant 810.
The relative distance that the patterned shaft 812 extends from
the closest to the farthest clockwise edges symbolically denotes
the relative position of the day of the month of the insurance validity
date. For example, in the case of the fifth display configuration
fourth variant 810, the patterned shaft terminus 814 reaches almost
to the top edge which symbolically denotes that the insurance validity
date (Dec 30 06) falls almost at the end of the month.
[0091] FIG. 9 depicts a self-insured display configuration 910
that is arranged in a manner that differs from the other display
configurations so as to symbolically denote that the insurance status
of the vehicle in question differs from those with the standard
forms of insurance. Self-insured vehicles are typically those that
are part of a large fleet of vehicles, such as rental cars. For
an enterprise that maintains such a large fleet it can become financially
advantageous for the owner of the fleet to finance the insurance
of the vehicles themselves, and the conditions that such a self-insurer
must legally satisfy differ from those of standard vehicle insurance
and the insurance status datums of standard vehicles will often
not apply to self-insured vehicles. The insurance validity date
in particular will not generally apply in the same way to self-insured
vehicles, since a fleet owner, for example, will generally be providing
self-insurance for its vehicles in an unending fashion. Of course,
it may still be necessary to determine if the self insurance is
being effected properly, so that the secondary insurance related
information field 514 will still be generally be present. The self-insured
display configuration 910 symbolically denotes that it is on a self-insured
vehicle with the surrounding shaded border 912, that an observer
will readily perceive denotes a self-insured vehicle.
[0092] Outside of the variations in configuration and perception
facilitating modes among the various embodiments of the VISDS, it
should also be understood that the particular combinations of content,
indicator elements, perception facilitating modes, and other aspects
of the VISDS employed by each embodiment are not unique to the individual
embodiments. The scope of the present invention encompasses additional
alternative embodiments (not shown) that are capable of being configured
with differing permutations and combinations of these separate aspects.
[0093] In view of the above, it will be seen that the various objects
and features of the invention are achieved and other advantageous
results obtained. The examples contained herein are merely illustrative
and are not intended in a limiting sense.
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