Estimating a condition of a physical structure

• US 10,013,708 B1
• Filed: 12/14/2015
• Issued: 07/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Original Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Inventors: Freeman, James M., Schmidgall, Roger D., Boyer, Patrick H., Christopulos, Nicholas U., Maurer, Jonathan D., Tofte, Nathan L., Jordan, II, Jackie O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Utpal
• Application Number:
  US14/968,147
• Time in Patent Office: 932 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/32 for cartography or topography
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/64 Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8851 Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges G01N21/8806 and G01N21/93 - G01N21/95692 take precedence; optical measurement of dimensions G01B11/00; optical scanning G02B26/10; image transformation G06T3/00; computerised image enhancement G06T5/00; image processing per se for flaw detection G06T7/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 22/02 Investigating the presence of flaws
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/06113 Coherent sources; lasers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/10 Scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/13 Architectural design, e.g. computer-aided architectural design [CAAD] related to design of buildings, bridges, landscapes, production plants or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0278 Product appraisal
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/163 Real estate management
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0007 Image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/20 Finite element generation, e.g. wire-frame surface description, tesselation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/08 : involving all processing steps from image acquisition to 3D model generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10028 : Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10032 : Satellite or aerial image; Remote sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0002 : Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/106 : Processing image signals for multi-view video sequence encoding H04N19/597
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 : in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/271 : wherein the generated image signals comprise depth maps or disparity maps
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/275 : from 3D object models, e.g. computer-generated stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 : from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 23/008 : using optical signals for detecting or generating sound

Abstract

In a computer-implemented method and system for capturing the condition of a structure, the structure is scanned with a three-dimensional (3D) scanner. The 3D scanner generates 3D data. A point cloud or 3D model is constructed from the 3D data. The point cloud or 3D model is then analyzed to determine the condition of the structure.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of inspecting a structure, the method comprising:

projecting onto a surface of a structure a light pattern;

detecting, by one or more 3D scanners, deformations in the light pattern projected onto the surface of the structure, wherein detecting the deformations in the light pattern comprises positioning the one or more 3D scanners via an aerial device so that the one or more 3D scanners can detect the deformation in the light pattern;

generating, by the one or more 3D scanners, a 3D point cloud based on the detected deformation in the light pattern;

analyzing, by one or more processors, the generated 3D point cloud to identify one or more features of the surface of the structure;

generating, by the one or more processors, an estimate of a condition of the surface of the structure based on the identified one or more features; and

storing the generated estimate at one or more memories.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the one or more 3D scanners comprises:

(i) positioning the one or more 3D scanners via an on-board control system of the aerial device configured for autonomous operation;

(ii) positioning the one or more 3D scanners by wirelessly transmitting control commands to the aerial device;

or (iii) positioning the one or more 3D scanners by transmitting from a base station via a tether control commands to the aerial device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the deformations in the light pattern comprises positioning the one or more 3D scanners via a non-aerial device so that the one or more 3D scanners can detect the deformation in the light pattern.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein positioning the one or more 3D scanners comprises:

(i) positioning the one or more 3D scanners via an on-board control system of the non-aerial device configured for autonomous operation;

(ii) positioning the one or more 3D scanners by wirelessly transmitting control commands to the non-aerial device;

or (iii) positioning the one or more 3D scanners by transmitting from a base station via a tether control commands to the non-aerial device.

5. The method of claim 1, further including causing the one or more processors to calculate a financial cost based on the estimate of the condition of the surface.

6. A system for inspecting a structure, the system comprising:

a first means for projecting onto a surface of a structure a light pattern;

a second means for detecting deformations in the light pattern projected onto the surface of the structure;

a third means for generating a 3D point cloud based on the detected deformation in the light pattern;

a fourth means for analyzing the generated 3D point cloud to identify one or more features of the surface of the structure;

a fifth means for generating an estimate of a condition of the surface of the structure based on the identified one or more features;

a sixth means for storing the generated estimate; and

a device that conveys the second means so that the second means can be positioned to detect the deformations in the light pattern, wherein the device is an aerial device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the device includes an on-board control system configured for autonomous operation.

8. The system of claim 6, further including a seventh means for transmitting to the device control commands for causing the device to position the second means so that the second means can detect the deformation in the light pattern.

9. The system of claim 6, further including a seventh means for calculating a financial cost based on the estimate of the condition of the surface.

10. A system for inspecting a structure, the system comprising:

(A) a projector for projecting onto a surface of a structure a light pattern;

(B) one or more 3D scanners configured to;

(i) detect deformations in the light pattern projected onto the surface of the structure, and (ii) generate a 3D point cloud based on the detected deformation in the light pattern;

(C) a device that conveys the one or more 3D scanners so that the one or more 3D scanners can be positioned to detect the deformations in the light pattern, wherein the device is an aerial device;

(D) one or more processors configured to execute instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more processors to;

(i) generate a 3D point cloud based on the detected deformation in the light pattern;

(ii) analyze the generated 3D point cloud to identify one or more features of the surface of the structure;

(iii) generate an estimate of a condition of the surface of the structure based on the identified one or more features; and

(iv) store to a memory the generated estimate.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the device includes an on-board control system configured for autonomous operation.

12. The system of claim 10, further including a tether physically connected to the device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the tether provides a communication channel to the device, wherein the device receives control commands for positioning the device via the tether.