Systems and methods for identifying unidentified plumbing supply products

• US 10,412,169 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2017
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Original Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Inventors: Madey, Taryn M., Mast, Joshua M., Gibson, Sharon
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Jon
• Application Number:
  US15/852,268
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/95 structured as a network, e.g. client-server architectures
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 2201/06 Recognition of objects for industrial automation
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 30/142 using hand-held instruments; Constructional details of the instruments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Methods and systems for identifying an unidentified plumbing supply product are provided. According to certain aspects, an application executing on an electronic device may be configured to capture image data encoding an image of the unidentified plumbing supply product therein. The application may cause the electronic device to transmit the image data to an identification server. The identification server may analyze the image data to determine the unidentified plumbing supply product encoded in the image data matches a known plumbing supply product in a plumbing supply products database. The identification server may then transmit an indication to the electronic device that the unidentified plumbing supply product was successfully identified. The identification of the unidentified plumbing supply product may be used to process and/or subrogate an insurance claim.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for identifying an unidentified plumbing supply product, the method comprising:

generating, by the one or more processors, a first request to capture identifying information corresponding to the unidentified plumbing supply product;

transmitting, via a communications network to an electronic device corresponding to an individual associated with the unidentified plumbing supply product, the first request to capture the identifying information;

receiving, via the communications network, a first set of image data encoding an image of the unidentified plumbing supply product therein;

analyzing, by the one or more processors, the first set of image data to generate a first set of descriptors representative of the unidentified plumbing supply product, wherein each descriptor is a numerical vector representative of an aspect of a set of image data;

comparing, by the one or more processors, the first set of descriptors to a plurality of stored descriptors;

determining, by the one or more processors, that the first set of descriptors does not match a set of stored descriptors of the plurality of stored descriptors corresponding to a particular plumbing supply product stored in a plumbing supply product database, wherein the plumbing supply product database includes data representative of a plurality of known plumbing supply products;

generating, by the one or more processors, a second request to capture identifying information corresponding to the unidentified plumbing supply product;

transmitting, via the communications network to the electronic device corresponding to the individual, the second request to capture the identifying information;

receiving, via the communications network, a second set of image data encoding an image of the unidentified plumbing supply product therein;

analyzing, by the one or more processors, the second set of image data to generate a second set of descriptors representative of the unidentified plumbing supply product; and

determining, by the one or more processors, that the combination of the first and second sets of descriptors indicates that the unidentified plumbing supply product is the particular plumbing supply product stored in the plumbing supply product database; and

transmitting, via the communication network to the electronic device associated with the individual, a notification that the unidentified plumbing supply product has been successfully identified.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing, by the one or more processors, a plurality of tags, wherein the plurality of tags are representative of a plurality of aspects of the plurality of known plumbing supply products.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the plurality of aspects of the plurality of known plumbing supply products include of at least one of:

a shape, a color, particular text or symbols, a size, a scale, or an identity of an individual plumbing supply product.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein data corresponding to each of the plurality of tags comprises:

a descriptor rule, a representative descriptor, and a threshold value.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein generating the first set of descriptors comprises:

processing, by the one or more processors, the first set of image data by performing a plurality of descriptor rules corresponding to the plurality of tags.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein comparing the first set of descriptors to a plurality of stored descriptors further comprises:

for each generated descriptor corresponding to a respective tag;

comparing, by the one or more processors, the generated descriptor to a representative descriptor corresponding respective tag by calculating a Euclidean distance between the generated descriptor and the representative descriptor;

when the calculated Euclidean distance is less than a threshold value corresponding to the respective tag, determining that the unidentified plumbing supply product should be tagged with the respective tag; and

when the calculated Euclidean distance is greater than the threshold value corresponding to the respective tag, determining that the unidentified plumbing supply product should not be tagged with the respective tag.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein determining whether the first set of descriptors indicates that the unidentified plumbing supply product matches a plumbing supply product stored in the plumbing supply product database comprises at least one of:

identifying that the unidentified plumbing supply product has been tagged with a tag representative of the identity of the particular plumbing supply product; and

identifying that the unidentified plumbing supply product has been tagged with a set of tags that is equivalent to a set of tags corresponding to the particular plumbing supply product stored in the plumbing supply product database.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein generating the second request to capture identifying information corresponding to the unidentified plumbing supply product further comprises:

generating, by the one or more processors, an instruction that the identifying information should include a second feature and/or angle of the unidentified plumbing supply product.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the notification that the unidentified plumbing supply product has been successfully identified comprises:

transmitting, via the communications network to the electronic device corresponding to an individual, an indication identifying the unidentified plumbing supply product as the particular plumbing supply product stored in the plumbing supply product database.

10. A method for enabling a user to identify an unidentified plumbing supply product via an application executing on an electronic device, wherein the electronic device includes one or more processors, a memory coupled to the one or more processors and a camera configured to capture images including the unidentified plumbing supply product encoded therein, the method comprising:

the application causing the one or more processors to activate the electronic device'"'"'s camera for capturing a first image of the unidentified plumbing supply product, wherein the unidentified plumbing supply product is associated with an insurance claim;

the application causing the camera to capture the first image, displayed in the application, of the unidentified plumbing supply product;

the application causing the one or more processors to transmit from the electronic device, over a communications network to an identification server associated with an insurance provider, the first image of the unidentified plumbing supply product;

receiving a notification, at the electronic device over the communications network, indicating that the unidentified plumbing supply product has been successfully identified; and

in response to receiving the notification that the unidentified plumbing supply product has been successfully identified, causing the one or more processors to display in the application an indication that the unidentified plumbing supply product has been successfully identified.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the application causing the one or more processors to activate the electronic device'"'"'s camera for capturing the first image of the unidentified plumbing supply product further comprises:

the application causing the one or more processors to display an instruction indicating a first feature and/or angle of the unidentified plumbing supply product to include in the first image.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a notification, at the electronic device over the communications network, indicating that a second image is required to identify the unidentified plumbing supply product;

the application causing the one or more processors to activate the electronic device'"'"'s camera for capturing the second image of the unidentified plumbing supply product;

the application causing the camera to capture the second image, displayed in the application, of the unidentified plumbing supply product; and

the application causing the one or more processors to transmit, from the electronic device over a communications network, to the identification server associated with the insurance provider, the second image of the unidentified plumbing supply product.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the application causing the one or more processors to activate the electronic device'"'"'s camera for capturing the second image of the unidentified plumbing supply product further comprises:

the application causing the one or more processors to display an instruction indicating a second feature and/or angle of the unidentified plumbing supply product to include in the second image.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein causing to display the instruction indicating the first feature of the unidentified plumbing supply product includes displaying an instruction to capture an image of at least one of:

text or symbols on the unidentified plumbing supply product, a side-view of the unidentified plumbing supply product, a front-view of the unidentified plumbing supply product, a coupling associated with the unidentified plumbing supply product, or a physical token indicative of the scale of the unidentified plumbing supply product.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

in response to receiving an input indicating a selection of a plumbing supply product identification option;

causing the one or more processors to display an interface in the application executing on the electronic device, the interface enabling the reception of a plurality of manual input from the user; and

receiving the plurality of manual input at the one or more processors from the user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein receiving the plurality of manual input further comprises:

receiving manual input indicative of a category of plumbing supply product.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein displaying an indication that the unidentified plumbing supply product has been successfully identified further comprises:

displaying in the application a determined identity of the unidentified plumbing supply product.

18. A system for enabling a user to identify an unidentified plumbing supply product, the system comprising:

a communication network;

one or more electronic devices, wherein each electronic device comprises one or more processors, a memory coupled to the one or more processors and a camera configured to capture images including the unidentified plumbing supply product encoded therein;

one or more servers communicative coupled to the communication network and the one or more electronic devices;

one of the one or more electronic devices having an application stored thereon, wherein the application is configured to;

cause the one or more processors to activate the electronic device'"'"'s camera for capturing an image of the unidentified plumbing supply product, wherein the unidentified plumbing supply product is associated with an insurance claim;

cause the camera to capture the image, displayed in the application, of the unidentified plumbing supply product;

cause the one or more processors to transmit from the electronic device, over the communications network to an identification server associated with an insurance provider, the image of the unidentified plumbing supply product;

receive a notification, at the electronic device over the communications network, indicating that the unidentified plumbing supply product has been successfully identified; and

in response to receiving the notification that the unidentified plumbing supply product has been successfully identified, cause the one or more processors to display in the application an indication that the unidentified plumbing supply product has been successfully identified.

19. A system for identifying a plurality of unidentified plumbing supply products, the system comprising:

a communication network;

one or more electronic devices, wherein each electronic device comprises one or more processors, a memory coupled to the one or more processors and a camera configured to capture images including at least one of the plurality of unidentified plumbing supply products encoded therein;

one or more servers communicative coupled to the communication network and the one or more electronic devices;

one of the one or more servers having an application stored thereon, wherein the application is configured to;

receive, via the communications network, a plurality of sets of image data encoding an image of one of the plurality of unidentified plumbing supply products therein;

analyze, by the one or more processors, the plurality of sets of image data to generate a plurality of sets of descriptors representative of the plurality of unidentified plumbing supply products, wherein each descriptor is a numerical vector representative of an aspect of a set of image data;

compare, by the one or more processors, the plurality of sets of descriptors to a plurality of stored descriptors;

determine, by the one or more processors, that a particular set of descriptors of the plurality of sets of descriptors does not indicate that a particular unidentified plumbing supply product of the plurality of unidentified plumbing supply products matches a plumbing supply product stored in a plumbing supply product database, wherein the plumbing supply product database includes data representative of a plurality of known plumbing supply products;

generating, by the one or more processors, a request to capture additional identifying information corresponding to the particular unidentified plumbing supply product;

transmitting, via the communications network to the electronic device corresponding to the particular unidentified plumbing supply product, the request to capture the additional identifying information;

receiving, via the communications network, a second set of image data encoding an image of the particular unidentified plumbing supply product therein;

analyzing, by the one or more processors, the second set of image data to generate a second set of descriptors representative of the particular unidentified plumbing supply product; and

determining, by the one or more processors, that the combination of the first and second sets of descriptors indicates that the particular unidentified plumbing supply product is a particular plumbing supply product stored in the plumbing supply product database; and

transmit, via the communication network to the electronic device corresponding to the particular unidentified plumbing supply products, a notification that particular unidentified plumbing supply products has been successfully identified.