Methods and Systems for Provisioning Energy Systems

• US 20090304227A1
• Filed: 02/02/2009
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pineapple Energy LLC, Sungevity Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sungevity Inc.
• Inventors: Pryor, Adam, Kennedy, Daniel Ian, Birch, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 8,417,061 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 2201/00 Prediction; Simulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/13 Satellite images

Abstract

The invention provides consumers, private enterprises, government agencies, contractors and third party vendors with tools and resources for gathering site specific information related to purchase and installation of energy systems. A system according to one embodiment of the invention remotely determines the measurements of a roof. An exemplary system comprises a computer including an input means, a display means and a working memory. An aerial image file database contains a plurality of aerial images of roofs of buildings in a selected region. A roof estimating software program receives location information of a building in the selected region and then presents the aerial image files showing roof sections of building located at the location information. Some embodiments of the system include a sizing tool for determining the size, geometry, and pitch of the roof sections of a building being displayed.

Claims

1. A system for remotely determining the measurements of a roof, comprising:

a computer including an input means;

a display means and working memory;

an aerial image file database containing a plurality of aerial images of roofs of buildings in a selected region;

a roof estimating software program able to receive location information of a building in the selected region and then present said aerial image files showing the roof sections of said building located at the location information; and

,

a calibration means used to determine the size, geometry, and pitch of the roof sections of said building being displayed.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said roof estimating software program is loaded into said working memory of said computer.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said aerial image file database is loaded into said working memory of said computer.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said aerial image file database located on a remote computer connected to a wide area network, said computer capable of connecting to said wide area network and communicating with said remote computer.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein further including a wide area network connected to said computer, wherein potential customers are able transmit via said wide area network request for an estimate to said computer from remote locations.

6. A method for determining the measurements of a roof comprising the following steps:

a. selecting a roof estimation system that includes a computer with a roof estimation software program loaded into its working memory, said roof estimation software uses aerial image files of buildings in a selected region and a calibration module that allows the size, geometry, and pitch of a roof section to be determined from said aerial image files;

b. submitting a request for a measurement of a roof of a building at a known location;

c. entering the location of a building with a roof that needs a roof measurement;

d. obtaining aerial image files of said roof of the building at said location; and

,

e. using said calibration module to determine the size, geometry and pitch of each said roof section.