APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SURVEYING PREMISES OF A CUSTOMER

• US 20170178222A1
• Filed: 12/16/2016
• Published: 06/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Walmart Apollo, LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wal-Mart Stores Texas LLC (WalMart Inc.)
• Inventors: High, Donald R., Winkle, David C., Atchley, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,614,503 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/14 with four distinct rotor axes, e.g. quadcopters
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/31 for surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2201/20 Remote controls
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/2518 Projection by scanning of the object
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/00 Photogrammetry or videogrammetry, e.g. stereogrammetry; Photographic surveying
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/24 Earth materials G01N33/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0631 Item recommendations

Abstract

Systems, apparatuses and methods are provided herein for providing surveying premises of a customer. In one embodiment, a system for surveying premises of a customer comprises: an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising a three dimension (3D) scanner and an image sensor, and a control circuit comprising a communication device configured to communicate with the UAV. The control circuit being configured to: receive, from a customer, a premises location, instruct the UAV to travel to the premises location to collect a set of data, form a 3D point cloud model of the premises based on 3D data collected by the 3D scanner of the UAV, identify one or more features of the premises based on the 3D point cloud model and image data collected by the image sensor of the UAV, and generate a recommendation to the customer based on the one or more features of the premises.

Claims

1. A system for surveying premises of a customer comprising:

a unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) comprising a three dimension (3D) scanner and an image sensor; and

a control circuit comprising a communication device configured to communicate with the UAV, the control circuit being configured to;

receive, from the customer, a premises location;

instruct the UAV to travel to the premises location to collect a set of data;

form a 3D point cloud model of the premises based on 3D data collected by the 3D scanner of the UAV;

identify one or more features of the premises based on the 3D point cloud model and image data collected by the image sensor of the UAV; and

generate, with the control circuit, a recommendation to the customer based on the one or more features of the premises.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the premises location is received via an in-store customer kiosk.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of data collected by the UAV comprises one or more of:

3D measurements, colored photographs, temperature measurements, lighting condition measurements, and humidity measurements.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the 3D scanner comprises a laser scanner.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the UAV further comprises a soil sampler, and the recommendation to the customer is further based on a soil sample analysis.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the UAV further comprises a communication device for communicating with one or more stationary sensors located at the premises.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the one or more stationary sensors comprise one or more of:

a light sensor, rain sensor, humidity sensor, a wind sensor, a temperature sensor, and a motion sensor.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more features of the premises comprise one or more of a wall, a yard, a gate, a door, a window, a planter, a roof section, a gutter, a pillar, a beam, a fence, a furniture, a security device, and vegetation.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit is further configured to measure a dimension of the one or more features of the premises based on the 3D point cloud model, and the recommendation is generated further based on the dimension of the one or more features.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the recommendation to the customer comprises one or more of:

a product recommendation, a home service recommendation, a home improvement project recommendation, a security improvement recommendation, a lighting recommendation and a gardening project recommendation.

11. A method for surveying premises of a customer comprising:

receiving, from the customer, a premises location;

instructing, with a control circuit, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to travel to the premises to collect a set of data, the UAV comprises a three dimension (3D) scanner and an image sensor;

forming, with the control circuit, a 3D point cloud model of the premises based on 3D data collected by the 3D scanner of the UAV;

identifying, with the control circuit, one or more features of the premises based on the 3D point cloud model and image data collected by the image sensor of the UAV; and

generating, with the control circuit, a recommendation to the customer based on the one or more features of the premises.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the premises location is received via an in-store customer kiosk configured to authenticate the customer.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the set of data collected by the UAV comprises one or more of:

3D measurements, colored photographs, temperature measurements, lighting condition measurements, and humidity measurements.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the 3D scanner comprises a laser scanner.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the UAV further comprises a soil sampler, and the recommendation to the customer is further based on a soil sample analysis.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the UAV further comprises a communication device for communicating with one or more stationary sensors located at the premises.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more stationary sensors comprise one or more of:

a light sensor, rain sensor, humidity sensor, a wind sensor, a temperature sensor, and a motion sensor.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more features of the premises comprise one or more of a wall, a yard, a gate, a door, a window, a planter, a roof section, a gutter, a pillar, a beam, a fence, a furniture, a security device, and vegetation.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the control circuit is further configured to measure a dimension of the one or more features of the premises based on the 3D point cloud model, and the recommendation is generated further based on the dimension of the one or more features.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the recommendation to the customer comprises one or more of:

a product recommendation, a home service recommendation, a home improvement project recommendation, a security improvement recommendation, a lighting recommendation and a gardening project recommendation.

21. An apparatus for surveying premises of a customer, comprising:

a three dimension (3D) scanner configured to generate a 3D point cloud;

an image sensor;

an environmental sensor;

a communication device configured to communicate with a server;

an unamend aerial vehicle (UAV) carrying the 3D scanner, the image sensor, the environmental sensor, the communication device, and a control circuit; and

the control circuit being configured to;

receive a premises location of the premises and a set of data to collect from the server via the communication device;

cause the UAV to travel to the premises location;

cause the 3D scanner, the image sensor, and the environmental sensor to collect the set of data at the premises; and

transmit the set of data to the server.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, where the environmental sensor comprises one or more of:

a temperature sensor, a light sensor, a humidity sensor, and a soil sampler.