SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FACILITATING IMAGERY AND POINT-CLOUD BASED FACILITY MODELING AND REMOTE CHANGE DETECTION

• US 20190035146A1
• Filed: 07/25/2018
• Published: 01/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NV5 Geospatial Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Quantum Spatial Inc.
• Inventors: Nowicki, Scott, Brandt, David, Armstrong, Richard, Hill, Seth
• Granted Patent: US 10,643,379 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 2005/0077 Imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0066 for hot spots detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/0096 for measuring wires, electrical contacts or electronic systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/601 using spectral scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4808 Evaluating distance, position or velocity data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/20 Finite element generation, e.g. wire-frame surface description, tesselation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10024 Color image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10028 Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10036 Multispectral image; Hyperspectral image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2210/56 Particle system, point based geometry or rendering

Abstract

Various embodiments are directed to facilitating imagery and point-cloud based facility modeling and remote change detection. A computing device may receive collected data for a facility. The collected data may include spatial image data obtained from light detection imaging and ranging systems (LiDAR), multispectral data, and thermal data. The computing device may then analyze, based on software models generated for previously collected data for the facility, the collected data to determine changes in the previously collected data. The computing device may then update the models upon determining changes in the previously collected data. Finally, the computing device may generate an alert based on the updated models when any changes in the previously collected data are above a predetermined threshold corresponding to a current security or operational condition associated with the facility.

Claims

1. A system for facilitating imagery and point-cloud based facility modeling and remote change detection, the system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory storing computer-executable instructions that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to;

receive, by a computing device, collected data for a facility;

analyze, by the computing device, based on one or more models generated for previously collected data for the facility, the collected data to determine at least one change in the previously collected data;

update, by the computing device, the models upon determining the at least one change in the previously collected data; and

generate, by the computing device, an alert based on the updated models when the at least one change in the previously collected data is above a predetermined threshold corresponding to a current security or operational condition associated with the facility.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the models are generated by:

receiving spatial image data in the previously collected data, the spatial image data describing elements associated with a physical structure of the facility;

generating, from the spatial image data, a first three-dimensional model identifying and coding each of the elements; and

assigning a first base-level buffer to each of the elements, the first base-level buffer representing a variability threshold with respect to dimensions and characteristics associated with each of the elements.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the models are further generated by:

receiving multispectral and thermal image data in the previously collected data, the multispectral and thermal image data describing a color, spectral reflectance, and temperature range for each of the elements from one or more multispectral and thermal cameras;

generating, from the multispectral and thermal image data, a second three-dimensional model identifying and coding each of the elements; and

assigning a second base-level buffer to each of the elements, the second-base level buffer representing a variability threshold with respect to the color, spectral reflectance, and temperature range for each of the elements.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the elements associated with the physical structure of the facility comprise:

fixed and dynamic objects within the facility; and

fixed and dynamic objects in a proximity to the facility.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the collected data is analyzed by:

comparing the first and second three-dimensional models to new spatial image, multispectral, and thermal image data in the collected data; and

determining a change in at least one of the elements based on the comparison.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the alert is generated by:

determining that the at least one change in the previously collected data exceeds the variability threshold represented by the first or second base-level buffers for at least one of the elements; and

generating the alert for the at least one of the elements.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the spatial image data comprises image-derived point cloud data is generated by one or more autonomous vehicles in proximity to the facility, the autonomous vehicles comprising at least one of a ground and airborne light imaging direction and ranging (LiDAR) system.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the spatial image data comprises image data generated by one or more fixed sensors associated with the facility.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the facility comprises a public utility substation.

10. A computer-implemented method for facilitating imagery and point-cloud based facility modeling and remote change detection, at least a portion of the method being performed by a computing device comprising at least one processor, the method comprising:

receiving, by the computing device, collected data for a facility;

analyzing, by the computing device, based on one or more models generated for previously collected data for the facility, the collected data to determine at least one change in the previously collected data;

updating, by the computing device, the models upon determining the at least one change in the previously collected data; and

generating, by the computing device, an alert based on the updated models when the at least one change in the previously collected data is above a predetermined threshold corresponding to a current security or operational condition associated with the facility.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 10, wherein the models are generated by:

receiving spatial image data in the previously collected data, the spatial image data describing elements associated with a physical structure of the facility;

generating, from the spatial image data, a first three-dimensional model identifying and coding each of the elements; and

assigning a first base-level buffer to each of the elements, the first base-level buffer representing a variability threshold with respect to dimensions and characteristics associated with each of the elements.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the models are further generated by:

receiving multispectral and thermal image data in the previously collected data, the multispectral and thermal image data describing a color, spectral reflectance, and temperature range for each of the elements from one or more multispectral and thermal cameras;

generating, from the multispectral and thermal image data, a second three-dimensional model identifying and coding each of the elements; and

assigning a second base-level buffer to each of the elements, the second-base level buffer representing a variability threshold with respect to the color, spectral reflectance, and temperature range for each of the elements.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the elements associated with the physical structure of the facility comprise:

fixed and dynamic objects within the facility; and

fixed and dynamic objects in proximity to the facility.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein analyzing the collected data comprises:

comparing the first and second three-dimensional models to new spatial image, multispectral, and thermal image data in the collected data; and

determining a change in at least one of the elements based on the comparison.

15. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein generating the alert comprises:

determining that the at least one change in the previously collected data exceeds the variability threshold represented by the first or second base-level buffers for at least one of the elements; and

generating the alert for the at least one of the elements.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the spatial image data comprises image-derived point cloud data is generated by one or more autonomous vehicles in proximity to the facility, the autonomous vehicles comprising at least one of a ground and airborne light imaging direction and ranging (LiDAR) system.

17. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the spatial image data comprises image data generated by one or more fixed sensors associated with the facility.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 11, wherein the facility comprises a public utility substation.

19. A computer-readable medium comprising one or more computer-executable instructions that, when executed by at least one processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to:

receive, by the computing device, collected data for a facility;

analyze, by the computing device, based on one or more models generated for previously collected data for the facility, the collected data to determine at least one change in the previously collected data;

update, by the computing device, the models upon determining the at least one change in the previously collected data; and

generate, by the computing device, an alert based on the updated models when the at least one change in the previously collected data is above a predetermined threshold corresponding to a current security or operational condition associated with the facility.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the facility comprises a public utility substation.