Systems and methods for processing overhead imagery

• US 8,229,768 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2007
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Original Assignee: United Services Automobile Association
• Inventors: Hopkins, III, John Chandler
• Primary Examiner(s): ROSEN, ELIZABETH H
• Application Number:
  US11/762,707
• Time in Patent Office: 1,868 Days
• Field of Search: 705/4
• US Class Current: 705/4
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

Systems and methods to process overhead imagery received from overhead image sources are described herein. In one example, the method may include receiving an overhead image, detecting features on a property and deriving business information using the features. In another example, the system may include an overheard imagery module to positionally correlate images and an image analyzer to determine one or more features on a property. In a further example, the method may include receiving an overhead image, correlating the image with land maps, parsing individual properties, determining the property'"'"'s values and aggregating the values across the image to derive a risk.

Claims

1. A method of processing overhead imagery, the method comprising:

receiving, by an imagery processor, a first overhead image from a first image source, the first overhead image depicting a structure having an assessed value and including visual information regarding the structure, wherein the first image source includes a satellite;

receiving, by the imagery processor, a second overhead image from a second image source, the second overhead image depicting the structure and including non-visual information regarding the structure, wherein the second image source includes an unmanned aircraft that is dispatched to an area in which the structure is located;

detecting, by an image analyzer, whether the structure has structural damage using the visual information and the non-visual information, wherein the detecting includes ascertaining the structural damage by comparing historical information with present information and deriving a difference that provides an indication of whether structural damage has occurred to the structure; and

processing, by a claims processing engine, an insurance claim for the structure based on the detecting of whether the structure has structural damage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the non-visual information includes information in a non-visual spectrum.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing of the insurance claim comprises:

quantifying the structural damage to the structure; and

determining a maximum amount of coverage associated with the policy insuring the structure.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

providing, by the claims processing engine, a payment direction to a processing unit to issue payment to the policyholder of the structure in accordance with the quantifying of the structural damage and the maximum amount of coverage.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

correlating the first overhead image and the second overhead image using the processor,

wherein the detecting of whether the structure has structural damage is based on the correlating.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting and the processing occurs without initiation by an insured party associated with the structure.

7. A non-transitory machine-readable medium comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor of a machine, cause the machine to:

receive a first overhead image from a first image source, the first overhead image depicting a structure having an assessed value and including visual information regarding the structure, wherein the first image source includes a satellite;

receive a second overhead image from a second image source, the second overhead image depicting the structure and including non-visual information regarding the structure, wherein the second image source includes an unmanned aircraft that is dispatched to an area in which the structure is located;

detect whether the structure has structural damage using the visual information and the non-visual information, wherein detection includes ascertaining the structural damage by comparing historical information with present information and deriving a difference that provides a indication of whether structural damage has occurred to the structure; and

process an insurance claim for the structure based on detection.

8. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the non-visual information includes information in a non-visual spectrum.

9. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein processing the insurance claim comprises:

quantifying the structural damage to the structure; and

determining a maximum amount of coverage associated with the policy insuring the structure.

10. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 9, further comprising instructions that cause the machine to:

provide a payment direction to a processing unit to issue payment to a policyholder of the structure in accordance with quantifying of the structural damage and the maximum amount of coverage.

11. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, further comprising instructions that cause the machine to:

correlate the first overhead image and the second overhead image;

wherein the detecting of whether the structure has structural damage is based on the correlation.

12. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 7, wherein the detecting and the processing occur without initiation by an insured party associated with the structure.

13. A system comprising:

a processor and memory;

a first image receiver subsystem deployed in the memory and executed by the processor to receive a first overhead image from a first image source, the first overhead image depicting a structure having an assessed value and including visual information regarding the structure, wherein the first image source includes a satellite;

a second image receiver subsystem deployed in the memory and executed by the processor to receive a second overhead image from a second image source, the second overhead image depicting the structure and including non-visual information regarding the structure, wherein the second image source includes an unmanned aircraft that is dispatched to an area in which the structure is located;

a detecting subsystem deployed in the memory and executed by the processor to detect whether the structure has structural damage using the visual information and the non-visual information, wherein detection includes ascertaining the structural damage by comparing historical information with present information and deriving a difference that provides an indication of whether structural damage has occurred to the structure; and

a processing subsystem deployed in the memory and executed by the processor to process an insurance claim for the structure based on detection.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the non-visual information includes information in a non-visual spectrum.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein processing the insurance claim comprises:

quantifying the structural damage to the structure; and

determining a maximum amount of coverage associated with the policy insuring the structure.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a payment direction subsystem deployed in the memory and executed by the processor to provide a payment direction to a processing unit to issue payment to a policyholder of the structure in accordance with quantifying of the structural damage and the maximum amount of coverage.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a correlation subsystem deployed in the memory and executed by the processor to correlate the first overhead image and the second overhead image;

wherein the detecting of whether the structure has structural damage is based on the correlation.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the detecting and the processing occur without initiation by an insured party associated with the structure.