Systems and methods for processing overhead imagery

• US 8,650,106 B1
• Filed: 06/21/2012
• Issued: 02/11/2014
• 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): Apple, Kirsten
• Application Number:
  US13/529,883
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 705/4, 705/35
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance

Abstract

A method of processing overhead imagery of a property includes providing a processor and receiving an insurance claim associated with the property. The method also includes receiving images of the property from one or more overhead image sources, positionally correlating the images using the processor, and detecting structural damage associated with the property using the positionally correlated images. The method further includes processing the insurance claim associated with the property based on detecting the structural damage.

Claims

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

providing a computing device having a processor, a database accessible to the processor, and a memory;

receiving an insurance claim associated with the property;

receiving images of the property from one or more overhead image sources wherein the images comprise visual and non-visual images and wherein the non-visual images are obtained from at least one of a radar scan or an infrared portion of an electromagnetic spectrum;

positionally correlating the images of both the visual and non-visual images from the one or more overhead image sources using the processor;

detecting, using the processor, structural damage associated with the property using the positionally correlated images of both of the visual and non-visual images from the one or more overhead image sources; and

processing the insurance claim associated with the property based on detecting the structural damage.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more overhead image sources comprise an aircraft-based image source.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more overhead image sources comprise a satellite-based image source.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting one or more risks associated with the property; and

computing, using the processor, an insurance premium for the property using at least the one or more risks.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving additional images of the property from the one or more overhead image sources; and

determining additional risks associated with the property using the additional images of the property.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the images of the property comprise a first set of overhead images from a satellite and a second set of overhead images from an unmanned aircraft, the method further comprising correlating the first set of overhead images with the second set of overhead images to improve the positional accuracy of the second set of overhead images.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the processing of the insurance claim is automatically initiated upon detecting the structural damage without a request from an insured.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the detected structure damage associated with the property is stored in data storage and wherein the processing of the insurance claim is initiated after being contacted by an insured of the property.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the one or more overhead images for obtaining the one or more overhead image sources are dispatched prior to an event and after the event that resulted in the structural damage associated with the property.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a plurality of computer-readable instructions tangibly embodied on the computer-readable storage medium, which, when executed by a data processor, provide for the processing of overhead imagery, the plurality of instructions comprising:

instructions that cause the data processor to receive an insurance claim associated with the property;

instructions that cause the data processor to receive images of the property from one or more overhead image sources wherein the images comprise visual and non-visual images and wherein the non-visual images are obtained from at least one of a radar scan or an infrared portion of an electromagnetic spectrum;

instructions that cause the data processor to positionally correlate the images of both the visual and non-visual images from the one or more overhead image sources;

instructions that cause the data processor to detect structural damage associated with the property using the positionally correlated images of both of the visual and non-visual images from the one or more overhead image sources; and

instructions that cause the data processor to process the insurance claim associated with the property based on detecting the structural damage.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the one or more overhead image sources comprise an aircraft-based image source.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the one or more overhead image sources comprise a satellite-based image source.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the plurality of instructions further comprise:

instructions that cause the data processor to detect one or more risks associated with the property; and

instructions that cause the data processor to compute an insurance premium for the property using at least the one or more risks.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the plurality of instructions further comprise:

instructions that cause the data processor to receiving additional images of the property from the one or more overhead image sources; and

instructions that cause the data processor to determining additional risks associated with the property using the additional images of the property.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10 wherein the images of the property comprise a first set of overhead images from a satellite and a second set of overhead images from an unmanned aircraft, the plurality of instructions further comprising instructions that cause the processor to correlate the first set of overhead images with the second set of overhead images to improve the positional accuracy of the second set of overhead images.

16. A system for processing overhead imagery of a property, the system comprising:

a processor;

an insurance claims processing engine configured to receive an insurance claim associated with the property;

a database configured to receive images of the property from one or more overhead image sources, wherein the images comprise visual and non-visual images, wherein the non-visual images are obtained from at least one of a radar scan or an infrared portion of an electromagnetic spectrum, and wherein the processor is configured to;

positionally correlate the images of both the visual and non-visual images from the one or more overhead image sources; and

detect structural damage associated with the property using the positionally correlated images of both of the visual and non-visual images from the one or more overhead image sources, wherein the insurance claims processing engine is also configured to process the insurance claim associated with the property based on detecting the structural damage.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the one or more overhead image sources comprise at least one of an aircraft-based image source or a satellite-based image source.

18. The system of claim 16 further comprising:

a risk detection engine configured to detect one or more risks associated with the property, wherein the insurance claims processing engine is further configured to compute an insurance premium for the property using at least the one or more risks.

19. The system of claim 16 wherein the database is further configured to receive additional images of the property from the one or more overhead image sources, the insurance claims processing engine being configured to determine additional risks associated with the property using the additional images of the property.

20. The system of claim 16 wherein the images of the property comprise a first set of overhead images from a satellite and a second set of overhead images from an unmanned aircraft, the processor further being configured to correlate the first set of overhead images with the second set of overhead images to improve the positional accuracy of the second set of overhead images.