Audio-based 3D scanner

• US 9,519,058 B1
• Filed: 01/15/2016
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Original Assignee: State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (State Farm)
• Inventors: Freeman, James M., Schmidgall, Roger D., Boyer, Patrick H., Christopulos, Nicholas U., Maurer, Jonathan D., Tofte, Nathan L., Jordan, Jackie O. II
• Primary Examiner(s): Du, Haixia
• Application Number:
  US14/997,154
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/32 for cartography or topography
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/64 Fluorescence; Phosphorescence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8851 Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges G01N21/8806 and G01N21/93 - G01N21/95692 take precedence; optical measurement of dimensions G01B11/00; optical scanning G02B26/10; image transformation G06T3/00; computerised image enhancement G06T5/00; image processing per se for flaw detection G06T7/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 22/02 Investigating the presence of flaws
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/06113 Coherent sources; lasers
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2201/10 Scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4817 relating to scanning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/13 Architectural design, e.g. computer-aided architectural design [CAAD] related to design of buildings, bridges, landscapes, production plants or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0278 Product appraisal
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/08 Insurance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/16 Real estate
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/163 Real estate management
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0007 Image acquisition
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/20 Finite element generation, e.g. wire-frame surface description, tesselation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/08 : involving all processing steps from image acquisition to 3D model generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10028 : Range image; Depth image; 3D point clouds
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10032 : Satellite or aerial image; Remote sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/0002 : Inspection of images, e.g. flaw detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/106 : Processing image signals for multi-view video sequence encoding H04N19/597
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/254 : in combination with electromagnetic radiation sources for illuminating objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/271 : wherein the generated image signals comprise depth maps or disparity maps
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/275 : from 3D object models, e.g. computer-generated stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 : from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 23/008 : using optical signals for detecting or generating sound

Abstract

In a computer-implemented method and system for capturing the condition of a structure, the structure is scanned with a three-dimensional (3D) scanner. The 3D scanner generates 3D data. A point cloud or 3D model is constructed from the 3D data. The point cloud or 3D model is then analyzed to determine the condition of the structure.

Claims

1. A property inspection system comprising:

one or more three-dimensional (3D) scanners including a microphone that is a dynamic microphone or a laser microphone, the one or more 3D scanners configured to scan a structure wherein;

(i) the one or more 3D scanners receive at the microphone one or more audio waves propagating from at least part of the structure, and (ii) the one or more 3D scanners generate a 3D point cloud of the structure based on the received one or more audio waves;

one or more processors;

one or more memories communicatively connected to the one or more processors, the one or more memories storing;

(i) the generated 3D point cloud, and

(ii) computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

(A) analyze the generated 3D point cloud to identify one or more features of the surface or subsurface of the structure;

(B) generate an estimate of a condition of a surface or a subsurface of the structure based on the identified one or more features; and

(C) store the generated estimate at one or more memories.

2. The property inspection system of claim 1, wherein the microphone is the laser microphone.

3. The property inspection system of claim 1, wherein the microphone is the dynamic microphone.

4. The property inspection system of claim 1, further comprising:

a mechanical feeler to physically manipulate the surface of the structure, wherein the one or more audio waves represent an audio response to the physical manipulation.

5. The property inspection system of claim 1, further including an aerial device attached to the one or more 3D scanners, the aerial device configured to convey the one or more 3D scanners.

6. The property inspection system of claim 5, wherein the aerial device includes a control system for autonomous operation.

7. The property inspection system of claim 1, further comprising:

an audio projector configured to project the one or more audio waves, wherein the one or more 3D scanners are further configured to scan the structure by causing the audio projector to project the one or more audio waves before the one or more audio waves are subsequently reflected from the at least part of the structure and received at the microphone.

8. A computer-implemented method of inspecting a structure, the method comprising:

deploying one or more three-dimensional (3D) scanners including a microphone, wherein the microphone is a dynamic microphone or a laser microphone;

receiving, at the microphone of the one or more 3D scanners, one or more audio waves propagating from at least part of the structure;

generating, by the one or more 3D scanners, a 3D point cloud of the structure based on the received one or more audio waves;

analyzing, by one or more processors, the generated 3D point cloud to identify one or more features of a surface or a subsurface of the structure;

generating, by the one or more processors, an estimate of a condition of the surface or subsurface of the structure based on the identified one or more features; and

storing the generated estimate at one or more memories.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein the microphone is the laser microphone.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein the microphone is the dynamic microphone.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

physically manipulating the surface of the structure, wherein the one or more audio waves represent an audio response to the physical manipulation.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 8, wherein deploying the one or 3D scanners comprises:

utilizing an aerial device to fly the one or more 3D scanners into a position where the structure can be scanned.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 12, further comprising:

wirelessly receiving, at the aerial device, control commands for moving the aerial device.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 8, further comprising:

projecting the one or more audio waves in the direction of the structure before the one or more audio waves are subsequently reflected from the at least part of the structure and received at the microphone.

15. A property inspection system comprising:

a microphone for receiving one or more audio waves propagating from at least part of the structure, wherein the microphone is a dynamic microphone or a laser microphone;

a means for generating a 3D point cloud of the structure based on the received one or more audio waves;

a means for analyzing the generated 3D point cloud to identify one or more features of a surface or a subsurface of the structure;

a means for generating an estimate of a condition of the surface or subsurface of the structure based on the identified one or more features; and

a means for storing the generated estimate at one or more memories.

16. The property inspection system of claim 15, wherein the microphone is the laser microphone.

17. The property inspection system of claim 15, wherein the microphone is the dynamic microphone.