System and process for roof measurement using aerial imagery

• US 9,933,254 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2016
• Issued: 04/03/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pictometry International Corporation (EagleView Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pictometry International Corporation (EagleView Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Thornberry, Dale R., Thornberry, Chris T., Garringer, Mark F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fitzpatrick, Atiba O
• Application Number:
  US15/005,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20170018095A1
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/28 for measuring areas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04815 Interaction with a metaphor-based environment or interaction object displayed as three-dimensional, e.g. changing the user viewpoint with respect to the environment or object
• 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: G06T 2207/10032 Satellite or aerial image; Remote sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/62 of area, perimeter, diameter or volume
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/176 Urban or other man-made structures

Abstract

Processes and systems including providing at least one computer input field for a user to input location data generally corresponding to the location of the building; providing visual access to a first aerial image of a region including a roof structure of a building corresponding to said location data, the first aerial image having a first resolution; providing a computer input capable of signaling user-acceptance of a final location within the aerial image; and providing visual access to one or more second aerial images of an aerial imagery database corresponding to location coordinates of the final location, the one or more second aerial images having a second resolution that is higher resolution than the first resolution.

Claims

1. A process, comprising:

providing at least one computer input field for a user to input first location data generally corresponding to a geographic location of a building;

receive first location data;

providing visual access to a first aerial image of a region corresponding to the first location data, the first aerial image having a first resolution and including a roof structure of the building;

providing a first computer input capable of signaling a designation from the user of a building roof structure location within the first aerial image, wherein the building roof structure location is a geographic position of the building roof structure and is different than the first location data;

receive the designation of the building roof structure;

responsive to receiving the designation of the building roof structure location, providing a second computer input capable of signaling user-acceptance of the building roof structure location within the first aerial image, wherein user-acceptance is one or more affirmative steps undertaken by the user to confirm the designation of the building roof structure location; and

responsive to receiving the user-acceptance confirming the designation of the building roof structure location, providing visual access to one or more second aerial images of an aerial imagery database corresponding to geographic location coordinates of the building roof structure location, the one or more second aerial images having a second resolution that is higher resolution than the first resolution.

2. The process of claim 1, further comprising providing visual access to one or more outline drawing corresponding to the roof structure of the building.

3. The process of claim 2, further comprising providing one or more length dimension on the outline drawing.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein the length dimension is a perimeter of the roof structure.

5. The process of claim 3, wherein the length dimension is a length of a ridge of the roof structure.

6. The process of claim 3, wherein the length dimension is a total length of ridges of the roof structure.

7. The process of claim 3, wherein the length dimension is a length of a valley of the roof structure.

8. The process of claim 3, wherein the length dimension is a total length of valleys of the roof structure.

9. The process of claim 3, wherein the length dimension is a length of a flashing of the roof structure.

10. The process of claim 3, wherein the length dimension is a total length of flashings of the roof structure.

11. The process of claim 2, further comprising providing one or more area dimension on the outline drawing.

12. The process of claim 2, further comprising providing one or more pitch dimension on the outline drawing.

13. The process of claim 2, further comprising providing one or more indicator of pitch direction on the outline drawing.

14. The process of claim 2, further comprising providing one or more non-dimensional attribute of the roof structure on the outline drawing.

15. The process of claim 2, further comprising, providing visual access to a nadir image of the aerial imagery database corresponding to location coordinates of the building roof structure location, and wherein the outline drawing is super-imposed on the nadir image.

16. A non-transitory computer memory storing computer logic, that when executed by computer hardware causes the computer hardware to:

provide at least one computer input field for a user to input first location data generally corresponding to a geographic location of a building;

receive first location data;

provide visual access to a first aerial image of a region corresponding to the first location data, the first aerial image having a first resolution and including a roof structure of the building;

provide a first computer input capable of signaling a designation from the user of a building roof structure location within the first aerial image, wherein the building roof structure location is a geographic position of the building roof structure and is different than the first location data;

receive the designation of the building roof structure location;

responsive to receiving the designation of the building roof structure location, provide a second computer input capable of signaling user-acceptance of the building roof structure location within the first aerial image, wherein user-acceptance is one or more affirmative steps undertaken by the user to confirm the designation of the building roof structure location; and

responsive to receiving the user-acceptance confirming the designation of the building roof structure location, provide visual access to one or more second aerial images of an aerial imagery database corresponding to geographic location coordinates of the building roof structure location, the one or more second aerial images having a second resolution that is higher resolution than the first resolution.

17. The non-transitory computer memory of claim 16, wherein said computer logic when executed by computer hardware causes the computer hardware to:

provide visual access to one or more outline drawing corresponding to the roof structure of the building.

18. The non-transitory computer memory of claim 17, wherein said computer logic when executed by computer hardware causes the computer hardware to:

provide at least one length dimension on the outline drawing.

19. The non-transitory computer memory of claim 17, wherein said computer logic when executed by computer hardware causes the computer hardware to:

provide visual access to a nadir image of the aerial imagery database corresponding to location coordinates of the building roof structure location, and wherein the outline drawing is super-imposed on the nadir image.

20. The non-transitory computer memory of claim 17, wherein said computer logic when executed by computer hardware causes the computer hardware to:

provide one or more area dimension on the outline drawing.

21. A method, comprising:

inputting, by a user, in at least one computer input field, first location data generally corresponding to a geographic location of a building;

receiving, by the user, visual access to a first aerial image of a region corresponding to the first location data, the first aerial image having a first resolution and including a roof structure of the building;

signaling, by the user, a designation from the user of a building roof structure location within the first aerial image, wherein the building roof structure location is a geographic position of the building roof structure and is different than the first location data;

signaling, by the user, user-acceptance of the building roof structure location within the first aerial image, wherein user-acceptance is one or more affirmative steps undertaken by the user to confirm the designation of the building roof structure location; and

responsive to signaling the user-acceptance confirming the designation of the building roof structure location, receiving visual access to one or more second aerial images of an aerial imagery database corresponding to geographic location coordinates of the building roof structure location, the one or more second aerial images having a second resolution that is higher resolution than the first resolution; and

repairing or constructing a roof designated by the building roof structure location.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

responsive to signaling the user-acceptance confirming the designation of the building roof structure location, receiving a roof report derived at least in part from the one or more second aerial images.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein repairing or constructing the roof designated by the building roof structure location includes repairing or constructing the roof designated by the building roof structure location based at least in part on the roof report.