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US-20260127679-A1 - STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTIC EXTRACTION FROM 3D IMAGES

US20260127679A1US 20260127679 A1US20260127679 A1US 20260127679A1US-20260127679-A1

Abstract

A structural analysis computing device for determining structural characteristics of an object pictured in a three-dimensional (3D) image may be provided. The structural analysis computing device may include a memory, a user interface, an object sensor configured to capture the 3D image of the object, and at least one processor in communication with the memory and the object sensor. The processor may be configured to access the 3D image including the object, automatically determine a first plurality of measurements of the object from the 3D image, and display the 3D image on the user interface. The processor may be further configured to generate a data file including the 3D image and the first plurality of measurements, and store the data file within the memory. The processor may also be configured to transmit the data file to an insurance server computing device for generation of an associated insurance claim form.

Inventors

  • Timothy J. Spader
  • George T. Dulee, Jr.
  • Donald Yuhas
  • Aaron Brucker
  • Chris Stroh
  • Jeffrey Mousty

Assignees

  • STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20260105

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A structural analysis computing device for determining structural characteristics of objects from three-dimensional (3D) images, the structural analysis computing device comprising: a memory; an object sensor configured to scan a location and capture a 3D image of a plurality of objects at the location; an image analysis tool; and at least one processor in communication with the memory, the image analysis tool, and the object sensor, wherein the at least one processor is programmed to: execute the image analysis tool to electronically determine a first plurality of measurements of a first object of the plurality of objects from the 3D image; determine damage to the first object using at least the first plurality of measurements; generate a computer data file including the first plurality of measurements of the first object, the computer data file formatted in a communication protocol readable by an evaluation software platform associated with the structural analysis computing device; determine, using the computer data file and the evaluation software platform, whether the damage to the first object is associated with an existing record by performing a lookup in the memory for a project identifier associated with the first object; in response to determining that the damage to the first object is not associated with the existing record, generate an electronic pre-populated claim form based on the damage to the first object; and cause display of the electronic pre-populated claim form on a user computing device.
  2. 2 . The structural analysis computing device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to execute the image analysis tool to (i) identify each object of the plurality of objects from the 3D image, (ii) identify that the first object has incurred at least some damage from its original condition, and (iii) measure an amount of the at least some damage to the first object.
  3. 3 . The structural analysis computing device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to train the image analysis tool using one or more machine learning algorithms.
  4. 4 . The structural analysis computing device of claim 1 , wherein determining the damage to the first object comprises determining a location of the damage on the first object and an extent of the damage to the first object.
  5. 5 . The structural analysis computing device of claim 4 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to generate the electronic pre-populated claim form based on the location of the damage on the first object and the extent of damage to the first object, and wherein the pre-populated claim form includes a type of work to be done to repair the damage to the first object.
  6. 6 . The structural analysis computing device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to generate a claim evaluation including an analysis of the 3D image based upon the damage to the first object.
  7. 7 . The structural analysis computing device of claim 6 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to: receive the project identifier associated with the first object; and append the project identifier to a data file that includes the claim evaluation and that is stored in the memory.
  8. 8 . The structural analysis computing device of claim 1 , wherein the project identifier includes claim identification information associated with an insurance claim, wherein the insurance claim is associated with the damage to the first object.
  9. 9 . The structural analysis computing device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to: analyze the 3D image to determine at least one of a location, a nature, or an extent of damage to a second object in the 3D image; and determine a resolution for the damage to the second object.
  10. 10 . The structural analysis computing device of claim 1 , wherein the object sensor comprises at least one infrared light source, at least one structured light projector, or at least one infrared camera.
  11. 11 . A computer-implemented method for determining structural characteristics of objects from three-dimensional (3D) images, the method implemented using a structural analysis computing device including a memory, an object sensor, an image analysis tool, and at least one processor in communication with the memory, the image analysis tool, and the object sensor, wherein the method comprises: scanning, by the object sensor, a location; capturing, by the object sensor, a 3D image of a plurality of objects at the location executing, by the at least one processor, the image analysis tool to electronically determine a first plurality of measurements of a first object of the plurality of objects from the 3D image; determining, by the at least one processor, damage to the first object using at least the first plurality of measurements; generating, by the at least one processor, a computer data file including the first plurality of measurements of the first object, the computer data file formatted in a communication protocol readable by an evaluation software platform associated with the structural analysis computing device; determining, by the at least one processor using the computer data file and the evaluation software platform, whether the damage to the first object is associated with an existing record by performing a lookup in the memory for a project identifier associated with the first object; in response to determining that the damage to the first object is not associated with the existing record, generating, by the at least one processor, an electronic pre-populated claim form based on the damage to the first object; and causing, by the at least one processor, display of the electronic pre-populated claim form on a user computing device.
  12. 12 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising executing, by the at least one processor, the image analysis tool to (i) identify each object of the plurality of objects from the 3D image, (ii) identify that the first object has incurred at least some damage from its original condition, and (iii) measure an amount of the at least some damage to the first object.
  13. 13 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising training, by the at least one processor, the image analysis tool using one or more machine learning algorithms.
  14. 14 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein determining the damage to the first object comprises determining, by the at least one processor, a location of the damage on the first object and an extent of the damage to the first object.
  15. 15 . The computer-implemented method of claim 14 , further comprising generating, by the at least one processor, the electronic pre-populated claim form based on the location of the damage on the first object and the extent of damage to the first object, and wherein the pre-populated claim form comprises a type of work to be done to repair the damage to the first object.
  16. 16 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising generating, by the at least one processor, a claim evaluation including an analysis of the 3D image based upon the damage to the first object.
  17. 17 . The computer-implemented method of claim 16 , further comprising: receiving, by the at least one processor, the project identifier associated with the first object; and appending, by the at least one processor, the project identifier to a data file that includes the claim evaluation and that is stored in the memory.
  18. 18 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the project identifier comprises claim identification information associated with an insurance claim, wherein the insurance claim is associated with the damage to the first object.
  19. 19 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , further comprising: analyzing, by the at least one processor, the 3D image to determine at least one of a location, a nature, or an extent of damage to a second object in the 3D image; and determining, by the at least one processor, a resolution for the damage to the second object.
  20. 20 . The computer-implemented method of claim 11 , wherein the object sensor includes at least one infrared light source, at least one structured light projector, or at least one infrared camera.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/046,736, filed Oct. 14, 2022, which is a continuation of and claims the benefit of priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/946,237, filed Jun. 11, 2020, which is a continuation of and claims the benefit of priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/351,961, filed Mar. 13, 2019, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,706,573, on Jul. 7, 2020, which is a continuation of and claims the benefit of priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/245,529, filed Aug. 24, 2016, and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,621,744, on Apr. 14, 2020, which claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/266,454, filed Dec. 11, 2015, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/290,215, filed Feb. 2, 2016, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/290,233, filed Feb. 2, 2016, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/299,658, filed Feb. 25, 2016, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference, in their entirety and for all purposes, herein. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure relates to photogrammetry and, more particularly, to network-based systems and methods for extracting structural characteristics of structures, rooms, objects, and/or features from three-dimensional images captured on a structural analysis computing device, and enabling a user to add other data to the extracted structural characteristics. BACKGROUND When a structure, such as a home, is damaged, the owner of the home may submit an insurance claim on an insurance policy associated with the home. The amount of the claim disbursement paid to the homeowner may correspond to an amount of damage, a nature of the damage, and/or an estimated cost to repair the damage. Accordingly, an agent of the associated insurance provider (e.g., a claims handler) may travel to the damaged home to assess the damage. The claims handler may sketch an illustration, such as a floor plan view, of each room that sustained damage. The sketching process may require that the claims handler manually obtain and record all necessary measurements of the room, then document (e.g., by taking photos) the room, including all damaged areas. The claims handler may additionally need to manually determine and document building materials and/or the nature of the damage. At least some known systems permit the claims handler to manually input all documented data into a software platform configured to prepare an estimate for the claims disbursement (e.g., an estimate of a cost to repair the damage). For example, the claims handler may need to upload any photos, upload any sketches, manually enter room measurements, and manually enter any addition details (e.g., room name, room type, building materials, etc.). In addition, at least some known insurance software platforms may require the claims handler to generate new projects, manually enter information associated with an existing project, and/or manually enter information for each separate damaged room in a single project. Needless to say, the entire process may be time-consuming and laborious for the claims handler. Moreover, the longer the process takes for the claims handler, the longer it may take for the homeowner to receive their claim disbursement, which is disadvantageous for the homeowner and may lead to frustration. Any reduction in the time and/or labor involved in the claims handling process may be desirable. BRIEF SUMMARY The present embodiments may relate to systems and methods for capturing and analyzing three-dimensional (3D) images using mobile photogrammetry. A mobile photogrammetry system, as described herein, may include a structural analysis computing device that includes an object sensor configured to capture 3D images of a structure, room, object, and/or feature (collectively referred to herein as “object”). The object sensor may be configured to capture 3D images of the object and communicate those images to the structural analysis computing device for further processing. The structural analysis computing device may be configured to implement various software applications or platforms to analyze the captured 3D images, and may be configured to use the analysis thereof to generate, update, and/or handle claims on an insurance policy associated with the object. In one aspect, a structural analysis computing device for determining structural characteristics of an object pictured in a three-dimensional (3D) image may be provided. The structural analysis computing device may include a memory, a user interface, an object sensor configured to capture the 3D image of the object, and/or at least one processor in communication with the memory and the object sensor. The at least one processor may be programmed to access the 3D image including the object, automatically determine a first plurality of measurements associated with the objec