# US 10,503,842 B2 · System and method for construction estimation using aerial images > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,503,842 B2 - Document ID: US10503842B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/358,870 - Filed: 2016-11-22 - Published: 2017-06-01 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2012-02-15 - Assignees: Xactware Solutions, Inc. - Applicants: Xactware Solutions, Inc. - Inventors: James Edward Loveland; Jeffrey Clayton Taylor; Jeffery Devon Lewis; Bradley McKay Childs; Corey David Reed; Jared William Robertson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10503842B2 ## CPC - G06F 30/13: Architectural design, e.g. computer-aided architectural design [CAAD] related to design of buildings, bridges, landscapes, production plants or roads - G06F 3/04842: Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements (G06F3/0482 takes precedence) - G06T 3/40: Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting - G06T 5/20: using local operators - G06T 5/40: using histogram techniques - G06T 7/33: using feature-based methods - G06T 17/00: Three-dimensional [3D] modelling for computer graphics - G06V 20/176: {Urban or other man-made structures} - G06F 30/00: Computer-aided design [CAD] - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL - G06V: IMAGE OR VIDEO RECOGNITION OR UNDERSTANDING ## Abstract A system and method for construction estimation using aerial images is provided. The system receives at least one aerial image of a building. An estimation engine processes the aerial image at a plurality of angles to automatically identify a plurality (e.g., perimeter and interior) lines in the image corresponding to a plurality of features of a roof the building. The estimation engine allows users to generate two-dimensional and three-dimensional models of the roof by automatically delineating various roof features, and generates a report including information about the roof of the building. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for construction estimation, comprising: a computer system for receiving at least one aerial image of a building; and an estimation engine in said computer system for processing the aerial image to estimate one or more features relating to a roof of the building, the estimation engine: processing the aerial image to automatically identify a plurality of lines in the aerial image corresponding to one or more features of the roof; constructing a two-dimensional model of the roof using the plurality of lines identified in the aerial image; and manipulating the two-dimensional model into a three-dimensional model of the roof by displaying the two-dimensional model superimposed onto an oblique image of the roof and allowing the user to click and drag perimeter and interior points of the two-dimensional model to corresponding points on the oblique image of the roof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a graphical user interface for displaying the aerial image of the building, the estimation engine automatically delineating the plurality of lines in the aerial image. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the two-dimensional model further comprises a two-dimensional wireframe model of the roof, the two-dimensional wireframe model including the plurality of lines delineated by the estimation engine. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The system of claim 3, wherein the estimation engine superimposes the two-dimensional wireframe model of the roof on the oblique image. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the three-dimensional model comprises a three-dimensional wireframe model of the roof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the estimation engine processes the three-dimensional wireframe model to calculate roof dimensions and pitches, and generates a report including the calculated roof dimensions and pitches. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the estimation engine processes the three-dimensional wireframe model to calculate material costs associated with the roof, and generates a report including the calculated material costs. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the estimation engine crops the aerial image around the building. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the estimation engine automatically aligns the aerial image. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, wherein the estimation engine applies at least one filter to the image. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the estimation engine allows a user to adjust one or more of the plurality of lines automatically identified by the estimation engine. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the estimation engine automatically identifies perimeter and interior lines in the aerial image corresponding to one or more features of the roof. ### Claim 13 A method for construction estimation, comprising the steps of: receiving at a computer system at least one aerial image of a building; processing the aerial image to automatically identify a plurality of lines in the aerial image corresponding to a plurality of features of a roof; constructing a two-dimensional model of the roof using the plurality of lines; manipulating the two-dimensional model into a three-dimensional model of the roof by displaying the two-dimensional model superimposed onto an oblique image of the roof and allowing the user to click and drag perimeter and interior points of the two-dimensional model to corresponding points on the oblique image of the roof; and processing the three-dimensional model of the roof using the estimation engine to generate a report including information about the roof of the building. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising generating and displaying a graphical user interface including the aerial image of the building, the estimation engine automatically delineating the plurality of lines in the graphical user interface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the step of generating the two-dimensional model comprises generating a two-dimensional wireframe model of the roof, the wireframe model including the plurality of lines. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising superimposing the two-dimensional wireframe model of the roof on the oblique image. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the step of manipulating the two-dimensional model comprises deforming the two-dimensional wireframe model into a three-dimensional wireframe model of the roof. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising processing the three-dimensional model to calculate roof dimensions and pitches, and including the calculated roof dimensions and pitches in the report. ### Claim 19 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising processing the three-dimensional model to calculate material costs associated with the roof, and including the calculated material costs in the report. ### Claim 20 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising cropping the aerial image around the building. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, further comprising automatically aligning the aerial image. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, further comprising applying at least one filter to the image. ### Claim 23 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising allowing a user to adjust one or more of the plurality of lines automatically identified by the estimation engine. ### Claim 24 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising automatically identifying perimeter and interior lines in the aerial image corresponding to one or more features of the roof. ### Claim 25 A non-transitory, computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a computer system, cause the computer system to perform the steps comprising: receiving at the computer system at least one aerial image of a building; processing the aerial image to automatically identify a plurality of lines in the aerial image corresponding to a plurality of features of a roof; constructing a two-dimensional model of the roof using the plurality of lines; manipulating the two-dimensional model into a three-dimensional model of the roof by displaying the two-dimensional model superimposed onto an oblique image of the roof and allowing the user to click and drag perimeter and interior points of the two-dimensional model to corresponding points on the oblique image of the roof; and processing the model of the roof using the estimation engine to generate a report including information about the roof of the building. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising computer-readable instructions for causing the computer system to perform the steps of generating and displaying a graphical user interface including the aerial image of the building, the estimation engine automatically delineating the plurality of lines in the graphical user interface. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the step of creating the two-dimensional model comprises generating a two-dimensional wireframe model of the roof, the wireframe model including the plurality of lines. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The computer-readable medium of claim 27, further comprising computer-readable instructions for causing the computer system to perform the step of superimposing the two-dimensional wireframe model of the roof on the oblique image. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The computer-readable medium of claim 28, wherein the step of manipulating the two-dimensional model comprises deforming the two-dimensional wireframe model into a three-dimensional wireframe model of the roof. ### Claim 30 (depends on 25) The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising computer-readable instructions for causing the computer system to perform the steps of processing the three-dimensional model to calculate roof dimensions and pitches, and including the calculated roof dimensions and pitches in the report. ### Claim 31 (depends on 25) The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising computer-readable instructions for causing the computer system to perform the steps of processing the three-dimensional model to calculate material costs associated with the roof, and including the calculated material costs in the report. ### Claim 32 (depends on 25) The computer-readable medium of claim 25, further comprising computer-readable instructions for causing the computer system to perform the step of cropping the aerial image around the building. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The computer-readable medium of claim 32, further comprising computer-readable instructions for causing the computer system to perform the step of automatically aligning the aerial image. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The computer-readable medium of claim 33, further comprising computer-readable instructions for causing the computer system to perform the step of applying at least one filter to the image.