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US 11,709,253 B1Granted
Augmented reality method for repairing damage or replacing physical objects
AssigneeUnited Services Automobile Association (USAA)
InventorJerry John Maestas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of automatically detecting damage following a loss causing incident is disclosed. The method includes capturing image information about a group of physical objects in their initial states and comparing these with image information about the group of physical objects in their modified states following a loss causing incident. The method includes detecting discrepancies between the initial and modified states and automatically assesses the degree of damage and/or loss.
Claims20
A damage management system for determining damage to a physical structure, the system comprising:
- a centralized manager including one or more servers and at least one database in communication with the one or more servers;
- a remote device including a camera, the remote device in communication with the centralized manager through a network, wherein the remote device is located on site at a location of the physical structure;
- wherein a processor of at least one of the one or more servers is configured to:
- receive a first image including the physical structure, wherein the first image is captured prior to a loss causing incident involving the physical structure, wherein the physical structure is captured in its initial state in the first image;
- wherein the physical structure includes a surface material covering a portion of an exterior of the physical structure;
- wherein the processor of the at least one of the one or more servers is configured to use the first image of the physical structure in its initial state prior to the loss causing incident to:
- (1) identify a type of surface material covering the portion of the exterior of the physical structure, and
- (2) identify a first percentage of the exterior of the physical structure that is covered by the surface material;
- receive, from the remote device, a second image including the physical structure, wherein the second image is captured by the remote device after the first image and also after the loss causing incident involving the physical structure, wherein the physical structure is captured in its modified state in the second image;
- detect differences between the physical structure in its initial state and the physical structure in its modified state using machine vision algorithms that compare the first image of the physical structure in its initial state to the second image of the physical structure in its modified state;
- based on the detected differences, automatically detect at least one damaged region of the physical structure;
- wherein the processor of the at least one of the one or more servers is further configured to use the second image of the physical structure in its modified state after the loss causing incident to determine a second percentage associated with the first percentage of the exterior of the physical structure that is covered by the surface material that is damaged or in need of repair or replacement;
- wherein the remote device includes an application that analyzes wireless networking technology signal strength through walls of the physical structure;
- and
- wherein the processor of at least one of the one or more servers is configured to use the wireless networking technology signal strength from the remote device to determine damage to the walls of the physical structure.
12 more elements
A method of visualizing damage to a physical structure comprising the steps of:
- capturing a first image, the first image including the physical structure, wherein the first image is taken prior to a loss causing incident, wherein the physical structure is captured in its initial state;
- capturing a second image, the second image including the physical structure, wherein the second image is taken after the first image and also after the loss causing incident, wherein the physical structure is captured in its modified state;
- detecting differences between the physical structure in its initial state and the physical structure in its modified state using machine vision algorithms that compare the first image of the physical structure in its initial state to the second image of the physical structure in its modified state;
- analyzing wireless networking technology signal strength through walls of the physical structure using an application on a remote device and determining damage to the walls of the physical structure in its modified state using the wireless networking technology signal strength from the remote device;
- displaying the physical structure in its modified state;
- providing a transformation tool, wherein the transformation tool is configured to transform the displayed physical structure between its modified state and its initial state;
- wherein the transformation tool displays:
- a first damaged region on the physical structure using a first display pattern;
- a second damaged region on the physical structure using a second display pattern that is different from the first display pattern;
- and
- a remaining portion of the displayed physical structure using a third display pattern that is different from the first display pattern and the second display pattern;
- wherein the first display pattern indicates damage in need of urgent repair or replacement, the second display pattern indicates damage that may not need immediate replacement, and the third display pattern indicates regions of the physical structure with no damage.
9 more elements
A method of determining damage to a physical structure comprising a residential or commercial building, the method comprising:
- receiving a first image including the physical structure, wherein the first image is captured prior to a loss causing incident involving the physical structure, wherein the physical structure is captured in its initial state in the first image;
- wherein the residential or commercial building includes a surface material covering a portion of an exterior of the physical structure;
- the method further comprises using the machine vision algorithms on the first image of the physical structure in its initial state prior to the loss causing incident to:
- (1) identify a type of surface material covering the portion of the exterior of the physical structure, and
- (2) identify a first percentage of the exterior of the physical structure that is covered by the surface material;
- receiving, from a remote device including a camera, a second image including the physical structure, wherein the second image is captured by the remote device after the first image and also after the loss causing incident involving the physical structure, wherein the physical structure is captured in its modified state in the second image;
- detecting differences between the physical structure in its initial state and the physical structure in its modified state using machine vision algorithms that compare the first image of the physical structure in its initial state to the second image of the physical structure in its modified state;
- based on the detected differences, automatically detecting at least one damaged region of the physical structure;
- using the machine vision algorithms on the second image of the physical structure in its modified state after the loss causing incident to determine a second percentage associated with the first percentage of the exterior of the physical structure that is covered by the surface material that is damaged or in need of repair or replacement;
- wherein the remote device includes an application that analyzes wireless networking technology signal strength through walls of the physical structure;
- and
- using the wireless networking technology signal strength from the remote device to determine damage to the walls of the physical structure.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.