# US 12,182,880 B1 · Vehicle inspection systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,182,880 B1 - Document ID: US12182880B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 18/303,954 - Filed: 2023-04-20 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2015-08-17 - Applicants: United Services Automobile Association (USAA) - Inventors: John C. Hopkins; William J. Cunningham; David P. Dixon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12182880B1 ## CPC - G06Q 40/08: Insurance - G06F 3/048: Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI] - G06T 5/20: using local operators - G06V 20/13: Satellite images - G06V 20/17: taken from planes or by drones - G06V 20/62: Text, e.g. of license plates, overlay texts or captions on TV images - H04N 7/181: {for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources} - G06V 20/625: {License plates} - G06V 2201/08: Detecting or categorising vehicles - G06V 2201/10: Recognition assisted with metadata - G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - 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 - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION ## Abstract Vehicle inspection systems and methods are disclosed. A system disclosed includes a frame configured to be mounted to a vehicle, wherein the frame comprises an extendable arm. The system also includes at least one camera for taking imagery of a damaged vehicle at an accident scene in support of a damage assessment, wherein the at least one camera is coupled with the extendable arm. The system also includes at least one damage filter associated with the at least one camera. The damage filter creates filtered imagery based on the imagery of the damaged vehicle. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An appraisal system for a damaged vehicle, comprising: a frame configured to be mounted to a vehicle, wherein the frame comprises an extendable arm; at least one camera for taking imagery of a damaged vehicle at an accident scene in support of a damage assessment, wherein the at least one camera is coupled with the extendable arm; at least one damage filter associated with the at least one camera, wherein the damage filter creates filtered imagery based on the imagery of the damaged vehicle; a computing device in communication with the at least one camera to receive the imagery from the at least one camera, the computing device including memory and a processing unit, wherein the processing unit is disposed in communication with said memory, and the processing unit upon execution of instructions stored in the memory is configured to cause the at least one camera to take the filtered imagery; a transmitter for communicating the filtered imagery obtained by the at least one camera to a remote server for use in a damage assessment, wherein the remote server is configured to send a request for additional imagery based on a determination that the filtered imagery obtained by the at least one camera is insufficient to complete the damage assessment, and wherein the request causes generation of a program instruction for use in directing the at least one camera to collect the additional imagery; and a receiver for receiving a routing instruction for the damaged vehicle that is based on the damage assessment. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a data analysis module communicatively coupled with the computing device, wherein the data analysis module is configured to determine an amount of damage to the vehicle based on baseline condition data for the damaged vehicle before damage and present condition data for the damaged vehicle after damage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one damage filter includes a Gabor filter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a graphical user interface displayed on the computing device configured to display additional data relating to the damaged vehicle. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the transmitter communicates the filtered imagery obtained by the at least one camera to a cloud storage server. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor for detecting vehicle indicia, wherein the at least one sensor is adapted for detecting at least one of a registration number, a vehicle identification number, or a license plate number for the damaged vehicle. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the imagery taken by the at least one camera includes still pictures or video. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one damage filter is configured to perform edge detection, wherein damage to the damaged vehicle is identified at least in part based on the edge detection. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a lighting apparatus coupled to the frame and configured to illuminate the vehicle during taking of the imagery. ### Claim 10 A method for appraising a damaged vehicle, comprising: providing a frame configured to be mounted to a vehicle, wherein the frame comprises an extendable arm; providing at least one camera for taking imagery of a damaged vehicle at an accident scene in support of a damage assessment, wherein the at least one camera is coupled with the extendable arm; providing an instruction from a computing device to at least one camera to capture imagery of a damaged vehicle at an accident site; filtering, using a filter associated with the camera, the imagery to create filtered imagery of the damaged vehicle; transmitting the imagery to a remote server for use in a damage assessment; determining, by the remote server, that the filtered imagery is insufficient to complete the damage assessment; requesting, using the remote server, additional imagery to complete the damage assessment; generating a program instruction for use in directing the camera to collect the additional imagery; and receiving, at the computing device, a routing instruction for the damaged vehicle based on the damage assessment. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, comprising: scanning vehicle identification data from the damaged vehicle; and providing the vehicle identification data to the computing device. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the vehicle identification data includes one or more of a registration number, a vehicle identification number, or a license plate number for the damaged vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, comprising: determining an amount of damage to the damaged vehicle by comparing baseline condition data for the damaged vehicle before the damage to present condition data of the damaged vehicle after the damage. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the imagery is captured with one or more of a FLIR One-shot deflectometry unit, an XG/CV-X series Machine Vision System, a 3D scanner, an optoNCDT laser triangulation sensor, or a LIDAR scanner. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, comprising: generating another program instruction for use in directing movement of the extendable arm before the camera collects the additional imagery. ### Claim 16 A system, comprising: a frame configured to be mounted to a vehicle, wherein the frame comprises an extendable arm; at least one camera for taking imagery of a damaged vehicle at an accident scene in support of a damage assessment, wherein the at least one camera is coupled with the extendable arm; and a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that when executed by at least one processor effectuate: providing an instruction from a computing device to at least one camera to capture imagery of a damaged vehicle at an accident site; filtering, using a filter associated with the camera, the imagery to create filtered imagery of the damaged vehicle; transmitting the imagery to a remote server for use in a damage assessment; determining, by the remote server, that the filtered imagery is insufficient to complete the damage assessment; requesting, using the remote server, additional imagery to complete the damage assessment; generating a program instruction for use in directing the camera to collect the additional imagery; and receiving, at the computing device, a routing instruction for the damaged vehicle based on the damage assessment. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions when executed by the at least one processor effectuate: generating another program instruction for use in directing movement of the extendable arm before the camera collects the additional imagery. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions when executed by the at least one processor effectuate: scanning vehicle identification data from the damaged vehicle; and providing the vehicle identification data to the computing device, wherein the vehicle identification data includes one or more of a registration number, a vehicle identification number, or a license plate number for the damaged vehicle. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions when executed by the at least one processor effectuate: receiving a determination of an amount of damage to the damaged vehicle at the computing device, wherein the amount of damage to the damaged vehicle is determined by comparing baseline condition data for the damaged vehicle before the damage to present condition data of the damaged vehicle after the damage. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the instructions when executed by the at least one processor effectuate: displaying additional data relating to the damaged vehicle on a graphical user interface of the computing device.