Building materials estimation
AssigneePictometry International Corp.
InventorsDale R. Thornberry, Christopher T. Thornberry, Thom S. Salter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Using remote image acquisition, image processing, and computational systems and methods, it has become possible to obtain actual building dimensions that can be used to generate construction estimates for repairing or maintaining buildings. For example, actual roof dimensions can be used to provide a computer-based estimate of materials and/or materials overage needed. Instead of simply applying a generic overage percentage based on roof shape, a computer-based approach can take into account cut lines as a percentage of total roof area. The resulting computer-generated estimate is shown to be more accurate, less expensive, and faster than using a human on-site estimator.
Claims20
A computational system, comprising:
- a microprocessor;
- and
- an electronic memory coupled to the microprocessor, wherein the electronic memory has microprocessor-executable instructions stored thereon that when executed by the microprocessor, cause the microprocessor to:
- receive a data set that includes building dimensions;
- and
- compute from the building dimensions an estimated overage amount of construction material that accounts for construction material waste, the overage estimate at least partly based on a number of cut lines as a percentage of a total surface area of the structural element.
A non-transitory computer readable medium having microprocessor executable instructions thereon that, when executed, cause a microprocessor to perform the following:
- receive a data set that includes building dimensions;
- and
- estimate an amount of construction materials needed to construct at least one structural element of a building, the estimate including an overage estimate that accounts for material waste, in which the overage is based on a sum of cut line lengths as a percentage of a total surface area of the structural element.
A microprocessor-implemented method in a computational system, the method comprising:
- receiving, by a microprocessor of the computational system, a data set generated from images of a structure, the data set including structural dimensions;
- extracting, from the structural dimensions, linear dimensions of each of a plurality of feature types of geometric features;
- accumulating a sum of linear dimensions for each feature type;
- and
- computing from the linear dimensions an estimate of construction materials needed to construct at least one structural element, the estimate including an overage estimate that accounts for material waste, in which the overage is based on a number of cut lines as a percentage of a total surface area of the structural element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.