Systems and methods for machine-assisted vehicle inspection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11107306-B1
Application number	US-201715843707-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 15, 2017
Priority date	Dec 23, 2016
Publication date	Aug 31, 2021
Grant date	Aug 31, 2021

Abstract

A remotely-controlled (RC) and/or autonomously operated inspection device, such as a ground vehicle or drone, may capture one or more sets of imaging data indicative of at least a portion of an automotive vehicle, such as all or a portion of the undercarriage. The one or more sets of imaging data may be analyzed based upon data indicative of at least one of vehicle damage or a vehicle defect being shown in the one or more sets of imaging data. Based upon the analyzing of the one or more sets of imaging data, damage to the vehicle or a defect of the vehicle may be identified and corrected.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for identifying at least one of damage to a vehicle or a detect of the vehicle, the method comprising:
obtaining, via at least one of one or more processors or one or more transceivers, an indication of a claim associated with a reported at least one of a damage to the vehicle or a defect of the vehicle;
determining, via the one or more processors, at least a portion of the vehicle of which to capture imaging data, based upon the reported at least one of the damage to the vehicle or defect of the vehicle;
causing, via at least one of one or more processors or one or more transceivers, one or more sets of imaging data indicative of the determined at least the portion of the vehicle to be captured by an imaging unit of an inspection device, wherein the inspection device is at least one of autonomously operated or remotely-controlled;
receiving, via at least one of the one or more processors or the one or more transceivers, the one or more sets of imaging data indicative of the at least the portion of the vehicle captured by the imaging unit of the inspection device;
analyzing, via the one or more processors, the one or more sets of imaging data based upon data indicative of at least one of vehicle damage or a vehicle defect being indicated by the one or more sets of imaging data;
identifying, via the one or more processors, the at least one of the damage to the vehicle or the defect of the vehicle based upon the analyzing of the one or more sets of imaging data;
identifying, via the one or more processors, based upon the identified at least one of the damage to the vehicle or defect of the vehicle, a vehicle repair facility suitable for repairing the identified at least one of the damage to the vehicle or defect of the vehicle; and
transmitting, via the one or more processors, to a computing system associated with the identified vehicle repair facility, a request to schedule a repair appointment for the identified at least one of the damage to the vehicle or defect of the vehicle.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the inspection device is a ground inspection device that is at least one of autonomously operated or remotely-controlled.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the inspection device is an airborne inspection device that is at least one of autonomously operated or remotely-controlled.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the identified at least one of the damage or the defect includes at least one of a damaged vehicle part or a defective vehicle part.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising identifying, via the one or more processors, a replacement part for replacing the at least one of the damaged vehicle part or the defective vehicle part.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , further comprising initiating, via the one or more processors, an order of the replacement part for replacing the at least one of the damaged vehicle part or the defective vehicle part.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the identified at least one of the damage or the defect includes an improper wheel alignment.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , further comprising scheduling, via the one or more processors, a maintenance for correcting the improper wheel alignment.

9. A computer system configured to identify at least one of damage to a vehicle or a defect of the vehicle, the computer system comprising:
one or more processors;
one or more memories storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computer system to:
obtain, via the one or more processors, an indication of a claim associated with a reported at least one of a damage to the vehicle or a defect of the vehicle;
determine, via the one or more processors, at least a portion of the vehicle of which to capture imaging data, based upon the reported at least one of the damage to the vehicle or defect of the vehicle;
cause, via at least one of the one or more processors or one or more transceivers, one or more sets of imaging data indicative of the determined least the portion of the vehicle to be captured by an imaging unit of an inspection device, wherein the inspection device is at least one of autonomously operated or remotely-controlled;
receive, via at least one of the one or more processors or the one or more transceivers, the one or more sets of imaging data indicative of the at least the portion of the vehicle captured by the imaging unit of the inspection device;
analyze, via the one or more processors, the one or more sets of imaging data based upon data indicative of at least one of vehicle damage or a vehicle defect being indicated by the one or more sets of imaging data;
identify, via the one or more processors, the at least one of the damage to the vehicle or the defect of the vehicle based upon the analyzing of the one or more sets of imaging data;
identify, via the one or more processors, based upon the identified at least one of the damage to the vehicle or defect of the vehicle, a vehicle repair facility suitable for repairing the identified at least one of the damage to the vehicle or defect of the vehicle; and
transmit, via the one or more processors, to a computing system associated with the identified vehicle repair facility, a request to schedule a repair appointment for the identified at least one of the damage to the vehicle or defect of the vehicle.

10. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sets of imaging data include one or more sets of thermal imaging data.

11. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sets of imaging data include one or more sets of lidar imaging data.

12. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the one or more sets of imaging data include one or more sets of imaging data captured using a wide-angle camera lens of the imaging unit.

13. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the computer system is further configured to generate, via the one or more processors, one or more terms of an insurance policy based upon the identified at least one of the damage or the defect.

14. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the computer system is further configured to modify, via the one or more processors, based upon the identified at least one of the damage or the defect, an insurance policy of a party associated with the vehicle.

15. The computer system of claim 14 , wherein modifying the insurance policy includes modifying at least one of a premium, a coverage limit, or a deductible.

16. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the computer system is further configured to estimate, via the one or more processors, a monetary cost of at least one of a maintenance, a service, or a repair for correcting the identified at least one of the damage or the defect.

17. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein the computer system is further configured to transmit, via at least one of the one or more processors or the one or more transceivers, to at least one of a mobile device of an owner of the vehicle or a mobile device of an insurance representative, an indication of the identified at least one of the damage or the defect.

18. The computer system of claim 9 , wherein, to analyze the one or more sets of imaging data, the computer system is configured to:
compare, via the one or more processors, the one or more sets of imaging data to one or more reference sets of imaging data indicative of at least one of vehicle

Assignees

• State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co

Inventors

• Knuffman Ryan
• Sliz Bradley A
• Allen Lucas

Classifications

• B64U2201/20

  Remote controls · CPC title

• B64U2201/10

  autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] · CPC title

• B64U2101/30

  for imaging, photography or videography · CPC title

• G06N7/01

  Probabilistic graphical models, e.g. probabilistic networks · CPC title

• G06N3/045

  Combinations of networks · CPC title