Controlling image acquisition robots in construction sites

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020413011-A1
Application number	US-202017019316-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 13, 2020
Priority date	Sep 14, 2019
Publication date	Dec 31, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

Systems, methods and non-transitory computer readable media for controlling image acquisition robots in construction sites are provided. For example, a first image corresponding to a first point in time and a second image corresponding to a second point in time may be obtained. The first image and the second image may be analyzed to determine whether a change occurred in a particular area of a construction site between the first point in time and the second point in time. It may be determined whether a higher quality image of the particular area of the construction site is needed. An image acquisition robot may be controlled based on the determination of whether a change occurred in the particular area of the construction site and the determination of whether a higher quality image is needed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing data and computer implementable instructions for carrying out a method for controlling image acquisition robots in construction sites, the method comprising:
obtaining a plurality of images captured in a construction site, the plurality of images comprises at least a first image corresponding to a first point in time and a second image corresponding to a second point in time, the second point in time differs from the first point in time; analyzing the first image and the second image to determine whether a change occurred in a particular area of the construction site between the first point in time and the second point in time; determining whether a higher quality image of the particular area of the construction site is needed; in response to a determination that a change occurred in the particular area of the construction site and a determination that a higher quality image is needed, causing an image acquisition robot to acquire at least one image of the particular area of the construction site; and in response to at least one of a determination that no change occurred in the particular area of the construction site and a determination that a higher quality image is not needed, withholding causing the image acquisition robot to acquire the at least one image of the particular area of the construction site.

2 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises basing the determination of whether a higher quality image of the particular area of the construction site is needed on an analysis of at least part of the plurality of images.

3 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises basing the determination of whether a higher quality image of the particular area of the construction site is needed on an analysis of an electronic record associated with the construction site.

4 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises:
analyzing a progress record to identify a progress to at least one task related to the particular area of the construction site; and basing the determination of whether a higher quality image of the particular area of the construction site is needed on the identified progress to the at least one task.

5 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises:
analyzing a financial record to identify at least one financial transaction related to the particular area of the construction site; and basing the determination of whether a higher quality image of the particular area of the construction site is needed on the identified at least one financial transaction.

6 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 3 , wherein the method further comprises:
analyzing a project schedule to identify at least one scheduled task related to the particular area of the construction site; and basing the determination of whether a higher quality image of the particular area of the construction site is needed on the identified at least one scheduled task.

7 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises basing the determination of whether a higher quality image of the particular area of the construction site is needed on an analysis of an electronic record associated with the construction site and an analysis of at least part of the plurality of images.

8 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the second image is an image captured using an image sensor permanently fixed to a first location in the construction site.

9 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the second image is an image captured using a wearable image sensor worn by a person in the construction site.

10 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the second image is an image captured using the image acquisition robot from a first location in the construction site, and causing the image acquisition robot to acquire the at least one image of the particular area of the construction site comprises causing the image acquisition robot to acquire the at least one image of the particular area of the construction site from a second location in the construction site, the second location differs from the first location and is configured to provide higher quality image of the particular area of the construction site.

11 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises, in response to the determination that a change occurred in the particular area of the construction site and the determination that a higher quality image is needed, updating an electronic record associated with the construction site based on an analysis of the at least one image of the particular area of the construction site.

12 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
analyzing at least part of the plurality of images to determine a type of the change that occurred in the particular area of the construction site between the first point in time and the second point in time; in response to a first determined type of the change, causing the image acquisition robot to acquire the at least one image of the particular area of the construction site; and in response to a second determined type of the change, withholding causing the image acquisition robot to acquire the at least one image of the particular area of the construction site.

13 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
analyzing at least part of the plurality of images to select at least one image capturing parameter; and in response to the determination that a change occurred in the particular area of the construction site and the determination that a higher quality image is needed, causing the image acquisition robot to acquire at least one image of the particular area of the construction site using the selected at least one image capturing parameter.

14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
analyzing at least part of the plurality of images to determine a type of the change that occurred in the particular area of the construction site between the first point in time and the second point in time; in response to a first determined type of the change, causing the image acquisition robot to acquire the at least one image of the particular area of the construction site using a first image capturing parameter; and in response to a second determined type of the change, causing the image acquisition robot to acquire the at least one image of the particular area of the construction site using a second image capturing parameter, the second image capturing parameter differs from the first image capturing parameter.

15 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
analyzing at least part of the plurality of images to select a first image acquisition position; and in response to the determination that a change occurred in the particular area of the construction site and the determination that a higher quality image is needed, causing the image acquisition robot to move to the first image acquisition position and capture from the first image acquisition position the at least one image of the particular area of the construction site.

16

Assignees

• Zass Ron

Inventors

• Zass Ron
• Sasson Michael

Classifications

• G06V10/82

  using neural networks · CPC title

• G06V10/764

  using classification, e.g. of video objects · CPC title

• H04N23/60

  Control of cameras or camera modules · CPC title

• G06Q10/06316 Primary

  Sequencing of tasks or work · CPC title

• H04N23/90

  Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums · CPC title