Patent Issued for Methods And Systems To Generate Property Insurance Data Based On Aerial Images (USPTO 10,453,147)

2019 OCT 31 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (Bloomington, Illinois, United States) has been issued patent number 10,453,147, according to news reporting originating out of Alexandria, Virginia, by NewsRx editors.

The patent’s inventor is Davis, Timothy Joel (Warrenville, IL).

This patent was filed on September 14, 2015 and was published online on November 4, 2019.

From the background information supplied by the inventors, news correspondents obtained the following quote: “Currently, agent-based property inspection processes examine a portion of properties during an insurance acquisition process. Property re-inspection processes typically target certain properties at a later date to examine the properties for insurance underwriting issues (e.g., a change in insurance risk and property value characteristics). Agent-based property inspections are expensive and time consuming.

“While satellite and high-level aircraft images of properties are available to a limited degree, satellite and high-level aircraft images of properties are typically not available ‘on demand.’ Furthermore, satellite and high-level aircraft images typically do not include enough detail to provide information for insurance purposes (e.g., detail related to hail damaged property, wind damage to roofing, etc.) because federal aviation administration (FAA) regulations require aircraft to maintain a minimum of one-thousand feet clearance above any structures. Thus, comparison of a series of satellite and high-level aircraft images taken over a period of time typically do not provide enough detail to compare, for example, an initial property image with a subsequent property image to, for example, determine property changes. Moreover, satellite and high-level aircraft images are expensive.

“Multiple issues arise in relation to using satellite and high-level aircraft images for insurance purposes. Not only are these options expensive in comparison with traditional Agent-based inspections, the technologies rely on aerial image data that is not updated frequently enough to use in automatic insurance underwriting decisions. The technologies rely on data that is not sufficiently nation-wide to use for all insured properties. The technologies rely on data that often times entail unmanageable contractual usage restrictions, and often rely on data that is updated too unpredictably and by too many incompatible vendors (e.g., government and private) technologies. Thus, future availability and accuracy of data cannot be adequately ensured for establishing repeatable and consistent insurance business processes.

“Systems and methods are need to provide low-cost, high-resolution, aerial images of property. Systems and methods are needed for property insurance risk characteristic determination and for property change detection based on aerial images.”

Supplementing the background information on this patent, NewsRx reporters also obtained the inventor’s summary information for this patent: “A computer implemented method for generating property insurance data may include receiving, at a processor of a computing device, image data in response to the processor executing an image data receiving module, wherein the image data is representative of a series of aerial images of property, wherein individual aerial images of the series of aerial images are taken at different points in time, and, wherein the aerial image data is representative of at least one aerial image that is acquired by an imaging device less than five-hundred feet above the property. The method may also include generating, using a processor of a computing device, property change data, based on the image data, in response to the processor executing a property change data generation module, wherein the property change data is representative of changes in the property from a first point in time associated with a first aerial image and a second point in time corresponding to a second aerial image. The method may further include generating, using a processor of a computing device, property insurance data, based on the property change data, in response to the processor executing a property insurance data generation module.

“In another embodiment, a system for generating property insurance data may include an aerial image data receiving module stored on a memory that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, causes the processor to receive aerial image data, wherein the aerial image data is representative of at least one aerial image of property. The system may also include a property insurance data receiving module stored on a memory that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, causes the processor to receive property insurance data, wherein the property insurance data is representative of at least one property insurance policy. The system may further include a property insurance correlation module stored on a memory that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, causes the processor to correlate at least one aerial image with the at least one property insurance policy. The system may yet further include an aerial image data analysis module stored on a memory that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, causes the processor to generate property change data based on the aerial image data, wherein the property change data is representative of at least one physical characteristic of the property. The system may also include a property insurance data generation module stored on a memory that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, causes the processor to generate property insurance data, based on the property change data.

“In a further embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the processor to generate property insurance data may include an aerial image data receiving module that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, causes the processor to receive aerial image data, wherein the aerial image data is representative of at least one aerial image of property associated with an insurance policy and wherein the at least one aerial image is acquired by an imaging device less than five-hundred feet from the property. The non-transitory computer-readable medium may further include an aerial image data analysis module that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, causes the processor to generate property change data based on the aerial image data, wherein the property change data is representative of at least one physical characteristic of the property.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“What is claimed is:

“1. A computer implemented method for automatically detecting property changes by tracking physical characteristics of the property using image recognition, the method comprising: storing, on a memory of a computing device, image data, spatial location data, property characteristic data relating to the image data, an image data receiving module, a spatial location data receiving module, a spatial location data and image data association module, a property characteristic recognition module, and a property change data generation module; receiving, at a processor of a computing device, spatial location data in response to the processor executing the spatial location data receiving module, wherein the spatial location data is representative of a geographic location of the property; receiving, at a processor of a computing device, image data, from a digital camera, in response to the processor executing the image data receiving module, wherein the image data is representative of a series of aerial images of property taken from multiple perspectives, and wherein the image data is representative of at least one aerial image that is acquired by an imaging device attached to an unmanned aircraft from less than five-hundred feet above the property; extracting, using a processor of a computing device, property characteristic data, from the image data, in response to the processor executing the property characteristic recognition module that includes geometric calculations to measure square footage based on information extracted from the image data, wherein the property characteristic data is representative of square footage measurements of the property, the square footage measurements of the property are stored in the property characteristic record as property characteristic data relating to the image data; associating, using a processor of a computing device, the property characteristic data and the spatial location data, in response to the processor executing the spatial location data and image data association module; creating the property characteristic record for the property comprising the image data the spatial location data, and the property characteristic data; storing spatial location data and initial property characteristic data in the property characteristic record, wherein the initial property characteristic data is representative of the property prior to a first property damage claim; recognizing and tracking property characteristics of the property in the image series as property characteristic data by processing square footage measurements of at least one property characteristic of the property, in response to a processor executing the property characteristic recognition module and adding the property characteristic data to the property characteristic record; generating, using a processor of a computing device, property change data, based on the property characteristic data, in response to the processor executing a property change data generation module; and automatically updating the property characteristic record with the property characteristic data including the property change data.

“2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, at a processor of a computing device, property insurance data in response to the processor executing a property insurance data receiving module, wherein the property insurance data is representative of at least one property insurance policy; and correlating, using a processor of a computing device, at least one aerial image with the at least one property insurance policy in response to the processor executing a property insurance correlation module.

“3. The method of claim 1, wherein the property change data is representative of at least one of: a change in a property due to a weather related event, a change in a property due to construction activity, a change in a property due to demolition activity, or a change in property due to deterioration.

“4. The method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, at a processor of a computing device, property insurance claim data in response to the processor executing a property insurance claim data receiving module, wherein the property insurance claim data is representative of an insurance claim; and generating, using a processor of a computing device, property insurance claim settlement data, based on the property change data and the property insurance claim data, in response to the processor executing a property insurance claim settlement data generation module, wherein the property insurance claim settlement data is representative of a settlement of at least one property insurance claim.

“5. The method of claim 3, where the settlement of the at least one property insurance claim is reduced because of changes in the property, indicated by the property change data, unrelated to the property insurance claim.

“6. A system for automatically detecting property characteristics by tracking physical characteristics of the property using image recognition, the system comprising: a processor and a memory, wherein image data, spatial location data, property characteristic data relating to the image data, an aerial image data receiving module, a property characteristic recognition module, and a property change data generation module are stored on the memory; the processor is configured to: receive spatial location data in response to the processor executing a spatial location data receiving module, wherein the spatial location data is representative of a geographic location of the property; receive aerial image data in response to the processor executing an aerial image data receiving module, wherein the aerial image data is representative of at least two aerial images of property taken from multiple perspectives, and wherein the aerial image data is representative of at least one aerial image that is acquired by an imaging device attached to an unmanned aircraft from less than five-hundred feet above the property; extract property characteristic data, from the image data, in response to the processor executing the property characteristic recognition module that includes geometric calculations to measure square footage based on information extracted from the image data, wherein the property characteristic data is representative of square footage measurements of the property, the square footage measurements of the property are stored in the property characteristic record as property characteristic data relating to the image data; associate the property characteristic data and the spatial location data, in response to the processor executing a spatial location data and image data association module; create the property characteristic record for the property comprising the image data, the spatial location data, and the property characteristic data; store initial property characteristic data in the property characteristic record, wherein the initial property characteristic data is representative of the property prior to a first property damage claim; recognize and track property characteristics of the property in the image series as property characteristic data by processing square footage measurements of at least one property characteristic of the property, in response to a processor executing the property characteristic recognition module and adding the property characteristic data to the property characteristic record; generate property change data, based on the property characteristic data, in response to the processor executing a property change data generation module; and automatically update the property characteristic record with the property characteristic data including the property change data.

“7. The system of claim 6, wherein the property characteristic data is representative of at least one of: a change in a property due to a weather related event, a change in a property due to construction activity, a change in a property due to demolition activity, or a change in property due to deterioration.

“8. The system of claim 6, further comprising: a property insurance claim data receiving module stored on a memory that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, causes the processor to receive property insurance claim data, wherein the property insurance claim data is representative of an insurance claim; and a property insurance claim settlement data generation module stored on a memory that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, causes the processor to generate property insurance claim settlement data, based on the property change data and the property insurance claim data, wherein the property insurance claim settlement data is representative of a settlement of at least one property insurance claim.

“9. The system of claim 8, where the settlement of the at least one property insurance claim is reduced because of changes in the property, indicated by the property characteristic data, unrelated to the property insurance claim.

“10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the processor to automatically detect property characteristics by tracking physical characteristics of the property using image recognition, the non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising: image data, spatial location data, property characteristic data relating to the image data, an aerial image data receiving module, a spatial location data receiving module, a spatial location data and image data association module, a property characteristic recognition module, and a property change data generation module; wherein execution of the spatial location data receiving module by a processor of a computing device, causes the processor to receive spatial location data, wherein the spatial location data is representative of a geographic location of the property; wherein execution of the aerial image data receiving module by a processor of a computing device, causes the processor to receive aerial image data, wherein the aerial image data is representative of at least two aerial images of property taken from multiple perspectives, and wherein the aerial image data is representative of at least one aerial image that is acquired by an imaging device attached to an unmanned aircraft from less than five-hundred feet above the property; wherein execution of the property characteristic recognition module, that includes geometric calculations to measure square footage based on information extracted from the image data, causes the processor to extract property characteristic data, from the image data, wherein the property characteristic data is representative of square footage measurements of the property, the square footage measurements of the property are stored in the property characteristic record as property characteristic data relating to the image data; wherein execution of the spatial location data and image data association module by a processor of a computing device causes the processor to associate the property characteristic data and the spatial location data; wherein execution of the instructions by a processor causes the processor to create the property characteristic record for the property comprising the image data, the spatial location data, and the property characteristic data; wherein execution of the instructions by a processor causes the processor to store initial property characteristic data in the property characteristic record, wherein the initial property characteristic data is representative of the property prior to a first property damage claim; wherein execution of the property characteristic recognition module by a processor, causes the processor to recognize and track property characteristics of the property in the image series as property characteristic data by processing square footage measurements of at least one property characteristic of the property and add the property characteristic data to the property characteristic record; wherein execution of the property change data generation module by a processor, causes the processor to generate property change data, based on the property characteristic data; and wherein execution of the instructions by a processor causes the processor to automatically update the property characteristic record with the property characteristic data including the property change data.

“11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising: a property insurance data generation module that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, causes the processor to generate property insurance data, based on the property characteristic data.

“12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising: a property insurance data receiving module that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, causes the processor to receive property insurance data, wherein the property insurance data is representative of at least one property insurance policy; and a property insurance correlation module that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, causes the processor to correlate at least one aerial image with the at least one property insurance policy.

“13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the property characteristic data is representative of at least one of: a change in a property due to a weather related event, a change in a property due to construction activity, a change in a property due to demolition activity, or a change in property due to deterioration.

“14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising: a property insurance claim data receiving module that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, causes the processor to receive property insurance claim data, wherein the property insurance claim data is representative of an insurance claim; and a property insurance claim settlement data generation module that, when executed by a processor of a computing device, causes the processor to generate property insurance claim settlement data, based on the property characteristic data and the property insurance claim data, wherein the property insurance claim settlement data is representative of a settlement of at least one property insurance claim.

“15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, where the settlement of the at least one property insurance claim is reduced because of changes in the property, indicated by the property characteristic data, unrelated to the property insurance claim.

“16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the property characteristic data is representative of at least one of: deterioration of property roof material, property erosion, or unrepaired property damage associated with a previous insurance claim.

“17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein a first series of aerial images are acquired in a first quarter of a calendar year, a second series of aerial images are acquired in a second quarter of the calendar year, a third series of aerial images are acquired in a third quarter of the calendar year, and a fourth series of aerial images are acquired in a fourth quarter of the calendar year.”

For the URL and additional information on this patent, see: Davis, Timothy Joel. Methods And Systems To Generate Property Insurance Data Based On Aerial Images. U.S. Patent Number 10,453,147, filed September 14, 2015, and published online on November 4, 2019. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=10,453,147.PN.&OS=PN/10,453,147RS=PN/10,453,147

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