HK1158347A - A method of and system for determining and processing object structure condition information - Google Patents

Description

Method and system for determining and processing object structure condition information

Reference to related applications

This application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application No.61/045,929 entitled "Methods and Systems for Automated performance Inspection" filed on 2008, 4, 17, according to section 119 (e) of the american code, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to automated property inspection (property inspection). More particularly, the present invention relates to the use of robots (robots) to remotely inspect property. The present invention also relates generally to methods and systems for determining and processing object structural condition information. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention also relates to the use of robots to remotely inspect building structures.

Background

Property insurance is a common form of insurance used to insurance properties. In order to be as effective as possible during its entire business lifecycle, insurance carriers are constantly looking for ways to improve the process of each aspect of the insurance lifecycle. This includes processes to support market analysis, identify new customers, underwriting/risk management, sales and policy processing (including policy quotes, rates, issues and renewals), claims processing, and any other insurance processes. Improvements in any of these areas can save time and money for the insurer and can also benefit the insured through lower premium and/or better service.

One type of insurance coverage provided in property insurance is property damage insurance. When an event occurs that requires a property damage claim to be claimed, the damage must be evaluated to determine how much to compensate the policy holder in order to be able to repair the damage.

Current insurance claim handling processes require the claim adjuster to go to property to physically assess the damage to the property before paying the claim to the policy holder or insured or claimant. This process of handling claims can be slow because it requires a claim adjuster (e.g., a local, non-local, or third-party adjuster) to go to a property location to perform a physical inspection, which can be time consuming and tedious. Once the check is complete, the adjuster submits an estimate of the cost and a report of the damage to the insurer, who may then submit payment to the insured.

As described above, the process of evaluating damage claims involves an estimate of the expected repair or replacement costs. The examination depends largely on the feeling, skill and experience of the claim adjuster. Accordingly, a less experienced or skilled claim adjuster may take a much longer time to generate an accurate assessment. The inspection process may also be hazardous. When inspecting the roof of property, claim adjusters often need to climb onto the roof and walk or crawl along the roof to properly perform the visual inspection. Properties may also have damaged roofs that collapse easily, may have other property damage that makes the property unsafe in general, and/or electrical problems or other sources of danger that make inspection dangerous. In addition, it may be difficult to inspect all portions of the property, certain portions of the roof may be quite steep, or other sources of danger (e.g., electrical hazards) may exist near the inspection area. Hiring a foreign contractor to act as a consultant for the inspection and to assist in the inspection would increase costs and result in delays in the process.

All of the above problems are also present, and to a greater extent, in the handling of claims during disasters. The speed and efficiency of claim settlement services provided by insurance companies after a catastrophic event such as a hurricane, tornado, flood, or other natural or human disaster is very important to allow an insured to begin the recovery process. Thus, there may not be enough time and/or resources to properly inspect the property or to quickly inspect the property as desired by the insurance company or insured. In addition, costs may be increased by requiring a non-local claim adjuster to travel to the location of the damaged property and/or by requiring employment of a third party claim adjuster.

In view of the foregoing, what is needed is a safer, faster way to generate damage estimates that can provide estimates that are at least as accurate as current methods, particularly for rooftops or other areas where inspection of property under consideration is difficult or dangerous. In addition, a large amount of property needs to be checked quickly, for example, during or after a disaster.

Another problem in insurance operations is the inability to identify in advance situations that may lead to loss for policy holders and insurance companies. Currently, properties are usually checked (both internal and external checks) only at renewal (one or more years apart) or at the creation of a new account or when a claim has been filed (for business reasons). For some properties, such as basic office buildings where business activity is considered low risk, no checks are performed after the initial check at the time of creating the account. This infrequent inspection frequency is due in part to the expense and/or resources required to perform the inspection and the desire not to inconvenience the customer. Thus, the time between inspections can be so long that many potential sources of danger or risks can develop or accumulate over time that the insurance company or even the policy holder is unaware of. Additionally, the policy holder may not recognize or appreciate the risk of such a risk.

Another problem in insurance operations is accurately pricing or bidding the policy. The more information about the property that is known when creating a quote for an insurance scope, the more accurate the quote will be because it more accurately reflects the chance that the account will be lost. Thus, it is desirable to maximize the amount and accuracy of information about an asset, business, or item before providing a quote. However, this can be very resource intensive as it requires physical inspection of the property, business or item.

In addition, another problem in insurance operations is identifying potential customers to target or seek future services. This is currently done by means of general printing, telephone, radio, mail and internet advertising. However, current methods often have unpredictable results in selecting low-risk customers. Thus, it is desirable to find a reliable way to identify potential low risk customers of future business.

Another problem associated with inspection problems is the manual nature of inspection and determination of object structures. In some cases, manual inspection is performed, but this is expensive, dangerous, and inaccurate. In addition, the time between inspections can be long, especially if the object is located in a remote, inaccessible location, which increases the risk of failing to identify potential problems at an early stage.

In addition, any assertions or suspicions of damage or defects within the structure of an object need to be processed relatively quickly in order to determine its correctness and thereby prevent potentially catastrophic failure of the object. In addition, any solution needs to accommodate the varying nature of different possible types of objects.

Disclosure of Invention

Embodiments of the present invention include a method of determining and processing structural condition information of an object. The method includes capturing, with a monitoring system, monitoring information regarding a current condition of a structure of an object. The method further includes linking the captured monitoring information with corresponding location information regarding the location of the object structure and corresponding time information regarding a current time and date at which the monitoring information was captured. The method further includes receiving the monitoring information, the location information, and the time information at the remote monitoring location for storage on a remote monitoring location database, and comparing the monitoring information, the location information, and the time information regarding the current condition of the object structure from the remote monitoring location database with the monitoring information, the location information, and the time information regarding the previously determined condition of the object structure to enable determination of a discrepancy between the current condition and the previous condition of the object structure.

Embodiments of the present invention also include a system for determining and processing object structural condition information. The system includes a data capture device for capturing monitoring information regarding a current condition of the structure of the object using the monitoring system. The system further comprises linking means for linking the captured monitoring information with corresponding position information regarding the position of the object structure and corresponding time information regarding the current time and date at which the monitoring information was captured. The system further comprises: a receiver for receiving the monitoring information, the location information and the time information at the remote monitoring site for storage on a remote monitoring site database; and a comparator for comparing the monitoring information, the location information and the time information about the current condition of the object structure from the remote monitoring location database with the monitoring information, the location information and the time information about the previously determined condition of the object structure so as to be able to determine a difference between the current condition and the previous condition of the object structure.

Drawings

Various objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the following drawings in which like reference characters identify similar parts:

FIG. 1 illustrates the current process of handling insurance claims.

Fig. 2A shows a telerobotic inspection device on a roof.

Figure 2B illustrates various imaging inspection systems.

Fig. 3A shows a robotic inspection device.

Fig. 3B shows another embodiment of a robotic inspection device.

Fig. 3C shows another embodiment of a robotic inspection device.

Fig. 3D shows a flying robotic inspection device.

Fig. 4 illustrates a type of house roof that can be inspected using the present invention.

FIG. 5 shows a block diagram of one embodiment of a robotic inspection device.

Fig. 6A shows a block diagram of an inspection system and an electronic claims processing system.

Fig. 6B shows more detail of the electronic claims processing system.

FIG. 7A illustrates the process of handling a claim with a robotic review device at a property location.

FIG. 7B illustrates the process of remotely processing a claim using a robotic inspection device.

Fig. 8 shows a process of performing maintenance inspection using the robot type inspection apparatus.

Fig. 9 shows a process of performing an automated inspection using a robotic inspection device.

FIG. 10 illustrates a process of disposing of an insurance claim, wherein at least one professional adjuster works with at least one on-site laborer to perform an inspection.

FIG. 11 illustrates a process of disposing of an insurance claim, wherein at least one specialized adjuster works with at least one on-site laborer to perform an inspection after a catastrophic event.

FIG. 11A illustrates a process of performing a remote non-professional inspection of a property.

Figure 12 illustrates the process of reviewing the images to discover potential sources of risk or risk levels for the current insured.

Figure 13 shows the process of reviewing the images for potential insured life.

Fig. 14 illustrates a portable wireless video system that can be used in conjunction with embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 15 shows a block diagram of the communication paths and locations of people for the process of FIGS. 10-11A.

Fig. 16 is a diagram illustrating network communications for the process of fig. 10-11A.

Figure 17 shows a top view of the interior of a building being inspected by the present invention.

Detailed Description

FIG. 1 depicts the current process of compensating a policy holder (or insured or claimant) in response to a property damage claim being made. At step 102, the policy holder first reports the claim to the insurance company, for example by telephone. At step 104, the insurance company records the claim, including details of the property damage provided by the policy holder. The insurance company then contacts the claim adjuster local to the claimant's property at step 106. Local financers are usually sent out to minimize costs and time. Next, at step 108, the local claim adjuster proceeds to the property and performs a physical check for damage with his sense (step 110), such as vision, touch, smell, or any other sense needed to assess damage to the property. The adjuster may then determine what needs to be repaired or replaced based on the assessed damage at step 112. Next, at step 114, the adjuster creates a cost estimate for repairing the damage to the property and submits a claim damage report to the insurance company claims processing/disposition department. Then, at step 116, the insurance company sends a payment for the claim to the claimant based on the claim adjuster's report and the terms of the insurance coverage of the policy.

If the damage is on the roof of a building, the claim adjuster often climbs the roof to check for damage. This allows a rationale to visually inspect for damage in close proximity and touch the roof and tiles to detect weak spots or other damage. The claims adjuster then makes a determination using his or her skills and experience to determine what needs to be repaired or replaced, and what the cost of repair/replacement will be.

The present invention is described below in the context of property checking for insurance purposes. It will be clearly understood, however, that the invention is not limited to this field of application, since it solves the technical problem of implementation of the underlying technology. For example, the present invention may be readily used in safety critical environments for automatically checking the integrity of large physical structures such as aircraft fuselages, marine structures, and other fail-safe structures. The present invention automates the processing of situation information relating to the structure of such objects.

The following description of non-limiting embodiments of the invention is set forth in the context of automated property insurance checking and result processing. However, as previously mentioned, the data capture and processing described herein may be readily applied in non-commercial-based applications, such as structural defects for determining the condition of giant fail-safe structures.

Fig. 2A shows an embodiment of the invention, which is a remotely controlled robotic inspection vehicle (or device) 202 for property inspection. The telerobotic inspection vehicle 202 has imaging devices or video inspection equipment 205 (e.g., video cameras or still image cameras, etc.) and/or other sensors (not shown) as further discussed herein that are needed to perform the inspection, and has wheels 203 and can be driven along the roof 204 being inspected. Robotic inspection vehicle 202 may be any remotely controlled robotic inspection vehicle or device capable of performing any of the functions described herein. Fig. 2A shows a house 208 for which an insurance damage claim has been made due to damage to the roof 204. The robotic inspection vehicle 202 is able to traverse the roof 204 while recording video or other sensor data. The video and other metrics may be recorded on the vehicle 202 for later download to another computer, or transmitted wirelessly in real time during the inspection. The robotic vehicle 202 may be remotely controlled using an inspection console or radio controller (not shown-discussed below). The robotic vehicle 202 may be propelled by wheels, treads (tread), belts, chains, tracks, legs, feet, magnetic/electric fields, airflow, or any other contact or non-contact propulsion, motion, positioning techniques.

The roof 204 may also have a grid 206, which grid 206 may be a grid of sensors for collecting and/or providing sensed inspection information to the inspection vehicle 202 or other data collection device. In other embodiments, the grid 206 may be a track or other form of electrical, mechanical, or optical directional aid for the robotic inspection vehicle 202 (discussed further below).

In some embodiments, at least a portion of roof 202 may be a smart or "smart" roof, which may assist and/or replace robotic inspection vehicle 202. Smart roofs may have the ability to sense and communicate their own conditions. Smart roofs have one or more sensors in or on the roof structure, or the roof is covered with a skin, coating or material having sensors. Smart roofs may be made of traditional building materials such as wood, metal, steel, fiberglass, asphalt, or non-traditional materials such as polymers, solar cells, "smart structures" or "smart skins" (e.g., those described in U.S. patent nos. 6,986,287, 6,564,640, 5,797,623, 5,524,679, which are incorporated herein by reference to the extent necessary to understand, make or use the present invention).

In some embodiments, such smart roofs may be used to help guide or provide data to inspection robotic vehicle 202 or to provide inspection data to a local inspector or remotely to a monitoring station or insurance company or manufacturer (discussed below). Smart roofs may have active or passive sensing technology, or sensor-assisted technology, for active or passive detection and reporting of damage. They may have embedded optical fibers, piezoelectric or piezoelectric acoustic sensors, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes, micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) devices (including semiconductor chips on which the sensors are fabricated), or any other sensing technology capable of measuring, strain, temperature, pressure, vibration, distance, velocity, acceleration, sound, wavelength, moisture, humidity, radiation, and/or chemicals and may be distributed and/or multiplexed along the roof 204 in a predetermined pattern (e.g., grid 206) and at a predetermined density or layering for predetermined portions of the roof 204. Such smart roofs may report the amount and location of damage to a portable or permanent diagnostic device (not shown) via wireless communication or hard wiring. The sensor assistance techniques may include light or sound absorbing or reflecting coatings, materials or layers on the roof that reflect or absorb light or sound of particular wavelengths and, when damaged, contaminated or punctured, reveal a change in the light or sound reflection or absorption profile of the roof 204 when interrogated by a light or sound source and associated receiver. For example, the roof 204 may be coated with a material that changes color based on stains on the roof, which may be visible to the naked eye or only when interrogated with an infrared camera or inspection device. Additionally, the smart rooftop may monitor the rooftop 204 continuously, on demand, or periodically. Additionally, robotic inspection vehicle 202 may provide source signals to interrogate intelligent rooftop sensors or sensor-assisted technologies and then report the results.

Damage to the roof 204 detected by the robotic inspection vehicle 202 or smart roof may be reported using a wired sensor grid 206 (in the form of hardwired data flow paths and/or transmit or receive antennas), RFID, WiFi, broadband, or any other wireless method for transmitting data to/from the robotic vehicle 202, smart roof, and/or other local or remote data collection devices, monitoring stations, or computer systems for use by an insurance company or its manufacturer (discussed below). The intelligent roof or inspection vehicle 202 may detect many types of damage and/or changes to the roof, such as stress, breakage, dent, hole, crack, loss of tile, or any other damage to the roof. Additionally, smart roofs may be able to perform self-tests periodically or on-demand, and send data to the insurance company (or its manufacturer) to determine if the roof is ready and/or if repair or maintenance is required.

Further, ramp 210 or any other deployment device or system may be used to deploy inspection device 202 onto roof 204. For some embodiments, ramp 210 may be a ladder and robotic inspection device 202 may have the ability to climb the ladder or wheels 203 may run along the exterior structure of the ladder. In some embodiments, a lift system (not shown) may be used to place robotic inspection vehicle 202 on roof 204 of the property. One type of lifting system that may be used is a manually operated or powered lifting mechanism. The lifting mechanism may be compact and easily transported to an inspection location. In other embodiments, the lifting mechanism may work in conjunction with a ladder, for example, the container supporting the robot is connected to a rope running through the rungs using pulleys or any other technique. The lifting mechanism may have a platform on which the robotic vehicle 202 is placed and lifted onto the roof 204. One example is an illuminated lifting mechanism, which may be manually powered or hydraulically powered. Another type of lifting system that may be used is a trailer towable lifting system that is towed behind the claim adjuster's vehicle. Another type is a lift system mounted on a vehicle, such as a mobile crane (or boom hoist) or a bucket truck. A custom lift system may also be made that is appropriate for a particular robotic inspection device 202. Prefabricated "building block toy" type components may also be used. A non-back-drivable transmission system can also be used in the lifting mechanism to prevent the lifting mechanism from falling backwards. Materials that can be used are wood, aluminum (e.g., tubes, channels, angle iron, profiles, steel or polycarbonate). Any other type of lifting system or ramp 210 may also be used to deploy robotic inspection vehicle 202 onto roof 204.

Figure 2B illustrates various imaging examination embodiments of the present invention. Such imaging examinations may be performed by flying objects such as aircraft 210, helicopter 212, satellite 214, or any other aircraft object, device, or vehicle. For any of these, the flying apparatus is equipped with an imaging device or video inspection device 225 (e.g., video camera, still picture camera, etc.) and/or other sensors as discussed herein that are needed to perform the desired inspection. The images from the imaging device 225 may be used to assess damage without sending an inspector to a property location at all. In other embodiments, imaging device 225 may be attached to street light 217 or other stable structure. Alternatively, other objects or structures capable of providing a view of the roof may be used, such as trees 218, telephone poles, chess poles, nearby structures/homes, or any other object or structure. In addition, the imaging device 225 may be capable of rotating or changing focus via remote control. In other embodiments, the imaging device 225 may be attached to the gantry 219 that is directly on the roof 204 or another portion of the house 208. By placing the imaging device 225 at one or more strategic locations on the property or rooftop, the rooftop 204 can be fully inspected. Other sensors discussed herein may also be included and used to scan the roof at one or more locations, if desired.

In other embodiments, the imaging device 225 may be movably attached to a wire 226 (or strap) connected between two rods 230 and 231 by a mechanically moving coupler 224. The wire 226 may be positioned above the roof 204 such that the coupler 224 does not contact the roof 204, or may act as a track for the coupler 224 to move along the roof, similar or identical to the robotic vehicle 202 (fig. 2A). The camera 225 may then be moved along the wire 226 to perform an inspection of the roof 204. A second wire 232 (or strap) may be connected from the ground or another pole (not shown) to the first wire 226 to create a second path along which the imaging device 225 may travel so that the roof 204 may be more fully inspected. In addition to the imaging device 225, other sensors may also be attached to the coupler (or other robotic vehicle) 224. In other embodiments, the camera 225 may only travel along the metal line 232.

Referring to FIG. 3A, one example of a robotic inspection vehicle 202 (FIG. 2A) is shown as vehicle 304, such as MMP-8Mobile Camera Unit (a specification available at http:// www.themachinelab.com/mmp8cam. html.) manufactured by The Machine Lab, or may be any other inspection, monitoring, or tactical Unit available from The Machine Lab, such as models MMP-5, MMP-8, MMP-15, MMP-40, or MMP-40 x. Some models have wheels, while others have treads or rubber tracks. The robotic vehicle 304 has a low center of gravity and six wheels 305 to obtain greater traction to enable climbing steep roofs, even on slippery roofs (e.g., loose particles, ice, water) or in inclement weather conditions. In addition, an engine (not shown) with a worm drive may be used to prevent backward slip on steep slopes (e.g., roofs with a slope of 12: 12 or higher).

The robotic inspection vehicle 304 may also have a separately controllable video camera 302 to facilitate video inspection of the rooftop. The video camera 302 may have a zoom feature to enable more detailed inspection without moving the robotic vehicle 304. Also shown are an antenna 307 for wireless communication and a video monitor 306 for viewing the transmitted video. Also shown is a radio controller 306 for controlling the robotic vehicle 304 and the video camera 302.

The robotic inspection vehicle 202 may also be designed with easily interchangeable components to accommodate different roofs, different portions of property, or other different conditions. For example, the wheel or propulsion technology may be changed to make it easier to inspect the pipe.

Referring to fig. 3B, another example of a robotic inspection vehicle 202 (fig. 2A) is shown as a vehicle 312 according to an embodiment of the present invention, such as a packabot Explorer robot manufactured by iRobot, or may be any other inspection robot manufactured by iRobot, including consumer robots (Roomba, Scooba, loj, Verro) and military/industrial robots (packabot, Negotiator, Warrior, Seaglider, Ranger, and transphian). The robotic inspection vehicle 312 is similar to the vehicle 304 shown in FIG. 3A, but uses treads instead of tires to improve traction. This robotic vehicle also has an antenna 310 for wirelessly transmitting information and being wirelessly controlled. The two small treads at the front increase mobility. The vehicle 312 is able to climb stairs or other obstacles, is able to smoothly negotiate a two-meter drop, has a load of sensors and instrumentation that can be stowed for roof inspection, and is compact enough to fit into the trunk of the vehicle. The inspection vehicle 312 may also be equipped with a two meter remotely controlled expandable arm (not shown). This can be used, for example, to feel the underlying tiles.

Referring to fig. 3C, another example of a robotic inspection vehicle 202 (fig. 2A) is shown as a vehicle 316, such as Matilda manufactured by Mesa Robotics, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The robotic inspection vehicle 316 is similar to that described with respect to fig. 3B, but has a different tread design. It also has an antenna 314 for wirelessly transmitting information. It is controlled by a briefcase-type operator (not shown) and can climb slopes up to 55 degrees. It also has a load compartment and is compact enough to fit into the trunk of the vehicle.

Figure 3D shows an example of a flying robotic inspection vehicle 318, such as prototype Epson FR-II from Seiko Epson, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The robotic vehicle 318 may fly and hover like a helicopter so that it may more easily access all parts of the roof. As with other inspection vehicle embodiments, information may be transmitted wirelessly and in real time to better control the robot and inspection process. The flying robot 318 uses an onboard battery capable of sustaining up to 3 minutes of flight. It has a micro-motor for powering the blades, and a gyroscopic sensor for control. The flying robotic vehicle 318 is remotely controlled using bluetooth.

Another example of a flying robotic vehicle is draganflag X6 manufactured by Draganfly Innovations, inc (not shown). It has several pairs of rotors for power boost, stability and control. This device is particularly well suited for this application as it is capable of self-stabilising and carrying the load of a still or video camera. Some models also include GPS and waypoint capabilities for autonomous flight. Another example is the Draganfly Tango UAV, also manufactured by Draganfly Innovations, which is an unmanned aerial vehicle capable of autonomous flight and capable of capturing aerial video and pictures of large areas.

Any other type of flying robotic device capable of sending an image of an asset may be used. Similarly, any other type of robot with underwater, underground, or space capabilities may be used, based on what is most appropriate for the desired application.

Other examples of robotic inspection vehicles or devices may include: X-UFO manufactured by SilverLit Electronics (more suitable for indoor use); dragonfly, a remotely controlled flying device, manufactured by Wowwee, is a "ornithopter" (i.e., it flies by flapping the wings); and Microdrone MD4-200 and MD4-1000 manufactured by microdone, GmbH.

In other embodiments of the invention, the robotic inspection vehicle or device may also be a portable video inspection apparatus attached to a claim adjuster or another person or worker (or trained animal) that can respond to commands or directions from a remote claim adjuster or other director. FIG. 14 illustrates components of a portable wireless video system 1401, such as Jones CAM manufactured by Niche Concepts LLC, which can be used in conjunction with embodiments of the present invention. Any other type of portable video inspection device that performs the functions described herein may be used, such as: MPEG Video webcast 5001 manufactured by EarthCam; HCT3 Helmet Camera manufactured by Tactical Electronics; mobile Helmet-Camera Surveillance System manufactured by Techno-Sciences; hero manufactured by GoPro; vhold manufactured by twentiy 20; pov.1 manufactured by VIO; ATC2K manufactured by Oregon Scientific; CAM manufactured by Xtreme Recall; AC3 manufactured by vioport; VideoMask and Explorer manufactured by liquiddmage; digital Mini Cam (also known as Helmet Camcorder) manufactured by Archos, model 500986; and HCR-100X, HC-Pro, HC-TACT manufactured by Hoyt Technologies. Many of the above systems use cameras or imaging devices manufactured by Sony. In other embodiments, the video inspection device may simply be hand-held and perform the inspection simultaneously.

The system 1401 may have a box 1402 that may be carried by a user, which may include a battery pack and a direct digital video recorder and/or hard drive. The system 1401 also includes a microphone 1403, a high resolution miniature camera 1405 and an LCD screen/control panel 1404. The camera 1405 may be mounted to a helmet, headband, glasses, coat, pants, shoes, or other clothing or body part or may be hand-held. Fig. 14 also shows an example of a camera 1405 attached to a helmet 1412 to be worn by an inspector.

With the video device 1401, a claim adjuster performing (or instructing another person to perform) an inspection can record the inspected video. The video may be recorded on a portable hard drive 1402 worn with the unit, or it may be sent wirelessly to a computer, or in real time to a remote person or company via any manner of data network including but not limited to bluetooth, wi-fi, cellular, or WiMax. The recorded video may be downloaded to the computer using USB, firewire, or bluetooth. The video clips and/or images may be time stamped, categorized, and/or tagged for later review.

The handheld LCD screen/controller 1404 has a screen 1406 that allows the operator to view the video while it is being recorded, and a button 1408 for controlling the recording features (e.g., playback) of the system.

By installing the video camera 1405 in one of the ways described herein, the user's hand may be freed up during the examination to perform other tasks. In addition, a remotely located claim adjuster may have exactly the same field of view as the operator of the system 1401, thereby making it easier to guide the operator. In such an arrangement, a single claim adjuster can simultaneously check multiple properties located remotely from each other and from the adjuster's office by utilizing a network of operators equipped with this or any similar system.

Fig. 4 shows an example of a type of roof that may need to be inspected for damage. The roof is angled and covered with tiles. The entire roof may be made up of different sections (e.g., 402 and 404), each having a different angle. Depending on the particular application and the imaging available, an inspection using robotic inspection vehicle 202 (fig. 2A) according to the present invention may be able to run on each section of the roof, and/or be able to transition between sections.

The roof may have typical or specially constructed tracks to assist the robotic vehicle in traveling over it. For example, the robotic vehicle 202 may traverse the roof along the gutter 406, edges, and junctions between the roof and the valley of the roof. In other embodiments, the robot may freely traverse around the roof. A robotic vehicle that examines an area near the ground (e.g., a private lane) may travel along the boundary between the sidewalk and the lawn. The robotic vehicle may also travel along a specially constructed track, such as a permanently or temporarily mounted set of guide wires, similar to those used for robotic lawnmowers or stealth fences.

FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram 502 of onboard components within robotic inspection vehicle 202 (FIG. 2A) according to some embodiments of the invention. Robotic inspection vehicle 202 may have on-board computing 516, memory, and storage capabilities. This may be, for example, a microcontroller with RAM and a hard disk or flash memory for storage. A real-time operating system or other operating software may run on the microcontroller. The system software enables the sensor, video camera and communication system to interface with the microcontroller. The system software also allows for more precise control of the robotic vehicle 202 and may process instructions received through the communication system to control the camera, vehicle or sensors. Processing power may be used to collect and process data from the sensors and cameras and then send the information to the inspection control system through the communication system. In other embodiments, the robot may obtain images and send them to a remote receiver with any computing, memory, and storage capabilities.

Electronic sensors 504 are used to gather information about the roof under inspection and to help guide the vehicle. Sensors 504 may include, for example, pressure sensors/sensors 508, edge detection sensors 510, and rangefinders 512. Other sensors may be used if desired. The data from the sensor 510 may be sent to a microcontroller for further processing (e.g., for vehicle control) and/or storage before being sent. Software may also be utilized to analyze data from the sensors 510 to determine characteristics of the property. The rangefinder 512 may be used to measure the dimensions of a roof. The rangefinder 512 may be an ultrasonic or laser rangefinder or other technology. The rangefinder 512 allows the robotic vehicle 202 to measure the total size of the roof even if it is not traversing the entire roof. Alternatively, the size of the roof may be estimated by measuring the distance traveled by the robotic vehicle 202, for example, with a sensor that measures the number of revolutions of the tread or wheels of the robotic vehicle 202.

The robotic inspection vehicle 202 may also have an edge detection sensor 510. The edge detection sensor 510 may be used to prevent the robotic vehicle from being driven past the edge of the roof. It can also be used to accurately measure the dimensions of a roof when it can be traversed. Similarly, the robotic vehicle 202 may have a tilt sensor (not shown) to prevent tipping over by the operator.

The robotic inspection vehicle 202 may also have a pressure sensor or feeler 508. The tactile sensor 508 may be used, for example, to measure the elasticity or softness/stiffness of the roof to discover weak points that may indicate damaged portions of the roof. The sensors may be used to measure the texture of tiles or surfaces of a roof. This information can be used to determine whether a roof has been damaged and what type of damage has occurred. For example, touch sensors 508 may be used to touch the underside of tiles to detect tears or other damage (e.g., star patterns due to hail damage). Feeler 508 may also sense the underlying tile to ascertain whether the surface layer has been pierced.

The robotic inspection vehicle 202 may also measure the slope of the roof, for example, using an accelerometer, an electronic level, or any other technique that provides slope information. Furthermore, sensors on the robot may be used to help control the acceleration and velocity of the robotic vehicle.

The robotic vehicle 202 may also have a video camera 514, as previously described, so that a claims adjuster may remotely perform a visual inspection of the roof. The video camera 514 may be a digital video camera that may be controlled separately from the robotic vehicle 202. This allows the entire roof to be easily inspected without having to traverse the entire roof with the robotic vehicle 202. The data from the video camera 514 may be stored on the machine for later retrieval, or may be sent to a video display (not shown) in real-time. Real-time transmission may be used to better control the robotic vehicle 202 and speed up the inspection process. The recorded digital video may be stored on the machine or transmitted in real time. The video camera 514 may have standard features such as zoom or illumination to make video inspection more efficient, as previously described.

Instead of or in addition to the video camera 514, the following sensors and/or measurement techniques may be used: visible light, infrared light, ultraviolet light, radiation, Laser (LIDAR), radar, sonar/acoustic, and tactile, or any other sensing technology capable of measuring stress, strain, temperature, pressure, vibration, distance, velocity, acceleration, wavelength, moisture, humidity, radiation, and/or chemicals may be used. These alternative types of imaging (and corresponding sensors) may provide different or additional data about the roof.

The robotic inspection vehicle 202 may also have a communication system 506 for controlling the vehicle and sending information to an inspection control system (discussed below with respect to FIG. 6A) or directly to the Internet or other network. The communication system 506 may include a wireless communication component 518, such as cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or direct radio communication. The communication system 506 may also include a wired communication interface 520, such as USB, Firewire, or serial communication, for downloading the collected information, and uploading the necessary software, instructions, or data to the robotic vehicle to perform the functions described herein. The wired interface 520 may also be used to program the robotic vehicle.

Fig. 6A illustrates a robotic inspection vehicle in the context of an insurance claim processing system. A robotic inspection vehicle (inspection robot) 602 is shown on the roof of an inspected premises 606 and controlled by an inspection control system 608. Inspection control system 608 may be a computer system, such as a laptop computer, or a handheld device, with appropriate software for operating robotic vehicle 602 and the entire inspection process. Inspection control system 608 may communicate with inspection robot 602 via wireless interface 610 using wireless signals indicated by dashed line 604, and inspection control system 608 may also communicate with insurance claim processing system 616 via internet 614 or other network connection. Live video images of the inspection from inspection robot 602 may be displayed on a video monitor (not shown) of inspection control system 608. In some embodiments, the digital video signals may be stored on a computer server in inspection control system 608. Inspection control system 608 may have an input device 612 (e.g., a keyboard, mouse, and/or joystick), which input device 612 is controlled by an adjuster 611 (or others) to control robotic inspection vehicle 602 and/or associated video cameras/sensors. Alternatively, software operating on inspection control system 608 may have a control panel or interactive graphical user interface for controlling robot 602 and/or video camera/sensors. Other features of the inspection control system 608 may include a storage device for storing the received data and a network connection (e.g., cellular wireless) for connecting to the insurance claim processing system 616. In other embodiments of the invention, a separate radio controller 613 may be used to control the robotic vehicle 602 and/or the video camera/sensor.

The inspection control system 608 may be connected to an insurance claim processing system 616 of an insurance company through a computer network (e.g., the internet) 614. By electronically connecting the review control system 608 to the claim processing system 616, review reports can be electronically created and submitted, thereby increasing the efficiency of the claim process. Additionally, annotations may be made to the recorded video or sensor data to form part or all of the inspection report. In this way, an examination report can be easily generated, stored, and reviewed. In addition, video and sensor data generated by the robotic inspection vehicle 602 may also be stored with the report. Inspection control system 608 may also be integrated with an email, messaging, and scheduling system so that a claim adjuster may carry a single computer for both office tasks and inspections. Inspection control system 608, or a portion thereof, may be incorporated into inspection robot 602. In this case, robot 602 communicates with computer 626 of the reasoner 611 and may be controlled by commands from computer 626 via the internet (which computer 626 may also contain a portion of inspection control system 608 and/or input device 612).

The reported and collected data may be stored in a data store 618, where the data may be accessed by the claims processing server 602 to make reimbursements to the policy holder 618. In addition, this data may be accessed by the customer service 620 or by the policy holder or customer 624 on-site in real time or at some later time so that they can review the data collected during the exam in detail. The database may be analyzed using data warehousing and analysis techniques to better support the services of the insurance company. For example, the data may be analyzed to determine trends and patterns of claims and damage, and this may be presented to a person reviewing this information via a computer terminal. A person reviewing data and video of a damaged roof may assist in this analysis. These trends and patterns can assist in performing maintenance checks, responding to mishaps, or detecting fraud. It may also be used to better prepare money for policy pricing, adjusting the premium of the policy holder, and/or adjusting the claims. Client 624 may access insurance company's back-end system 616 to determine information about its property checks. In addition, customer 624 may view inspection images and/or data via the internet or other network in real time during an inspection or after an inspection is completed. The data and images from the inspection may also be used to help reconcile issues from the policy holder and/or contractor(s) performing the repair work regarding the cost estimate of the adjuster. Such data and images may also be helpful to a remote or absent owner or manager of the property, for example, for a business or rental property.

FIG. 6B illustrates more details of the e-insurance company claim processing system 616 of FIG. 6A (which may be referred to as a "back-end" claim system) and how it interacts with the inspection control system 608 of FIG. 6A (shown as 632 in FIG. 6B). The claim processing computer server 634 coordinates data from the property survey 626, requests from a customer service representative (or user) 646 of an insurance company customer service server 628, and a customer (or policy holder or user) 644 of a customer computer system 642, which may be a PC, laptop, cell phone, PDA, or any other device. The claim processing computer server 634 is connected to various databases 636-640, such as a policy holder database 636, a policy data database 638, and a database 640 of property checks with sensor data. The various components of the claim processing system can be connected by any type of data network, such as the internet 630.

Customer service computer server 628 is a set of computer systems and servers used by an insurance company customer service representative 646 to service a customer (or policy holder) 644. This may include responding to requests for information, processing customer claims, and dealing with customer payment issues. These customer service computer servers 628 are connected to the claim processing computer server 634 and the attached databases 636-640 so that they can access information and control the processing of claims or payments to customers. In addition, the customer (or policy holder) 644 may perform certain tasks on its own using its customer computer system 642. The client 644 may access the claims processing server 634 and the database 636-640 via the internet 630 or other network. The client 644 may perform similar tasks as the insurance company client service representative 646, including checking the status of its claims or payments, and electronically reviewing its property checking videos and data 626.

The claims processing server 634 is responsible for processing the property check data 626 and applying the appropriate logic and rules to determine how to make payments based on the check. The claim processing server 634 is connected to an policy holder data database 636 that stores information about the policy holder for whom claims are processed. The claim processing server 634 is also connected to an policy data database 638 that includes information about the policy holder's policy, such as terms of agreement, exemptions, insurance dates, and the like. The claims processing server is also connected to a database or data warehouse that stores property checks 640 (including recorded sensor data). This database may be used during the processing of the inspection to analyze and compare similar property inspections. These similar property inspection groupings may be by inspection, geographic or damage type.

Comparisons may be made to anticipate new customers, to evaluate claims, to detect fraudulent claims, or for underwriting, pricing, or rating new or existing customers (discussed further below). Although three separate databases are shown, the claims processing server may use additional sources of information, and any of these databases may be combined into one large database, or multiple smaller databases. In addition, each database may be hosted on a separate computer server, or multiple databases may be hosted on a single server. These databases provide information to the claim processing server as it processes the claim in conjunction with the digital information in the property check, including the sensor data within the check.

The review control system 632 is also connected to a claims processing server 634 via the internet 630. The review control system 632 may feed information directly to the claim processing server 634 and/or generate property reviews containing the same. In addition, by linking inspection control system 632 to customer service server 628 and customer computer system 642, both the customer (or policy holder) 644 and the insurance company customer service representative 464 may monitor or participate in the property inspection in real time or at any later time.

Referring to fig. 7A and 6A, a process of processing a damage claim at a property location according to an embodiment of the invention begins at step 702 where a policy holder reports the damage claim to an insurance company. The insurance company then records the damage and other details, step 704, and then contacts the claim adjuster local to the property location (step 706). The claim adjuster then proceeds to the location with the robotic inspection vehicle 602, lift system, and inspection control system 608 at step 708. The robotic vehicle 602 is then deployed to the rooftop as described herein, and the robotic vehicle 602 is controlled using the inspection control system 608. The claim adjuster then performs an inspection at step 710 and uses the live video and sensor data to assist it in controlling the robotic vehicle 602, as well as performing the inspection (step 712). The images taken may be recorded as a real-time movie or a series of snapshots taken at a predetermined image sampling rate.

At step 714, after the review is performed, the claims adjuster completes the report and/or fee estimation. This report may include any collected video or data. The insurance company then pays the claimant for the damage at step 716.

FIG. 7B depicts a process for remotely performing an inspection of a rooftop in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. At step 720, after the claim is submitted, the insurance company enters the claimant's description of the damage (step 722) and contacts the claim adjuster (step 724). The claims adjuster may then dispatch the robotic inspection vehicle and remotely control it to perform an inspection of the damaged roof (step 728), or obtain data directly from a device or database that has obtained and/or periodically obtained images or data required for the inspection, step 726. The remote control may be performed, for example, over the internet or a cellular data communication network. This allows the claim adjuster to save time because the property location does not have to be visited. Embodiments of the invention described herein using an airplane, helicopter, satellite, webcam, or flying robotic inspection vehicle using an airplane, satellite, webcam, or flying, or any other device or technique described herein for obtaining images or data about a property to be inspected, may be sent directly to the property location. Step 730 shows the step of collecting information from the exam and feeding it to the processing system (similar to fig. 7A).

In some embodiments, a third party (e.g., a shipping company or contractor) may be dispatched to deploy and collect a robotic vehicle or stationary system that may be remotely controlled by a claims adjuster conducting the inspection. Any of the techniques discussed herein for obtaining images or data about an asset may be used. In some embodiments where it is not necessary to dispatch and control an inspection robot, steps 726 and 728 may be combined into one step of retrieving the images or data needed to perform the inspection, such as in the case of webcams, satellites, database images, and the like.

After the inspection is performed, the inspection robot may be returned or sent to the next inspection location, and the claim adjuster may compose an inspection report based on the recorded video and sensor data (step 732). The insurance company may then compensate the claimant in the usual manner at step 734.

In some embodiments of the invention, the invention may be used to provide a preliminary examination prior to performing the in-person examination. Preliminary inspections using robotic inspection vehicles or aerial inspections may be performed remotely, such as during a disaster, when the claim adjuster may not have sufficient time to inspect the property in person. Then, if desired, as a follow-up to the preliminary examination, a completely in-person examination may be performed at some later time, which may supplement or replace the first examination.

Fig. 10, 15 and 16 describe the process of performing a remotely controlled inspection by a person (laborer) 1506 in response to a property damage claim using a local (on-site) non-professional laborer 1506 with an inspection robot or inspection device and a remote professional adjuster 1504 in communication therewith. In fig. 15, the person shown to the right of line 1501 is located locally at the loss site, while the person shown to the left of line 1501 is located remotely from the loss site. The process begins at step 1002 when the insured reports a loss notification (or claim) to the insurer (or its vendor), including basic claim (or loss) information and the location of the claim (the site of the loss), for example, by telephone, mail or electronically via the internet. Next, step 1004 determines whether the loss is suitable for use with non-professional remote inspection. If so, step 1006 performs a non-professional remote inspection (further described in FIG. 11A). When the inspection is complete, step 1008 determines whether the non-professional remote inspection was successful, i.e., whether the collected information is sufficient to avoid the use of the local professional 1508. It should be appreciated that even when the collected data results in a local professional being sent out, the non-professional remote review provides value to the overall process by determining that the professional 1508 is required to travel to the site. If the result in step 1008 is no, or if the result of step 1004 is no, the insurance company (or dispatcher) sends a professional local adjuster 1508 to the claim site and the local adjuster 1508 performs a check in step 1010. When step 1010 is complete or if the result of step 1008 is yes (non-professional remote check was successful), then at step 1012, the remote claim adjuster 1504 submits the report and the estimate of cost to the insurance company claims processing for payment to the insured life.

Fig. 11, 15 and 16 illustrate the process of performing an inspection in response to a property damage claim during a catastrophic (or CAT) event using a local (on-site) non-professional laborer 1506 with an inspection robot and a remote professional adjuster 1504. In fig. 15, the person shown to the right of line 1501 is local to the CAT loss site, while the person shown to the left of line 1501 is remote from the CAT loss site. At step 1104, after the catastrophic event occurs (at 1102), the local and remote claim adjusters (and others of the insurance company, including dispatchers/dispatchers, call centers, and lay workers) 1502 prepare for the possibility of receiving a large number of claims (or loss notifications) from the insured in a short period of time. Next, step 1106 determines if a loss notification has been received from the insured. When the insured reports a loss notification to the insurer, for example, by telephone, mail or electronically via the internet, the result of step 1106 is yes and the insurer obtains the base claim (or loss) information from the insured and the location of the claim in step 1108. Next, at step 1110, a non-professional remote review of the claim is performed as described in FIG. 11A. When the inspection is complete, step 1112 determines whether the non-professional remote inspection was successful, i.e., whether the collected information is sufficient to avoid using the local professional 1508. It should be appreciated that even when the collected data results in the local professional 1508 being sent out, the non-professional remote review provides value to the overall process by determining that the professional 1508 is required to travel to the site. If the result of step 1012 is no, the insurance company (or dispatcher) dispatches the specialized adjuster 1504 to the claim site and the adjuster 1504 performs a check in step 1114. When step 1114 is complete or if the result of step 1012 is yes (non-professional remote check was successful), then at step 1116 the remote claim adjuster 1504 submits the report and the estimate of cost to the insurance company claims process 1510 for payment to the insured life. Next, step 1118 determines if all CAT checks are complete. If not, the process proceeds to step 1104 to wait for the next loss notification in step 1106.

Referring to fig. 16, communications between the dispatcher 1502, remote adjuster 1504, local layman 1506, local adjuster 1508, and the claims processing department 1510 described with reference to fig. 10 and 11 may occur over the internet 1602 or any other electronic network, with a laptop 1604, desktop 1606, cell phone, personal digital assistant, and so forth.

For the process described using fig. 10 and 11, the robot used by the non-specialized laborer 1506 may be any of the robotic inspection vehicles described herein or may be a helmet camera (or other portable inspection device described herein), such as the one described using fig. 14, where the non-specialized laborer 1506 operates the robot or inspection device in response to commands from the specialized mental operator 1504. In this way, the remote claims adjuster 1504 may remotely check properties and cause video (or other sensor information) to be recorded for later annotation and archiving. The remotely recorded video may be found sent to a remote claim adjuster 1504, which remote claim adjuster 1504 may view on a PC or laptop 1604 (fig. 16) so that the adjuster may accurately direct an unskilled laborer 1506 to review, e.g., in what direction, and what features to look for.

In some embodiments, the rooftop inspection robot may be flown to the location remotely. In other embodiments, deployment is not required (e.g., satellite embodiments). The lack of travel to the property location saves the claim adjuster time that is available to perform more checks, which can be important, especially after a disaster.

As described herein, if the remote check is unsuccessful, the local claims adjuster 1508 will perform an in-person check to supplement or replace the remote check. In this case, the rooftop inspection robot may again be used (same or different embodiment) to perform an in-person inspection at the property, if desired.

In figures 10 and 11, the loss notification, including the base claim information and location, need not always be provided by the insured. For example, when the insured contacts the insurance company, the insurance company may initiate an automatic remote check using one or more of the remote check techniques described herein and proceed to the next step in the process.

Fig. 11A, 15 and 16 show a process of performing the non-professional remote inspection mentioned above in fig. 10 and 11. The process begins at step 1150, where the dispatcher 1502 identifies non-specialized laborers 1506 that are available to perform the required inspection. Next, in step 1152, the dispatcher notifies the laborer of the claim location. The laborer then proceeds to the claim location and installs/deploys the remote monitoring device and notifies the dispatcher of this in step 1154. Next, in step 1156, the dispatcher 1502 identifies an available remote claim adjuster 1504 and provides the contact information of the laborer 1506 to the adjuster 1504. Next, in step 1158, the adjuster 1504 establishes communication with the laborer 1506 and receives real-time transmissions of audio, video, still images, and the like from the remote monitoring device. Next, at step 1160, the remote adjuster 1504 provides real-time guidance to the local laborer 1506 to obtain the required information about the claim. The remote adjuster 1504 then determines, at step 1162, based on the information collected so far, whether the inspection is complete or needs to be aborted (or terminated). If not, the process continues to step 1160 where additional guidance is provided to the laborer 1506 and the adjuster collects more data. If the result of step 1162 is yes, the adjuster determines that the collected data is sufficient to create an expense estimate and report and the inspection is complete or is not possible and should be aborted, and the remote adjuster 1504 notifies the laborer 1506 of this status in step 1164. Then, in step 1166, the laborer 1506 notifies the dispatcher 1502 when the laborer 1506 is available for another inspection. Next, the remote adjuster 1504 notifies the dispatcher 1502 whether the non-professional remote inspection was successful, and if not, the remote adjuster 1504 explains the reason (for later communication to the local adjuster 1508) and indicates that the remote adjuster 1504 is available for the next inspection.

Because the remotely located claim adjuster 1504 may have substantially the same field of view as the on-site laborer (the operator of the system), the remote adjuster 1504 may guide the on-site laborer 1502 through their audio and visual links for review. In this arrangement, a single remote claims adjuster 1504 can inspect multiple properties located remotely from each other and from the adjuster's 1504 office by utilizing a network of on-site laborers (operators) 1506 equipped with this or any similar system. Additionally, a language translator may be used between the human analyst 1504 and the laborer 1506. This process leverages the time of the professional claim adjuster 1504, as the travel time between loss sites is eliminated for the claim adjuster 1504, and the claim adjuster 1504 can now remain at a remote location. The laborer 1506 goes to each loss site, is ready to review, and waits for the adjuster 1504 to become available to review. The dispatcher 1502 depicted in fig. 11A, 15, and 16 is optional, but can be used to maximize the time efficiency of all parties involved, including the remote adjuster 1504 and the on-site laborer 1506. It is possible that there are more field laborers 1506 than claim adjusters 1504 because the field laborers 1506 travel to each loss location. The specialized claim adjuster 1504 may be in short supply, especially during a disaster. Another advantage of this process is that the claim adjuster 1504 can be more fully utilized and can more quickly check multiple loss locations. If the loss situation is particularly unusual, the local claim adjuster 1508 may still be dispatched to the loss location for follow-up, but this approach makes the claim adjuster 1504 apply its skills to much more locations during the day than current methods. During times of great demand for the claim adjuster 1504, such as during a disaster, this solution allows the insurance company to more quickly meet the needs of its customers or claimants.

Further, the use of a remote specialized reasoner 1504 and a mobile real-time inspection device can be used to train a new reasoner anywhere in the world from a single location. This also allows the professional to continue to use their high level of skill, knowledge and experience for the insurance company even when they are unable or no longer able to travel to the claim location. It also allows the professional to work from his home or any other remote location. Furthermore, it allows claims to be quickly assessed on an international scale. For example, a professional claims adjuster in the united states may work with a local non-professional laborer in another country and electronically provide the estimate to the claimant in that country with minimal delay. Similarly, time differences between countries can be used to speed claim payment response time. For example, professional claim adjusters located in other countries (e.g., india, china, europe) may perform the checks and provide estimates of losses occurring during the united states nighttime and reports of damage, so that the claimant may have been paid for the next morning in the united states' time, or the claim process may be further.

FIG. 8 depicts a method for performing maintenance, modification and/or status checks of property under consideration with a robotic vehicle. The process begins at step 802, when a policy is issued. After issuing the warranty, a baseline check of the rooftop of the property may be performed with the robotic vehicle at step 804. The video and sensor data recorded from this inspection may be stored in a data warehouse. At periodic intervals, further checks may be performed, for example once a year. As these periodic inspections are performed, the claim adjuster and/or specialized software module may make a comparison between the current inspection and the previous inspection based on the recorded video and sensor data at step 808. By comparing together, damage can be more easily detected. In addition, deterioration of the roof can also be detected more easily by comparison of the put together. Other problems that may be detected during these inspections are hanging of large trees from buildings or electrical wiring, or breakage of guardrails around potentially dangerous sources (e.g., swimming pools).

If damage or deterioration or any kind of increased risk is detected, step 810, an alarm may be sent to the insurance company (if found by the vendor) or policy holder (step 812) to take further action. The alert may take the form of a prospective recommendation or repair to prevent future actual damage. The alert may be sent by any known method, such as email, SMS, mail or voicemail, including images of the property obtained (which may be annotated to show a problem). At step 814, after the check is performed, the next check may be scheduled, for example, after a predetermined time. By proactively addressing degradation or other risk-increasing events, the need for more expensive compensation in the future can be avoided and better service can be provided to the policy holder.

In some embodiments, this comparison may be performed automatically by software. This software may be installed in the robotic vehicle, inspection console, or backend claim processing system. By using the recorded video and sensor data, the comparison can be made automatically using image processing techniques. The recorded data within the data warehouse may be compared to the video and sensor data just collected. By using past sets of data (e.g., the first two exams), detection can be improved. By using electronic measurements, accuracy can be improved and quantified values can be applied to the observed damage. This allows the difference to be automatically determined by the software.

Fig. 9 describes a process for automatically performing an inspection of a roof using a robotic vehicle. At step 902, the process begins with a claim adjuster (in response to a claim) or insurance company (routinely) performing an inspection of the roof with a robotic vehicle and capturing data (e.g., video) from electronic sensors (step 904). In some embodiments, the robotic vehicle may perform the inspection automatically using a preset path, or by moving along the roof using its sensors, or by being controlled by the adjuster or another person guided by the adjuster.

As previously mentioned, in some embodiments, the robotic vehicle may also be controlled or guided by the smart roof, or along a path disposed along the smart roof (see fig. 2A). In some embodiments, as previously described, the smart rooftops can be used to provide data to the inspection robot or directly to the insurance company or a computer system used by it. In this way, the smart rooftop can replace or actually become an inspection robot.

At step 906, the recorded data, such as video, may be processed using image processing software. The recorded video and sensor data is then compared to a library of templates for undamaged roofs at step 908. Damage to the roof is then automatically determined by detecting differences between the recorded images and the template library. The comparison can also be performed by comparing a library of templates for undamaged roofs to the recorded data and looking for similarities and differences. If a problem is detected, at step 912, an alarm may be sent by telephone, email or SMS/text messaging to the insurance company (if found by the vendor) and/or policy holder at step 914 so that further action may be taken, such as preventative maintenance and the like, and the alarm may include images of the property obtained (which may be annotated to show the problem). In step 916, the claimant may be compensated. Software programs with artificial intelligence (learning algorithms) or designed with neural networks can also be used to detect damage. Over time, the program will learn how to distinguish the damage from the images and data in much the same way that a human being understands how to do its job.

If a problem is detected based on the comparison and a claim has been made, the insurance company (if detected by the vendor) or policy holder may be notified, for example by telephone, email or text message, so that further action may be taken, such as preventative maintenance or the like, and images of the property obtained (which may be annotated to show the problem) may be included. For roofs for which a claim has been made, the claim can be automatically electronically processed.

Further, at step 910, the sensor data can be compared to a library of templates of fraudulently made damage claims. Thus, by performing an automatic comparison with the template library, a claims adjuster may also be assisted in fraud detection. Additionally, fraud may be detected for various types of claims made and detected damage using computer-based logic that may provide a pattern of typical hail damage and a pattern of known fraudulent hail claims (e.g., hammering the roof instead of hail damage), such as for claims of hail damage. If a fraud problem is detected based on the comparison, the insurance company or policy holder may be notified so that further action can be taken-such as further investigation of the claim or other action.

In addition, the automatic comparison can be used to assist a less specialized or experienced claim adjuster who can manually review the results and approve or disapprove the conclusion. This may improve the accuracy of the check by the claim adjuster. These automatic comparisons may also help improve consistency between exams among a group of claim adjusters.

In some embodiments of the invention, a software only robot may automatically scan publicly available images to discover the current source of risk or risk level of property or to discover potential insureds. The scan may be fully automated or human-assisted. The software robot may scan the image for certain features and forward the likely candidates to a human for further detailed review. Alternatively, the software robot may scan the image and highlight or identify features that the human should review.

The number of images reviewed can range from only one (depending on the application) to billions of images. In addition, multiple images from the same property may be reviewed simultaneously. For example, images taken from different sources, at different times, or from different angles. Review of multiple images over time can be used to determine trends, establish patterns, or discover infrequent occurrences. The purpose of using views from different angles may be to establish a measure, such as the height of the guardrail.

The images reviewed may be still photographs that have been converted to digital images, still photographs taken with digital photographic equipment, or images derived from analog or digital video clips. Such a photograph may also be taken by a satellite, airplane, blimp, helicopter or other flying or aviation device, automobile, train, bus, motorcycle, watercraft, water motorboat, or a remote control device or robot of any of the foregoing. The images or data may also come from any kind of underwater, underground, or space device. The images may also be taken by a photographer on foot, or by permanently mounted cameras such as security cameras, roadside and traffic surveillance cameras, and general internet or web cameras (webcams).

One example of a vendor that provides images is the Pictorry. The picometric provides oblique images taken from aerial sources. The picometric takes high resolution oblique aerial images and makes them available in a database. These images are geo-coordinate located and updated periodically (e.g., every 2 years). Alternatively, rather than using the Pictorry provided images for processing, techniques such as Pictorry and embodiments of the invention may be used in conjunction to directly acquire similar images, for example by a rooftop inspection robot, or non-contact embodiments of the invention to provide images for analysis. Details of the picometric technique can be found in U.S. patent publication 20040105090, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

A scanning method used by a software robot includes identifying features of an asset to be searched in an image. These features may be features important to discover the source or level of risk in the current policy holder's property, or features that may be insured for a potential insured life.

Some of the asset features searched may be larger (e.g., pools) while others may be smaller (e.g., diving boards), requiring higher resolution photographs. Similarly, some features may be binary (e.g., presence or absence of a pool), while other features searched may be precise (e.g., vehicles wider than 2 meters). Other features that may be searched may include a class of objects (e.g., a house at the side of a swimming pool) that may be identified by evaluating several known criteria. A feature may be considered to be identified when an object in the image meets all criteria or when the object meets a predetermined portion of the criteria involved in identifying the object.

Exemplary features that may be searched and identified when scanning images and that are relevant to personal insurance include, for a home, the type of home, size, number of floors, number of windows, window location, doors, building type, newly added building, and rooftop type. Other features that may be searched include the presence of boats, boat trailers, water motorboats, snowmobiles, campers, trailers, and automobiles. Additional features include the condition of property, the condition of roof, the condition of car, maintenance of lawn, landscape and shrubs. Other features include other buildings on or near property, such as garages, sheds, huts, warehouses, kiosks, guest rooms, swimming pool houses, and action houses.

Potential sources of danger or otherwise safer than usual, such as inadequate/adequate bush clearance in areas of bush fire, non-guarded/guarded ponds or pools, height of guardrails, guardrail construction, guardrail sufficiency, diving boards, slides, garbage (vehicles, equipment, etc.)/clean yards, non-fenced/fenced trampolines, trees near/not near a house in high wind areas, tree size/type, evidence of ATV, dirty self-propelled private lanes, snowmobile private lanes, evidence of animals (e.g., dogs, horses, goats), landscapes, gardens, retaining walls, stairs (including steepness), railings, guardrails, vehicles without shading, location of house/private lane-private lane exit, private lane exit, Abruptness, curvature of streets, nearby abandoned buildings, abandoned equipment. Other features that may be searched and identified include infrastructure, size and type of regional streets (highways, 2 lanes, 1 lane, stop lights, stop signs, fire faucets, street lights, and private lanes), nearby schools, industrial parks, businesses, commercial buildings, apartment buildings.

Some examples of commercial insurance-related features that may be searched and identified include the type and size of building, building type, number of floors, parking lots, stairs, sufficiency and condition of handrails, guardrails, fire ladders, condition of roofs, general buildings, parking lots, stairs, handrails, and guardrails. Other features that may be searched and identified include adjacent rails, waterways, highways, high power lines, towers, hazardous plants, areas of high adverse nature (e.g., hospitals, schools, abandoned buildings), and adjacent residential areas. Other features that may be searched and identified include the tidiness of the ground, parked vehicles, the size of the inventory, the size of the fleet of vehicles, the vehicles in the room, the type of vehicle, trailers, and large fixtures.

Examples of features related to personal or business insurance that may be searched and identified include: the building under construction, its location, type and location, and the status and safety of the construction equipment. Other features that may be searched and identified for a building under construction include the quality, type, structure, stability, location, design and safety of the intermediate structural support of the walls, ceiling or roof. Other features that may be searched and identified for a building under construction include safety barriers, walls, ceilings, roofs that keep visitors, children, animals, vandals, and/or thieves out. Other features that may be searched and identified for a building currently being constructed include environmental protection to control soil erosion, landslide, mud flow, falling rocks, avalanches, water, flood, and/or wind.

Any of the above features (commercial or personal) can also be evaluated with respect to risk of damage from the environment/weather, humans, machinery, plants or animals. Similarly, any of the above can be evaluated for risk of injury to any person, machine, plant, or animal. Thus, in addition to insuring against property damage, the present invention may be used for personal or business general liability insurance, and in terms of use in connection with mobile structures described herein, the present invention may then also be used for general liability associated with the warranty of such mobile structures (e.g., automobiles, vehicles, boats, trailers, etc.).

Furthermore, the examination may determine or identify the cause of the damage or exclude the cause of the damage, for example caused by nature, humans, machinery, animals, plants and/or minerals.

After determining the relevant features, scanning of the image and the relevant metadata may be performed using existing image processing algorithms. Further review (e.g., review other images or review other data sources) may be performed for those images having relevant characteristics. Alternatively, action may be taken directly from the record created by the scanning process.

The image may be scanned as well as the metadata. The metadata may include information about the location of the image, the date the image was taken, the time the image was taken, the temperature at which the image was taken, holiday/special event indicators, the location of the camera, or other elements. All of these elements of metadata may be used during the review process and in contacting the insured or potential insured. The metadata may also help determine the most efficient range of images to search.

Image processing algorithms that may be used include those capable of identifying objects by evaluating images, those capable of detecting certain shapes, colors, contrast, curvature, angles, text, shadows, and absolute and relative sizes. Additionally, algorithms may include those capable of comparing detected features to known standards. Such detection may also be performed by artificial intelligence algorithms, algorithms involving 3D rendering of 2D pictures, and so on.

Figure 12 illustrates the process of reviewing the images to find sources of risk or to determine the risk level of the current insured. At step 1202, the process begins by determining the type of features (e.g., features described above) to be searched and identified in the reviewed (scanned) image. For example, the features searched may be the pool, including the height of the guard rails around the pool, and the presence or absence of diving boards and slides.

The process then determines the range of images to search for at step 1204. This can be created from a list of all current insured objects in a certain geographical location using geocoded address information. After the list is generated, it can be determined which set of images (based on what is available from public sources or property checks) will be used for this purpose. There may be multiple images for each property, from different angles or perspectives. Images may also be obtained from different vendors.

Each image is then scanned for a first property feature at step 1206. In the above example, this may be the presence or absence of a swimming pool. In step 1208, in those images in which a first feature (e.g., a pool) is identified, a search for other features may be conducted. This may be in the same image or in other images of the property. Humans can also assist at this time. An additional feature may be, for example, a guardrail near the pool. Based on this additional feature, the height of the guardrail can be searched. Other features to be searched may include diving boards and slides. At step 1210, if no features are found, the process ends. Otherwise, at step 1214, additional features may be searched.

At step 1216, the features found from the review process are then compared to the insured's policy information. At step 1218, corrective action may be suggested for those policies that require corrective policy information. At 1220, in some embodiments, underwriting actions (including changing rating, pricing, limits, and/or reserves or end of the policy) may be suggested for those policies that have unsafe conditions. In some embodiments, the insurer can notify the insured, for example by telephone, email or text message, so that further action can be taken, such as preventative maintenance, etc.

Figure 13 illustrates the process of reviewing images and property information to discover potential insureds or new insured clients. This will help the insurance company direct the efforts of its sales force to potential customers who exhibit the risk characteristics that the insurance company deems advantageous or for whom the insurance company is profitable by underwriting. It would be advantageous to find potential insureds with desirable risk characteristics for insurance companies. The "desired risk profile" for the insurance company may include a lower than usual risk, a usual risk profile, or include such profiles: these characteristics are more risky than usual, but insurance companies are particularly effective in understanding and pricing these characteristics. For example, if an insurance company has a specialized product for a company that owns a bucket truck, it would be helpful and more efficient from a marketing perspective to be able to identify companies that meet this characteristic. In step 1302, similar to the process described with respect to FIG. 12, the features to be searched are first determined. For example, in commercial property, this may be a bucket truck. At step 1304, the range of images to be searched is then determined, as described with respect to FIG. 12. In the case of commercial property, this may be an image of a commercial property region.

The inspection image is then reviewed, step 1306, to determine, for example, the size of the bucket truck fleet. At step 1308, if no property feature is found, the process ends at step 1310, otherwise additional features may be searched. At step 1312, the address of the property owner is determined from the image or metadata associated with the image. The property owner may then be contacted for exploration purposes to determine if the owner wishes to obtain insurance, at step 1314. At step 1316, the property owner may be sent insurance products specifically designed for him. The product may be based on features identified from an image review. In addition, a quote may be sent to the property owner. The quote may be based on risk intelligence determined from image review. The present invention may be applied to property owners and/or property lenders. In this case, the insurance company may contact the potential customer, for example by telephone, email or text message, to initiate the discussion, and may include images of the property obtained (which may be annotated).

Referring to fig. 17, the present invention may also be used to perform insurance checks inside property. The interior of a building or a house is typically inspected to discover sources of hazards, such as slippery, tripping, and falling conditions, as well as sources of fire, chemical, gas, water, and/or electrical hazards, and safety, monitoring, and prevention systems associated therewith. In particular, the invention may be used to capture images and/or metrics (from sensors) inside or in a moving vehicle or structure (e.g., a mobile home/Recreational Vehicle (RV), vessel, cruise, bus, train, airplane, spacecraft, space station, submarine, trailer, helicopter, long and narrow boat, etc.) a building, structure, facility, or a house (e.g., house, store/wholesale store, market, factory, warehouse, hospital, nursing home/life assistance facility, school, library, parking garage/facility, restaurant/bar, theater, bowling lane/facility, office building, restroom/washroom facilities, shopping center, stadium/arena, fitness center, gas station/garage, airport, train/bus station, etc.), to detect hazardous or dangerous situations such as roof leaks, electrical problems, plumbing problems, or any kind of unsafe situation such as a broken or missing ceiling, a wet or uneven floor, a burned light, an unworked sprinkler system, debris or objects on the floor, or to detect any other information that may be used for insurance purposes. The present invention may be fully automated, partially automated, or under human control while performing this task.

More specifically, fig. 17 shows a top view of the interior of a building having hallways or walkways 1702, 1704 through which people may travel while in the building. As previously described, inspection may be performed using any robotic inspection vehicle having a camera 205 and/or other sensors, such as the vehicle 202 discussed above using fig. 2A, the inspection robot 202 may be remotely controlled by an insurance adjuster located inside or outside the building or at some remote location. In some embodiments, the inspection cameras 1706, 1708 may be mounted in a ceiling (1706) or on a wall (1708) and may have the ability to controllably rotate along one or more axes to look down into the lobby 1702, 1704 and/or into the room 1710. In some embodiments, the examination may be performed by a person having a camera 205 and/or other sensors, similar to that performed by a professional or non-professional person as described above. Internal checks may also be performed as part of the damage claim check discussed herein. Additionally, any of the methods and systems discussed herein for external claims damage review may also be used for internal review.

Some examples of types of sources of identifiable hazards include liquid 1714 spilled on the floor, cans or bottles 1716 (which may have broken) dropped from a bent shelf (or for other reasons) onto the floor, partially obstructed hallways 1720, candy falling from a shelf or tray onto the floor, fruit or other small or slippery items 1721, equipment or tools 1724 on the floor, wires or strings 1726 running through walkways, leaky water dispensers 1728, raised cracks on the floor, non-illuminated exit signs 1734.

In some embodiments, the building may be, at least in part, a "smart" building having the ability to sense various conditions in the building (in real time, periodically, or on demand) and record these conditions to a local or remote computer system or send information to a computer via a network. In this case, the insurance company may connect to a network or computer system storing the information and check the premises or perform the estimation.

If a problem, risk or source of danger is detected based on the collected data or images and a claim has not been made, the insurance company (if detected by the vendor) or policy holder may be notified, for example by telephone, email or text message, so that further action may be taken, such as preventative maintenance and the like, and images of the property obtained (which may be annotated to show the problem) may be included. For example, if the same area of the floor is found to be wet more than 50% of the time, an alarm notification, for example by telephone, email or text message, can be sent to the insured to check for the problem to avoid the risk of slipping or falling at that location. In addition, the insurance company may offer discounts or credits to the internally monitored insured who are allowed their premises. Additionally, underwriting adjustments may be made to the accounts, similar to those described herein with respect to the external risks discovered (discussed in FIG. 12).

In some embodiments, rather than waiting for the insurance adjuster to wait for non-professional labor to go to the property, the insured may choose to perform the inspection directly by using a webcam or similar video inspection device and send the image or real-time video directly to the insurance company for processing, either after the loss event or as part of a periodic inspection update. In this case, the claimant will interact directly with the insurance company remote claim adjuster in the same manner as the non-professional laborers described above using fig. 10, 11A, 15 and 16. In this case, the claimant will contact the insurance company, for example by telephone, email or website or the like, and the claimant will then get contact with a remote claim adjuster who will instruct the claimant what image to capture with the video camera. The claimant may be able to perform image capture using standard techniques attached to a home or office personal computer or laptop. In addition, the insurance company will offer discounts or credits to customers who agree to perform such "self-checks". This arrangement allows the claimant to control the timing of the inspections and thus can speed up the claim damage estimation process and possibly mitigate further damage, which is beneficial to both the insurance company and the claimant. This can be done for internal or external damage, loss or liability as well as in CAT events or non-CAT events.

In addition, the invention can be used to inspect for insurance purposes any property that may be dangerous, difficult or impossible to inspect by humans or that otherwise needs to be disassembled, such as roofs, boilers, furnaces, oil rigs, wells, structures being inspected, damaged structures, properties with hazardous animals, vents, water pipes, sewers, under-vehicles, underwater hulls, spacecraft in operation, inside narrow pipes, inside pressure vessels, behind or under machines or equipment where there is little space, or any other small space or hazardous, hazardous or harsh environment. A hazardous, or harsh environment can be any environment in which humans are prone to fall, inflammables, toxic or harmful chemicals, radioactivity, machinery, lack of breathing air, extreme temperatures, and so forth. In addition, it should be understood that the present invention can be used to check any property for insurance purposes, whether or not there is a risk or danger to the inspector.

The images used in this embodiment of the invention may be used to determine, set and/or change: rate rating, pricing, premium, policy limit, reserve and/or risk level of the policy. For example, if the image provides information indicating that there is a higher (or lower) risk of a claim on a certain policy than would otherwise be expected, the insurance company may increase (or decrease) the internal financial claim fund for that policy or its associated portion. In other embodiments, the premium or policy limit may be adjusted accordingly by the insurance company. Such adjustments may be made by the insurance company during the current policy period, at any time after it discovers such information, or at the next renewal period of the policy.

The present invention may provide a more accurate measurement technique for assessing property damage by using automated techniques, which provide and may require a higher level of accuracy. For example, having a high resolution camera or accurate pressure sensing technology may allow for more accurate prediction of replacement costs, or even personalized loss prevention recommendations.

The present invention includes a method for inspecting at least a portion of an asset for insurance purposes, comprising: at least one image of an asset is obtained and at least a portion of an insurance associated with the asset is determined based on the images. This aspect of the insurance may be rate rating, pricing, premium, policy limits, reserve, potential customer, risk level, loss prevention, claim qualification/assessment, damage assessment, claim assistance, and/or any variation in any of the foregoing. Further, the image may be a digital image obtained from a computer. The present invention may be partially or completely executed by a computer.

Since the present invention can detect situations such as uncleared shrubs in areas prone to fire, deadwood hanging on buildings, damaged sidewalks ahead of businesses, missing portions of guardrails around swimming pools, added diving boards, or any other potential source of risk for property damage or liability, insurance companies can use the alarms described herein to notify/warn policy holders and be advised to take appropriate remedial steps to avoid the loss. This information may also be used to adjust rates or possibly cancel the policy if it is no longer possible to insurance for the property in its current condition. Furthermore, as more detailed loss (or cost estimate) information is created using data from the present invention, the data can flow back to the actuarial department and help create a more accurate pricing model.

While certain embodiments of the present invention have been described in terms of inspecting the roof of an asset, embodiments of the present invention may also be adapted or applied to any portion of an asset or anything on an asset that may be evaluated using an inspection robot. Embodiments of the present invention may also be applied to vehicles. Examples of things that can be inspected according to embodiments of the present invention are roofs, siding, masonry, foundations, basements, windows, doors, electrical fixtures, utility boxes, landscape/decor, warehouse/shed/garage, playground/swing, patio furniture, outdoor kitchens, swimming pools, decks, stairs/railings, guardrails, sidewalks, private roadways, parking lots, vehicles (including cars, trucks, boats, motorcycles, RVs, water motorboats, farm equipment, fire detection systems, security systems, fire or lawn sprinkler systems, electrical systems (including electric towers, substations, transformers, and power lines), plumbing equipment, networks, environmental systems, warehouses, structural members of buildings or large structures, lawns and landscapes, air quality systems, contents of buildings or houses, machines, electrical systems, electrical equipment, electrical power lines, electrical equipment, networks, environmental systems, electrical equipment, warehouses, structural members of buildings or, Construction areas, ongoing construction projects, bridges, tunnels, roads, ocean vessels, skyscrapers, antenna towers, and containment tanks (e.g., oil, gas, water). It is noted that all of the above provide examples of "objects" as specified in the claims herein.

Embodiments of the present invention describe systems and methods for assisting a claim adjuster in inspecting roofs for damage in order to process insurance claims. Embodiments of the present invention include the use of various inspection robots to improve the inspection of property. These inspection robots may include stationary or mobile robots, and may include contact or non-contact methods. In one embodiment, a robotic vehicle is used that can traverse a roof. In other embodiments, the rooftop is inspected completely remotely using flying robot, airplane, or satellite images. The inspection can also be performed using the smart rooftop alone or with the aid of an inspection robot.

Embodiments of the invention may be integrated with a backend electronic claims processing system. Furthermore, by performing the inspection with a robot, maintenance inspection can be easily and accurately performed to prospectively determine whether repair is required. In addition, the inspection robot may automatically assess roof damage using image processing techniques without relying on the skill or experience of the claim adjuster or providing advice to the claim adjuster. This can improve quality, speed and efficiency, and reduce the cost of property checking, and produce quantifiable property checks that are easily automated and compared in detail. By using a robot, roof inspections can be performed more safely, more quickly, and more accurately. Furthermore, the inspection may be performed on a portion of the property that may not have been inspected in the past because of the danger of the situation.

Embodiments of the present invention may also include the use of software-only robots that can automatically scan publicly available images to discover the current source of risk or level of risk of property, or to discover potential insureds. The scan may be fully automated or human-assisted (e.g., second level review or review of features identified by the automated scan). The method includes determining features of the property that are important for finding sources of risk, risk levels, or potential insureds, and then scanning the images and associated metadata for such features. Once the image having the desired characteristics is identified, the insured person or property owner may be contacted. These methods can be advantageously used for loss prevention measures, risk control, claim processing, underwriting, actuarial research, exploration of new customers, renewal or cancellation of existing customers for existing customers, fraud prevention, and premium auditing.

Additionally, embodiments of the invention include implementation on a computer system. A computer system includes a bus or other communication mechanism for communicating information, and a processor coupled with the bus for processing information. The computer system may also include a main memory, such as a Random Access Memory (RAM) or other dynamic storage device, coupled to the bus for storing information and instructions to be executed by the processor. Main memory also may be used for storing temporary variables or other intermediate information during execution of instructions by the processor. The computer system also includes a Read Only Memory (ROM) or other static storage device coupled to the bus for storing static information and instructions for the processor. A storage device, such as a magnetic disk or optical disk, is provided and coupled to the bus for storing information and instructions.

The computer system may be coupled via the bus to a display, such as a Cathode Ray Tube (CRT), for displaying information to a computer user. An input device, including alphanumeric and other keys, is coupled to the bus for communicating information and command selections to the processor. Another type of user input device is a cursor control device, such as a mouse, a trackball, or cursor direction keys for communicating direction information and command selections to the processor and for controlling cursor movement on the display. The input device typically has two degrees of freedom in two axes, a first axis (e.g., x) and a second axis (e.g., y), that allows the device to specify positions in a plane.

The invention relates to using a computer system for single sign-on. According to one embodiment of the invention, single sign-on is provided by a computer system in response to a processor executing one or more sequences of one or more instructions contained in main memory. Such instructions may be read into main memory from another computer-readable medium, such as a storage device. Execution of the sequences of instructions contained in main memory causes the processor to perform the process steps described herein. One or more processors in a multi-processing arrangement may also be employed to execute the sequences of instructions contained in main memory. In alternative embodiments, hard-wired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to implement the invention. Thus, embodiments of the invention are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and software.

The term "computer-readable medium" as used herein refers to any medium that participates in providing instructions to a processor for execution. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as storage devices. Volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as main memory. Transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics, including the wires that comprise a bus. Transmission media can also take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio wave and infrared data communications.

Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, or any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described hereinafter, or any other medium from which a computer can read.

Various forms of computer readable media may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to a processor for execution. For example, the instructions may initially be carried on a magnetic disk of a remote computer. The remote computer can load the instructions into its dynamic memory and send the instructions over a telephone line using a modem. A modem local to the computer system can receive the data on the telephone line and use an infrared transmitter to convert the data to an infrared signal. An infrared detector coupled to the bus can receive the data carried in the infrared signal and place the data on the bus. The bus transfers data to main memory, from which the processor fetches instructions and executes them. The instructions received by main memory may optionally be stored on storage device either before or after execution by processor.

The computer system also includes a communication interface coupled to the bus. The communication interface provides a two-way data communication coupling to a network link that is connected to a local network. For example, the communication interface may be an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) card or a modem to provide a data communication connection to a corresponding type of telephone line. As another example, the communication interface may be a Local Area Network (LAN) card to provide a data communication connection to a compatible LAN. Wireless links may also be implemented. In any such implementation, the communication interface sends and receives electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams representing various types of information.

The network link typically provides data communication through one or more networks to other data devices. For example, the network link may provide a connection through a local network to a host computer or to data equipment operated by an Internet Service Provider (ISP). The ISP in turn provides data communication services through the global packet data communication network (now commonly referred to as the "internet"). Local networks and the internet both use electrical, electromagnetic or optical signals that carry digital data streams. The signals through the various networks and the signals on the network links and through the communication interfaces, which carry the digital data to and from the computer system, are exemplary forms of carrier waves transporting the information.

The computer system can send messages and receive data, including program code, through the network(s), network link and communication interface. In the Internet example, a server might transmit a requested code for an application program through the Internet, an ISP, a local network and a communication interface. One such downloaded application provides for single sign-on as described herein, in accordance with the present invention.

The term "remote inspection apparatus" as used herein is meant to include any embodiment of the robotic inspection vehicle, apparatus or system, video inspection device or system, sensors and sensing technology, smart rooftops, smart buildings, and combinations of video inspection devices and people (or animals) receiving remote commands described herein.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the invention be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Furthermore, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used on another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Additionally, certain features may be interchanged with similar devices or features not mentioned which perform the same or similar function. Accordingly, it is intended that such modifications and variations be included within the overall scope of the invention.

The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

For example, the particular sequence of processes described above may be altered so that certain processes are performed in parallel or independently with respect to other processes, provided that the processes are not mutually dependent. Thus, the particular order of the steps described herein should not be construed as to imply that a particular sequence of steps is performed in order to perform the above described processes. Other variations or modifications to the above-described process are also contemplated. For example, additional insubstantial approximations of any of the above equations, processes, and/or algorithms are also contemplated within the scope of the processes described herein.

Claims (12)

1. A method of determining and processing object structural condition information, the method comprising:

capturing, with a monitoring system, monitoring information about a current condition of a structure of an object;

linking the captured monitoring information with corresponding location information regarding a location of the object structure and corresponding time information regarding a current time and date at which the monitoring information was captured;

receiving the monitoring information, location information and time information at a remote monitoring site for storage on a remote monitoring site database; and

comparing the monitoring information, the location information and the time information regarding the current condition of the object structure from the remote monitoring location database with the monitoring information, the location information and the time information regarding the previously determined condition of the object structure to enable determination of a difference between the current condition and the previous condition of the object structure.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving and presenting third party data associated with a condition of the monitored object structure to a user for comparison with the retrieved and presented information associated with the object structure from the remote monitoring site database.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further comprising determining a difference as a result of the comparing step and generating an alarm signal in response thereto.

4. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the capturing step comprises capturing a sequence of instances of monitoring information about the condition of the object structure over time.

5. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the capturing step comprises capturing an image of the object structure, and the comparing step comprises performing image processing of the captured image so as to be able to automatically determine a difference between a current condition and a previous condition of the object structure.

6. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the monitoring system comprises a mobile monitoring system and the method further comprises using a positioning mechanism to position a sensor of the mobile monitoring system into a valid position relative to the structure of the object being monitored.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the positioning mechanism comprises a positioning device operated by a user.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the positioning mechanism is user controlled at a location remote from the object structure being monitored.

9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the monitoring system comprises a stationary monitoring system having a constant positional relationship with the object structure.

10. The method of any of the preceding claims, further comprising:

processing the received monitoring information to determine the presence of one or more selected features; and

the comparing step is effected if the one or more selected features are present in the monitoring information.

11. The method of any of the preceding claims, further comprising transmitting the captured monitoring information to the remote monitoring site over a telecommunications network.

12. A system for determining and processing object structural condition information, the system comprising:

data capture means for capturing monitoring information regarding a current condition of the object structure using the monitoring system;

linking means for linking the captured monitoring information with corresponding location information regarding a location of the object structure and corresponding time information regarding a current time and date at which the monitoring information was captured;

a receiver for receiving the monitoring information, location information and time information at a remote monitoring site for storage on a remote monitoring site database; and

a comparator for comparing the monitoring information, the location information and the time information about the current condition of the object structure from the remote monitoring location database with the monitoring information, the location information and the time information about the previously determined condition of the object structure so as to be able to determine a difference between the current condition and the previous condition of the object structure.