Systems and methods for detecting properties relating to building components

Inventors: Emily Margaret Gray (San Antonio, TX); Daniel Christopher Bitsis, Jr. (San Antonio, TX); Qunying Kou (San Antonio, TX); Robert Wiseman Simpson (Fair Oaks Ranch, TX); Manfred Amann (San Antonio, TX); Donnette Moncrief Brown (San Antonio, TX); Eric David Schroeder (San Antonio, TX); Meredith Beveridge (San Antonio, TX); Michael J. Maciolek (Boerne, TX); Bobby Lawrence Mohs (San Antonio, TX); Brian F. Shipley (Plano, TX); Justin Dax Haslam (San Antonio, TX); Ashley Raine Philbrick (San Antonio, TX); Yevgeniy Viatcheslavovich Khmelev (San Antonio, TX); Oscar Guerra (San Antonio, TX); Jeffrey Neal Pollack (San Antonio, TX); Janelle Denice Dziuk (Falls City, TX); Ryan Thomas Russell (San Antonio, TX); David Patrick Dixon (Boerne, TX)

Assignee: United Services Automobile Association (USAA)

G01N21/29 G01N21/84

View Patent ↗

Loading inventors, assignments & file history…

Monitor This Case

Get email alerts when status or documents change.

Order Certified Copies

Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.

Order via The Patent Place →

Pre-filled with this patent's details

Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 12680947
App. No.: 18/605,238
Granted: Jul 14, 2026
Kind: B1

External Links

USPTO Patent Center↗ Full Patent PDF↗

Abstract

Systems and methods of the present disclosure include at least one building component detection sensor device configured to be deployed within (or proximate to) a building comprised of a plurality of building components. The at least one building component detection sensor device is configured to detect data relating to at least one building component of the plurality of building components. In addition, a building component property determination system includes a processor configured to execute instructions stored in memory to determine one or more properties of the at least one building component based at least in part on the data detected by the at least one building component detection sensor device.

Claims (25)

1 . A system, comprising:

at least one building component detection sensor device configured to be deployed proximate to a building comprised of a plurality of building components, wherein the at least one building component detection sensor device is configured to detect data relating to at least one building component of the plurality of building components, wherein the detected data relates to sound and/or vibrations reflected off of the at least one building component; and

a building component property determination system configured to determine one or more properties of the at least one building component based at least in part on the detected data and based at least in part on a layout of a room of the building in which the at least one building component detection sensor is deployed, wherein the layout of the room of the building includes a size of the room and positions of walls of the room, wherein the one or more properties of the at least one building component comprise a material type of the at least one building component.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sound and/or vibrations reflected off of the at least one building component are emitted by an emitter component of the at least one building component detection sensor device.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the sound and/or vibrations reflected off of the at least one building component are emitted by an external emitter source.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the building component property determination system is configured to maneuver an unmanned vehicle proximate to the at least one building component to facilitate detection of the detected data by the at least one building component detection sensor device.

5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the building component property determination system is configured to maneuver the unmanned vehicle proximate to the at least one building component based at least in part on the detected data.

6 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the unmanned vehicle comprises a drone, a self-driving robot, or some combination thereof.

7 . The system of claim 4 , wherein the building component property determination system is configured to maneuver the unmanned vehicle proximate to the at least one building component based at least in part on a layout of at least a portion of an interior of the building determined based at least in part on the detected data.

8 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a building insurance determination system configured to determine insurance rates and/or insurance coverage for the building based at least in part on the one or more properties of the at least one building component determined by the building component property determination system.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one building component comprises flooring of the building, siding of the building, a door of the building, a window of the building, a foundation of the building, a roof of the building.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more properties of the at least one building component comprise a type of the at least one building component, a size of the plurality of the at least one building component, a density of the plurality of the at least one building component, an integrity of the at least one building component, or some combination thereof.

11 . A method, comprising:

deploying at least one building component detection sensor device proximate to a building comprised of a plurality of building components;

detecting, via the at least one building component detection sensor device, data relating to at least one building component of the plurality of building components, wherein the detected data relates to sound and/or vibrations reflected off of the at least one building component; and

determining, via a building component property determination system, one or more properties of the at least one building component based at least in part on the detected data and based at least in part on a layout of a room of the building in which the at least one building component detection sensor is deployed, wherein the layout of the room of the building includes a size of the room and positions of walls of the room, wherein the one or more properties of the at least one building component comprise a material type of the at least one building component.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the sound and/or vibrations reflected off of the at least one building component are emitted by an emitter component of the at least one building component detection sensor device.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the sound and/or vibrations reflected off of the at least one building component are emitted by an external emitter source.

14 . The method of claim 13 , comprising maneuvering, via the building component property determination system, an unmanned vehicle proximate to the at least one building component to facilitate detection of the detected data by the at least one building component detection sensor device.

15 . The method of claim 14 , comprising maneuvering, via the building component property determination system, the unmanned vehicle proximate to the at least one building component based at least in part on the detected data.

16 . The method of claim 14 , comprising maneuvering, via the building component property determination system, the unmanned vehicle proximate to the at least one building component based at least in part on a layout of at least a portion of an interior of the building determined based at least in part on the detected data.

17 . The method of claim 11 , comprising determining, via a building insurance determination system, insurance rates and/or insurance coverage for the building based at least in part on the one or more properties of the at least one building component determined by the building component property determination system.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one building component comprises flooring of the building, siding of the building, a door of the building, a window of the building, a foundation of the building, a roof of the building.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the one or more properties of the at least one building component comprise a type of the at least one building component, a size of the plurality of the at least one building component, a density of the plurality of the at least one building component, an integrity of the at least one building component, or some combination thereof.

20 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more properties of the at least one building component are determined based at least in part on one or more locations of one or more pieces of furniture within the room.