IP Library Granted Patent US 9,244,589
Granted Patent B2
US 9,244,589 · App. 14/018,943 · Granted Jan 26, 2016

System and process for roof measurement using aerial imagery

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 9,244,589
App. No.
14/018,943
Granted
Jan 26, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Processes and systems are disclosed for determining attributes of a roof structure of real-world three-dimensional building(s), including providing computer input field(s) for a user to input location data generally corresponding to the location of the building, providing visual access to a nadir image of a region including the roof structure of the building; on the nadir image of the region, providing a visual marker that is moveable on the computer monitor around the region, the visual marker initially corresponding to the location data but which may be moved to a final location, having location coordinates, on top of the building to more precisely identify the location of the building roof structure; providing a computer input capable of signaling user-acceptance of the final location of the marker; and, providing visual access to one or more oblique images of an aerial imagery database corresponding to location coordinates of the final location.

Claims (39)

1. A process for determining attributes of a roof structure of a real-world three-dimensional building, comprising the acts of:

providing at least one computer input field for a user to input first location data generally corresponding to the location of the building;

providing visual access to a first aerial image of a region including the roof structure of the building corresponding to said first location data, the first aerial image having a first resolution;

on the aerial image of the region, providing a visual marker that is moveable on a computer monitor around said region, said visual marker initially corresponding to said first location data, wherein said visual marker may be moved to a final location on top of the building to more precisely identify the location of the building roof structure, the final location having location coordinates;

providing a computer input capable of signaling user-acceptance of the final location of said marker; and,

providing visual access to one or more second aerial images from an aerial imagery database corresponding to location coordinates of the final location, the one or more second aerial images having a second resolution that is higher resolution than the first resolution.

2. The process of claim 1 and wherein said first location data comprised street address data, and wherein said location coordinates of said final location are translated to latitude and longitude coordinates.

3. The process of claim 2 and wherein said image corresponding to the first location data is from a first imagery database from which said final location is selected and is internet-based imagery having a corresponding street address look up field, and wherein the aerial imagery database is a second imagery database, and further comprising the act of:

using said latitude and longitude coordinates to access the one or more second aerial images from the second imagery database.

4. The process of claim 3 and further comprising the act of:

generating, in computer memory, outline drawings around outlines corresponding to roof planes based on tracing from said imagery from said second imagery database.

5. The process of claim 4 and wherein said providing acts are provided over an internet interface.

6. The process of claim 5 and further comprising the act of:

providing a printed report that includes an aerial image of the building roof structure.

7. The process of claim 1 and further comprising the act of:

generating, in computer memory, outline drawings around outlines corresponding to roof planes based on tracing from said one or more second aerial images.

8. The process of claim 1 and wherein said providing acts are provided over an internet interface.

9. The process of claim 1 and further comprising the act of:

providing a printed report that includes an aerial image of the building roof structure.

10. The process of claim 9 and wherein the printed report includes a latitude reference and/or a longitude reference corresponding to the location of the building roof structure.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the user is a customer.

12. The process of claim 1 , further comprising determining one or more roof pitch from the one or more second aerial images.

13. The process of claim 1 , further comprising determining one or more vertical measurement from the one or more second aerial images.

14. A non-transient computer memory storing computer logic, that when executed by computer hardware causes the computer hardware to determine attributes of a roof structure of a real-world three-dimensional building by:

providing at least one computer input field for a user to input first location data generally corresponding to the location of the building;

providing visual access to a first aerial image of a region including the roof structure of the building corresponding to said first location data, the first aerial image having a first resolution;

on the aerial image of the region, providing a visual marker that is moveable on a computer monitor around said region, said visual marker initially corresponding to said first location data, wherein said visual marker may be moved to a final location on top of the building to more precisely identify the location of the building roof structure, the final location having location coordinates;

providing a computer input capable of signaling user-acceptance of the final location of said marker; and,

providing visual access to one or more second aerial images of an aerial imagery database corresponding to location coordinates of the final location, the one or more second aerial images having a second resolution that is higher than the first resolution.

15. The non-transient computer memory of claim 14 , wherein said first location data comprised street address data, and wherein said location coordinates of said final location are translated to latitude and longitude coordinates.

16. The non-transient computer memory of claim 15 , wherein said first aerial image corresponding to the first location data is from a first imagery database from which said final location is selected and is internet-based imagery having a corresponding street address look up field, and wherein the aerial imagery database is a second imagery database, and wherein said computer logic when executed by computer hardware causes the computer hardware to:

use said latitude and longitude coordinates to access the one or more second aerial images from the second imagery database.

17. The non-transient computer memory of claim 16 , wherein said computer logic when executed by computer hardware causes the computer hardware to:

generate, in computer memory, outline drawings around outlines corresponding to roof planes based on tracing from said one or more second aerial images from said second imagery database.

18. The non-transient computer memory of claim 17 , wherein said computer logic when executed by computer hardware causes the computer hardware to:

provide a printed report that includes an aerial image of the building roof structure.

19. The non-transient computer memory of claim 14 , wherein said computer logic when executed by computer hardware causes the computer hardware to:

generate, in computer memory, outline drawings around outlines corresponding to roof planes based on tracing from said one or more second aerial images.

20. The non-transient computer memory of claim 14 , wherein said providing acts are provided over an internet interface.

Assignments (15)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 14, 2025
From: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC
To: PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORP.
Reel/Frame 070828/0266 →
RELEASE OF FIRST LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Apr 9, 2025
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORP.; EAGLE VIEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; OMNIEARTH, INC.
Reel/Frame 070786/0022 →
FIRST LIEN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 28, 2025
From: EAGLE VIEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORP.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 070671/0078 →
RELEASE OF FIRST LIEN SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Aug 29, 2018
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORP.; EAGLE VIEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; OMNIEARTH, INC.
Reel/Frame 046970/0875 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 23, 2018
From: PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORP.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 046919/0065 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 14, 2018
From: PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORP.
To: HPS INVESTMENT PARTNERS, LLC,
Reel/Frame 046823/0755 →
RELEASE OF SECOND LIEN SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2017
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORP.; EAGLE VIEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC.; OMNIEARTH, INC.
Reel/Frame 043955/0128 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 2, 2016
From: PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORP.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 038592/0165 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 2, 2016
From: PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 038592/0316 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Mar 8, 2016
From: PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORP.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 038026/0727 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Mar 8, 2016
From: PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORP.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 038027/0030 →
SECOND LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 20, 2015
From: PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORP.; EAGLE VIEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 036130/0873 →
FIRST LIEN PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 20, 2015
From: PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORP.; EAGLE VIEW TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 036130/0899 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 9, 2014
From: THORNBERRY CONSULTING, INC
To: PICTOMETRY INTERNATIONAL CORP.
Reel/Frame 031928/0368 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 9, 2014
From: THORNBERRY, DALE R.; THORNBERRY, CHRIS T.; GARRINGER, MARK F.
To: THORNBERRY CONSULTING, LLC
Reel/Frame 031930/0257 →