Methods and systems for obtaining image data of a vehicle for automatic damage assessment
A system and computer-implemented method for facilitating a user of a mobile device obtaining image data of damage to a vehicle for damage assessment includes capturing image data of a vehicle with the mobile device. The mobile device may include an orientation model for capturing the image data. The captured image data is analyzed, and a determination is made of the orientations of the images of the captured image data. In addition, a determination is made as to whether the captured image data can be used for the damage assessment. The captured image data may then be transmitted to a damage estimator computing device for estimating an amount of damage to the vehicle.
1. A computer-implemented method for obtaining image data of a vehicle for damage assessment, the method comprising:
capturing image data of the vehicle with a mobile device operated by a user, the mobile device having an orientation model for facilitating orienting the image data;
analyzing, by the mobile device, the captured image data using the orientation model;
comparing, by the mobile device, the captured image data with historical image data using the orientation model;
determining, by the mobile device, an orientation of the captured image data based at least in part upon the comparison using the orientation model;
generating, by the mobile device, metadata based on the determined orientation, the metadata indicating a pose of the captured image data;
attaching, by the mobile device, the generated metadata to the captured image data;
determining, by the mobile device and using the orientation model, whether the captured image data can be used for the damage assessment based at least in part on the generated metadata; and
transmitting, in response to a determination that the captured image data can be used for the damage assessment and using the mobile device, the captured image data to a damage estimator computing device.
2. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising determining, by the estimator computing device, whether a level of damage to the vehicle in the image data exceeds a predetermined threshold using a damage assessment model.
3. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 2 , further comprising processing a damage claim based upon the determined level of damage.
4. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 2 , wherein determining the level of damage to the vehicle comprises determining whether the vehicle is repairable.
5. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 4 , wherein if the vehicle is determined to not be repairable, processing a damage claim indicating the vehicle is a total loss.
6. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising:
establishing, via the one or more processors and transceivers, a communication link between the mobile device and a remote computing device through which to transmit the captured image data; and
transmitting the captured image data to the remote computing device.
7. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein capturing image data of a vehicle with the mobile device comprises capturing video data.
8. The computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein capturing image data of a vehicle with the mobile device comprises capturing single image data.
9. A damage assessment computing system for obtaining image data of a vehicle for damage assessment, the system comprising:
a damage estimator computing device; and
a user mobile device comprising:
a memory device for storing data;
one or more sensors for capturing image data; and
a processor coupled to said memory device and said one or more sensors, said processor programmed to:
capture image data of a vehicle using the one or more sensors;
analyze the captured image data using an orientation model stored in said memory device;
comparing the captured image data with historical image data using the orientation model;
determine an orientation of the captured image data based at least in part upon the comparison using the orientation model;
generate metadata based on the determined orientation, the metadata indicating a pose of the captured image data;
attach the generated metadata to the captured image data;
determine whether the captured image data can be used for the damage assessment using the orientation model based at least in part on the generated metadata; and
transmit, in response to a determination that the captured image data can be used for the damage assessment, the captured image data to the damage estimator computing device.
10. The system in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said damage estimator computing device comprises a processor programmed to determine, using a
damage assessment model, a level of damage to the vehicle in the image data exceeds a threshold based on the orientation of the captured image data.
11. The system in accordance with claim 10 , wherein said processor of said damage estimator computing device is further programmed to process a damage claim based upon the determined level of damage.
12. The system in accordance with claim 10 , wherein determining the level of damage to the vehicle comprises determining whether the vehicle is repairable.
13. The system in accordance with claim 12 , wherein if the vehicle is determined to not be repairable, said processor of said damage estimator computing device is further programmed to process a damage claim indicating the vehicle is a total loss.
14. The system in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said processor of said user mobile computing device is programmed to:
establish a communication link between said user mobile device and said damage estimator computing device through which to transmit the captured image data; and
transmit the captured image data to said damage estimator computing device.
15. The system in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the historical image data is contained in an orientation model database.
16. The system in accordance with claim 9 , wherein capturing image data of a vehicle with the mobile device comprises capturing video data.
17. The system in accordance with claim 9 , wherein capturing image data of a vehicle with the mobile device comprises capturing single image data.
18. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:
capture image data of a vehicle using the one or more sensors;
analyze the captured image data using an orientation model stored in said memory device;
compare the captured image data with historical image data using the orientation model;
determine an orientation of the captured image data based at least in part upon the comparison using the orientation model;
generate metadata based on the determined orientation, the metadata indicating a pose of the captured image data;
attach the generated metadata to the captured image data;
determine whether the captured image data can be used for a damage assessment based at least in part on the generated metadata; and
transmit, in response to a determination that the captured image data can be used for the damage assessment, the captured image data to a damage estimator computing device.
19. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 18 , wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:
establish a communication link between said user mobile device and said damage estimator computing device through which to transmit the captured image data; and
transmit the captured image data to said damage estimator computing device.
20. The computer-readable storage media in accordance with claim 18 , wherein the historical image data is contained in an orientation model database.