Methods and systems for wireframes of a structure or element of interest and wireframes generated therefrom

Abstract

The disclosure relates to systems and processes for generating verified wireframes corresponding to at least part of a structure or element of interest can be generated from 2D images, 3D representations (e.g., a point cloud), or a combination thereof. The wireframe can include one or more features that correspond to a structural aspect of the structure or element of interest. The verification can comprise projecting or overlaying the generated wireframe over selected 2D images and/or a point cloud that incorporates the one or more features. The wireframe can be adjusted by a user and/or a computer to align the 2D images and/or 3D representations thereto, thereby generating a verified wireframe including at least a portion of the structure or element of interest. The verified wireframes can be used to generate wireframe models, measurement information, reports, construction estimates or the like.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of generating a verified wireframe of a structure or element of interest comprising:
 a. generating, by a computer or a user, an unverified wireframe corresponding to at least part of a structure or element of interest comprising one or more structural aspects of interest, wherein:
 the unverified wireframe:
 1. is derived from a plurality of overlapping 2D images of the structure or element of interest, wherein the 2D images are generated from a passive image capture device, and incorporates one or more of the structural aspects; and 
 2. comprises one or more features that correspond to the one or more structural aspects; and 
 
   b. projecting the unverified wireframe over either or both of:
 i. one or more 2D images selected from the plurality of overlapping 2D images, wherein each of the selected 2D images incorporates at least some of the one or more structural aspects; or 
 ii. a point cloud derived from the plurality of overlapping 2D images, wherein the point cloud incorporates at least some of the one or more structural aspects; and 
   c. adjusting, by either or both of the computer or user, at least part of the unverified wireframe, wherein the adjusting is by alignment of at least one of the one or more unverified wireframe features with a corresponding structural aspect visible in each of the one or more selected 2D images or the point cloud over which the unverified wireframe is projected, or
 indicating, by either or both of the computer or user, acceptance of the unverified wireframe without adjustment, 
 thereby generating a verified wireframe comprising all or part of the structure or element of interest. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the structure or element of interest comprises all or part of a roof, and the one or more structural aspects of interest comprises a roof area, a roof corner, a roof pitch, a roof edge, a roof gutter, a roof gable, a dormer, or a skylight. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least part of the adjusting is conducted by a user and a plurality of 2D images are selected for presentation to the user, wherein each of the plurality of 2D images are selected by the user or the computer to present a different view of the one or more structural aspects of interest to the user. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein, when the user aligns at least one unverified wireframe feature with a corresponding structural aspect of interest on a presented 2D image, modifications to the wireframe resulting from the alignment are visible to the user on at least one other 2D image in the plurality of presented 2D images. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein measurement information can be derived from the verified wireframe, and wherein the measurement information is less than 5% different from an actual measurement value for the corresponding structural aspect. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein measurement information can be derived from the verified wireframe, and wherein the measurement information is less than 1% different from an actual measurement value for the corresponding structural aspect. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a. the adjusting step is associated with one or more rules associated with the one or more structural aspects of interest; and   b. each of the one or more rules defines an allowed positioning for the one or more structural aspects, a prohibited positioning for the one or more structural aspects, or both an allowed and a prohibited positioning for the one or more structural aspects.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 a. when a user generated adjustment conforms to an allowed positioning for the structural aspect the adjustment will be maintained by the computer; or   b. when the user generated adjustment conforms to a prohibited positioning for the structural aspect the adjustment will be rejected by the computer.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wireframe verification process is generated by a user, and during the projection and adjustment steps either or both of visual or audible instructions are provided to the user by the computer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein information about one or more of the projection or the adjustment of the unverified wireframe is collected by the computer for incorporation into a machine learning process. 
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising:
 at least one computing device comprising a processor; and   a wireframe verification application stored in memory, where execution of the wireframe verification application by the processor causes the at least one computing device to:   a. generate an unverified wireframe corresponding to at least part of a structure or element of interest comprising one or more structural aspects of interest, wherein the unverified wireframe:
 i. is derived from a plurality of overlapping 2D images of the structure or element of interest, wherein the 2D images are generated from a passive image capture device, and incorporates one or more of the structural aspects; and 
 ii. comprises one or more features that correspond to the one or more structural aspects; and 
   b. project the unverified wireframe over either or both of:
 i. one or more 2D images selected from the plurality of overlapping 2D images, wherein each of the selected 2D images incorporates at least some of the one or more structural aspects; or 
 ii. a point cloud derived from the plurality of overlapping 2D images, wherein the point cloud incorporates at least some of the one or more structural aspects; and 
   c. adjust at least part of the unverified wireframe, wherein the adjusting is by alignment of at least one of the one or more unverified wireframe features with a corresponding structural aspect visible in each of the one or more selected 2D images or the point cloud over which the unverified wireframe is projected, or
 indicate acceptance of the unverified wireframe without adjustment, 
 thereby generating a verified wireframe comprising all or part of the structure or element of interest. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the unverified wireframe is generated based upon user input. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein at least part of the adjusting is conducted based upon a user input and a plurality of 2D images are selected for presentation to the user, wherein each of the plurality of 2D images are selected by the user or the computer to present a different view of the one or more structural aspects of interest to the user. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein, when the user aligns at least one unverified wireframe feature with a corresponding structural aspect of interest on a presented 2D image, modifications to the wireframe resulting from the alignment are visible to the user on at least one other 2D image in the plurality of presented 2D images. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein measurement information can be derived from the verified wireframe, and wherein the measurement information is less than 5% different from an actual measurement value for the corresponding structural aspect. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 a. the adjusting step is associated with one or more rules associated with the one or more structural aspects of interest; and   b. each of the one or more rules defines an allowed positioning for the one or more structural aspects, a prohibited positioning for the one or more structural aspects, or both an allowed and a prohibited positioning for the one or more structural aspects.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein:
 a. when a user generated adjustment conforms to an allowed positioning for the structural aspect the adjustment will be maintained by the wireframe verification application; or   b. when the user generated adjustment conforms to a prohibited positioning for the structural aspect the adjustment will be rejected by the wireframe verification application.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the wireframe verification application presents either or both of visual or audible instructions to the user during the projection and adjustment steps. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein information about one or more of the projection or the adjustment of the unverified wireframe is collected by the wireframe verification application and stored in the memory for incorporation into a machine learning process. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the indication of acceptance is based upon a user input.