System and method for ranking using construction site images

Abstract

Systems and methods for ranking entities using construction site images are provided. For example, image data captured from a construction site using at least one image sensor may be obtained. The image data may be analyzed to detect at least one element depicted in the image data and associated with an entity. The image data may be further analyzed to determine at least one property indicative of quality and associated with the at least one element. The at least one property may be used to generate a ranking of the entity. In some examples, the at least one property may be based on a discrepancy between a construction plan and the construction site, between a project schedule and the construction site, between a financial record and the construction site, between a progress record and the construction site, and so forth.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing data and computer implementable instructions that when executed by at least one processor cause the at least one processor to carry out operations for ranking using construction site images, the operations comprising:
 obtaining image data captured from a construction site using at least one image sensor;   analyzing the image data to detect at least one element depicted in the image data and associated with an entity;   analyzing the image data to determine at least one property indicative of quality and associated with the at least one element; and   using the at least one property to determine a ranking of the entity as better in at least one respect than at least one other entity.   
     
     
         2 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one element is selected of a plurality of alternative elements based on the entity. 
     
     
         3 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one element includes at least one of an element built by the entity or an element installed by the entity. 
     
     
         4 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one element includes at least one of an element built by a second entity and affected by a task performed by the entity, or an element installed by a second entity and affected by a task performed by the entity. 
     
     
         5 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one element is an element supplied by the entity. 
     
     
         6 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one element is an element manufactured by the entity. 
     
     
         7 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the image data comprises at least a first image corresponding to a first point in time and a second image corresponding to a second point in time, the elapsed time between the first point in time and the second point in time is at least one day, and the determined at least one property indicative of quality is based on a comparison of the first image and the second image. 
     
     
         8 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the image data comprises one or more indoor images of the construction site, wherein the at least one element comprises at least one wall built by the entity, and wherein the operations further comprise:
 analyzing the image data to determine a quantity of plaster applied to the at least one wall; and   using the determined quantity of plaster applied to the at least one wall to determine the ranking of the entity.   
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one element comprises a room built by the entity, and wherein the operations further comprise:
 analyzing the image data to determine one or more dimensions of the room; and   using the determined one or more dimensions of the room to determine the ranking of the entity.   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , and wherein the operations further comprise:
 analyzing the image data to identify signs of water leaks associated with the at least one element; and   using the identified signs of water leaks to determine the ranking of the entity.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one property is based on at least one discrepancy between a construction plan associated with the construction site and the construction site. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one property is based on at least one discrepancy between a project schedule associated with the construction site and the construction site. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one property is based on at least one discrepancy between a financial record associated with the construction site and the construction site. 
     
     
         14 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one property is based on at least one discrepancy between a progress record associated with the construction site and the construction site. 
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the determined ranking is further based on information based on at least one image captured from at least one additional construction site. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one element is further associated with a first technique, wherein the determined ranking is associated with the entity and the first technique, and wherein the operations further comprise:
 analyzing the image data to detect an additional group of at least one element depicted in the image data and associated with the entity and a second technique;   analyzing the image data to determine an additional group of at least one property indicative of quality and associated with the additional group of at least one element; and   using the additional group of at least one property to generate a second ranking of the entity related to the second technique.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one element is associated with a first group of one or more additional elements, wherein the determined ranking is associated with the entity and the first group, and wherein the operations further comprise:
 analyzing the image data to detect an additional group of at least one element depicted in the image data and associated with the entity and a second group of one or more additional elements;   analyzing the image data to determine an additional group of at least one property indicative of quality and associated with the additional group of at least one element; and   using the additional group of at least one property to generate a second ranking of the entity related to the second group of one or more additional elements.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one element is further associated with a second entity, wherein the determined ranking is associated with the entity and the second entity, and wherein the operations further comprise:
 analyzing the image data to detect an additional group of at least one element depicted in the image data and associated with the entity and a third entity;   analyzing the image data to determine an additional group of at least one property indicative of quality and associated with the additional group of at least one element; and   using the additional group of at least one property to generate a second ranking of the entity related to the third entity.   
     
     
         19 . A system for ranking using construction site images, the system comprising:
 at least one image sensor configured to capture image data from a construction site; and   at least one processor configured to:
 analyze the image data to detect at least one element depicted in the image data and associated with an entity; 
 analyze the image data to determine at least one property indicative of quality and associated with the at least one element; and 
 use the at least one property to determine a ranking of the entity as better in at least one respect than at least one other entity. 
   
     
     
         20 . A method for ranking using construction site images, the method comprising:
 obtaining image data captured from a construction site using at least one image sensor;   analyzing the image data to detect at least one element depicted in the image data and associated with an entity;   analyzing the image data to determine at least one property indicative of quality and associated with the at least one element; and   using the at least one property to determine a ranking of the entity as better in at least one respect than at least one other entity.