Abstract:
A process for identifying, analysing and estimating deformations in motor vehicles is presented. The process includes loading image data relevant to at least a three-dimensional image of a damaged vehicle in memory, calling up image data of a sample vehicle from a database of sample vehicle images, the sample vehicle image corresponding to the damaged vehicle type, displaying image data relevant to the damaged vehicle image and the corresponding undamaged sample image, comparing the respective images to identify damage location or deformation and detecting deformed regions, computing at least one of area and volume of damaged or deformed region(s), and identifying the location in space of the damage on the vehicle using a defined algorithm and the results of said comparison.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is the United States national stage filing of corresponding international application number PCT/EP2005/051400 filed on Mar. 25, 2005, which claims priority to and benefit of Italian application number SV 2004 A 000021, filed May 11, 2004, each of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is the U.S. national stage filing of corresponding international stage application number PCT/EP2005/051400, filed on Mar. 25, 2005, which claims priority to and benefit of Italian application number SV 2004 A 000021, filed May 11, 2004, each of which international application and Italian application are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a process for identifying, analyzing and estimating deformations, particularly in motor vehicles. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Conventionally, processes of the above mentioned type are known and widely used. Although these processes accomplish their function in a satisfying manner, they have various drawbacks. According to such prior art processes, when it is necessary to have an estimation of damage to a motor vehicle&#39;s body and/or structural parts it is necessary to apply to a skilled estimator, who, by carrying out first a visual estimation of the damage, estimates parts to be repaired, parts to be replaced, and with reference to suitable schedules, evaluates the time and cost needed for repairing the damage. 
     This type of estimation is highly subjective, and depends upon the experience of the skilled estimator person using schedules. This often results in a given damage estimate, both as regards time and cost, often being different between two such experts having different experience. Thus, some of said schedules generally provide a range of time values necessary to repair one motor vehicle part, where said times can range from a minimum to a maximum; the final value selection is thus assigned to the person skilled in the art on the basis of his experience. 
     Another drawback of prior art systems is due to the fact that a really precise estimation of damage, and of parts affected by the damage, is extremely time-consuming. For example, in a motor vehicle, it is necessary to estimate (i) the depth of the damage and (ii) whether the damage has affected any structural elements of the motor vehicle, and to what extent. For example, in the case of damage to the side of an automobile, it is necessary to identify not only the macroscopically damaged parts, such as, for example, doors, but it is also necessary to identify whether the damage has affected any internal mechanical parts of such doors, including frame stanchions, anti-intrusion bars, or other parts. In order to have a precise budget it is also necessary to consider the time for assembling and disassembling affected parts and/or equipment related thereto, in addition to the time strictly necessary for repairing/replacing the actually damaged parts. 
     Because of these reasons, conventional systems for identifying and estimating vehicle damage are often not only expensive, but also inaccurate as regards the result, often differing from the final time and costs needed for the repair. Inaccuracy also occurs in estimation errors by the skilled estimator, as he estimates the damage subjectively, for example, where he provides for replacing a part where it would have actually been more economical to repair ft. 
     The present invention aims to provide a process for identifying, analyzing and estimating deformations particularly in motor vehicles that can overcome, in a simple and inexpensive way, these and other drawbacks of known systems and devices for locating deformations and estimating the seriousness of such deformation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present invention achieve the above aims with a process for identifying, analyzing and estimating deformations, particularly in motor vehicles, wherein such deformation and damaged region estimation is carried out in a objective manner. 
     An advantageous exemplary embodiment of a process and system according to the present invention can include: (i) manually, automatically or semi-automatically selecting the damaged vehicle body region, (ii) computing perimeter, area and/or volume of the deformed or damaged region by means of a program comprising suitable algorithms, also (iii) identifying also various vehicle parts affected by deformation, (iv) computing a time/cost repair estimate, and (v) comparing it to replacing time/cost of individuals parts, choosing the more suitable time/cost. 
     In particular, such manual selection can include: (i) providing a database of sample vehicle images, i.e. of non-damaged vehicles; (ii) calling up in a vehicle image memory a sample vehicle image corresponding to the damaged vehicle, from the database of sample vehicle images; (iii) displaying said image on a monitor; (v) selecting on the displayed vehicle image the regions corresponding to the deformed or damaged regions of the damaged vehicle inputting graphic and/or alphanumeric commands by means of graphic and/or alphanumeric command input means; (v) entering graphic and/or alphanumeric commands via input means alternatively or in combination: (a) a quality and/or quantitative estimation of degree of deformation depth proportional to seventy of deformation, (b) computing perimeter, area and/or volume by means of algorithms implemented by the program, and (c) identifying the spatial location of the damage on the vehicle. 
     In embodiments using automatic or semi-automatic selection, the following can be alternatively included: (i) loading in a vehicle image memory a three-dimensional image of the damaged vehicle, (ii) calling up in the image memory of a three-dimensional image of the sample vehicle from the database of sample vehicle images, said sample vehicle image corresponding to the damaged vehicle image; (iii) comparing the three-dimensional image of the damaged vehicle with the corresponding sample vehicle three-dimensional image by comparing said two images, (iv) identifying the location of the damage or deformation and detecting any deformed regions; (v) storing the results of said comparison in program memory; (vi) computing perimeter, area and/or volume by means of algorithms implemented by the program, and/or identifying the spatial location of the damage on the vehicle using a computation algorithm on the deformed regions and/or on the results of said comparison stored in memory. 
     In a first preferred embodiment, in the manual selection mode, the operator can display on a monitor a two-dimensional, or preferably a three-dimensional, image of the damaged vehicle calling it up by choosing from the data bank of sample vehicle images. The three-dimensional image can be such that each point or small region (comparable to a spot-like region) of vehicle surface has three coordinates. In this first preferred embodiment, by means of graphic and/or alphanumeric data or command input means, such as, for example, a keyboard, a mouse or a pointing device, the operator can draw a vehicle region on the image shown in the monitor, particularly the region affected by damage or deformation. Thus the selection regards a two-dimensional size, therefore an area, since the selection is made on monitor on a picture that is necessarily two-dimensionally displayed. Subsequently, the operator can enter an estimation damage parameter, that can be a quality estimation (low, medium, high), or, for example, can be a quantitative estimation (for example introducing damage depth in cm). 
     The program can then compute the area of the surface indicated by the operator as the deformed or damaged surface, and eventually it can further compute volume using the quantitative/quality estimation entered by the operator. In the case of quality estimation of low/medium/high type the program can identify predetermined estimation depth range and use an average value for computing volume affected by the deformation. 
     Identification of the damaged or deformed region can, for example, be even carried out in a semi-automatic way: in this case the operator enters a three-dimensional image of damaged vehicle in the virtual image memory and calls up from the data bank of sample vehicle images the three-dimensional image of a corresponding not damaged or deformed vehicle. The program can compare three-dimensional images of the two vehicles and determine the regions in which the two images are different by means of a known technique for comparing three-dimensional images. Thus, the program obtains by comparison the deformed region of the damaged vehicle, computing size, area and eventually volume, that is the deformation depth and its distribution on the deformed surface, identifying also the spatial location of the deformation as regards parts constituting the vehicle. 
     According to a further preferred embodiment the identification and estimation of the damaged or deformed region can be carded out automatically. In this case the system can have a scanning unit for scanning a vehicle, such as, for example, an optical scanner, laser scanner or the like. The scantling unit can detect the three-dimensional image of the damaged vehicle in the form of an image data array in three-dimensions, wherein each point has three space coordinates, and said three-dimensional image of the damaged vehicle is stored in the virtual image memory unit for the damaged vehicle. The program, stored for example in a program memory unit, can call up the virtual vehicle image that is more similar to the damaged one from three-dimensional or virtual image database of sample vehicles, eventually asking for confirmation by an operator by a suitable message. Once the confirmation of the correct image selection of sample vehicle is obtained, if necessary, the program compares the damaged vehicle virtual image with the corresponding virtual or three-dimensional image by means of known criteria for comparing three-dimensional images, thus estimating size, area and eventually volume of the deformed or damaged region. 
     Whether the identification takes place manually, semi-automatically or automatically, after identification according to above mentioned methods, an exemplary system according to the present invention has stored in memory a size, area and volume of damaged regions of a specific vehicle type. 
     From there an exemplary system goes on automatically, eventually asking an operator only for confirmations, to identify various vehicle parts affected by damage or deformation. For instance, in the case of a damage or deformation detected on a vehicle side part, the system provides for identifying whether damage has affected (i) one or both doors, (ii) front/rear wheelhouse/wheelhouses, (iii) stanchions, (iv) door handles, (v) hinges, (vi) window glass, etc. 
     Once the system has determined and identified vehicle parts affected by damage or deformation, by estimating severity of deformation it assigns to each deformed part a degree of deformation severity. For each deformed or damaged part the system can to compute cost and operations needed for rebuilding the part by comparison with a database of time and cost motor vehicle parts. 
     In particular, the system compares the deformed part with a similar part in the time/cost repair database, providing, for example: time/cost of sheet metal working, painting and piece assembling/disassembling steps regarding the degree of deformation severity. More particularly it is evident that cost and time of a sheet metal worker repairing a specific body part is highly related to the damage suffered by the part, identified by the system by degree of severity. For each deformed or damaged piece it is necessary to provide piece disassembly, sheet metal repair (i.e. sheet metal working), piece painting and subsequent reassembly of the piece on the vehicle. Disassembling time also includes possible (unaffected) parts to be disassembled and reassembled in order to gain access to said deformed or damaged piece, even if it is not part of that piece itself. 
     Next, for example, the system can for each vehicle part, compare reparation cost (inclusive of disassembly/reassembly, sheet metal working, spare part painting and various expendable materials as above) with the cost for replacing the damaged part with a new part. Therefore, the system can estimate by comparison of time and costs of the two repair types, i.e. repairing or replacing the part. Alternatively it can suggest two solutions to the operator (by monitor or print results) or it can itself choose according to criteria for comparing and selecting the lowest value, that is an economically more suitable value. 
     Example systems according to the present invention can further provide that a CPU can have direct access to a spare part warehouse database of the repair shop where the repair takes place, and thus identify whether parts needed for repair are available, or whether they have to be ordered. Therefore the system can produce, on monitor or by printer, a result report that can be automatically sent to spare part suppliers, by paper or electronically, for example by e-mail, to eventually order missing parts that are necessary for repairing the damaged vehicle. 
     Therefore the system according to the present invention can carry out an identification of damaged regions of a vehicle and an highly accurate and objective time/cost budget, because such comparison and computation is carried out directly by comparing the damaged vehicle and an equivalent sample undamaged or deformed vehicle. 
     On the basis of damaged area depth the system can further advantageously identify parts to be repaired, even if they are inside the vehicle and therefore not visible, with a definite improvement not only in budget accuracy, but also in the time needed for drafting such a list. Hence, with a system according to the present invention it is not necessary to visually identify inner damaged parts, such as is commonly done conventionally but it is sufficient to have a qualitative or quantitative estimation of damage depth. 
     Advantageously according to the present invention it is further possible to provide that the system, in the manual damage identification mode, can be available, for example, via Internet, in an interactive way: it is thus possible for a user acting as described above to carry out an estimation directly via personal computer as regards time/cost of damage of his own vehicle, simply by selecting the damaged region and giving an estimation of damage severity, namely its depth. 
     Thus, advantageously possible disputes with insurance companies or with manufacturers and repair shops can be even eliminated or reduced as regards for damage estimation. 
     Further features and improvements are the object of the description and claims provided below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Features of the invention and advantages derived therefrom will be more evident from the following detailed description of detailed figures, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a flow diagram of operations carried out by an example system and process according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  shows system elements according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention required for semi-automatic, manual selection; 
         FIG. 3  shows system elements according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention for automatic selection; 
         FIG. 4  is a sample vehicle; 
         FIG. 5  shows scanning of the sample vehicle in three dimensions by points; 
         FIGS. 6 and 7  show a three dimensional image of the sample vehicle of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 8  is other views that can be obtained by the three dimensional image of the sample vehicle; and 
         FIGS. 9 and 10  show two exemplary selections of deformed/damaged regions on exemplary three-dimensional images of an exemplary vehicle according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows steps carried out according to the process of the present invention to achieve identification, analysis and estimation of deformations particularly in motor vehicles. As noted, it is possible to act according to three preferred selection modes for selecting the deformation: manual selection, semi-automatic selection and automatic selection. 
     The manual selection mode can include: (i) providing a database of sample vehicle images, i.e. of non-damaged vehicles; (ii) calling up in a vehicle image memory a sample vehicle image corresponding to the damaged vehicle. Thorn the database of sample vehicle images; (iii) displaying said image on a monitor; (v) selecting on the displayed vehicle image the regions corresponding to the deformed or damaged regions of the damaged vehicle inputting graphic and/or alphanumeric commands by means of graphic and/or alphanumeric command input means; (v) entering graphic and/or alphanumeric commands via input means alternatively or in combination: (a) a quality and/or quantitative estimation of degree of deformation depth proportional to severity of deformation, (b) computing perimeter; area and/or volume by means of algorithms implemented by the program, and (c) identifying the spatial location of the damage on the vehicle. 
     Elements that are preferably used for the manual selection are shown in  FIG. 2  wherein it is possible to note: CPU or Central Processing Unit or central logical unit  1 , memory of the work program  2  wherein the work program is loaded, data or command input means  7  such as keyboard, mouse, magnetic and/or optical readers, interface ports for external devices, vehicle image memory  8  wherein the vehicle image is stored; and a database, or data bank, of sample vehicle images  4  comprising at least a sample vehicle image. The estimation degree entered by the operator is proportional to the deformation depth In one or more points of the deformed or damaged region. 
     Alternatively to the manual selection it is possible to provide a semi-automatic or automatic selection mode whose elements are shown in  FIG. 2  as regards the semi-automatic selection and in  FIG. 3  as regards the automatic selection. 
     In a semi-automatic selection the operator enters and loads in the vehicle image memory  8  a three-dimensional image of the damaged vehicle by means of data or command input means  7 . Subsequently the operator calls up in the image memory for the damaged vehicle a three-dimensional image of a sample vehicle from the sample vehicle image database  4 , said sample vehicle image corresponding to the damaged vehicle image, that is the two vehicles must be of the same brand, model and type. The program then compares the three-dimensional image of the damaged vehicle with the corresponding sample vehicle three-dimensional image identifying the localization of the damage or deformation and detecting deformed regions. Then the program stores the results of said comparison in the program memory and by means of various algorithms computes the area and/or volume, and/or identifies the spatial location of the damage to the vehicle using the computation algorithm on the deformed regions and/or on the results of said comparison stored in the work program memory. Thus, in the case of semi-automatic type selection, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the elements that are used are substantially the same as those used in the manual selection. However, in this case in order to advantageously compute the deformed or damaged region volume, it is preferable to use three-dimensional images, allowing the program to automatically compute the deformation depth in comparison with the corresponding three-dimensional image of the sample vehicle. In contrast, in the case of manual selection it is possible to use also two-dimensional images, as the deformation depth estimation is carried out by the operator, as described above. 
     In the case of automatic selection, elements shown in  FIG. 3  are preferably used instead wherein it can be noted also a scanning unit  9  in addition to elements shown and described with reference to  FIG. 2 . 
     The operation of scanning unit  9  provides the scanning of a vehicle as shown in  FIG. 4 , preferably with a laser, resulting in an image data array or a three-dimensional image of a vehicle, that identifies points constituting the vehicle contour, such as is shown in  FIG. 5 . The three-dimensional image can be displayed as shown in  FIG. 8  wherein different views of the same vehicle can be seen. 
     In the automatic mode selection the work program can compare the damaged vehicle image with all images of sample vehicle database, and can call up from the sample vehicle image database the three-dimensional image of the sample vehicle that by comparison corresponds much more in points with the damaged vehicle image. In the semi-automatic or automatic selection modes, once two images of the damaged vehicle and of the sample vehicle are present in vehicle memory, the program compares the three-dimensional images of the damaged vehicle and of the corresponding sample vehicle detecting points where a deformation or difference occurs. 
     Results of said comparison between damaged vehicle and sample vehicle images are then entered in the memory unit of the program, which, for each point and/or small area, identifies the deformation occurred, and computes perimeter, damaged region area and/or deformation volume and/or the deformation depth by means of known algorithms. Such algorithms for computing both areas and perimeters and volumes starting from a three-dimensional image of the object are known, such as those used in topographic scanners, such as the LEICA ADS 3000 system of LEICA company in combination with CYCLONE CLOUDWORKS 2.1 or 4.1 software, or for example the CYRAX 2005 system. 
     According to a preferred solution it is possible to provide that on program prompt the operator inputs an acceptance or denial for said sample vehicle chosen by the program and displayed on monitor, so as to have a confirmation of the automatic selection carried out by the program. 
     At the end of the definition/selection/computation of damaged or deformed areas and/or volumes, a size and/or an area and/or a volume of damaged regions of a particular type of vehicle can be stored in the work memory. 
     The program can be such that the CPU identifies by shapes various parts constituting a vehicle, and associates them to predetermined identification codes of vehicle parts, for example identifying whether the damage is on doors or on other different vehicle parts. According to the present invention an exemplary CPU can be provided to interact with a database of parts constituting the vehicle, each part being identified by a code. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , in exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the program by means of part database and selection, can localize the damage with reference to vehicle parts deformed or otherwise damaged. For instance, as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10  where the work program has identified that the selected damage region extends on both doors of the depicted vehicle and indicates the detected region by, for example, an outline or the like.  FIG. 9  shows, at  910 , a large black outline providing the perimeter of an identified section of the front passenger door and part of the rear passenger door that has been damaged. 
       FIG. 10 , at  1010 , similarly shows a smaller outlined region covering both passenger doors. 
     Therefore the program can generate and associate with each vehicle part affected by the deformation or damage a severity degree of the deformation, proportional to the deformation itself, that is to the size and/or area and/or volume of the damaged part. Vehicle part database can also be provided with an additional time and/or cost database for repairing and replacing parts, and thus the system by which the program estimates cost and operations needed to rebuild the part can do so by comparison with a time and cost database of motor vehicle parts. 
     Time and cost estimation can preferably be divided into three steps: (i) sheet metal reparation, or sheet metal working, (ii) painting and (iii) part assembling/disassembling. The time and cost database of motor vehicle parts for each motor vehicle part can preferably have a minimum estimation and a maximum estimation of time and/or cost needed for (i) repairing sheet metal, or sheet metal working, (ii) painting and/or (iii) part assembling/disassembling, and for each motor vehicle part it can also have a list of parts to be disassembled/reassembled for disassembling/reassembling each single part. 
     Thus the system associates with each damaged part a time and/or cost estimation, preferably divided in said three steps (sheet metal reparation, or sheet metal working, painting and part assembling/disassembling), said estimation being self chosen, by means of dedicated algorithms, in a range from said minimum estimation to said maximum estimation of necessary time and/or cost in a proportional way to the degree of severity of deformation or damage assigned to each part. 
     Therefore the system sums costs/times needed for the three steps of each damaged vehicle part and it shows the obtained results by means of a result displaying unit, preferably a monitor. 
     For each damaged part the system compares said cost/time sum needed for the reparation with cost/time needed for completely replacing said damaged part with a new one, and preferably automatically chooses whether (a) to replace said damaged or deformed part or (b) to repair the same part by choosing the lowest cost/time. Even in this case the system shows the obtained results by means of a result displaying unit, eventually asking the operator for a confirmation of the preferred choice. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , it is also possible to provide a system connected to a database of motor vehicle parts in a warehouse so that the system compares parts to be replaced with parts in the warehouse, producing a report with available parts/not available parts and eventually producing an order (by paper or electronically) for supplying the warehouse with parts taken for replacement and/or parts not available.