Procedure for determining damage to a vehicle

Abstract

Method for determining damage to a vehicle using an optical detection unit for three-dimensional detection of a vehicle surface and an evaluation unit connected to the optical detection unit, with which data of the three-dimensionally detected surface can be processed and spatial coordinate data of the three-dimensionally detected surface can be determined, characterized in that the evaluation unit has a database in which vehicle model data, comprising vehicle type data, standard spatial coordinate data of the vehicle type, a process data record comprising damage data, repair data and optionally process supplementary data, wherein the damage data includes vehicle type data, area coordinate data of the spatial coordinate data of a damaged area of ​​the surface of a vehicle, deformation depth data, wherein the deformation depth data exhibits the largest negative difference between the depth coordinate data of the spatial coordinate data in the damaged area and the standard spatial coordinate data stored in the database, wherein the Repair data, spare parts data and working time data, and optional additional process data, such as repair cost data, vehicle owner data, mileage data and damage event data, can be stored; that in a condition assessment process, the surface of the vehicle in a damaged area is optically captured in three dimensions using the optical detection unit, the spatial coordinate data of the damage area and from this the area coordinate data of the spatial coordinate data of the damage area are determined, from the spatial coordinate data of the damage area and the standard spatial coordinate data of the damage area the deformation depth data are determined and the area coordinate data and the associated deformation depth data are stored as damage data in a process data record;that in an evaluation and assignment process, the evaluation unit performs a database query for existing process data records with such existing area coordinate data that correspond to the area coordinate data of the damage area and, if existing process data records with corresponding area coordinates are found, these or parts thereof are output, whereby optionally the output of existing process data records is ordered according to the degree of correspondence between the deformation depth data determined in the damage area and the deformation depth data stored in existing process data records.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a method for determining damage to a vehicle, in particular to the bodywork, as a result of an accident or other external influences.

[0002] To determine repair costs for body damage, a visual inspection is usually carried out and, if necessary, certain measurements are taken by workshop staff or experts, on the basis of which a decision is made as to which parts need to be replaced and which straightening work may be required.

[0003] Using well-known computer-aided damage calculation systems that take into account spare part prices and the labor time required for the repair, expected repair costs can be determined.

[0004] Hidden damage caused by deformations in certain areas depending on the penetration depth is not always detected, or only after dismantling concealing parts.

[0005] Automatic calculation of repair costs is not fully possible with known damage calculation systems.

[0006] German patent application DE 10 2006 048 578 A1 proposes a solution for determining the shape change of a three-dimensional object, for example, a motor vehicle. According to this solution, the deformation is expressed three-dimensionally from a two-dimensional image using a stored, undeformed three-dimensional shape, and then compared with the undeformed three-dimensional shape.

[0007] Furthermore, WO 2005 / 109263 A1 describes a system for analyzing vehicle damage that can capture a three-dimensional image of a damaged vehicle and compare it to a three-dimensional image of an undamaged vehicle. An evaluation unit is able to identify damaged components and assign a degree of damage to these damaged components.

[0008] Furthermore, US-2009 / 0138290 A1 describes a solution for assessing insurance claims for damage to a vehicle. This involves comparing an image of the damage with an image of the vehicle in its undamaged state.

[0009] WO 2007 / 028011 A2 describes a system and procedure for automated damage assessment, documentation, and processing. This solution aims, in particular, to make initial decisions regarding the deployment of spare parts and repair personnel for damaged military aircraft in remote or difficult-to-access locations, based on photographic evidence.

[0010] The object of the invention is to demonstrate a method for determining damage to vehicles by means of optical detection of the surface of a vehicle, which is simple and cost-effective to implement.

[0011] The problem is solved by a method comprising the features listed in claim 1. Preferred embodiments are set forth in the dependent claims.

[0012] In an inventive method for determining damage to a vehicle, an optical detection unit is used, with which a surface of a vehicle can be detected three-dimensionally, and an evaluation unit is used, which is connected to the optical detection unit and with which the data of the three-dimensionally detected surface can be processed and the spatial coordinate data of the three-dimensionally detected surface can be determined.

[0013] The evaluation unit includes a database in which vehicle model data and process data records can be stored. A database is to be understood as any data repository, including physically or spatially distributed data carriers, within the meaning of the invention.

[0014] Vehicle model data includes vehicle type data, i.e., data for identifying a vehicle type, and standard spatial coordinate data that correspond to the undeformed three-dimensional shape of the surface of a vehicle of the corresponding vehicle type.

[0015] A transaction record contains damage data, repair data, and optionally additional transaction data.

[0016] The damage data includes vehicle type data, i.e., data for identifying the vehicle type of the damaged vehicle, area coordinate data of the spatial coordinate data of a damage area of ​​the surface of a vehicle, and deformation depth data.

[0017] The repair data includes spare parts data, i.e., data on the spare parts to be replaced or repaired due to the damage, as well as working time data, i.e., data on the working time to be spent on the repair activities, preferably sorted according to the type of repair activities.

[0018] The optional additional process data can include, in particular, repair cost data, i.e., data on the actual repair costs, vehicle owner data such as name, age, region, occupation, etc., mileage data, and damage event data, i.e., information on an accident or a collision partner.

[0019] In the database of the evaluation unit, a process data record is created for each damage case with determination of the damage to the vehicle, which contains damage data, i.e. vehicle type data, area coordinate data of the spatial coordinate data of a damage area of ​​the surface of the vehicle and deformation depth data.

[0020] The deformation depth data represents the largest negative difference between the depth coordinate data of the spatial coordinate data in the damaged area of ​​the vehicle's surface and the standard spatial coordinate data of the undeformed original three-dimensional shape of the surface of the respective vehicle type stored in the database.

[0021] The deformation depth data are thus formed from the spatial coordinate data of the damage area, which are recorded by the optical detection unit and determined by the evaluation unit through data processing, in comparison to the corresponding standard spatial coordinate data available via the database, based on matching area coordinates, whereby an accurate assignment is ensured by the vehicle type data.

[0022] When accessing a case data record of a damage incident, in addition to the area coordinate data and the associated deformation depth data, the standard spatial coordinate data are preferably also available.

[0023] The process includes a state recording process and a subsequent evaluation and assignment process.

[0024] In the condition assessment process, the surface of the vehicle in the damaged area is optically scanned in three dimensions using an optical detection unit to determine the extent of the damage. For example, stereo cameras or laser scanners can be used for this purpose.

[0025] In the damage area, the spatial coordinate data and the area coordinate data of the spatial coordinate data of the damage area are determined, and the deformation depth data are determined from the spatial coordinate data of the damage area and the standard spatial coordinate data of the damage area, whereby the deformation depth data is the largest negative difference between the depth coordinate data of the spatial coordinates and the depth coordinate data of the standard spatial coordinate data.

[0026] The determination of the deformation depth data from the spatial coordinate data and the area coordinate data of the damage area is carried out by referring to the standard spatial coordinate data for the corresponding vehicle type.

[0027] The standard spatial coordinate data are preferably taken from the database of the evaluation unit. However, it is also possible to obtain standard spatial coordinate data of the undeformed original three-dimensional shape of the surface of the respective vehicle type from external databases, such as those of vehicle manufacturers.

[0028] The surface coordinate data determined during the condition assessment process and the associated deformation depth data are stored as damage data in the process data record.

[0029] In the subsequent evaluation and assignment process, the evaluation unit performs a database query for existing process data records with such existing area coordinate data that correspond to the area coordinate data determined in the condition recording process.

[0030] If existing process data records with corresponding area coordinates are found during the evaluation and assignment process, these or parts thereof are output. Corresponding area coordinates are defined as those area coordinates of existing process data records where there is a match, or at least a partial match, between the area coordinate data determined in the damage area and area coordinate data from existing damage data of existing process data records stored in the evaluation unit's database.

[0031] Optionally, existing process data records can be output in order according to the degree of similarity between the deformation depth data determined in the damage area and the deformation depth data stored in existing process data records.

[0032] The advantage of the method is that, compared to conventional systems for damage analysis in the case of damage to the bodywork and determination of the corresponding scope of repair of a vehicle, the time required is significantly reduced due to the automatic determination of the damage.

[0033] By using area coordinate data, based on a geodetic grid, a rapid assignment of current deformation depth data in the damage area is ensured when querying the database for existing process data records with the same or similar deformation depth data of an identical vehicle type, since it is not necessary to correlate the entire standard spatial coordinate data of the undeformed original three-dimensional shape of the surface of the respective vehicle type with those of the vehicle with damage, but only in a damage area with identical or similar area coordinate data.

[0034] The scope of the repair is preconfigured by outputting relevant, existing case data records of previous identical or similar damage to the same vehicle type and then only requires a minor check by the workshop staff.

[0035] Based on the spatial coordinate data of the damage in a specific area of ​​the surface coordinate data of the car body, damage to hidden parts that need to be replaced is also detected based on the deformation depth as the largest negative difference to the spatial coordinate data of the undeformed original three-dimensional shape of the surface, so that the required extent of a repair can be determined with a high degree of predictive certainty.

[0036] In a beneficial advanced training process, unit prices are assigned to existing repair data generated from existing transaction records, and the repair costs are calculated using the evaluation unit based on the repair data and the unit prices. Unit prices include, for example, hourly rates or spare part prices.

[0037] In this way, the calculation of the expected repair costs can be customized for each workshop, as they can base it on their individual prices, such as hourly rates.

[0038] Similarly, price changes for spare parts compared to those from existing repair cost data can also be taken into account from the additional transaction data.

[0039] In contrast to the estimated repair costs calculated as described above, the repair cost data represents the actual costs, as determined by potentially different unit prices and any discounts, goodwill arrangements, or similar factors. The repair cost data serves as supplementary information and for analysis and archiving purposes, while the spare parts data and labor time data enable a repair cost forecast based on current unit prices.

[0040] Another advantageous enhancement of the process involves an initialization or training phase as follows: If the evaluation and assignment process in the evaluation unit's database does not find any existing process data records with corresponding, existing area coordinates of damage, the evaluation unit prompts the manual entry of repair data and, optionally, additional process data. A workshop employee then manually enters the repair data and, optionally, the additional process data.

[0041] As an advantage, it is possible to include vehicles or damage images and their repairs that were not previously recorded in existing transaction data sets, and to access their repair data for later repairs of the same vehicle type with equivalent damage.

[0042] Following a further advantageous development process, in the event of damage in an equivalent damage area, the existing repair data stored in the identified, existing process data records are transferred to the process data record. This enables a rapid repair cost forecast, the degree of reliability of which correlates with the degree of agreement regarding the deformation depth.

[0043] Following this training, the existing repair data records transferred to the process data record are compared with the actually determined repair data, i.e., supplemented, corrected, or partially deleted. This training represents a modified version of the initialization or training phase.

[0044] A particular advantage here is that for future repairs of the same or similar damage with equivalent surface coordinate data, but differing depth coordinate data, the scope of the repair can be determined even more precisely.

[0045] The database of transaction records thus exhibits a self-learning effect or an optimization effect.

[0046] By including previously unrecorded damage and / or damage with a different scope of repair, more precise information on the scope of future repairs of the same vehicle type and a broader database are available compared to standard damage calculation programs.

[0047] In an advantageous further development of the procedure, the repair data of the process data set is calculated from several existing process data sets based on the existing repair data and the deformation depth data, using the respective existing deformation depth data.

[0048] The calculation of the repair data of a process data record for a currently determined damage to a vehicle, for which several existing process data records were found in the evaluation and assignment process in an order according to the degree of correspondence between the deformation depth data determined in the damage area and the deformation depth data stored in existing process data records, is carried out, for example, by means of interpolation, by relating the determined deformation depth data to the existing deformation depth data with the respective assigned repair data.

[0049] Furthermore, for corresponding area coordinate data of damage, area groups for repair can be formed, whereby the repair data for this purpose contain at least the required spare parts data and working time data.

[0050] In a further advantageous development of the method, data from the three-dimensional surface scan are compared with the standard spatial coordinate data stored in the vehicle model data using suitable algorithms. If a match is found, the vehicle type of the damaged vehicle is automatically identified. The vehicle type data from the vehicle model data can then be output for information or confirmation, or automatically transferred to a newly created transaction record. A particular advantage is further time savings, greater automation, and increased safety against input errors.

[0051] In a further development of the procedure, transaction data records or parts thereof are transferred from external databases into the database of the evaluation unit.

[0052] By incorporating transaction data records from external databases, such as databases of multiple repair shops, into the evaluation unit's database, it can be used as a central database with a common data set, thus providing individual businesses with a broad basis for statements regarding the scope of repair of a vehicle's damage, the required spare parts, and the necessary working time.

[0053] The invention is described in more detail as an embodiment by reference to a computer-aided determination of damage to the body of a vehicle after a side-impact accident in the area of ​​a front fender by means of an optical detection unit in the form of a stereo camera for three-dimensional detection of a surface in the damage area and an evaluation unit connected to the stereo camera, which has a database in which vehicle model data with associated vehicle type data and standard spatial coordinate data, which correspond to the undeformed original three-dimensional shape of the surface of the vehicle and in which a process data record is stored for each case of damage.

[0054] The standard spatial coordinate data of the vehicle model data are available in the database from the three-dimensional recording of the surface of undamaged vehicles and / or have alternatively been adopted in the form of CAD (Computer Aided Design) data from vehicle manufacturers, whereby a virtual grid, based on a geodetic grid, with area coordinate data is assigned to the surface.

[0055] In the condition assessment process, the surface of the damaged area in the area of ​​the front fender is captured using the stereo camera, the data is transferred to the evaluation unit, processed by suitable software, and the spatial coordinate data of the three-dimensionally captured surface as well as the associated area coordinate data are determined, which are stored in the process data record as damage data.

[0056] In the damaged area of ​​the fender, the differences between the determined values ​​of the depth coordinate data of the spatial coordinate data and those of the standard spatial coordinates are determined as the largest negative difference compared to the depth coordinate data of the standard spatial coordinates as the deformation depth and added to the damage data record in the operation data record and stored in the operation data record.

[0057] The damage data is assigned to the vehicle type data by manual input based on the data from the vehicle registration certificate, the vehicle title or, if applicable, the information on the vehicle itself.

[0058] Alternatively, the vehicle type data can be determined automatically by using characteristic surface details during the optical detection of the damage area, based on the determined spatial coordinate data, to identify the vehicle type by referring to the standard spatial coordinate data of the vehicle model data.

[0059] In the area of ​​the front fender, the position and shape of the wheel arch and / or the indicator device can be used for this purpose.

[0060] In the subsequent evaluation and assignment process, the evaluation unit initiates and executes a database query in which, based on the vehicle type in the evaluation unit's database, existing transaction data records of the same vehicle type are determined, whereby data from the currently stored damage data are correlated with damage data from transaction data records of the database of the same vehicle type.

[0061] The result is a process data set with damage data including equivalent or identical surface coordinate data and at least similar deformation depth data from repairs of previous damage, spare parts data including details of the parts to be replaced and working time data, as well as the expected costs.

[0062] Based on the determined deformation depth in the area of ​​the damaged fender, in addition to the fender to be replaced, other damaged parts that are not visually recognizable and need to be replaced, such as a suspension, are automatically identified.

[0063] Finally, a service employee performs a brief check on the vehicle to verify the plausibility of the repair data and to record any necessary additions to the scope of the repair, which are then manually entered into the repair record.

[0064] After the complete repair data has been created, the computer-aided triggering of the spare parts order and the repair order takes place, followed by the execution of the vehicle repair.

[0065] If, during the repair process, it is determined that further parts need to be replaced that were not identified during the automatic assessment of the vehicle damage, the repair record will be supplemented manually.

[0066] The database containing the transaction data records is therefore self-learning, so that in the case of identical or similar damage to identical vehicle types, increasingly accurate statements can be made about the required scope of repair using the repair data from the transaction data records.

[0067] Ideally, transaction data records from databases of evaluation units of a large number of workshops are combined on a central server as a common, comprehensive data set to which individual workshops have remote access.

[0068] The accuracy of statements regarding the required scope of repair for identical or equivalent damage to a vehicle type is continuously improved based on the comprehensive database of previously determined damage and its repair.

Claims

[1] Method for determining damage to a vehicle using an optical detection unit for three-dimensional detection of a vehicle surface and an evaluation unit connected to the optical detection unit, with which data of the three-dimensionally detected surface can be processed and spatial coordinate data of the three-dimensionally detected surface can be determined, characterized by that the evaluation unit has a database containing vehicle model data, including vehicle type data, and standard spatial coordinate data of the vehicle type, a process data record comprising damage data, repair data and optionally process supplementary data, wherein the damage data includes vehicle type data, area coordinate data of the spatial coordinate data of a damaged area of ​​the surface of a vehicle, deformation depth data, wherein the deformation depth data exhibits the largest negative difference between the depth coordinate data of the spatial coordinate data in the damaged area and the standard spatial coordinate data stored in the database, wherein the Repair data, spare parts data and working time data, and optional additional process data, such as repair cost data, vehicle owner data, mileage data and damage event data, can be stored; that in a condition assessment process, the surface of the vehicle in a damaged area is optically captured in three dimensions using the optical detection unit, the spatial coordinate data of the damage area and from this the area coordinate data of the spatial coordinate data of the damage area are determined, from the spatial coordinate data of the damage area and the standard spatial coordinate data of the damage area the deformation depth data are determined and the area coordinate data and the associated deformation depth data are stored as damage data in a process data record;that in an evaluation and assignment process, the evaluation unit performs a database query for existing process data records with such existing area coordinate data that correspond to the area coordinate data of the damage area and, if existing process data records with corresponding area coordinates are found, these or parts thereof are output, whereby optionally the output of existing process data records is ordered according to the degree of correspondence between the deformation depth data determined in the damage area and the deformation depth data stored in existing process data records. [2] Method according to claim 1, characterized by , that unit prices are assigned to the existing repair data output from existing transaction data records and that a calculation of the repair costs is carried out using the evaluation unit from the repair data and the unit prices. [3] Method according to claim 1, characterized by , that if no existing process data records with corresponding, existing area coordinates of the damage are found in the evaluation unit's database during the evaluation and assignment process, the evaluation unit will request manual entry of repair data and optionally additional process data, and the repair data and optionally the additional process data will then be entered manually. [4] Method according to claim 1, characterized by , that the existing repair records stored in found, existing transaction records are transferred to the transaction record. [5] Method according to claim 4, characterized by , that the existing repair records transferred to the transaction record are compared with the repair data actually determined. [6] Method according to claim 1, characterized by, that the repair data of the operation data record is calculated from several existing operation data records based on the existing repair data and the deformation depth data, using the respective existing deformation depth data. [7] Method according to claim 1, characterized by , that the evaluation unit compares data from the three-dimensional recording of the vehicle's surface with standard spatial coordinate data stored as vehicle model data in the database, and if there is a match, the vehicle type is automatically identified. [8] Method according to claim 1, characterized by , that transaction data records or parts thereof are transferred from external databases into the database of the evaluation unit.