Method and system for creating a photomap using a dual-resolution camera system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of creating a seamless photomap of a survey area, the method comprising:
- (a) moving a vehicle relative to the survey area along a set of substantially parallel survey paths;
(b) capturing, during vehicle movement and via an overview imaging system carried by the vehicle, a sequence of overview images, each overview image depicting an overview area of the survey area, consecutive overview areas along each survey path having a first degree of forward overlap, adjacent overview areas associated with adjacent survey paths having side overlap;
(c) capturing, during vehicle movement and via a first detail imaging system carried by the vehicle, a sequence of detail image strips, each detail image strip comprising at least one detail image, each detail image depicting at least a portion of an overview area, each detail image having a higher resolution than a resolution of the overview image corresponding to the overview area, consecutive detail image strips along each survey path having a second degree of forward overlap, the second degree of overlap being smaller than the first degree of overlap, adjacent detail image strips associated with adjacent survey paths having side overlap, adjacent detail images within each strip having side overlap;
(d) identifying, in a plurality of the overview images and detail images, common features corresponding to common ground points;
(e) estimating, via bundle adjustment and using locations of the identified ground points in the plurality of overview images and detail images, an exterior orientation associated with each detail image; and
(f) merging, using at least some of the estimated exterior orientations, the detail images to create the seamless photomap.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and system are presented in which images are captured from overview and detail imaging devices such that overview images are created with a first degree of redundancy, and detail images are captured with less overlap and a second degree of redundancy.
123 Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A method of creating a seamless photomap of a survey area, the method comprising:
-
(a) moving a vehicle relative to the survey area along a set of substantially parallel survey paths; (b) capturing, during vehicle movement and via an overview imaging system carried by the vehicle, a sequence of overview images, each overview image depicting an overview area of the survey area, consecutive overview areas along each survey path having a first degree of forward overlap, adjacent overview areas associated with adjacent survey paths having side overlap; (c) capturing, during vehicle movement and via a first detail imaging system carried by the vehicle, a sequence of detail image strips, each detail image strip comprising at least one detail image, each detail image depicting at least a portion of an overview area, each detail image having a higher resolution than a resolution of the overview image corresponding to the overview area, consecutive detail image strips along each survey path having a second degree of forward overlap, the second degree of overlap being smaller than the first degree of overlap, adjacent detail image strips associated with adjacent survey paths having side overlap, adjacent detail images within each strip having side overlap; (d) identifying, in a plurality of the overview images and detail images, common features corresponding to common ground points; (e) estimating, via bundle adjustment and using locations of the identified ground points in the plurality of overview images and detail images, an exterior orientation associated with each detail image; and (f) merging, using at least some of the estimated exterior orientations, the detail images to create the seamless photomap. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A system for creating a seamless photomap of a survey area, the system comprising:
-
(a) a vehicle configured to move relative to the survey area along a set of substantially parallel survey paths; (b) an overview imaging system disposed on the vehicle and configured to capture, during vehicle movement, a sequence of overview images, each overview image depicting an overview area of the survey area, consecutive overview areas along each survey path having a first degree of forward overlap, adjacent overview areas associated with adjacent survey paths having side overlap; (c) a first detail imaging system disposed on the vehicle and configured to capture, during the vehicle movement, a sequence of detail image strips, each detail image strip including at least one detail image, each detail image depicting at least a portion of an overview area, each detail image having a higher resolution than a resolution of the overview image corresponding to the overview area, consecutive detail image strips along each survey path having a second degree of forward overlap, the second degree of overlap being smaller than the first degree of overlap, adjacent detail image strips associated with adjacent survey paths having side overlap, adjacent detail images within each strip having side overlap; and (d) a computer system configured to; identify, in a plurality of the overview images and detail images, common features corresponding to common ground points, estimate, via bundle adjustment and using locations of the identified ground points in the plurality of overview images and detail images, an exterior orientation associated with each detail image, and merging, using at least some of the estimated exterior orientations, the detail images to create the seamless photomap. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification