Simulated city generation

• US 20040236543A1
• Filed: 05/19/2004
• Published: 11/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Activision Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Activision Incorporated (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Stephens, Adrian
• Granted Patent: US 7,707,012 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models

Abstract

A city model generation process. A city model is generated using information about an actual city. A roadway database including segments of roadways is used to generate a city model having grid points corresponding to intersections between the roadway segments. A type of roadway determined from the roadway database information is associated with sets of grid points defining a single roadway. Elevation data is added to the city model using a topographic database. Features, such as a road profile, are added to the roadway using the type. Photographic and zoning information is used to further refine the type of a roadway with a subtype corresponding to features of buildings that may be associated with the roadway. Generic building models and features are associated with the roadways based on the subtypes. Landmark building models are added to the city model to complete the city model.

Claims

1. A method of generating a simulated city, comprising:

receiving a set of roadway segments, the roadway segments corresponding to a plurality of roadways of a city;

generating a set of grid points using the set of roadway segments, the grid points corresponding to intersections between the roadway segments;

receiving topographic data for a city to be simulated; and

associating elevation values to the grid points using the topographic data.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a type to a subset of the set of grid points, the subset corresponding to a roadway from the plurality of roadways; and

associating a road profile to the subset of grid points using the type.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

associating a subtype to a subset of the set of grid points, the subset corresponding to a roadway from the plurality of roadways; and

associating a feature model to the subset of grid points using the subtype.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein associating a subtype further includes using a photograph of a portion of the city to be simulated corresponding to an area through which the roadway from the plurality of roadways passes to determine the subtype.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein associating a subtype further includes using zoning information for the city to be simulated to determine the subtype.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating a model of a landmark to a subset of the set of grid points, the subset corresponding to a roadway from the plurality of roadways.

7. A data processing apparatus for generating a simulated city, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory having program instructions executable by the processor stored therein, the program instructions including;

receiving a set of roadway segments, the roadway segments corresponding to a plurality of roadways of a city;

generating a set of grid points using the set of roadway segments, the grid points corresponding to intersections between the roadway segments;

receiving topographic information for the city; and

associating elevation values to the grid points using the topographic information.

8. The data processing apparatus of claim 7, the program instructions further including:

associating a type to a subset of the set of grid points, the subset corresponding to a roadway from the plurality of roadways; and

associating a road profile to the subset of grid points using the type.

9. The data processing apparatus of claim 8, the instructions further including:

associating a subtype to a subset of the set of grid points, the subset corresponding to a roadway from the plurality of roadways; and

associating a feature model to the subset of grid points using the subtype.

10. The data processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the instructions for associating a subtype further includes using a photograph of a portion of the city corresponding to an area through which a roadway from the plurality of roadways passes to determine the subtype.

11. The data processing apparatus of claim 9, wherein the instructions for associating a subtype further includes using zoning information for the city to determine the subtype.

12. The data processing apparatus of claim 7, the instructions further including associating a model of a landmark to a subset of the set of grid points, the subset corresponding to a roadway from the plurality of roadways.

13. A method of computer generating a cityscape model using actual city data to form a computer-generated three dimensional model corresponding to actual city parameters, comprising:

obtaining city roadway information;

obtaining city elevation information;

obtaining city zoning information;

generating a roadway connectivity model using the roadway information;

applying the elevation information to the roadway connectivity model to obtain an elevational roadway connectivity model; and

using the zoning information to assign subtypes to the elevational roadway connectivity model.