METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IMAGE REGISTRATION QUALITY CONFIRMATION AND IMPROVEMENT

• US 20070058885A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Oldroyd, Lawrence, Leib, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,055,100 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/294
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/00 Photogrammetry or videogrammetry, e.g. stereogrammetry; Photographic surveying
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/00 Image analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/30 Determination of transform parameters for the alignment of images, i.e. image registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/13 Satellite images

Abstract

A system and method for confirming the accuracy of an image registration process is provided. The method includes: receiving a first image that depicts a scene area; defining a comparison area within a second image that includes the scene area; obtaining a registration model that registers the first image to the second predefined image; constructing a third image from the first image and the comparison area of the second image based on the registration model; and comparing the third image to the second image.

Claims

1. A method of confirming the accuracy of an image registration process, comprising:

receiving a first image that depicts a scene area;

defining a comparison area within a second predefined image that includes the scene area;

obtaining a registration model that registers the first image to the second predefined image;

constructing a third image from the first image and the comparison area of the second predefined image based on the registration model; and

comparing the third image to the second predefined image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein constructing a third image comprises:

constructing the third image based on a size and shape of the comparison area;

matching coordinates of the third image to coordinates of the first image based on the registration model; and

for each coordinate in the third image updating the data of the coordinate with corresponding data from the first image.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the third image with respect to the second image and updating the registration model based on results from the adjusting of the third image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a first image comprises receiving a first image from a sensor that senses a scene area.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the third image and the second image on a display, and wherein the comparing is able to be performed by an operator viewing the display.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the displaying comprises displaying the third image and the second image using at least one of an alternating display method, an overlay method, and a wiper bar method.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second predefined image comprises at least one of an overhead image and an orthographic image of the area, including a known geometry and an aligned elevation matrix.

8. An image registration confirmation system, comprising:

a registration module that generates a registration model by registering a first image to a second predefined image;

a validation module that generates a third image based on data from the first image and the registration model; and

a comparison module that compares the third image with the second predefined image to confirm the accuracy of the registration model.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the validation module generates the third image by conforming a perspective of the first image to a perspective of the second image.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the first image depicts a scene area;

and

wherein the validation module;

defines a comparison area of the second image to include the scene area;

matches coordinates of the comparison area to coordinates of the third image based on the registration model; and

for each coordinate in the third image, updates the data of the coordinate with corresponding data from the first image.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the comparison module adjusts the third image with respect to the second image, and wherein an update module updates the registration model based on results from the adjusting.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the comparison module displays the third image and the second image to a display, and wherein the comparing is performed by an operator viewing the display.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the comparison module displays the third image and the second image to the display based on at least one of an alternating display method, an overlay method, and a wiper bar method.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the second predefined image is at least one of an orthographic image and an overhead image of the area, including a known geometry and an aligned elevation matrix.

15. The system of claim 8, wherein the first image is an image of at least one of unknown geometry and unknown perspective.

16. The system of claim 8, wherein the first image is generated by a sensor.

17. A system for confirming the registration of a sensor image and a reference image, comprising:

a sensor that generates a sensor image of a scene area;

a reference image datastore that stores predefined reference images, wherein at least one of the reference images includes the scene area; and

a registration confirmation module that registers the sensor image to the reference image including the scene area, and that confirms the accuracy of the registration by projecting a perspective of the sensor image to a perspective of the reference image and comparing the projected sensor image to the reference image.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a display that displays the projected sensor image and the reference image.

19. The system of claim 17, further comprising an elevation matrix datastore that stores predefined elevation data that aligns with the predefined reference images and wherein the registration confirmation module projects the elevation data to the projected sensor image.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the registration confirmation module further updates registration between the sensor image and the reference image based on results of the comparing.

21. An aircraft including an image registration quality confirmation system, wherein the image quality confirmation system comprises:

a sensor that generates a sensor image of a scene area;

a reference image datastore that stores predefined reference images, wherein at least one of the reference images includes the scene area; and

a registration confirmation module that registers the sensor image to the reference image including the scene area, and that confirms the accuracy of the registration by projecting a perspective of the sensor image to a perspective of the reference image and comparing the projected sensor image to the reference image.