SYSTEM FOR DISPLAYING THREE-DIMENSIONAL LANDSCAPES

• US 20150042639A1
• Filed: 05/10/2012
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harman Becker Automotive Systems GmbH (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Marek Strassenburg-Kleciak
• Inventors: Meyer, Hendrik, Strassenburg-Kleciak, Marek, Rauschenberg, Mario
• Granted Patent: US 9,501,867 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/419
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3638 including 3D objects and buildings three dimensional [3D] modelling, e.g. data description of 3D objects G06T17/00; geographic models G06T17/05
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/20 Finite element generation, e.g. wire-frame surface description, tesselation

Abstract

A system for displaying three-dimensional landscapes includes a processor and a storage device in communication with the processor. The processor is configured to identify at least one predetermined landscape element in a landscape to be displayed, individually calculate a representation of the at least one predetermined landscape element and cause a display to display the landscape based on the individually calculated representation of the at least one predetermined landscape element and the altitude data.

Claims

1. A method for displaying on a display a three-dimensional landscape, the method comprising the steps of:

providing altitude data describing an altitude of a landscape and comprising a plurality of vertices to a processor,

identifying by the processor at least one predetermined landscape element in the landscape,

individually calculating by the processor a representation of the at least one predetermined landscape element,

displaying on the display the landscape based on the plurality of vertices and the individually calculated representation of the at least one landscape element, and

where the at least one predetermined landscape element comprises at least one element from the group consisting of a river, a lake, an ocean and a building.

2. The method of claim 1, where the altitude data further comprises triangulated irregular network data.

3. The method of claim 1, where the at least one predetermined landscape element comprises a river, and where the individually calculating a representation of the river comprises the steps of:

dividing the river into oriented frames, and

limiting an altitude of each frame to an altitude to a previous frame.

4. The method of claim 3, where individually calculating the representation of the river further comprises the step of assigning each frame of the oriented frames an altitude based on the altitudes of vertices in an area covered by the frame.

5. The method of claim 3, where individually calculating the representation of the river further comprises the steps of:

determining lines between adjacent ones of the oriented frames,

determining intersections) of the bisecting lines with a polygon representing the river, and

setting altitudes of the polygon based on altitudes of the intersections.

6. The method of claim 1, where the at least one predetermined landscape element comprises a river, where individually calculating a representation of the river comprises the steps of:

providing a line representation of the river, the line representation comprising line running between a series of river vertices,

identifying direction changes of the line representation, and

splitting at least one river vertex at a direction change into at least two further river vertices.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprises the step of inserting a plateau, where a border of the plateau runs through the further river vertices.

8. The method of claim 7, where the plateau is selected from the group consisting of a triangle and a square.

9. The method of claim 1,

where the at least one predetermined landscape element comprises an ocean,

where individually calculating a representation of the ocean comprises setting an altitude of an area covered by the ocean to sea level.

10. The method of claim 1,

where the at least one predetermined landscape element comprises a lake,

where individually calculating a representation of the lake comprises determining a lake level based on altitudes of vertices in the area covered by the lake, and

setting the altitude of the lake to the lake level.

11. The method of claim 10, where determining the lake level comprises the step of calculating a weighted average of the altitudes of the vertices in the lake area.

12. The method claim 1, where the at least one predetermined landscape element comprises a building and where individually calculating a representation of the building comprises leveling a ground for the building.

13. The method of claim 12, where leveling the ground comprises one of setting vertices in the area covered by the building to a common ground level and providing a virtual ground level.

14. A system for displaying on a display a three-dimensional landscape, the system comprising:

a processor,

a storage device in communication with the processor, the storage device configured to store altitude data of a landscape and map data of a landscape,

where the processor is configured to identify at least one predetermined landscape element in a landscape to be displayed, individually calculate a representation of the at least one predetermined landscape element, and cause a display to display the landscape based on the individually calculated representation of the at least one predetermined landscape element and the altitude data,

where the at least one predetermined landscape element comprises at least one element from the group consisting of a river, a lake, an ocean and a building.

15. The system of claim 14, where the altitude data further comprises triangulated irregular network data.

16. The system of claim 14, where the at least one predetermined landscape element comprises a river, and where the processor is further configured to divide the river into oriented frames and limit an altitude of each frame to an altitude to a previous frame.

17. The system of claim 16, where the processor is further configured to assign each frame of the oriented frames an altitude based on the altitudes of vertices in an area covered by the frame.

18. The system of claim 16, where the processor is further configured to determine lines between adjacent ones of the oriented frames, determine intersections of the bisecting lines with a polygon representing the river, and set altitudes of the polygon based on altitudes of the intersections.

19. The system of claim 14, where the at least one predetermined landscape element comprises a river, where the processor is further configured to provide a line representation of the river, the line representation comprising line running between a series of river vertices, identify direction changes of the line representation, and split at least one river vertex at a direction change into at least two further river vertices.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprises the step of inserting a plateau, where a border of the plateau runs through the further river vertices.

21. The system of claim 20, where the plateau is selected from the group consisting of a triangle and a square.

22. The system of claim 14,

where the at least one predetermined landscape element comprises an ocean,

where the processor is further configured to set an altitude of an area covered by the ocean to sea level.

23. The system of claim 14,

where the at least one predetermined landscape element comprises a lake,

where the processor is further configured to determine a lake level based on altitudes of vertices in the area covered by the lake, and set the altitude of the lake to the lake level.

24. The system of claim 23, where the processor is further configured to calculate a weighted average of the altitudes of the vertices in the lake area.

25. The system claim 14, where the at least one predetermined landscape element comprises a building and where the processor is further configured to calculate a representation of the building by leveling a ground for the building.

26. The system of claim 25, where leveling the ground comprises one of setting vertices in the area covered by the building to a common ground level and providing a virtual ground level.