METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING A BUILDING LOCATION BASED ON A BUILDING IMAGE

• US 20160063732A1
• Filed: 08/27/2014
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: CHEN, Xin, ZANG, Andi
• Granted Patent: US 9,418,446 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30184 Infrastructure
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30244 Camera pose
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/40 Analysis of texture depth or shape recovery from texture G06T7/529
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/49 based on structural texture description, e.g. using primitives or placement rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/75 involving models
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/54 relating to texture
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/10 Terrestrial scenes scenes under surveillance with static cameras G06V20/52; scenes perceived from the exterior of a vehicle G06V20/56; scenes perceived from the interior of a vehicle G06V20/59

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for determining a building location based on a building image. In the context of a method, the method includes receiving an image including at least one building, extracting building texture features from the image, and receiving reference building texture features. The method also includes determining, using a processor, building texture features comparisons between building texture features and reference building texture features which satisfy a predetermined match threshold and determining a matching building location based upon the building texture features comparision.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an image, wherein the image comprises at least one building;

extracting building texture features from the image;

receiving reference building texture features;

determining, using a processor, building texture features comparisons between building texture features and reference building texture features which satisfy a predetermined match threshold; and

determining a matching building location based upon the building texture features comparisons.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

detecting building face blocks in the image; and

detecting edges within building face blocks;

wherein the building texture features comprise detected edges and are extracted from the building face blocks.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a back projection based on the matched building location.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

determining a camera position based on the building location and back projection.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising:

initializing an application based on the camera position.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein extracting building features further comprises:

aligning and normalizing the building face blocks.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein building texture features comprise, window distribution, window area, window density, characters, or building color.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein building texture features comprise, window distribution, window area, window density, characters, or building color.

8. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and computer program code configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to at least:

receive an image, wherein the image comprises at least one building;

extract building texture features from the image;

receive reference building texture features;

determine building texture features comparisons between building texture features and reference building texture features which satisfy a predetermined match threshold; and

determine a matching building location based upon the building texture features comparisons.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to:

detect building face blocks in the image; and

detect edges within building face blocks;

wherein the building texture features comprise detected edges and are extracted from the building face blocks.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to:

determine a back projection based on the matched building location.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to:

determine a camera position based on the building location and back projection.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured to:

initialize an application based on the camera position.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein extracting building features further comprises:

aligning and normalizing the building face blocks.

15. A computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code portions stored therein, the computer-executable program code portions comprising program code instructions configured to:

receive an image, wherein the image comprises at least one building;

extract building texture features from the image;

receive reference building texture features;

determine building texture features comparisons between building texture features and reference building texture features which satisfy a predetermined match threshold; and

determine a matching building location based upon the building texture features comparisons.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable program code portions further comprise program code instructions configured to:

detect building face blocks in the image; and

detect edges within building face blocks;

wherein the building texture features comprise detected edges and are extracted from the building face blocks.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer-executable program code portions further comprise program code instructions configured to:

determine a back projection based on the matched building location.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the computer-executable program code portions further comprise program code instructions configured to:

determine a camera position based on the building location and back projection.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the computer-executable program code portions further comprise program code instructions configured to:

initialize an application based on the camera position.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein extracting building features further comprises:

aligning and normalizing the building face blocks.

21-48. -48. (canceled)