Method and apparatus for mapping and measuring land
DC CAFCFirst Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of mapping land comprising:
- capturing a plurality of overlapping video images depicting overlapping portions of a continuous strip of land, said images having four corners,calculating geographic coordinates of said four corners,storing said images and coordinates real time in a random access storage medium,retrieving said images and coordinates from said storage medium, andcompiling said images and coordinates to form a map which depicts said strip and identifies standard longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of said strip.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for mapping land can create overlapping images of portions of a strip of land, assign to those images geographic coordinates calculated in real time from initially stored coordinates of a first predetermined templated image, such that a series of images can be accessed from a storage medium to be displayed as a video map of the strip of land without manually assigning geographic coordinates to it. The method and apparatus can also be used to electronically measure the portions of the strip of land, and determine the geographic elevation of points on the strip of land.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of mapping land comprising:
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capturing a plurality of overlapping video images depicting overlapping portions of a continuous strip of land, said images having four corners, calculating geographic coordinates of said four corners, storing said images and coordinates real time in a random access storage medium, retrieving said images and coordinates from said storage medium, and compiling said images and coordinates to form a map which depicts said strip and identifies standard longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of said strip.
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2. A method of mapping and measuring land comprising:
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capturing a first digital image of a first portion of said land, said first digital image having four corners corresponding to the four corners of said first portion, identifying within said first digital image a digital representation of a stationary object on said first portion, said digital representation having a first position relative to four corners of said first digital image, determining coordinates of the four corners of said first digital image, capturing a second digital image of a second portion of said land, said second image overlapping said first image and including said digital representation of said stationary object, said second image having four corners corresponding to the four corners of said second portion, locating in said second digital image said digital representation, said digital representation having a second position relative to the four corners of said second digital image, calculating a distance between said first and second relative positions when the four corners of said first and second digital images are matched, calculating coordinates of the four corners of said second digital image by modifying said coordinates of the four corners of said first digital image by an amount proportional to said distance and in a direction parallel with a line between said first and second relative positions when the four corners of said first and second digital images are matched, storing in real time in said first digital image the coordinates of the four corners of said first digital image to form a first coordinated image, and storing said first coordinated image in computer memory, and storing in real time in said second digital image the coordinates of the four corners of said second digital image to form a second coordinated image and storing said second coordinates image in said computer memory, retrieving said first and second coordinated images from said computer memory, and compiling said first and second coordinated images and coordinates to form a map which depicts a strip and identifies standard coordinates of said strip, said first and second coordinates providing information from which a distance between points on said map can be determined to facilitate measurement of said land. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An apparatus for mapping and measuring a strip of land comprising:
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means for capturing a first digital image of a first portion of said land and a second digital image of a second portion of said land, said first digital image overlapping said second digital image to form an overlap, said first and second portions having four corners, said first and second digital images having four corners corresponding to the four corners of said first and second portions, respectively, and said first digital image having a leading edge, means for determining coordinates of said four corners of said first portion, means for identifying within said first digital image a digital representation of a stationary object in said overlap, said digital representation having a first position relative to the corners of said first digital image, means for locating within said second digital image said digital representation, said digital representation having a second position relative to the four corners of said second digital image, means for determining a distance between said first relative position and said second relative position in an X-Y coordinate system in which the four corners of said first and second digital images are aligned, said determining means having means for measuring said first and second portions and for measuring any sub-portion of said first and second portions, means for calculating coordinates of the four corners of said second portion by modifying the coordinates of said first portion by an amount proportional to said distance and in a direction parallel with a line between said first and second relative positions in said X-Y coordinate system, means for capturing a first data word representing said first position and the coordinates of said four corners of said first portion, and a second data word representing said second position and the coordinates of said four corners of said second portion, and memory means for storing said first image and said first data word in a first common memory location and for storing said second image and said second data word in a second common memory location. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for mapping land comprising:
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means for capturing a plurality of overlapping video images depicting overlapping portions of a continuous strip of land, said images having four corners, means for calculating geographic coordinates of said four corners, means for storing said images and coordinates, means for retrieving said images and coordinates from said means for storing, and means for compiling said images and coordinates to form a map which depicts said strip and identifies standard longitudinal and latitudinal coordinates of said strip.
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Specification