Photogrammetric image processing apparatus and method

• US 6,618,497 B1
• Filed: 06/21/2000
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Pentax Corporation (Hoya Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakayama, Toshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Couso, Jose L.
• Application Number:
  US09/598,980
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 382/103, 382/113, 382/106, 382/154, 382/254, 348/95, 348/113, 348/116, 348/118, 348/121, 348/135, 348/139, 348/144, 348/552, 348/580, 345/178, 345/419, 345/424, 345/427, 356/3, 356/601, 356/614, 356/625, 356/628, 396/7, 396/50, 396/89, 396/322, 396/427, 701/200, 701/208, 701/216, 701/217, 702/2, 702/5, 702/152, 702/153, 702/158, 702/159
• US Class Current: 382/154
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/06 by comparison of two or more pictures of the same area

Abstract

A photogrammetric image processing apparatus and method defining a plurality of pairs of images including a common target as belonging to the same groups (pairs), providing an image display area and drawing area on the screen of the display device, calculating valid mapping ranges for the pairs 1 to 4, and displaying the valid mapping ranges on the drawing area. When an arbitrary point is designated using a cursor in the drawing area, paired images corresponding to one of the valid mapping ranges containing the designated point are displayed in the image display area. Physical points corresponding to the paired images are designated, so that the three-dimensional coordinates of physical points are calculated, and a survey map is generated based on the three-dimensional coordinates.

Claims

1. A photogrammetric image processing apparatus defining a plurality of images commonly including a target at a predetermined position as being in the same group, calculating the camera position of the photographing camera taking each image and the inclination of its optical axis for each image, designating a common physical point in each image, calculating three-dimensional coordinates of the physical point, and generating a survey map based on the three-dimensional coordinates, comprising:

a display processor that has a image display area for displaying all of said images belonging to the same group, and a drawing area for displaying said survey map;

an area computing processor that calculates a valid mapping range of the same group, which is shown in said drawing area, based on the camera position and the optical axis inclination; and

a control processor that displays images of a predetermined group in said image display area, and displays said valid mapping range of said predetermined group in said drawing area.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said plurality of images of the same group are disposed in parallel in said image display area.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said image display area and said drawing area are displayed on a common display screen of said display processor, and said drawing area is positioned below said image display area in said common display screen.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a first input processor that designates a group of images which are displayed in said image display area, said first input processor designating an arbitrary group whereby said valid mapping range of the designated group is displayed in said drawing area.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a second input processor that designates a designated point in said drawing area, said second input processor designating an arbitrary designated point whereby images of said predetermined group corresponding to said valid mapping range containing said arbitrary designated point is displayed in said image display area.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein, when a plurality of said valid mapping ranges, which contain said designated point, exist, one of said valid mapping ranges is selected by a trigger action of said second input processor, and images of the group corresponding to said valid mapping range selected are displayed in said image display area.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said area computing processor calculates a range of guaranteed precision corresponding to each image and determines an overlapping area of the ranges of guaranteed precision as said valid mapping range.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein said range of guaranteed precision is found based on the camera position and a predetermined allowable error.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein said camera is provided with an imaging device, an optical image is converted to an electronic image by said imaging device, and said range of guaranteed precision is found by considering the resolution power of said imaging device.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

a plan view of the ground from perpendicularly above is displayed on said drawing area as said survey map,

said range of guaranteed precision is determined to be an area surrounded by two parallel lines perpendicular to the optical axis of said camera and separated from said camera by exactly a near limit of guaranteed precision and a far limit of guaranteed precision and two lines by which said range of a horizontal direction angle of view intersects the ground surface,

said near limit of said guaranteed precision is the shortest distance between the line by which the range of the vertical direction angle of view of said camera intersects the ground surface and the vertical line from said camera to the ground surface, and

said far limit of said guaranteed precision is the distance from said camera at which a length corresponding to the resolution power of said imaging device is equal to said allowable error.

11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein each group comprises two images.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein a plurality of said groups are provided, the coordinate system of each group is determined by a reference point provided on said target, the coordinate systems of said groups are converted to the coordinate system of any one group, so that said coordinate systems of all groups are unified.

13. A photogrammetric image processing method defining a plurality of images commonly including a target of a predetermined shape provided at a predetermined position and enabling output of an amount of displacement and rotational angle from an initial state as belonging to the same group, calculating the camera position of the photographing camera taking each image and the inclination of its optical axis for each image, displaying said image in an image display area of a display processor and designating a common physical point in each said image contained in said image display area, calculating three-dimensional coordinates of said physical point, generating a survey map based on the three-dimensional coordinates, and displaying said survey map in a drawing area of said display processor, comprising:

a first step of calculating a range of guaranteed precision corresponding to each image based on the camera position and the optical axis inclination of each image included in the same group;

a second step of calculating an overlapping area of the ranges of guaranteed precision of each said image of the same group to obtain a valid mapping range of the same group; and

a third step of displaying images of a predetermined group in said image display area, and displaying said valid mapping range of said predetermined group in said drawing area.

14. A storage medium storing a photogrammetric image processing program defining a plurality of images commonly including a target of a predetermined shape provided at a predetermined position and enabling output of an amount of displacement and rotational angle from an initial state as belonging to the same group, calculating the camera position of the photographing camera taking each image and the inclination of its optical axis for each image, displaying said image in an image display area of a display processor and designating a common physical point in each said image contained in said image display area, calculating three-dimensional coordinates of said physical point, generating a survey map based on the three-dimensional coordinates, and displaying said survey map in a drawing area of said display processor,

said photogrammetric image processing program including:

a routine for calculating a range of guaranteed precision corresponding to each image based on the camera position and the cptical axis inclination of each image included in the same group;

a routine for calculating an overlapping area of the ranges of guaranteed precision of each said image of the same group to obtain a valid mapping range of the same group; and

a routine for displaying images of a predetermined group in said image display area, and displaying said valid mapping range of said predetermined group in said drawing area.