System and method for identifying tie point collections used in imagery

• US 6,707,464 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2001
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Technology Licensing Corporation
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ham, Todd E., Andrews, Aaron, Bleeze, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K.
• Application Number:
  US09/774,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20020101438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 345/629, 345/619, 345/660, 345/630, 345/671
• US Class Current: 345/629
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/06 by comparison of two or more pictures of the same area
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/30 Determination of transform parameters for the alignment of images, i.e. image registration
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/97 Determining parameters from multiple pictures depth or shape recovery from multiple images G06T7/55; stereo camera calibration G06T7/85
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0077 Colour aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals

Abstract

A system and method of the present invention identifies tie point collections used in imagery. At least one image collection device acquires images of a selected geographic or other region. A processor is operatively connected to the at least one image collection device and combines the acquired images into respective stereo images such that only the stereo overlap remains. The stereo images can be overlay combined and color coded at the overlapped image areas based on the number of overlapping stereo images to produce a colored overlay image to assist in triangulation and optimal texture selection.

Claims

1. A system for identifying tie point collections used in imagery comprising:

at least one image collection device for acquiring images of a selected surface region; and

a processor operatively connected to the at least one image collection device for

a) combining the acquired images into respective stereo images such that only the stereo overlap remains,

b) overlay combining the respective stereo images, and

c) color coding the overlapped image areas based on the number of overlapping images to produce a colored overlay image to assist in triangulation and optimal texture selection.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein each area having a different number of overlapping stereo images are color coded with a different color.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein those areas having close numbers of overlapped stereo images are color coded with a similar shade of color.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the maximum intensity amongst overlapping pixels are passed through to form the stereo image.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein pairs of images are combined into respective stereo images.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein said images comprise satellite images.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said images comprise aerial photographs or images.

8. A system for identifying tie point collections used in imagery comprising:

at least one image collection device for acquiring images of a selected surface region; and

a processor operatively connected to the at least one image collection device for overlay combining the images and color coding the overlapped image areas based on the number of overlapping images to produce a colored overlay image to assist in triangulation and optimal texture selection.

11. A system according to claim 8, wherein said processor combines the acquired images into respective stereo images such that only the stereo overlap remains.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the maximum intensity amongst overlapping pixels are passed through to form the stereo images.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein pairs of images are combined into respective stereo images.

14. A system according to claim 8, wherein said images comprise satellite images.

15. A system according to claim 8, wherein said images comprise aerial photographs or images.

9. A system according to clam 8, wherein each area having a different number of overlapping images are color coded with a different color.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein those areas having close numbers of overlapping images are color coded with a similar shade of color.

16. A system for identifying tie point collections used in imagery comprising:

at least one image collection device for acquiring images of a selected surface region; and

a processor operatively connected to the at least one image collection device for combining images into respective stereo images such that only the stereo overlap remains.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein said system overlay combines the respective stereo images and color codes the overlapped image areas based on the number of overlapping stereo images to produce a colored overlay image to assist in triangulation and optimal texture selection.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein each area having a different number of overlapping stereo images are color coded with a different color.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein those areas having close numbers of overlapped stereo images are color coded with a similar shade of color.

20. A system according to claim 16, wherein the maximum intensity amongst overlapping pixels are passed through to form the stereo image.

21. A system according to claim 16, wherein pairs of images are combined into respective stereo images.

22. A system according to claim 16, wherein said images comprise satellite images.

23. A system according to claim 16, wherein said images comprise aerial photographs or images.

24. A method of identifying tie point collections used in imagery comprising the steps of:

combining images into respective stereo images such that only the stereo overlap remains;

overlay combining the respective stereo images; and

color coding the overlapped image areas based on the number of overlapping stereo images to produce a colored overlay image to assist in triangulation and optimal texture selection.

25. A method according to claim 24, and further comprising the step of color coding each area having a different number of overlapping stereo images.

26. A method according to claim 24, and further comprising the step of selecting similar shades of color for those areas having close numbers of overlapped stereo images.

27. A method according to claim 24, and further comprising the step of passing through the maximum intensity amongst overlapping pixels to form the stereo image.

28. A method according to claim 24, and further comprising the step of combining pairs of images into respective stereo images.

29. A method according to claim 24, wherein said images comprise satellite images.

30. A method according to claim 24, wherein said images comprise aerial photographs or images.

31. A method of identifying tie point collections used in imagery comprising the steps of:

acquiring a plurality of images of a selected surface region;

combining a plurality of images into a single overlay image having a plurality of overlapped image areas corresponding to different number of overlapping images; and

color coding with a different color the overlapped image areas based on the number of overlapping images in each overlapped image areas.

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein said images comprise satellite images.

33. A method according to claim 31, wherein said images comprise aerial photographs or images.

34. A method according to claim 31, and further comprising the step of selecting similar shades of color for those overlapping images having close numbers of overlapping images.

35. A method according to claim 31, and further comprising the step of combining pairs of images to form respective images.

36. A method according to claim 31, and further comprising the step of combining the acquired images into stereo images while passing through the maximum intensity amongst overlapping pixels to form the stereo image.

37. A method of identifying tie point collections used in imagery comprising the steps of:

acquiring a plurality of images of a selected surface region; and

combining the images into respective stereo images such that only the stereo overlap remains.

38. A method according to claim 37, and further comprising the step of passing through any maximum intensity pixels to form the stereo image.

39. A method according to claim 37, and further comprising the step of combining pairs of images into respective stereo images.

40. A method according to claim 37, wherein said images comprise satellite images.

41. A method according to claim 37, wherein said images comprise aerial photographs or images.

42. A method according to claim 37, and further comprising the steps of overlay combining the respective stereo images;

and

color coding the overlapped image areas based on the number of overlapping stereo images to produce a colored overlay image to assist in triangulation and optimal texture selection.

43. A method according to claim 37, and further comprising the step of color coding each area having a different number of overlapping stereo images with a different number.

44. A method according to claim 37, and further comprising the step of selecting similar shades of color for those areas having close numbers of overlapping stereo images.