Method and system for ground imaging

• US 7,130,449 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Issued: 10/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Turner, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Jingge
• Assistant Examiner(s): GORADIA, SHEFALI DINESH
• Application Number:
  US10/329,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20040120551A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,408 Days
• Field of Search: 382/109, 342/140, 342/123, 342/65, 367/9, 367/14
• US Class Current: 382/109
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/514 from specularities
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/55 from multiple images

Abstract

A system and method for determining the slope of a ground imaged area. The system includes a camera, a memory, and a processor. The camera generates a first and a second image of an area of ground from an aircraft. The memory stores bi-directional characteristic information for associated materials. The processor determines a material type associated with a plurality of the pixels based on a color value of the pixels. The processor retrieves bi-directional characteristic information from the memory for a pixel based on the determined material type. A slope value at a pixel location is determined based on the associated viewing angle values, a determined radiance change value, and the retrieved bi-directional characteristic information.

Claims

1. A method for determining the slope of a ground imaged area, the method comprising:

generating a first and a second image of an area of ground from an aircraft, wherein the first and second images with pixels correlate to the area of the ground that are images taken at different times and wherein each pixel in the first and second images includes a viewing angle value;

determining a material associated with a plurality of the pixels;

retrieving a bi-directional characteristic information based on the determined material;

determining a radiance change value for at least one pixel of the first and second images by subtracting a radiance value at a pixel location in the first image to a radiance value at the same pixel location in the second image; and

determining a slope at a pixel location based on the associated viewing angle values, the determined radiance change value, one of radiance values of the first or second images, and the retrieved bi-directional characteristic information.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an elevation map based on the determined slopes.

3. A system for determining the slope of a ground imaged area, the system comprising:

a camera configured to generate a first and a second image of an area of ground from an aircraft, wherein the first and second images include pixels that correlate to the area of the ground at different moments of time and wherein each pixel in the first and second images includes a viewing angle value;

a memory configured to store material information and associated bi-directional characteristic information; and

a processor coupled to the camera and the memory, the processor including;

a first component configured to determine a material associated with one or more of the pixels;

a second component configured to retrieve bi-directional characteristic information for a pixel based on the determined material;

a third component configured to determine a radiance change value for at least one pixel location by subtracting a radiance value at a pixel location in the first image to a radiance value at the same pixel location in the second image; and

a fourth component configured to determine a slope at a pixel location based on the associated viewing angle values, the determined radiance change value, one of the radiance values of the first of second images, and the retrieved bi-directional characteristic information.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor further comprises a fourth component configured to generate an elevation map based on the determined slopes.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the first component is configured to determine a material associated with one or more of the pixels based on a color value of the one or more pixels.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the system is implemented in an aircraft.

7. A system for determining the slope of a ground imaged area, the system comprising:

a camera configured to generate a first and a second image of an area of ground from an aircraft, wherein the first and second images include pixels that correlate to the area of the ground at different moments of time and wherein each pixel in the first and second images includes a viewing angle value;

a memory configured to store material information and associated bi-directional characteristic information; and

a processor coupled to the camera and the memory, the processor including;

a first component configured to determine a material associated with one or more of the pixels;

a second component configured to retrieve bi-directional characteristic information for a pixel based on the determined material;

a third component configured to determine a radiance change value for at least one pixel location by subtracting a radiance value at a pixel location in the first image to a radiance value at the same pixel location in the second image; and

a fourth component configured to determine a slope at a pixel location based on the associated viewing angle values, the determined radiance change value, one of the radiance values of the first of second images, and the retrieved bi-directional characteristic information.

8. A method for determining the slope of a ground imaged area, the method comprising:

generating a first and a second image of an area of ground from an aircraft, wherein the first and second images with pixels correlate to the area of the ground that are images taken at different times and wherein each pixel in the first and second images includes,a viewing angle value;

determining a material associated with a plurality of the pixels;

retrieving a bi-directional characteristic information based on the determined material;

determining radiance values for at least one pixel of the first and second images; and

determining a slope at a pixel location based on the associated viewing angle values, the determined radiance values, and the retrieved bi-directional characteristic information.