Three-dimensional database generating system and method for generating three-dimensional database

• US 7,149,346 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2002
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Space Technologies, Ltd. (NEC Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nec Toshiba Space Systems, Ltd. (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Oniyama, Akio
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhavesh M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAH, UTPAL D
• Application Number:
  US10/285,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20030086604A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,502 Days
• Field of Search: 382/154, 382/285
• US Class Current: 382/154
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/13 Architectural design, e.g. computer-aided architectural design [CAAD] related to design of buildings, bridges, landscapes, production plants or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/10 Constructive solid geometry [CSG] using solid primitives, e.g. cylinders, cubes

Abstract

In addition to height data for objects being calculated from stereographic pair images photographed from a satellite, information on outlines is also extracted, and by integrating this height data with the stereographic pair images a three-dimensional database is generated including buildings or else using realistic texture.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional database generating system comprising;

at least a satellite equipped with functionality for stereo photographing a subject region as it orbits around the earth maintaining a specified height; and

a data analysis means for analyzing a pair of stereographic images photographed by said satellite to generate a three-dimensional database, wherein said data analysis means comprises;

a stereo processing means for calculating, based on said stereographic pair images photographed from said satellite, primary height data of objects included within said images;

a outline extraction processing means for extracting outlines of said objects from said stereographic pair images photographed from said satellite;

a correction processing means for correcting said primary height data calculated by said stereograph processing means by using existing information on height and said outlines of said objects extracted by said outline extracting processing means and outputting that as height data;

an orthogonal transform processing means for performing orthogonal projection transform on one image of said stereographic pair images photographed from said satellite by using height data output from said correction processing means;

a polygonization processing means for three-dimensionally polygonizing said objects by using the outlines of said objects extracted by said outline extraction processing means and height data output from said correction processing means; and

a texture processing means for applying said image that has orthogonal projection transformed by said orthogonal transform processing means to said objects three-dimensionally polygonized by said polygonization processing means.

2. A three-dimensional database generating system according to claim 1, wherein said correction processing means performs averaging processes on said primary height data for each said object the outline of which is extracted by said outline extraction processing means, defining the average value thereby obtained as the height data for each said object concerned and uses said existing information on height for correcting said absolute value of height data.

3. A three-dimensional database generating system according to claim 1, wherein said texture processing means extracts an image of a side face of each said object from said stereographic pair images photographed from said satellite and applies that image to the side face of said object three-dimensionally polygonized by said polygonization processing means.

4. A three-dimensional database generating system according to claim 2, wherein said texture processing means extracts an image of a side face of each said object from said stereographic pair images photographed from said satellite and applies that image to the side face of said object three-dimensionally polygonized by said polygonization processing means.

5. A three-dimensional database generating system according to claim 1, wherein said existing information on height comprises height information of buildings stored in a height information database.

6. A method used for generating a three-dimensional database using a stereographic pair of images photographed by a satellite that obtains stereographic pair images through stereographic photographing a subject region from a specified height, which comprises processes for;

calculating, based on said stereographic pair images photographed from said satellite, primary height data of objects included within said images;

extracting outlines of said objects from said stereographic pair images photographed from said satellite;

correcting said primary height data by using existing information on height and the outlines of said objects;

performing orthogonal projection transform by using said corrected height data, on one image of said stereographic pair images photographed from said satellite;

performing three-dimensional polygonization of said objects by using said outlines of said objects and said corrected height data; and

applying said image transformed through orthogonal projection to said three-dimensionally polygonized object.

7. A method used for generating a three-dimensional database according to claim 6, wherein the process for correcting primary height data comprises processes for performing averaging processes on said primary height data for each said object the outline of which is extracted, defining the average value thereby obtained as the height data for said object and correcting the absolute value of said height data using said existing information on height.

8. A method for generating a three-dimensional database according to claim 6, wherein an image of a side face of each said object is extracted from said stereographic pair of images photographed from said satellite and said side face image is applied to the side face of said three-dimensionally polygonized object.

9. A method for generating a three-dimensional database according to claim 7 wherein an image of a side face of each said object is extracted from said stereographic pair of images photographed from said satellite and said side face image is applied to the side face of said three-dimensionally polygonized object.

10. A method for generating a three-dimensional database according to claim 6, wherein said existing information on height comprises height information of buildings stored in a height information database.

11. A three-dimensional database generating system comprising:

at least a satellite equipped with functionality for stereo photographing a subject region as it orbits around the earth maintaining a specified height; and

a data analysis processor that analyzes a pair of stereographic images photographed by said satellite to generate a three-dimensional database, wherein said data analysis processor comprises;

a stereo processing part that calculates, based on said stereographic pair images photographed from said satellite, primary height data of objects included within said images;

a outline extraction processing part that extracts outlines of said objects from said stereographic pair images photographed from said satellite;

a correction processing part that corrects said primary height data calculated by said stereograph processing part by using existing information on height and said outlines of said objects extracted by said outline extracting processing part and outputting that as height data;

an orthogonal transform processing part that performs orthogonal projection transform on one image of said stereographic pair images photographed from said satellite by using height data output from said correction processing part;

a polygonization processing that three-dimensionally polygonized said objects by using the outlines of said objects extracted by said outline extraction processing part and height data output from said correction processing part; and

a texture processing part that applies said image that has orthogonal projection transformed by said orthogonal transform processing part to said objects three-dimensionally polygonized by said polygonization processing part.

12. A three-dimensional database generating system according to claim 11, wherein said existing information on height comprises height information of buildings stored in a height information database.