Topographic measurement using stereoscopic picture frames
First Claim
1. A topographic data processor comprising:
- frame selecting means for selecting a pair of frames from a plurality of candidate picture frames of a target area captured from high-altitude positions, said selected pair of frames constituting a stereoscopic image of said target area;
scheduling means for selecting at least one airborne image sensor if an appropriate frame is not available in said plurality of candidate frames, sensing picture frames from the selected image sensor, whereby said frame selecting means uses the sensed frames to select a pair of frames;
means for determining a parallax between the frames selected by the frame selecting means and producing therefrom a first plurality of line-of-sight vectors and a second plurality of line-of-sight vectors; and
means for converting said first and second pluralities of line-of-sight vectors to topographic data,a plurality of received picture frames being combined to form a plurality of pairs of sensed frames, each of said plurality of pairs of sensed frames constituting a stereoscopic image of said target area, each of said plurality of pairs of sensed frames being evaluated with a fitness value indicative of fitness of each of said pairs of sensed frames for topographic measurement of said target area, said selected pair of frames having a highest fitness value of said plurality of pairs of sensed frames.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Disclosed is a topographic measurement system wherein at least one satellite is used to scan the earth surface and send picture frames of a target area captured at different positions to an earth station. The picture frames are combined to produce a number of pairs of frames which constitute a stereoscopic image of the target area. Each frame pair is analyzed according to a number of visual characteristics and evaluated with a set of fitness values representative of the degrees of fitness of the frame pair to topographic measurement of the target area. A total of the fitness values is obtained from each frame pair and compared with the total values of other frame pairs. A frame pair having the highest total value is selected as a best pair. A parallax between the best pair frames is determined to produce first and second sets of line-of-sight vectors for conversion to topographic data.
13 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A topographic data processor comprising:
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frame selecting means for selecting a pair of frames from a plurality of candidate picture frames of a target area captured from high-altitude positions, said selected pair of frames constituting a stereoscopic image of said target area; scheduling means for selecting at least one airborne image sensor if an appropriate frame is not available in said plurality of candidate frames, sensing picture frames from the selected image sensor, whereby said frame selecting means uses the sensed frames to select a pair of frames; means for determining a parallax between the frames selected by the frame selecting means and producing therefrom a first plurality of line-of-sight vectors and a second plurality of line-of-sight vectors; and means for converting said first and second pluralities of line-of-sight vectors to topographic data, a plurality of received picture frames being combined to form a plurality of pairs of sensed frames, each of said plurality of pairs of sensed frames constituting a stereoscopic image of said target area, each of said plurality of pairs of sensed frames being evaluated with a fitness value indicative of fitness of each of said pairs of sensed frames for topographic measurement of said target area, said selected pair of frames having a highest fitness value of said plurality of pairs of sensed frames. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A topographic measurement system comprising:
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at least one image sensor mounted on a vehicle flying over a target area; means for sensing a plurality of picture frames at different positions by using said image sensor; means for selecting a pair of frames from said plurality of picture frames, said pair of frames constituting a stereoscopic image of said target area; means for determining a parallax between the selected pair of frames and producing therefrom a first plurality of line-of-sight vectors and a second plurality of line-of-sight vectors; and means for converting said first and second pluralities of line-of-sight vectors to topographic data, said plurality of picture frames being combined to form a plurality of pairs of frames, each of said plurality of pairs of frames constituting a stereoscopic image of said target area, each of said plurality of pairs of frames being evaluated with a fitness value indicative of fitness of each of said plurality of pairs of frames for topographic measurement of said target area, said selected pair of frames having a highest fitness value of said plurality of pairs of frames. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A topographic measurement system comprising:
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at least one image sensor mounted on a vehicle flying over a target area; means for sensing a plurality of picture frames of said target area at different positions by using said image sensor; frame selecting means for selecting a pair of frames from said plurality of picture frames of said target area, said selected pair of frames constituting a stereoscopic image of said target area; scheduling means for selecting at least one image sensor if an appropriate pair of frames is not available in said plurality of picture frames, sensing picture frames from the selected image sensor, whereby said frame selecting means uses the sensed picture frames to select a pair of frames; means for determining a parallax between the pair of frames selected by the frame selecting means and producing therefrom a first plurality of line-of-sight vectors and a second plurality of line-of-sight vectors; and means for converting said first and second pluralities of line-of-sight vectors to topographic data, said plurality of picture frames being combined to form a plurality of pairs of frames, each of said plurality of pairs of frames constituting a stereoscopic image of said target area, each of said plurality of pairs of frames being evaluated with a fitness value indicative of fitness of each of said plurality of pairs of frames for topographic measurement of said target area, said selected pair of frames having a highest fitness value of said plurality of pairs of frames. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification