System and method for simultaneously viewing, coordinating, manipulating and interpreting three-dimensional and two-dimensional digital images of structures for providing true scale measurements and permitting rapid emergency information distribution

• US 8,050,521 B2
• Filed: 11/02/2009
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sacal Holdings Limited
• Original Assignee: Archaio LLC
• Inventors: Judelson, David N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le; Brian Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): TORRES, JOSE
• Application Number:
  US12/610,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20100066559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 729 Days
• Field of Search: 382/285, 382/100, 382/276, 382/293, 382/298, 382/305, 345/419
• US Class Current: 382/293
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/028 Multiple view windows (top-side-front-sagittal-orthogonal)
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/005 combined burglary and fire alarm systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 25/14 Central alarm receiver or annunciator arrangements

Abstract

The present invention provides a true-scale, coordinate-matched, linked in real-time, dual three-dimensional/two-dimensional visual display/viewer. The display simultaneously shows a 3D digital image and an associated 2D digital image of a selected drawing. The display of the present invention allows a user to visualize an asset'"'"'s location, surrounding environment and hazards and true scale structural details for interior or external structural scenes. Using the display and associated tools, the user can obtain real-time information of an environment, true-scale measurement, plan ingress/egress paths, shortest paths between points and the number of doorways in a structure and track objects within the displayed environment. The intelligence gained using the tools and 3D/2D display may be used and further manipulated by a single user or may be distributed to other users.

Claims

1. An improved method for providing information of a digital raster image of the type wherein

digitizing a paper document to create a digital raster image,

recording scale information associated with the paper document and a digitizing device,

embedding the scale information in a header of the digital raster image,

storing the digital raster image as a first file, wherein said embedded scale information is embedded in said header of said first file,

rendering the digital raster image in a digital image viewer wherein the improvement comprises:

creating a three dimensional rendering of said digital raster image, wherein said three dimensional rendering has a three dimensional coordinate system;

storing the three dimensional rendering as a second file;

wherein said digital raster image has a two dimensional coordinate system,

wherein said three dimensional coordinate system and said two dimensional coordinate system are matched and linked in real-time,

wherein said digital raster image of the paper document and the three dimensional rendering of said digital raster image are capable of being viewed simultaneously.

2. The improved method of claim 1, wherein said three dimensional coordinate system is coordinate matched to said two dimensional coordinate system.

3. The improved method of claim 2, wherein each said three dimensional coordinate system corresponding to said two dimensional coordinate system is linked to form a common coordinate system.

4. The improved method of claim 1, wherein said three dimensional coordinate system is selection event matched to said two dimensional coordinate system.

5. An improved system for presenting information of a digital raster image of the type in which

a digitizing device that digitizes a paper document to create a two dimensional digital raster image, wherein scale information associated with the paper document is recorded and embedded in a header of the two dimensional digital raster image,

a digital image viewer that receives the two dimensional digital raster image and renders the two dimensional digital raster image to scale in a two dimensional display means, said viewer capable of receiving input from a user comprising a start and end point, and

a processor that calculates a route from the start point to the end point, wherein the improvement comprises:

said digital image viewer creating a three dimensional rendering based on said two dimensional digital raster image, said three dimensional rendering being to scale in a three dimensional display means, said three dimensional display means being part of said digital image viewer;

wherein said three dimensional rendering uses the scale information recorded and embedded in the header of the two dimensional digital raster image, and

wherein said three dimensional rendering is matched and linked in real-time the two dimensional digital raster image.

6. The improved system of claim 5, wherein said three dimensional rendering has a three dimensional coordinate system that is coordinate matched to a two dimensional coordinate system of said two dimensional digital raster image.

7. The improved system of claim 6, wherein said three dimensional coordinate system is event matched to said two dimensional coordinate system.

8. The improved system of claim 5, a Find Path Tool, said Find Path Tool being able to locate a first shortest path between two points graphically marked on said digital viewer, said first shortest path being a quickest path between said two points, wherein a true-scale measurement of the first shortest path can be displayed on said digital viewer.

9. The improved system of claim 8, wherein said Find Path Tool being able to locate an second shortest path between said two points when said first shortest path is unavailable, said second shortest path being a second quickest path between said two points, wherein a true-scale measurement of the second shortest path can be displayed on said digital image viewer.

10. The improved system of claim 5, further comprising a Door Detection Tool, said Door Detection Tool being able to determine a quantity of entryways between two points graphically marked on said digital image viewer.

11. The improved system of claim 5, further comprising a three dimensional Record Path Tool employed in said three dimensional display means, said three dimensional Record Path Tool being able to visually record all the details of a virtual path taken in said three dimensional display means.

12. The improved system of claim 5, further comprising a Door Detection Tool, said Door Detection Tool being able to determine a quantity of entryways virtually passed in a three dimensional virtual walkthrough.

13. An improved digital image viewer for presenting information based on a digital raster image of a paper drawing in which

a route is calculated between a first and second location specified on a digital raster image using a route calculator,

a true scale measurement of the route is calculated using a measurement calculator, said true scale measurement being based at least in part on scale information embedded in a header of the digital raster image and coordinates of pixels defining the first and second location, and in which

presentation means for displaying the route and true scale measurement in a two dimensional display means wherein the improvement comprises:

a three dimensional display means for displaying the route and true scale measurement in a three dimensional rendering, said three dimensional display being part of said presentation means, said presentation means capable of displaying said digital raster image, said presentation means capable of displaying said three dimensional rendering, said three dimensional rendering being linked in real time and matched to said digital raster image.

14. The improved viewer of claim 13, wherein said three dimensional rendering has a three dimensional coordinate system, said three dimensional coordinate system being matched and linked in real-time to a two dimensional coordinate system of the digital raster image.

15. The improved viewer of claim 13, wherein three dimensional coordinate system is coordinate matched to said two dimensional coordinate system.

16. The improved viewer of claim 13, wherein three dimensional coordinate system is event matched to said two dimensional coordinate system.