Method and apparatus for capturing, geolocating and measuring oblique images

• US 8,634,594 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2012
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pictometry International Corporation (Eagleview Technologies, Inc. /Wa/)
• Original Assignee: Pictometry International Corporation (Eagleview Technologies, Inc. /Wa/)
• Inventors: Schultz, Stephen L., Giuffrida, Frank D., Gray, Robert L., Mondello, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter, Aaron W
• Application Number:
  US13/534,907
• Publication Number:
  US 20120288158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 382/106, 382/154, 382/284, 382/294, 348113-118, 348143-148, 356 3- 309, 356601-613, 356/628
• US Class Current: 382/106
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/02 Picture taking arrangements specially adapted for photogrammetry or photographic surveying, e.g. controlling overlapping of pictures
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/04 Interpretation of pictures
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/006 Apparatus mounted on flying objects
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/02 with scanning movement of lens or cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/203 Drawing of straight lines or curves
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10032 Satellite or aerial image; Remote sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30204 Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4038 Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/60 Analysis of geometric attributes

Abstract

A computerized system for displaying and making measurements based upon captured oblique images. The system includes a computer system executing image display and analysis software reading an oblique image having corresponding geo-location data and a data table storing ground plane data, the ground plane data comprising a plurality of facets within an area depicted within the oblique image, the facets having a plurality of elevation data that conforms to at least a portion of terrain depicted within the oblique image; wherein the computer system displays the oblique image, receives a starting point and an end point selected by the user, where one or both points may be above the terrain, and calculates a height difference between the starting and end points dependent upon the geo-location data and the elevation data of a facet of the ground plane data.

Claims

1. A computerized system for displaying and making measurements based upon oblique images, comprising:

a computer system executing image display and analysis software reading;

an oblique image having corresponding geo-location data; and

a data table storing ground plane data, the ground plane data comprising a plurality of facets within an area depicted within the oblique image, the facets having a plurality of elevation data that conforms to at least a portion of terrain depicted within the oblique image;

wherein the image display and analysis software when executed by the computer system causes the computer system to display the oblique image, receive a starting point selected by a user, receive an end point selected by the user and calculate a height difference between the starting and end points dependent upon the geo-location data and the elevation data of a facet of the ground plane data.

2. A computerized system for displaying and making measurements based upon oblique images, comprising:

a computer system executing image display and analysis software reading;

an oblique image having corresponding geo-location data; and

a data table storing ground plane data, the ground plane data comprising a plurality of facets within an area depicted within the oblique image, the facets having a plurality of elevation data that conforms to at least a portion of terrain depicted within the oblique image;

wherein the image display and analysis software when executed by the computer system causes the computer system to display the oblique image, receive a starting point selected by a user on an object displayed in the oblique image, receive an end point selected by the user on the object displayed in the oblique image, with at least one of the starting point and the end point being above the terrain, and calculate a desired measurement between the starting and end points dependent upon the geo-location data and the elevation data of a facet of the ground plane data.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer system calculates the desired measurement with a vanishing point formula.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the computer system calculates the desired measurement with a ray-tracing algorithm and a vanishing point formula.