Three-dimensional urban modeling apparatus and method

• US 8,963,943 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2010
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Chu, Chang-Woo, Kim, Ho-Won, Koo, Bon-Ki
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hau
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gray, Ryan M
• Application Number:
  US12/971,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20110148866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 345/419, 345/423
• US Class Current: 345/582
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 15/04 Texture mapping
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a 3D urban modeling apparatus and method. The 3D urban modeling apparatus includes a calibration unit for calibrating data about a translation and a rotation of at least one capturing device at a time that input aerial images and terrestrial images were captured. A building model generation unit generates at least one 3D building model based on the aerial images and the terrestrial images to which results of the calibration have been applied. A terrain model generation unit generates a 3D terrain model by converting an input digital elevation model into a 3D mesh. A texture extraction unit extracts textures related to the building model and the terrain model from the aerial images and the terrestrial images. A model matching unit generates a 3D urban model by matching the building model with the terrain model, which are based on the textures, with each other.

Claims

1. A three-dimensional (3D) urban modeling apparatus, comprising:

a calibration unit for calibrating data about a translation and a rotation of at least one capturing device at a time that input aerial images and terrestrial images were captured;

a building model generation unit for generating at least one 3D building model based on the aerial images and the terrestrial images to which results of the calibration by the calibration unit have been applied;

a terrain model generation unit for generating a 3D terrain model by converting an input digital elevation model into a 3D mesh;

a texture extraction unit for extracting textures of buildings projected orthogonally from each face constituting the building model and textures of terrain related to the terrain model from the aerial images and the terrestrial images; and

a model matching unit for generating a 3D urban model by matching the building model with the terrain model, which are based on the textures of buildings and terrain, with each other.

2. The 3D urban modeling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the calibration unit selects captured images of buildings to be modeled from among the aerial images and the terrestrial images using the data about the translation and rotation of the capturing device, and calibrates the selected images.

3. The 3D urban modeling apparatus as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a translation and rotation data input unit for receiving the data about the translation and the rotation of the capturing device and transmitting the translation and rotation data to the calibration unit.

4. The 3D urban modeling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the calibration unit is configured such that when an image that has no data about the translation and the rotation of the capturing device is input, the calibration unit calculates the data about the translation and rotation of the capturing device at the time that the aerial images and the terrestrial images were captured, by using corresponding relationships between vertexes of a previously constructed 3D building model and feature points of the images and previously calculated intrinsic parameters of the capturing device.

5. The 3D urban modeling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the building model generation unit generates a first 3D building model by causing primitive figures forming a principal shape of a building to correspond to calibrated images, and generates the 3D building model by editing the first 3D building model using 3D mesh editing and by modeling a fine appearance of the building.

6. The 3D urban modeling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the building model generation unit generates a first 3D building model using the aerial images, and generates the 3D building model by modeling a preset area above a ground surface of the first 3D building model using the terrestrial images via 3D modeling.

7. The 3D urban modeling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the texture extraction unit extracts textures related to individual faces of the 3D building model using corresponding relationships between the faces constituting the 3D building model, generated by the building model generation unit, and the images.

8. The 3D urban modeling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the texture extraction unit extracts the orthographically projected textures in which a hidden portion is not present on each face constituting the building model.

9. The 3D urban modeling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the texture extraction unit extracts the textures of the terrain model by establishing corresponding relationships between images captured in a vertical direction, among the aerial images, and the terrain model.

10. The 3D urban modeling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the texture extraction unit extracts textures related to the terrain model such that a hidden portion is not present in the textures.

11. The 3D urban modeling apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the model matching unit converts a coordinate system of the building model into a map projection coordinate system of the digital elevation model, thus generating the 3D urban model in which the building model matches the terrain model.

12. A three-dimensional (3D) urban modeling method, comprising:

calibrating data about a translation and a rotation of at least one capturing device at a time that input aerial images and terrestrial images were captured, using a calibration unit;

generating at least one 3D building model based on the aerial images and the terrestrial images to which results of the calibration have been applied, using a building model generation unit;

generating a 3D terrain model by converting an input digital elevation model into a 3D mesh, using a terrain model generation unit;

extracting textures of buildings projected orthogonally from each face constituting the building model and textures of terrain related to the terrain model from the aerial images and the terrestrial images, using a texture extraction unit; and

generating a 3D urban model by matching the building model with the terrain model, which are based on the textures of the buildings and terrain, with each other, using a model matching unit.

13. The 3D urban modeling method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the calibrating the data is configured to perform calibration by selecting captured images of buildings to be modeled, from among the aerial images and the terrestrial images, using the data about the translation and rotation of the capturing device.

14. The 3D urban modeling method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the generating the 3D building model comprises:

generating a first 3D building model by causing primitive figures forming a principal shape of a building to correspond to calibrated images; and

editing the first 3D building model using 3D mesh editing and then modeling a fine appearance of the building.

15. The 3D urban modeling method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the generating the 3D comprises:

generating a first 3D building model using the aerial images; and

generating the 3D building model by modeling a preset area above a ground surface of the first 3D building model using the terrestrial images via 3D modeling.

16. The 3D urban modeling method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the extracting the textures is configured to extract textures related to individual faces of the building model using corresponding relationships between the faces constituting the building model and the images.

17. The 3D urban modeling method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the extracting the textures is configured to the extract orthographically projected textures in which a hidden portion is not present on each face constituting the building model.

18. The 3D urban modeling method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the extracting the textures is configured to extract the textures of the terrain model by establishing corresponding relationships between images captured in a vertical direction, among the aerial images, and the terrain model.

19. The 3D urban modeling method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the extracting the textures is configured to extract textures related to the terrain model such that a hidden portion is not present in the textures.

20. The 3D urban modeling method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the matching the models is configured to convert a coordinate system of the building model into a map projection coordinate system of the digital elevation model, thus generating the 3D urban model in which the building model matches the terrain model.