GPS-enhanced system and method for automatically capturing and co-registering virtual models of a site

• US 6,759,979 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2003
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2002
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Intelisum Incorporated
• Original Assignee: E-Businesscontrols Corporation
• Inventors: Vashisth, Robert M., Bunger, James W., Jensen, James U.
• Primary Examiner(s): Issing, Gregory C.
• Application Number:
  US10/348,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20030137449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 342/357.06, 342/357.13, 342/357.14, 348/218.1, 345/419, 345/629
• US Class Current: 342/357.31
• 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 15/00 Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/08 for measuring distance only indirect measurement G01S17/46; active triangulation systems G01S17/48
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 Determining position

Abstract

A system for capturing a virtual model of a site includes a range scanner for scanning the site to generate range data indicating distances from the range scanner to real-world objects. The system also includes a global positioning system (GPS) receiver coupled to the range scanner for acquiring GPS data for the range scanner at a scanning location. In addition, the system includes a communication interface for outputting a virtual model comprising the range data and the GPS data.

Claims

1. A system for capturing a virtual model of a site including one or more occluded surfaces when viewed from any given perspective, the system comprising:

a range scanner for automatically scanning a site from a plurality of different fixed locations to generate a separate set of range data at each scanning location indicating distances from the range scanner to real-world objects within the site, each set of range data comprising a three-dimensional model of the same site from a different perspective, wherein at least one set of range data includes a surface of a real-world object that is occluded in at least one other set of range data;

a digital camera coupled to the range scanner for obtaining digital images of the real-world objects scanned by the range scanner at each location;

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver coupled to the range scanner for acquiring GPS data for the range scanner at a each scanning location, wherein the GPS receiver interacts with a separate base station to achieve sub-meter accuracy;

an orientation indicator coupled to the range scanner for indicating an orientation of the range scanner at each scanner location;

a transformation module for using the GPS data with orientation data for the range scanner at each scanning location to automatically transform the sets of range data from individual scanning coordinate systems based on the scanning locations to a single modeling coordinate system; and

a co-registration module for automatically co-registering the transformed sets of range data into a single virtual model of the site that includes the one or more occluded surfaces.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a visualization module for converting the co-registered virtual model of the site into a polygon mesh and for applying textures to the polygon mesh derived from the digital imagery to create an visualization of the site that is substantially free of occlusions.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a merging module for merging at least two points represented within the co-registered virtual model that correspond to the same physical location within the site.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the modeling coordinate system is a geographic coordinate system.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the orientation indicator comprises a bearing indicator for indicating the bearing of the range scanner.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the GPS data is selected from the group consisting of longitude, latitude, altitude, Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates, and Earth-Centered/Earth-Fixed (ECEF) coordinates.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein at least two of the sets of range data indicate a distance from the range scanner to the same physical location within the site.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the virtual model associates the digital images of the real-world objects with the corresponding range data.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the range scanner comprises:

a servo for continuously changing an orientation of the range scanner with respect to a fixed location to scan the site; and

a lidar to obtain range measurements to real-world objects along a changing path of the range scanner responsive to the servo.

10. A system for capturing a virtual model of a site including one or more occluded surfaces when viewed from any given perspective, the system comprising:

a range scanner for automatically scanning the site to generate a first set of range data indicating distances from the range scanner at a first location to real-world objects in the site, wherein the range scanner is to automatically re-scan the site to generate a second set of range data indicating distances from the range scanner at a second scanning location to real-world objects in the site, each set of range data comprising a three-dimensional model of the same site from a different perspective, wherein the second set of range data includes a surface of a real-world object that is occluded in the first set of range data;

a digital camera coupled to the range scanner for obtaining digital images of the real-world objects scanned by the range scanner at each location;

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver coupled to the range scanner for acquiring a first set of GPS data for the range scanner at the first scanning location and a second set of GPS data for the range scanner at the second location, wherein the GPS receiver interacts with a separate base station to achieve sub-meter accuracy;

an orientation indicator for indicating an orientation of the range scanner at each scanning location;

a transformation module for using the first and second sets of GPS data with orientation data for the range scanner at the scanning locations to automatically transform the first and second sets of range data from local coordinate systems referenced to the scanning locations to a single coordinate system independent of the scanning locations;

a co-registration module for automatically co-registering the first and second sets of range data into a single virtual model of the site that includes the one or more occluded surfaces; and

a merging module for merging at least two points represented within the co-registered virtual model that correspond to the same physical location within the site.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

a visualization module for converting the co-registered virtual model of the site into a polygon mesh and for applying textures to the polygon mesh derived from the digital imagery to create an visualization of the site that is substantially free of occlusions.

12. A system for modeling an object including one or more occluded surfaces when viewed from any vantage point, the system comprising:

a range scanner for automatically scanning an object from a plurality of fixed vantage points to generate a plurality of separate range images, each range image comprising a three-dimensional model the object from a different perspective, wherein at least one range image includes a surface of the object that is occluded in at least one other range image;

a digital camera coupled to the range scanner for obtaining digital images of the object from each vantage point;

a global positioning system (GPS) receiver for obtaining GPS readings for the range scanner at each vantage point, wherein the GPS receiver interacts with a separate base station to achieve sub-meter accuracy;

an bearing indicator coupled to the range scanner for indicating a bearing of the range scanner at each scanning location;

a transformation module for using the GPS readings associated with each range image, as well as information about the range scanner'"'"'s bearing at each vantage point, to automatically transform the range images from local coordinate systems relative to the vantage points to a single coordinate system independent of the vantage points; and

a co-registration module for automatically co-registering the transformed range images into a single virtual model of the object that includes the one or more occluded surfaces.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a visualization module for converting the co-registered virtual model of the object into a polygon mesh and for applying textures to the polygon mesh derived from the digital imagery to create an visualization of the object that is substantially free of occlusions.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein

the range scanner comprises

a servo for continuously changing an orientation of the range scanner with respect to a fixed location to scan the object;

and

a lidar to obtain range measurements the object along a changing path of the range scanner responsive to the servo.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the virtual model is to associate the digital imagery and the corresponding range images within the virtual model.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising:

a merging module for merging at least two points represented within the co-registered range images that correspond to the same physical location on the object.

17. A method for capturing a virtual model of a site including one or more occluded surfaces when viewed from any given perspective, the method comprising:

automatically scanning a site from a plurality of different fixed locations to generate a separate set of range data at each scanning location indicating distances from a range scanner to real-world objects within the site, each set of range data comprising a three-dimensional model of the same site from a different perspective, wherein at least one set of range data includes a surface of a real-world object that is occluded in at least one other set of range data;

obtaining digital images of the real-world objects scanned by the range scanner at each location;

acquiring global positioning system (GPS) data for the range scanner at each scanning location using a GPS receiver that interacts with a separate base station to achieve sub-meter accuracy;

obtaining orientation data for the scanner at each scanning location;

automatically transforming the separate sets of range data from individual scanning coordinate systems to a modeling coordinate system using the GPS data with the orientation data for the range scanner at each scanning location; and

automatically co-registering the transformed sets of range data into a single virtual model of the site that includes the one or more occluded surfaces.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

converting the co-registered virtual model of the site into a polygon mesh; and

applying textures to the polygon mesh derived from the digital imagery to create an visualization of the site that is substantially free of occlusions.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

merging at least two points represented within the co-registered virtual model that correspond to the same physical location within the site.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the modeling coordinate system is a geographic coordinate system.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the orientation information includes a bearing of the range scanner, the method further comprising:

determining the bearing of the range scanner.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the GPS data is selected from the group consisting of longitude, latitude, altitude, Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates, and Earth-Centered/Earth-Fixed (ECEF) coordinates.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein at least two of the sets of range data indicate a distance from the range scanner to the same physical location within the site.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

associating the digital images of the real-world objects with the corresponding range data.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein scanning comprises:

continuously changing an orientation of the range scanner with respect to a fixed location to scan the site; and

obtaining range measurements to real-world objects along a changing path of the range scanner.

26. A method for capturing a virtual model of a site including one or more occluded surfaces when viewed from any given perspective, the method comprising:

automatically scanning the site to generate a first set of range data indicating distances from a range scanner at a first location to real-world objects in the site, wherein the first set of range data comprises a three-dimensional model of the site from a first perspective;

obtaining digital images of the real-world objects scanned by the range scanner at the first location;

acquiring a first set of global positioning system (GPS) data for the range scanner at the first location using a GPS receiver that interacts with a base station to achieve sub-meter accuracy;

determining orientation information for the range scanner at the first location;

scanning the same site from a second perspective to generate a second set of range data indicating distances from the range scanner at a second location to real-world objects in the site, wherein the second set of range data comprises a three-dimensional model of the site from a second perspective, wherein the second set of range data includes a surface of a real-world object that is occluded in the first set of range data;

obtaining digital images of the real-world objects scanned by the range scanner at the second location;

acquiring a second set of GPS data for the range scanner at the second location;

determining orientation information for the range scanner at the second location;

automatically transforming the first and second sets of range data from individual local coordinate systems to a single coordinate system independent of the range scanner locations using the first and second sets of GPS data with the orientation information;

automatically co-registering the first and second sets of range data into a single virtual model of the site that includes the one or more occluded surfaces;

converting the co-registered virtual model of the site into a polygon mesh; and

applying textures to the polygon mesh derived from the digital imagery to create an visualization of the site that is substantially free of occlusions.

27. A method for modeling an object including one or more occluded surfaces when viewed from any vantage point, the method comprising:

automatically scanning an object from a plurality of fixed vantage points to generate a plurality of separate range images, each range image comprising a three-dimensional model of the object from a different perspective, wherein at least one range image includes a surface of the object that is occluded in at least one other range image;

obtaining digital images of the object from each vantage point;

obtaining a bearing of the scanner at each vantage point;

acquiring global position system (GPS) readings for the range scanner at each vantage point using a GPS receiver that accesses a separate base station to achieve sub-meter accuracy;

transforming the range images from local coordinate systems relative to the vantage points to a single coordinate system independent of the vantage points using the GPS readings associated with each range image, as well as information about the range scanner'"'"'s bearing at each vantage point; and

automatically co-registering the transformed range images into a single virtual model of the object that includes the one or more occluded surfaces.

28. The method of claim, 27, further comprising:

converting the co-registered virtual model of the object into a polygon mesh; and

applying textures to the polygon mesh derived from the digital imagery to create an visualization of the object that is substantially free of occlusions.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein scanning comprises:

continuously changing an orientation of the range scanner with respect to a fixed location to scan the object; and

obtaining range measurements the object along a changing path of the range scanner responsive to the servo.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the GPS data is selected from the group consisting of longitude, latitude, uniform, altitude, Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates, and Earth-Centered/Earth-Fixed (ECEF) coordinates.

31. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

associating the digital imagery with the corresponding range images within the virtual model.

32. The method of claim 27,

wherein at least two of the range images depict the same physical location within the site.

33. The system of claim 27, wherein the GPS data is selected from the group consisting of longitude, latitude, altitude, Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) coordinates, and Earth-Centered/Earth-Fixed (ECEF) coordinates.

34. The system of claim 27,

wherein at least two of the range images depict the same physical location on the object.

35. An apparatus for capturing a virtual model of a site including one or more occluded surfaces when viewed from any given perspective, the system comprising:

scanning means for automatically scanning a site from a plurality of different fixed locations to generate a separate set of range data at each scanning location indicating distances from the scanning means to real-world objects within the site, each set of range data comprising a three-dimensional model of the same site from a different perspective, wherein at least one set of range data includes a surface of a real-world object that is occluded in at least one other set of range data;

camera means coupled to the scanning means for obtaining digital images of the real-world objects scanned by the scanning means at each location;

position detection means coupled to the scanning means for acquiring global positioning system (GPS) data for the scanning means at a each scanning location, wherein the position detection means interacts with a separate base station to achieve sub-meter accuracy;

an orientation detection means coupled to the scanning means for indicating an orientation of the scanning means at each scanning location;

transformation means for using the GPS data with orientation data for the scanning means at each scanning location to automatically transform the sets of range data from individual scanning coordinate systems based on the scanning locations to a single modeling coordinate system; and

co-registration means for automatically co-registering the transformed sets of range data into a single virtual model of the site that includes the one or more occluded surfaces.

36. A computer program product comprising program code for performing method for capturing a virtual model of a site including one or more occluded surfaces when viewed from any given perspective, the computer program product comprising:

program code for automatically scanning a site from a plurality of different fixed locations to generate a separate set of range data at each scanning location indicating distances from a range scanner to real-world objects within the site, each set of range data comprising a three-dimensional model of the same site from a different perspective, wherein at least one set of range data includes a surface of a real-world object that is occluded in at least one other set of range data;

program code for obtaining digital images of the real-world objects scanned by the range scanner at each location;

program code for acquiring global positioning system (GPS) data for the range scanner at each scanning location using a GPS receiver that interacts with a separate base station to achieve sub-meter accuracy;

program code for obtaining orientation data for the scanner at each scanning location;

program code for automatically transforming the separate sets of range data from individual scanning coordinate systems to a modeling coordinate system using the GPS data with the orientation data for the range scanner at each scanning location; and

program code for automatically co-registering the transformed sets of range data into a single virtual model of the site that includes the one or more occluded surfaces.