Topographic measurement using stereoscopic picture frames
First Claim
1. A topographic data processor comprising:
- means for selecting a pair of frames from a plurality of candidate picture frames of a target area captured from a plurality of orbits, each frame of the pair of frames having been independently captured on a unique orbit of the plurality of orbits, said pair of frames constituting a stereoscopic image of said target area;
means for determining a parallax between the selected 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.
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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.
18 Citations
39 Claims
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1. A topographic data processor comprising:
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means for selecting a pair of frames from a plurality of candidate picture frames of a target area captured from a plurality of orbits, each frame of the pair of frames having been independently captured on a unique orbit of the plurality of orbits, said pair of frames constituting a stereoscopic image of said target area; means for determining a parallax between the selected 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A computer readable storage medium containing a program executable by a computer to perform the steps of:
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a) selecting a pair of frames from a plurality of candidate picture frames of a target area captured from a plurality of orbits, each frame of the pair of frames having been independently captured on a unique orbit of the plurality of orbits, said pair of frames constituting a stereoscopic image of said target area; b) determining a parallax between the selected frames and producing therefrom a first plurality of line-of sight vectors and a second plurality of line-of sight vectors; and c) converting said first and second pluralities of line-of siight vectors to topographic data. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39)
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Specification