Spatial predictive approximation and radial convolution

摘要

The present invention provides a method for approximating the location of a point of interest relative to a three dimensional coordinate system, the method including the steps of: orientating a camera toward the point of interest such that the point of interest can be seen within a camera view; retrieving camera data including a location relative to the three dimensional coordinate system, and a camera position including a camera heading and a camera tilt; querying an associated topographic map database to identify one or more coordinates located on the topographic map along the camera heading to form a first dataset; computing one or more coordinates located on a radial plane between the camera and the point of interest based on the camera heading and camera tilt to form a second dataset; and comparing the first dataset with the second dataset to identify a pair of matching coordinates; wherein the matching coordinates represent the three dimensional coordinate location of the point of interest. A system and software for performing the method is also provided.

主权项

1. A method for approximating the location of a point of interest relative to a three dimensional coordinate system, the method including the following steps:
(a) selecting a point of interest by orientating a camera toward the point of interest such that the point of interest can be seen within a camera view; (b) retrieving camera data including a camera location relative to the three dimensional coordinate system, and a camera orientation including a camera heading and a camera tilt; (c) querying an associated topographic map database to identify one or more sets of three dimensional coordinates located on the topographic map along the camera heading to form a first dataset; (d) computing a plurality of sets of three dimensional coordinates located on a camera trajectory between the camera and the point of interest at predetermined and regular intervals along the camera trajectory based on the camera heading and the camera tilt to form a second dataset; and (e) comparing the first dataset with the second dataset to identify a pair of matching sets of three dimensional coordinates;
wherein the matching coordinates represent the three dimensional coordinate location of the point of interest; and (f) verifying the three dimensional coordinate location of the point of interest using a difference in elevation between the camera location and the point of interest location to validate the camera tilt; wherein if the camera tilt is validated within acceptable tolerances, the position of the three dimensional coordinate location of the point of interest is verified.