Landmark Identification from Point Cloud Generated from Geographic Imagery Data

摘要

Systems and methods for identifying prominent landmarks in a geographic area are provided. More particularly, geographic imagery data, such as panoramic images captured by a camera from a perspective at or near ground level, can be analyzed to identify landmarks depicted in the geographic imagery data. For instance, structure-from-motion techniques can be used to generate a point cloud of tracked features that are located a threshold distance away from one or more camera perspectives associated with the geographic imagery data. Landmarks that are visible from multiple camera perspectives and that are visible from greater distances relative to one or more camera perspectives can be identified as prominent landmarks in a geographic area. A geographic information system can use the prominent landmarks for a variety of purposes, such as for use in providing travel directions, for rendering landmarks in an emphasized style, and/or for constructing/displaying a three-dimensional model of the landmark.

主权项

1. A computer-implemented method for identifying prominent landmarks in a geographic area, the method comprising:
accessing, by the one or more computing devices, geographic imagery data captured from one or more cameras from a perspective at or near ground level; generating, by the one or more computing devices, a point cloud based at least in part on the geographic imagery data, the point cloud comprising a plurality of data points, each of the plurality of data points associated with a tracked feature in the geographic imagery data; identifying, by the one or more computing devices, a subset of data points in the point cloud, each data point in the subset located at least a threshold distance away from one or more camera perspectives associated with the geographic imagery data; and matching, by the one or more computing devices, one or more data points in the subset of data points with a landmark.