Noise reduction in light detection and ranging based imaging

摘要

A method, in accordance with particular embodiments, includes receiving voxel data for a plurality of voxels. Each voxel is associated with a unique volume of space associated with a geographic area. The voxel data for each respective voxel includes one or more values based on one or more reflections from one or more light pulses from a LIDAR system. The method further includes identifying noise values from among the one or more values for each respective voxel. The method additionally includes determining a baseline threshold comprising a static value that is uniform for each of the voxels. The method additionally includes determining a dynamic threshold that varies between the voxels and is based on the identified noise values. The method further includes applying the baseline and dynamic thresholds to the voxel data to generate filtered voxel data. The method also includes generating a three-dimensional image based on the filtered voxel data.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
receiving voxel data for each of a plurality of voxels, each voxel associated with a unique volume of space associated with a geographic area, the voxel data for each respective voxel comprising one or more values based on one or more reflections from one or more light pulses from a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system; identifying noise values from among the one or more values for each respective voxel; determining a baseline threshold comprising a static value that is uniform for each of the plurality of voxels; determining a dynamic threshold that varies between the plurality of voxels, the dynamic threshold based on the identified noise values, wherein the variation of the dynamic threshold between the plurality of voxels corresponds to spatial variations inherent in the LIDAR system; applying the baseline threshold and the dynamic threshold to the voxel data to generate filtered voxel data; generating a three-dimensional image based on the filtered voxel data; determining an along-path histogram based on noise values from among the one or more values for each respective voxel along a flight path of the LIDAR system; determining a cross-path histogram, the cross-path histogram based on noise values from among the one or more values for each respective voxel perpendicular to the flight path of the LIDAR system; and multiplying the along-path histogram by the cross-path histogram.