Google Inc.

Bryan M Klingner

Kirk L Johnson

David R Martin

Daniel Joseph Filip

Scott Ettinger

Joakim Kristian Olle Arfvidsson

Fred P Pighin

Christine B McGavran

Andrew Lookingbill

Damon Kohler

Richard William Bukowski

Brian Edmond Brewington

James Roseborough

Andrew Vytas Kisielius

Wenfeng Li

David Martin

Robert William Christy

Jacqueline Anne Lai

Michael Paul Rolig

Alena Viktorovna Repina

Chunfeng Hao

Veselin Dikov

The present disclosure is directed to methods and systems for generating a geodetic datum. The geodetic datum can establish a coordinate system and/or a set of reference points that describe the respective locations of a portion or all of Earth and/or objects located thereon. In general, a computing system can generate the geodetic datum using various sensor data from one or more sources including: satellite imagery, aerial imagery, aerial light detection and ranging data (LIDAR), ground-level imagery, ground-level LIDAR, and/or other forms of sensor data. This data can be used as a reference dataset that can be combined with additional sensor data (e.g., a second dataset) to determine correspondences between overlapping areas represented in the datasets. Continuing this process for regions that collectively cover the Earth can be used to create a geodetic datum of the entire Earth, without using a mathematic abstraction of the Earth surface.

Worldwide coordinate frame defined by data set correspondences

The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for providing a stable topological representation of pathway networks as well as features associated with these networks. The disclosure is exemplified using road networks which have applications in mapping, navigation, and autonomous vehicles. Extensions may be learned through practice of the disclosure. Utilizing implementations disclosed herein may provide advantages for data conflation between different mapping systems and map data while improving overall stability by developing a common reference standard that is tied to semantic features rather than abstract geographic representations.

Topological basemodel supporting improved conflation and stable feature identity

A position fix identifying a geographic location of a receiver is received. The position fix was generated using signals received at the receiver from respective high-altitude signal sources (such as satellites). Imagery of a geographic area that includes the geographic location is also received. The imagery is automatically processed to determine whether one or more of the high-altitude signal sources were occluded from the geographic location when the position fix was generated. In response to determining that one or more of the high-altitude signal sources were occluded from the geographic location when the position fix was generated, the position fix is identified as being potentially erroneous.

Accounting for atmospheric and terrestrial obstacles in geographic positioning

Systems and methods for image registration using data collected by an electronic device, such as a mobile device, capable of simultaneous localization and mapping are provided. An electronic device, such as a mobile device, can be can be configured to collect data using a variety of sensors as the device is carried or transported through a space. The collected data can be processed and analyzed to generate a three-dimensional representation of the space and objects in the space in near real time as the device is carried through the space. The data can be used for a variety of purposes, including registering imagery for localization and image processing.

Image registration with device data

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.

Landmark identification from point cloud generated from geographic imagery data

In one aspect, a request to alter a first image is received. The request includes a portion of the first image that is provided for display with a second image. The second image is associated with three-dimensional (3D) geometry data for an object depicted in both the first and second images and date information identifying when the second image was captured. Input identifying an area of the second image is received. A third image is identified based on the date information of the third image and the second image. The third image is associated with 3D geometry data for the object. An area of the third image is determined based on the 3D geometry data of the second image, the 3D geometry data of the second image, and the area of the second image. Information identifying the area of the third image is provided for display with the third image.

Image modification

Methods and systems for extraction of 3D geometry from a plurality of generalized camera images by a device that comprises an electronic circuit are provided. Methods include identifying an x and y coordinate, an orientation, and a scale for each of one or more feature locations in each of the generalized camera images, extracting a local image feature at each feature location, generating a feature camera centered on each feature location, identifying groups of feature cameras providing consistent triangulation opportunity, and triangulating each identified feature camera group by finding the 3D point that minimizes an error term.

Local feature cameras for structure from motion (SFM) problems with generalized cameras

An apparatus and method are disclosed for performing loop closing on one or more paths to be optimized. The paths may include poses associated with imagery obtained by a vehicle. The apparatus may identify candidate intersections from the paths based on their proximity, and may further determine relative poses from the poses of the paths using structure-from-motion techniques. The apparatus may then apply a partitioning schema to the paths to be optimized to obtain individual partition cells. The partition cells may then be sent to one or more client devices for optimizing the paths included in the partition cells. When the apparatus receives a set of optimized paths from the client devices, the apparatus may re-partition the paths to be optimized to ensure that non-optimized portions of paths are optimized.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Bryan M Klingner