Apple Inc.

Jizhou Gao

Kjell Fredrik Larsson

Andreas H Bockert

Ibrahim Musba

Jim Loup Zin

A method includes obtaining a three-dimensional model that represents a natural environment and identifying ground-level surfaces from the three-dimensional model, wherein the ground-level surfaces from the three-dimensional model represent ground-level features from the natural environment. The method also includes identifying overhanging features from the three-dimensional model, wherein the overhanging features from the three-dimensional model block visibility of the ground-level surfaces from the three-dimensional model when the ground-level surfaces are viewed from an orthographic perspective. The method also includes rendering a simulated image of the natural environment that includes at least some of the ground-level surfaces from the natural environment using a rendering system that generates the simulated image of the natural environment according to the orthographic perspective and ignores the overhanging features from the three-dimensional model so that the overhanging features from the three-dimensional model are omitted from the simulated image of the natural environment.

Simulated overhead perspective images with removal of obstructions

A method includes obtaining images, obtaining three-dimensional surface measurements, defining a three-dimensional mesh using the three-dimensional surface measurements, texturing the three-dimensional mesh using the images to define a textured three-dimensional mesh, identifying a first portion of the textured three-dimensional mesh, identifying a second portion of the textured three-dimensional mesh that obstructs visibility of part of the first portion of the textured three-dimensional mesh from an overhead perspective, and rendering a simulated overhead perspective image such that the second portion of the textured three-dimensional mesh is not represented in the simulated overhead perspective image.

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Fremont, CA, United States of America

Jizhou Gao