Trimble Navigation Limited

Trimble Inc.

Joyce, Kenneth R.

Brown, Troy L.

Troy Lane Brown

Kenneth R Joyce

Christian Grässer

Thomas G Chaperon

Gary Dean Lantaff

Arnaud Boucherat

Chad McFadden

Shaojun He

Kaj Toivonen

David Knopp

Amit Joshi

Kevin W Chapman

Christian GRÄSSER

Novel tools and techniques for generating survey data about a survey site. Aerial photography of at least part of the survey site can be analyzed using photogrammetric techniques. In some cases, an unmanned aerial system can be used to collect site imagery. The use of a UAS can reduce the fiscal and chronological cost of a survey, compared to the use of other types aerial imagery and/or conventional terrestrial surveying techniques used alone.

Integrated aerial photogrammetry surveys

A method to integrate all observations, e.g., surveying data in the form of total station data, images, and point clouds) from a surveying instrument that functions as a total station, a camera(s), and a scanner. The method provides an overall adjustment to maximize the accuracy of the adjustment by using all three types of available surveying data, and the method may be labeled an overall adjustment or integrated network adjustment to provide accurate station or instrument position data for a geodatabase for a surveyed site. The overall adjustment method allows all three types of surveying data to influence the results of the adjustment, and this achieved by generating a small number of virtual observations from the image and scan data that are of a form that allows them to be combined with or considered concurrently with the real observations from the total station as part of a single network adjustment.

Integrating point cloud scans, image data, and total station data from a surveying instrument into one adjustment

A method for solving the initial azimuth for a survey instrument, and other devices, with position and tilt information. The method may be part of bundle adjustment performed during the processing of image and position data collected from each camera of a survey instrument. The use of the initial azimuth generation method (and initial azimuth generator) makes it possible to get accurate azimuth orientation of a camera, such as each camera of a multi-camera survey instrument, without using data from a compass-like sensor. The initial azimuth generated by this method can then be used in later steps/processes of the bundle adjustment to find tie-points with an automatic tie-point finder. Prior to this method, the automatic tie-point finding algorithm relied on the compass and its accuracy, and inaccurate compass values would cause a complete failure, slow runtimes, or less accurate results for the bundle adjustment.

Method of solving initial azimuth for survey instruments, cameras, and other devices with position and tilt information

Novel tools and techniques that can be used to enhance the effectiveness of photogrammetric tools, such as bundle adjustment. One set of techniques can include a photo-observable backsight operation, in which a position of target point can be observed non-photographically, and this observed position can be used to constrain a pixel coordinate location of the same target point in a bundle adjustment operation. Using another technique, a photo-observable check shot operation, the observed position of another target point can be used to verify the validity of a bundle adjustment calculation. Such techniques can be used together or separately.

Enhanced bundle adjustment techniques

A view filter manager (VFM) is provided. The VFM comprises a view filter configured to format a display of a computer-implemented graphical representation comprising a plurality of layers of related data. The VFM further comprises a scrollable listing of the plurality of layers, and a layer isolate function configured to flag a selected layer in the scrollable listing in response to a layer selection, and store the layer selection while the scrollable listing is subsequently scrolled.

Configuring graphical displays

A method for displaying image data from a plurality of images on a display monitor, where at least some of the images are acquired from different locations, includes displaying the image data from the images on the display monitor. The image data may be displayed from a perspective center associated with the different locations from which the images are acquired. A primary image is determined based on a portion of the image data from the primary image that is displayed on the display monitor compared to portions of the image data from other images that are displayed on the display monitor. Thereafter, the image data on the display monitor is displayed from a perspective center of the primary image. A stacking order of the plurality of images is arranged so that the primary image is on top.

Displaying image data based on perspective center of primary image

A method for displaying arrays of digital image data on a display monitor as a continuous image includes determining nonlinear corrections for each of the arrays of digital image data. Each nonlinear correction may be based in part on a location of the imaging device used to capture the array of digital image data relative to a location of the perspective center from which the array of digital image data will be displayed on the display monitor. The method also includes transforming each array of digital image data using the corresponding nonlinear correction. The method also includes displaying the arrays of corrected image data on the display monitor to produce a continuous display of the scene captured by the imaging device, where relative sizes and positions of objects in the scene are substantially reproduced in the display of the scene.

Displaying arrays of image data

A method for identifying one or more pixels of image data associated with a point in an image includes receiving an indication of a portion of the image as displayed on the display monitor that surrounds the point. The pixels of image data as displayed on the display monitor are identified that are located approximately at edges of the portion of the image. One or more inverse transformations are performed to transform the pixels of image data as displayed on the display monitor to pixels of image data as captured by an image sensor. A portion of image data as captured by the image sensor is identified that corresponds to a portion of the image that surrounds the point. The portion of the image data as captured by the image sensor is displayed on the display monitor without data transformation.

Identifying pixels of image data

A method for locating a point of interest in a plurality of images is provided where the plurality of images capture different views of a scene. At least portions of each of the views are displayed in separate windows on a display monitor. The method includes identifying the point of interest in a first view of the scene and identifying pixels of image data that correspond to the selected point on the display monitor. A line in each of the views is determined that extends along a ray that passes through the point of interest in the scene to pixels of an image sensor corresponding to the pixels of image data in the first view of the scene. The line is displayed in each of the views in which the line is visible.

Growing community of inventors

Westminster, CO, United States of America

Troy Lane Brown