Abstract: This invention provides processes and systems for converting biomass into high-carbon biogenic reagents that are suitable for a variety of commercial applications. Some embodiments employ pyrolysis in the presence of an inert gas to generate hot pyrolyzed solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases, followed by separation of vapors and gases, and cooling of the hot pyrolyzed solids in the presence of the inert gas. Additives may be introduced during processing or combined with the reagent, or both. The biogenic reagent may include at least 70 wt %, 80 wt %, 90 wt %, 95 wt %, or more total carbon on a dry basis. The biogenic reagent may have an energy content of at least 12,000 Btu/lb, 13,000 Btu/lb, 14,000 Btu/lb, or 14,500 Btu/lb on a dry basis. The biogenic reagent may be formed into fine powders, or structural objects. The structural objects may have a structure and/or strength that derive from the feedstock, heat rate, and additives.

Abstract: This invention provides processes and systems for converting biomass into high-carbon biogenic reagents that are suitable for a variety of commercial applications. Some embodiments employ pyrolysis in the presence of an inert gas to generate hot pyrolyzed solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases, followed by separation of vapors and gases, and cooling of the hot pyrolyzed solids in the presence of the inert gas. Additives may be introduced during processing or combined with the reagent, or both. The biogenic reagent may include at least 70 wt %, 80 wt %, 90 wt %, 95 wt %, or more total carbon on a dry basis. The biogenic reagent may have an energy content of at least 12,000 Btu/lb, 13,000 Btu/lb, 14,000 Btu/lb, or 14,500 Btu/lb on a dry basis. The biogenic reagent may be formed into fine powders, or structural objects. The structural objects may have a structure and/or strength that derive from the feedstock, heat rate, and additives.

Abstract: This invention is a niching optimization algorithm that provides multiple extrapolated points of a function, the maximum or minimum outputs, over one optimization run. Yet differently than existing niching algorithms, it locally ranks each local population, providing a multi-focus exploration with an equalized number of solutions inside each niche, and identifies the set of most efficient and distinct solutions, instead of the overall population of solution. As an optimization algorithm, it has broad application in artificial intelligence, and in the design of engineering systems such as aeronautical structures, etc. . . . . It also can generate a mesh for any dataset or function domain, grouping inputs by regions of similitude. Thus, it can generate a mesh for a FEM, and segment the domain of expensive metamodels, like artificial neural networks, Kriging models (KR), among others. Experiments demonstrated that with a response surface mesh, the overall training time is substantially reduced.

Abstract: A system and method is provided that displays cursors for street level images, where the cursor changes appearance based on the objects in the image, such as the geographic distance between the objects and the camera position and the surface of the objects. For example, the cursor may appear to lie flat against the objects in the image change size based on the distance between the camera and object's surface.

Abstract: Photographic images can be used to enhance three-dimensional (3D) virtual models of a physical location. In an embodiment, a method of generating a 3D scene geometry includes obtaining a first plurality of images and corresponding distance measurements for a first vehicle trajectory; obtaining a second plurality of images and corresponding distance measurements for a second vehicle trajectory, the second vehicle trajectory intersecting the first vehicle trajectory; registering a relative vehicle position and orientation for one or more segments of each of a first vehicle trajectory and a second vehicle trajectory; generating a three-dimensional geometry for each vehicle trajectory; mapping the three-dimensional geometries for each vehicle trajectory onto a common reference system based on the registering; and merging the three-dimensional geometries from both trajectories to generate a complete scene geometry.

Abstract: The present invention relates to using image content to facilitate navigation in panoramic image data. In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method for navigating in panoramic image data includes: (1) determining an intersection of a ray and a virtual model, wherein the ray extends from a camera viewport of an image and the virtual model comprises a plurality of facade planes; (2) retrieving a panoramic image; (3) orienting the panoramic image to the intersection; and (4) displaying the oriented panoramic image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to annotating images. In an embodiment, the present invention enables users to create annotations corresponding to three-dimensional objects while viewing two-dimensional images. In one embodiment, this is achieved by projecting a selecting object onto a three-dimensional model created from a plurality of two-dimensional images. The selecting object is input by a user while viewing a first image corresponding to a portion of the three-dimensional model. A location corresponding to the projection on the three-dimensional model is determined, and content entered by the user while viewing the first image is associated with the location. The content is stored together with the location information to form an annotation. The annotation can be retrieved and displayed together with other images corresponding to the location.

Abstract: A system and method are presented for estimating the orientation of a panoramic camera mounted on a vehicle relative to the vehicle coordinate frame. An initial pose estimate of the vehicle is determined based on global positioning system data, inertial measurement unit data, and wheel odometry data of the vehicle. Image data from images captured by the camera is processed to obtain one or more tracks, each track including a sequence of matched feature points stemming from a same three-dimensional location. A correction parameter determined from the initial pose estimate and tracks can then be used to correct the orientations of the images captured by the camera. The correction parameter can be optimized by deriving a correction parameter for each of a multitude of distinct subsequences of one or more runs. Statistical analysis can be performed on the determined correction parameters to produce robust estimates.

Abstract: The present invention relates to using image content to facilitate navigation in panoramic image data. In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method for navigating in panoramic image data includes: (1) determining an intersection of a ray and a virtual model, wherein the ray extends from a camera viewport of an image and the virtual model comprises a plurality of facade planes; (2) retrieving a panoramic image; (3) orienting the panoramic image to the intersection; and (4) displaying the oriented panoramic image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to using image content to facilitate navigation in panoramic image data. In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method for navigating in panoramic image data includes: (1) determining an intersection of a ray and a virtual model, wherein the ray extends from a camera viewport of an image and the virtual model comprises a plurality of facade planes; (2) retrieving a panoramic image; (3) orienting the panoramic image to the intersection; and (4) displaying the oriented panoramic image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to annotating images. In an embodiment, the present invention enables users to create annotations corresponding to three-dimensional objects while viewing two-dimensional images. In one embodiment, this is achieved by projecting a selecting object onto a three-dimensional model created from a plurality of two-dimensional images. The selecting object is input by a user while viewing a first image corresponding to a portion of the three-dimensional model. A location corresponding to the projection on the three-dimensional model is determined, and content entered by the user while viewing the first image is associated with the location. The content is stored together with the location information to form an annotation. The annotation can be retrieved and displayed together with other images corresponding to the location.

Abstract: The present invention relates to annotating images. In an embodiment, the present invention enables users to create annotations corresponding to three-dimensional objects while viewing two-dimensional images. In one embodiment, this is achieved by projecting a selecting object onto a three-dimensional model created from a plurality of two-dimensional images. The selecting object is input by a user while viewing a first image corresponding to a portion of the three-dimensional model. A location corresponding to the projection on the three-dimensional model is determined, and content entered by the user while viewing the first image is associated with the location. The content is stored together with the location information to form an annotation. The annotation can be retrieved and displayed together with other images corresponding to the location.

Abstract: A panorama viewer is disclosed which facilitates navigation from within the panorama of a larger, structured system such as a map. The panorama viewer presents a viewport on a portion of a panoramic image, the viewport including a three-dimensional overlay rendered with the panoramic image. As the orientation of the viewport within the panoramic image changes, the three-dimensional overlay's orientation in three-dimensional space also changes as it is rendered with the panoramic image in a manner that matches the change in orientation of the viewport.

Abstract: In some implementations, a computer-implemented method of classifying image data includes receiving a plurality of data points corresponding to three-dimensional image data; creating from the plurality of data points a first subset of data points that are above a ground plane in a scene represented by the plurality of data points; identifying a second subset of data points associated with an object in the scene, from the first subset of data points; identifying a plurality of features associated with the second subset of data points and determining a signature for the identified plurality of features; and classifying the second set of data points according to a correspondence between the calculated signature and a reference signature.

Abstract: A panorama viewer is disclosed which facilitates navigation from within the panorama of a larger, structured system such as a map. The panorama viewer presents a viewport on a portion of a panoramic image, the viewport including a three-dimensional overlay rendered with the panoramic image. As the orientation of the viewport within the panoramic image changes, the three-dimensional overlay's orientation in three-dimensional space also changes as it is rendered with the panoramic image in a manner that matches the change in orientation of the viewport.

Abstract: A system and method are presented for estimating the orientation of a panoramic camera mounted on a vehicle relative to the vehicle coordinate frame. An initial pose estimate of the vehicle is determined based on global positioning system data, inertial measurement unit data, and wheel odometry data of the vehicle. Image data from images captured by the camera is processed to obtain one or more tracks, each track including a sequence of matched feature points stemming from a same three-dimensional location. A correction parameter determined from the initial pose estimate and tracks can then be used to correct the orientations of the images captured by the camera. The correction parameter can be optimized by deriving a correction parameter for each of a multitude of distinct subsequences of one or more runs. Statistical analysis can be performed on the determined correction parameters to produce robust estimates.

Abstract: The present invention relates to using image content to facilitate navigation in panoramic image data. In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method for navigating in panoramic image data includes: (1) determining an intersection of a ray and a virtual model, wherein the ray extends from a camera viewport of an image and the virtual model comprises a plurality of facade planes; (2) retrieving a panoramic image; (3) orienting the panoramic image to the intersection; and (4) displaying the oriented panoramic image.

Abstract: The present invention relates to annotating images. In an embodiment, the present invention enables users to create annotations corresponding to three-dimensional objects while viewing two-dimensional images. In one embodiment, this is achieved by projecting a selecting object onto a three-dimensional model created from a plurality of two-dimensional images. The selecting object is input by a user while viewing a first image corresponding to a portion of the three-dimensional model. A location corresponding to the projection on the three-dimensional model is determined, and content entered by the user while viewing the first image is associated with the location. The content is stored together with the location information to form an annotation. The annotation can be retrieved and displayed together with other images corresponding to the location.

Abstract: A panorama viewer is disclosed which facilitates navigation from within the panorama of a larger, structured system such as a map. The panorama viewer presents a viewport on a portion of a panoramic image, the viewport including a three-dimensional overlay rendered with the panoramic image. As the orientation of the viewport within the panoramic image changes, the three-dimensional overlay's orientation in three-dimensional space also changes as it is rendered with the panoramic image in a manner that matches the change in orientation of the viewport.