Abstract: A method of providing structured data to be used in a front end viewing device includes building a plurality of layers with different levels of detail (LODs). The method utilizes a point cloud, and selects points into the LODs on random basis. The data sets associated with the LODs are complementary, so that the data may be combined in order to achieve higher resolution. The method maintains or reduces the size of the resulting LOD-structured file(s) in comparison with the original file(s) of the cloud.

Abstract: A method of forming and using an efficient image data structure involves providing a first model comprising three-dimensional spatial information for use in being displayed on a display device. Objects within the first model having sub-models are classified to form groups of objects, objects within a same group for being processed with a substantially similar process. A class LOD structure is constructed for each group, the class LOD structure built using the substantially similar process for the class and the LOD structure for representing each object within the class for supporting rendering thereof. A rendering strategy is defined for each Class, the rendering strategy for rendering each object within the class based on data within the LOD structure and in dependence upon a gaze direction of a spectator and a location of the spectator. The class LODs are merged to form an LOD structure for the first model.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for extracting features of a building from data having spatial coordinates. The method includes extracting one or more walls and roofs from the data; constructing a building model from the walls and roofs; extracting color data associated with the data and projecting the color data onto the building model; superimposing one or more images onto the building model; applying pattern recognition to extract one or more three-dimensional structural components of the building model; replacing identified three-dimensional structural components with the standard structural elements; comparing subsequent data sets to identify a changed object; and, extracting one or more poles in the building model's vicinity or along the edges of roads.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for extracting various features from data having spatial coordinates. The systems and methods may identify and extract data points from a point cloud, where the data points are considered to be part of the ground surface, a building, or a wire (e.g. power lines). Systems and methods are also provided for enhancing a point cloud using external data (e.g. images and other point clouds), and for tracking a moving object by comparing images with a point cloud. An objects database is also provided which can be used to scale point clouds to be of similar size. The objects database can also be used to search for certain objects in a point cloud, as well as recognize unidentified objects in a point cloud.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for extracting various features from data having spatial coordinates. The systems and methods may identify and extract data points from a point cloud, where the data points are considered to be part of the ground surface, a building, or a wire (e.g. power lines). Systems and methods are also provided for extracting wires from a noisy environment, for separating buildings from attached vegetation, for reconstructing a building, and for classifying data points according to their relief and terrain characteristics. The extraction of the features may be carried out automatically by a computing device.