Patents by Inventor Earl T Birdsall

Earl T Birdsall has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7974813
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are directed at using LiDAR data to identify attributes of vegetation. In this regard, a method is provided that identifies the location of individual items of vegetation from raw LiDAR data. In one embodiment, the method includes selecting a coordinate position represented in the LiDAR data that generated a return signal. Then, a determination is made regarding whether the selected coordinate position is inside a geographic area allocated to a previously identified item of vegetation. If the selected coordinate position is not within a geographic area allocated to a previously identified item of vegetation, the method determines that the selected coordinate position is associated with a new item of vegetation. In this instance, a digital representation of the new item of vegetation is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey Jay Welty, Earl T. Birdsall, Robert K. McKinney
  • Publication number: 20100318296
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are directed at using LiDAR data to identify attributes of vegetation. In this regard, a method is provided that identifies the location of individual items of vegetation from raw LiDAR data. In one embodiment, the method includes selecting a coordinate position represented in the LiDAR data that generated a return signal. Then, a determination is made regarding whether the selected coordinate position is inside a geographic area allocated to a previously identified item of vegetation. If the selected coordinate position is not within a geographic area allocated to a previously identified item of vegetation, the method determines that the selected coordinate position is associated with a new item of vegetation. In this instance, a digital representation of the new item of vegetation is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2010
    Publication date: December 16, 2010
    Applicant: WEYERHAEUSER NR COMPANY
    Inventors: Jeffrey Jay Welty, Earl T. Birdsall, Robert K. McKinney
  • Patent number: 7720605
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are directed at using LiDAR data to identify attributes of vegetation. In this regard, a method is provided that identifies the location of individual items of vegetation from raw LiDAR data. In one embodiment, the method includes selecting a coordinate position represented in the LiDAR data that generated a return signal. Then, a determination is made regarding whether the selected coordinate position is inside a geographic area allocated to a previously identified item of vegetation. If the selected coordinate position is not within a geographic area allocated to a previously identified item of vegetation, the method determines that the selected coordinate position is associated with a new item of vegetation. In this instance, a digital representation of the new item of vegetation is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser NR Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey J Welty, Earl T Birdsall, Robert K McKinney
  • Patent number: 7474964
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are directed at using LiDAR data to identify attributes of vegetation. In this regard, a method is provided that allocates points to individual items of vegetation from raw LiDAR data. In one embodiment, the method includes selecting a coordinate position represented in the LiDAR data that generated a return signal. Then, a determination is made regarding whether the selected coordinate position is inside a geographic area allocated to a previously identified item of vegetation. If the selected coordinate position is not within a geographic area allocated to a previously identified item of vegetation, the method determines that the selected coordinate position is associated with a new item of vegetation. In this instance, a digital representation of the new item of vegetation is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey J Welty, Earl T Birdsall, Robert K McKinney
  • Publication number: 20080319673
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are directed at using LiDAR data to identify attributes of vegetation. In this regard, a method is provided that allocates points to individual items of vegetation from raw LiDAR data. In one embodiment, the method includes selecting a coordinate position represented in the LiDAR data that generated a return signal. Then, a determination is made regarding whether the selected coordinate position is inside a geographic area allocated to a previously identified item of vegetation. If the selected coordinate position is not within a geographic area allocated to a previously identified item of vegetation, the method determines that the selected coordinate position is associated with a new item of vegetation. In this instance, a digital representation of the new item of vegetation is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: Weyerhaeuser Co.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Jay Welty, Earl T. Birdsall, Robert K. McKinney
  • Publication number: 20080319668
    Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are directed at using LiDAR data to identify attributes of vegetation. In this regard, a method is provided that identifies the location of individual items of vegetation from raw LiDAR data. In one embodiment, the method includes selecting a coordinate position represented in the LiDAR data that generated a return signal. Then, a determination is made regarding whether the selected coordinate position is inside a geographic area allocated to a previously identified item of vegetation. If the selected coordinate position is not within a geographic area allocated to a previously identified item of vegetation, the method determines that the selected coordinate position is associated with a new item of vegetation. In this instance, a digital representation of the new item of vegetation is generated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: Weyerhaeuser Co.
    Inventors: Jeffrey Jay Welty, Earl T. Birdsall, Robert K. McKinney