Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for increasing points in a point cloud. In one illustrative embodiment, a two-dimensional image of a scene and the point cloud of the scene are received. At least a portion of the points in the point cloud are mapped to the two-dimensional image to form transformed points. A fused data array is created using the two-dimensional image and the transformed points. New points for the point cloud are identified using the fused data array. The new points are added to the point cloud to form a new point cloud.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for backfilling a 3D cloud of coordinates. One embodiment is an apparatus that includes a camera able to capture an image, and a ranging system able to measure distances objects. The apparatus also includes a controller able to analyze the measured distances to generate a cloud of three dimensional coordinates, and to project coordinates of the cloud onto the image to match the coordinates with pixels of the image. The controller is also able to generate additional coordinates to increase the resolution of the cloud by iteratively defining a scanning window, detecting a group of coordinates that have been projected onto the scanning window, scoring each coordinate in the group based on its similarity to other coordinates in the group, dividing the scanning window into quadrants, selecting a coordinate from each quadrant, and generating an additional coordinate based on the selected coordinates.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method for generating a 3-D stereo structure comprises registering and rectifying a first image frame and a second image frame by local correction matching, extracting a first scan line from the first image frame, extracting a second scan line from the second image frame corresponding to the first scan line, calculating a pixel distance between the first scan line and the second scan line for each pixel for a plurality of pixel shifts, calculating a smoothed pixel distance for each pixel for the pixel shifts by filtering the pixel distance for each pixel over the pixel shifts, and determining a scaled height for each pixel of the first scan line, the scaled height comprising a pixel shift from among the pixel shifts corresponding to a minimal distance of the smoothed pixel distance for the pixel.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a 2-dimensional (2-D) image of a geographical region is transformed via a regional maxima transform (RMT) or an edge segmenting and boundary filling (ESBF) transform to produce a filtered 2-D image. The filtered 2-D image is iteratively eroded and opened to produce a processed EO 2-D image, 2-D object shape morphology is extracted from the processed EO 2-D image, and 2-D shape properties are extracted from the 2-D object shape morphology. A height slice of a 3-dimensional (3-D) point cloud comprising 3-D coordinate and intensity measurements of the geographical region is generated, and slice object shape morphology is extracted from the height slice. Slice shape properties from the slice object shape morphology are extracted, and the 2-D image is constellation matched to the height slice based on the 2-D shape properties and the slice shape properties.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for backfilling a 3D cloud of coordinates. One embodiment is an apparatus that includes a camera able to capture an image, and a ranging system able to measure distances objects. The apparatus also includes a controller able to analyze the measured distances to generate a cloud of three dimensional coordinates, and to project coordinates of the cloud onto the image to match the coordinates with pixels of the image. The controller is also able to generate additional coordinates to increase the resolution of the cloud by iteratively defining a scanning window, detecting a group of coordinates that have been projected onto the scanning window, scoring each coordinate in the group based on its similarity to other coordinates in the group, dividing the scanning window into quadrants, selecting a coordinate from each quadrant, and generating an additional coordinate based on the selected coordinates.

Abstract: A method and system for processing a sequence of images using fingerprints. A current image in the sequence of images is segmented into a plurality of segments. A plurality of segment fingerprints is created for the plurality of segments. Segments in the plurality of segments are fused together using the plurality of segment fingerprints and a set of prior segment fingerprints created for a previous image in the sequence of images to form a set of master segments.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for use in reducing noise in one or more video frames. An expected value corresponding to each area (e.g., pixel) of a plurality of areas within the video frame is determined. A surprise value associated with each area is calculated based at least in part on the expected value and an actual value corresponding to the area. The surprise value represents a divergence of the actual value from the expected value. The response of one or more noise filters is attenuated with respect to a first area of the plurality of areas based on the surprise value associated with the first area.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a 2-dimensional (2-D) image of a geographical region is transformed via a regional maxima transform (RMT) or an edge segmenting and boundary filling (ESBF) transform to produce a filtered 2-D image. The filtered 2-D image is iteratively eroded and opened to produce a processed EO 2-D image, 2-D object shape morphology is extracted from the processed EO 2-D image, and 2-D shape properties are extracted from the 2-D object shape morphology. A height slice of a 3-dimensional (3-D) point cloud comprising 3-D coordinate and intensity measurements of the geographical region is generated, and slice object shape morphology is extracted from the height slice. Slice shape properties from the slice object shape morphology are extracted, and the 2-D image is constellation matched to the height slice based on the 2-D shape properties and the slice shape properties.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method for generating a 3-D stereo structure comprises registering and rectifying a first image frame and a second image frame by local correction matching, extracting a first scan line from the first image frame, extracting a second scan line from the second image frame corresponding to the first scan line, calculating a pixel distance between the first scan line and the second scan line for each pixel for a plurality of pixel shifts, calculating a smoothed pixel distance for each pixel for the pixel shifts by filtering the pixel distance for each pixel over the pixel shifts, and determining a scaled height for each pixel of the first scan line, the scaled height comprising a pixel shift from among the pixel shifts corresponding to a minimal distance of the smoothed pixel distance for the pixel.

Abstract: A method and system for tracking moving objects in a sequence of images. In one illustrative embodiment, a current image in the sequence of images is segmented into a plurality of segments. Segments in the plurality of segments belonging to a same motion profile are fused together to form a set of master segments. A set of target segments is identified from the set of master segments. The set of target segments represent a set of moving objects in the current image. A set of fingerprints is created for use in tracking the set of moving objects in a number of subsequent images in the sequence of images.

Abstract: A method and system for tracking moving objects in a sequence of images. In one illustrative embodiment, a current image in the sequence of images is segmented into a plurality of segments. Segments in the plurality of segments belonging to a same motion profile are fused together to form a set of master segments. A set of target segments is identified from the set of master segments. The set of target segments represent a set of moving objects in the current image. A set of fingerprints is created for use in tracking the set of moving objects in a number of subsequent images in the sequence of images.