Abstract: The present invention describes the use of a space-based Extremely Low Frequency (ELF) magnetic field detector in conjunction with ground-based network of ELF magnetic field detectors. In particular, a space based ELF detection system can be used to perform a wide area search and find precursor earthquake signals in both known and unknown earthquake zones, and a ground-based network of ELF detectors can be used to verify that the signals are indeed earthquake generated signals. The use of this invention will minimize cost and manpower necessary to effectuate an accurate and reliable earthquake detection system.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of analysis for three-dimensional (3D) physical phenomena. The physical phenomena may include any varying 3D phenomena such as time varying polar ice flows. A repesentation of the 3D phenomena is passed through a Hilbert transform to convert the data into complex form. A spatial variable is separated from the complex representation by producing a time based covariance matrix. The temporal parts of the principal components are produced by applying Singular Value Decomposition (SVD). Based on the rapidity with which the eigenvalues decay, the first 3-10 complex principal components (CPC) are selected for Empirical Mode Decomposition into intrinsic modes. The intrinsic modes produced are filtered in order to reconstruct the spatial part of the CPC. Finally, a filtered time series may be reconstructed from the first 3-10 filtered complex principal components.

Abstract: Land circle calculating means (7) calculates a land circle as an approximate circle from label information (S6). Land circle accuracy-enhancing means (8) calculates again the land circle by changing a mask angle if land circle candidate information (S7) obtained is improper, so as to enhance the accuracy of the land circle. AND operation means (11) carries out an AND operation of a land circle image (S9) and a binary image (S10) to create a land missing image (S11). In-land binary means (12) calculates an in-land defect image (S12) from an original image (S4). OR operation means (13) carries out an OR operation of the in-land missing image (S11) and the in-land defect image (S12) to create a land defect image (S13).

Abstract: The method uses the image obtained by accumulating continuity curves representative of seismic horizons so as to determine the geological strata constituting the seismic section, such as they were deposited and not such as they are observed today. To do this, the method defines a transformation of the vertical scale of the seismic section, scale measured in seismic times, into a geological vertical scale measured in geological times. This transformation is based on an equalization of histograms. Starting from equalized histograms, the method makes it possible to determine equalized seismic sections which are used to determine the rates of sedimentation which governed the depositions of geological strata. In particular, it highlights geological hiatuses, that is to say erosions and gaps.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the slope of a ground imaged area. The system includes a camera, a memory, and a processor. The camera generates a first and a second image of an area of ground from an aircraft. The memory stores bi-directional characteristic information for associated materials. The processor determines a material type associated with a plurality of the pixels based on a color value of the pixels. The processor retrieves bi-directional characteristic information from the memory for a pixel based on the determined material type. A slope value at a pixel location is determined based on the associated viewing angle values, a determined radiance change value, and the retrieved bi-directional characteristic information.

Abstract: The instrument of the instant invention provides for a fluidic plankton or other micro-particle analyzer that is capable of data reduction via a novel reduction circuit for better resolution in identification and quantification of the particles. By virtue of using line scan or similar cameras the instant system is capable of high resolution without as much interference as experienced with two-dimensional systems. The data reduction circuit also enables the microscopic material to be analyzed and recorded with better adaptability to current computer storage systems.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to interpolation methods for automatic generation of an accurate digital elevation model, and more particularly relates to intelligent interpolation methods for accurate extraction of 3-dimensional digital elevation models from satellite images, aerial photographs, or land surveying. The present invention is composed of three basic processes: The first process (102) of COG/ECI elimination, the second process (104) of hole-fill segmentation, and the third process (103) of noise-remove segmentation. The invention produces an accurate digital elevation model even for the areas with open boundaries such as the sea off the coast and over a river.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of obtaining a developed two-dimensional image of the wall of a borehole. The method comprises the steps consisting in: measuring a primary physical magnitude in said borehole as a function both of depth and of azimuth; measuring a secondary physical magnitude in said borehole as a function of depth; establishing a relationship (ƒ) between said primary physical magnitude and said secondary physical magnitude; and deducing from said relationship values for said secondary physical magnitude as a function both of depth and of azimuth, which method makes it possible to reconstruct a two-dimensional image developed over the wall of a borehole concerning a secondary physical magnitude which is measured in said borehole as a function of depth only. The invention is particularly applicable to density imaging.

Abstract: A method of aerial monitoring of forests. The method includes a step of examining a forest from above with a camera capable of capturing a thermal image. The camera has a resolution of at least 460×460 pixels. The purpose of the monitoring is to determine reflective qualities of trees in the forest, such reflective qualities being indicative of moisture content.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for generating enhanced images of multiple dimensional data using a depth-buffer segmentation process. The method and system operate in a computer system modify the image by generating a reduced-dimensionality image data set from a multidimensional image by formulating a set of projection paths through image points selected from the multidimensional image, selecting an image point along each projection path, analyzing each image point to determine spatial similarities with at least one other point adjacent to the selected image point in a given dimension, and grouping the image point with the adjacent point or spatial similarities between the points is found thereby defining the data set.

Abstract: A method of producing images of formations surrounding a borehole, comprises: obtaining values of a first parameter in the borehole as a function of depth and azimuth at a first resolution; obtaining values of a second parameter in the borehole as a function of depth only at a second resolution; establishing a relationship between the first and second parameters at a matched resolution; using the relationship to derive values of the second parameter as a function of depth and azimuth; and producing an image of the second parameter as a function of depth and azimuth using the derived values of the second parameter.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for detecting geological discontinuity in an environment using an optical flow. The method includes the steps of selecting in the seismic block a section containing at least one discontinuity. The section constitutes a seismic image. The method includes computing a rough optical flow on the seismic image to obtain a first representation of an optical flow wherein the discontinuity constitutes a moving front. The method also includes smoothing, by a non-supervised dynamic cluster process, the optical flow representation so as to obtain a second optical flow representation wherein the discontinuity shows accentuated contrasts.

Abstract: Method of detecting chaotic structures in a given medium. It is of the type consisting in: calculating the components of the light intensity gradient vector E at every point of a window F, centered on a point of a block representative of the medium, and it is characterized in that it furthermore consists in summing elementary matrices M for all the points of the window F, diagonalizing said sum matrix A so as to determine its eigenvalues &lgr;1, &lgr;2, &lgr;3, quantifying, at the center of the window, the minimum of the said eigenvalues &lgr;1, &lgr;2, &lgr;3, and with the constraint UT×D=1, eliminating the contribution of the largest eigenvalue, defining a multidirectional error by integrating it in the plane defined by the eigenvectors corresponding to the remaining eigenvalues, assigning the multidirectional error to the image point on which the window F is centered, and calculating the multidirectional errors assigned to all the image points of the image block.

Abstract: rocessing a seismic image comprising the steps of(a) obtaining a two or three dimensional initial image data set, wherein each element u(m=0) of the data set is the initial image intensity of a point of the image;(b) calculating for each point the partial derivatives of u(m) in n directions to obtain n derivative data sets of the partial derivatives uxi; (c) calculating for each point a symmetric n×n structural matrix S, wherein the elements spq equal uxp·uxq, and an n×n diffusion matrix D, wherein the elements dij are a function of the elements spq; (d) calculating for each point u(m+1) from u(m) using the following equation u(m+1)=u(m)+c.div(&egr;.Dgrad(u(m))), wherein c is a predetermined constant, 0≦c≦1, and wherein &egr; is a scalar, 0≦&egr;≦, wherein &egr; is close to zero when near an edge and close to 1 when far away from an edge (10, 11, 12, 14, 15); and(e) repeating steps (b) through (e) M times to obtain the processed image.

Abstract: Method of detecting significant events intersecting a borehole from an image of the borehole wall comprising (a) converting the image into a three-dimensional orientation space; (b) selecting a parameter relation that represents the intersection of an event (3, 5 and 6) with the borehole wall; (c) creating a parameter space consisting of numbers as a function of the parameters, wherein each number is a measure of the support in the orientation space for an event characterized by the parameters that pertain to that number; (d) selecting in the parameter space a set of the largest numbers, wherein the parameters that pertain to each of these largest numbers represent the intersections of the significant events with the borehole wall; and (e) presenting the intersections pertaining to the set of the largest numbers as a list of data representing significant events.

Abstract: A rock fragmentation analysis system is provided for analyzing blasted rock (or other fragmented particles) to assess quality of a blast for efficient processing of subsequent operations in a mine, a quarry, etc. The system includes a hardware system and an image processing system. The hardware system includes a camera and a lighting system. The lighting system illuminates an area of the mine, quarry, etc. where a load haul dump (LHD) vehicle passes through. Once the LHD vehicle passes through the illuminated area, the camera provides video signals of scoop-top view images of the LHD vehicle to the image processing system via known communication means, such as hard-wired and wireless. The image processing system receives the video signals, captures the scoop-top view images, evaluates the images for subsequent fragmentation analysis, and performs the rock fragmentation analysis. The image processing system performs these functions using several software modules.

Abstract: A method of weathering a sample over a period of time, and measuring color shifts of the sample is described. The method includes: (a) weathering the sample over a first interval of time; (b) determining the color coordinates of the sample after the first interval of time; and (c) repeating steps (a) and (b) for at least one successive interval of time until the completion of the period of time. In an embodiment of the present invention, step (b) further includes: (i) measuring the color coordinates of the sample after the first interval of time; (ii) providing access to at least one color master having color coordinates, the access being obtained by means of the color coordinates of the sample; and (iii) comparing the color master with the sample for verification of the color coordinates.

Abstract: A topocompositional image of an inanimate object or surface can be generated that comprises data that relates to a topographical image, data that relates to a chemical compositional image, and combining such topographical and chemical compositional data to form a composite image. Conceptually a laser or other suitable imaging source that functions to induce both topographical and chemical compositional data directs a laser beam into a scanning optics source. The scanning optics source directs an active beam to a point on a surface. A sensor subsequently collects data and information from the surface by receiving the reflection or deflection of the active beams in order to provide position, chemical compositional and topographical data that represent the interaction of the active beam with a point. Position data, chemical compositional data and topographical data are transmitted along individual feeds to a data analysis component where they are analyzed and combined in order to generate a composite image.

Abstract: A soil analysis system for determining one or more categories of soil based upon the particle sizes in a soil sample. The soil analysis system includes an image sensor and an image analysis assembly. The image sensor produces an image to distinguish individual particles of a soil sample and calculates particle size. The image analysis assembly is coupled to the image sensor to determine a category for each particle based upon the size of the particles, percentage of each category of particles, and one or more categories of soil for the soil sample.

Abstract: A section is prepared from a specimen of porous media, e.g., Rock, typically including filling the pore spaces with a dyed epoxy resin. A color micrograph of the section is digitized and converted to an n-ary index image, for example a binary index image. Statistical functions are derived from the two-dimensional image and used to generate three-dimensional representations of the medium. Boundaries can be unconditional or conditioned to the two-dimensional n-ary index image. Desired physical property values are estimated by performing numerical simulations on the three-dimensional representations. For example, permeability is estimated by using a Lattice-Boltzmann flow simulation. Typically multiple equiprobable three-dimensional representations are generated for each n-ary index image, and the multiple estimated physical property values are averaged to provide result.

Abstract: A system and method of detecting underground utilities and other subsurface objects involves acquiring object location data and displaying such data in a variety of ways to enhance object detection and usability of ground penetrating radar data.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for creating a combination attribute volume or combo volume by combining one or more attribute volumes into a single volume. For instance, seismic data volumes may be used for creating a combination seismic attribute volume from multiple seismic attribute volumes. This is accomplished by replacing certain of the standard 8-bit data values in a seismic data volume with marker values that denote certain values of other, spatially coincident, seismic attribute data. The resulting combo volume may then be displayed and a seed pick positioned on an event of interest such as a geological body. An auto-picker function or program will then find all the connecting points which will quickly further define the event. The event may then be displayed and interpreted.

Abstract: Geostatistical method for gradually deforming an initial distribution of objects, of geologic type for example, from measurements or observations, so as to best adapt it to imposed physical constraints of hydrodynamic type for example.

Abstract: The invention is a statistical method for analyzing exploration data associated with image elements showing physical properties of a complex environment such as subsoil for identifying the spatial relations between image elements. The method comprises successive identification of the spatial structures of the data, separation of these spatial structures with removal of possible redundancies, formation, from initial images, of synthetic images or spatial components that show the spatial structures of the data, providing a typology of the initial images according to the spatial structures shown by the spatial components, and filtering of the initial images in order to suppress the noise and to select one or more identified spatial structures. The method can be used for study of any spatial data, notably in geosciences in order to process seismic images of the subsoil, but also in geography, agronomy, hydrology, geomarketing, etc.

Abstract: There is provided an image processing method for generating a color image by using a color palette table, comprising the steps of a restriction step of restricting colors capable of being registered in the palette table, on the basis of gamut data of an image output means for outputting the color image, a formation step of forming the color palette table on the basis of color restriction obtained in the restriction step, and a generation step of generating the color image by using the colors registered in the color palette table, whereby excellent color matching between the color on a monitor and a color on a printer can be obtained.

Abstract: The method uses the image obtained by accumulating continuity curves representative of seismic horizons so as to determine the geological strata constituting the seismic section, such as they were deposited and not such as they are observed today. To do this, the method defines a transformation of the vertical scale of the seismic section, scale measured in seismic times, into a geological vertical scale measured in geological times. This transformation is based on an equalization of histograms. Starting from equalized histograms, the method makes it possible to determine equalized seismic sections which are used to determine the rates of sedimentation which governed the depositions of geological strata. In particular, it highlights geological hiatuses, that is to say erosions and gaps.

Abstract: A morphological survey of geological formations traversed by a borehole includes constructing, from an initial image of the wall of the borehole representative of variations in a physical parameter of the formation in the longitudinal direction of the borehole (“depth”), and in the peripheral direction of the borehole wall (laterally), a “crossing-component image.” The cross-component image includes only those components of the parameter that extend all the way across the initial image from one side of the image to the other. The survey includes determining variations in one or more attributes relating to the parameter in the crossing-component image as a function of depth. The variations providing information relating to morphology to indicate solid zones, bedded zones, or different types of heterogeneous zones, for example.

Abstract: The pore-size distribution of a porous sample of variable porosity is modeled achievement of, allowing laboratory studies on the behavior of the medium modeled in relation to fluids. The porosity of the porous medium is modeled on one or more parting surfaces by means of a network (R) of intersecting channels (C) whose nodes form pores (P), the size of these channels showing physical properties of the medium and being selected from one or more discrete channel size distributions. In order to model the porosity of a heterogeneous sample exhibiting very different porosity zones, several discrete channel distributions are preferably used, these distributions being disjoint or not, and modeling with different zones, zones of low permeability and zones of higher permeability.

Abstract: For two-dimensional processing of spotlight SAR data into exact image data, the spotlight SAR raw data are divided into azimuth sub-apertures and transformed into the range-time/azimuth-frequency domain through short azimuth FFTs. The obtained data are multiplied by a frequency-scaling function Hf(fa, tr; r0) and transformed into the two-dimensional frequency domain through short range FFTs, multiplied by an RV-phase-correction function HRVP(fr) and subsequently transformed back into the range time/azimuth-frequency domain through short range IFFTs. The data formed in this manner are multiplied by the inverse frequency-scaling function Hg(fa, fr), then transformed back into the two-dimensional frequency domain, multiplied by the phase-correction function Hkorr(fa, fr) and the azimuth-scaling function Ha(fa, fr), and transformed back into the range-frequency/azimuth-time domain through short azimuth FFTS.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for testing a large plurality of displayed data points of recorded spatial data to determine and display trends created by different sets of the data points within the recorded spatial data. An analysis operator interactively uses an onscreen graphic tool called a widget to set trend search parameters after studying the displayed data points, and uses a pop-up menu to set other search and display parameters for the trend search. The onscreen graphic tool permits the user to easily see on-screen, and manually set, search parameters indicating the direction of a search from a user selected starting point, how far each step of a search will be performed for adjacent data points in a fault line, within what angle the search will be performed on either side of the user indicated search direction, and if trend searches being performed are in one or both directions from the user selected starting point in the recorded spatial data.

Abstract: A topography measuring device which comprises a visual camera mounted on a vehicle for measuring a distance to subject topographical features to be measured; an absolute position detecting unit mounted on the vehicle for detecting a three-dimensional absolute position of the vehicle; a topographical coordinate measuring unit for determining three-dimensional position data on the subject topographical features of a vehicle coordinate system based on the image pickup data by the visual camera; a coordinate conversion unit for converting the three-dimensional position data on the subject topographical features of the vehicle coordinate system determined by the topographical coordinate measuring unit using detected data of the absolute position detecting unit into three-dimensional position data of an absolute coordinate system; an image pickup position instructing unit for instructing the vehicle on a plurality of different vehicle positions for taking the images of the subject topographical features by the imag

Abstract: Each of the N surface images, used to restore the borehole or the core sample surface image, is segmented into related components (C(12), C(11), . . . ) Which are grouped into related regions (C(8)), each touching both the right and left edges of the image. After smoothing out their contours, the related regions are represented in the form of an image, called bed image, representative uftlle stratification beds. The contours appearing on the N bed images are matched to construct the bed boundary sinusoidal curves. This is particularly useful in determining stratification of a geological site.

Abstract: A system and method for determining offset errors between line and pixel coordinates of landmarks in a digitized image generated by an imaging system disposed on a spacecraft and line and pixel coordinates predicted by a mathematical model of the imaging system using landmark geodetic coordinates on the Earth. The system and method use landmarks in symbolic form, such as perimeters of lakes and islands that are stored in a database. A digitized image generated by the satellite-based imaging system is processed to extract a patch of the image containing a landmark. The image patch is then upsampled (magnified). The landmark boundary is processed using a mathematical model of the imaging system to generate absolute coordinates of the boundary pixels, which are upsampled and rasterized to produce a landmark mask.

Abstract: A system and method for performing 3D graphics copying operations in such a manner as to produce both a smooth image and smooth edges. The alpha value of each pixel is used to mark the pixels which are and are not part of the image to be copied, and removes unwanted pixels from bilinear filtering operations. After filtering, the resultant alpha values along the edges of the object are used to eliminate unwanted pixels, and to blend the object into the background of the image, which reduces or eliminates the "blocky" edges.

Abstract: A method for processing a name when converting a numerical map of a low level into a numerical map of a high level in a geographic information system includes the steps of: sequentially determining a main name which is a criterion of comparison and a sub name which is an object of comparison according to priority with respect to names contained in the numerical map of the low level, and generating a main name box and a sub name box according to a position and an area in which the main name and the sub name are displayed on the numerical map of the high level; and checking whether a part or all parts of the sub name box is overlapped with the main name box, and erasing a corresponding name and a name designating coordinate point when there is an overlapped part.

Abstract: A digital image processing system reduces errors in the parameters of a sensor geometry model, through which points in a captured digital image are geolocated to the surface of the earth by means of a `real time` co-registration mechanism that refines the geometry model associated with the working image in a matter of seconds. Using a co-registration mechanism such as that described in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,550,937, the system co-registers the reduced accuracy working digital image with a reference image, geographical spatial locations of respective pixels of which have been previously determined with a high degree of accuracy. The imagery co-registration operator adjusts the respective geometry models associated with its input images, in accordance with differences in cross-correlations of the respectively different spatial resolution versions of the two images, so as to bring the respective images into effective co-registration on image registration surface.

Abstract: A process for the maceral analysis of a sample of crushed coal coated with resin includes the steps of scanning the surface of the sample with a microscope and measuring the reflectance of the vitrinite. The process further includes the steps of forming a digitized image having gray levels for each field of the microscope and eliminating those fields having a high resin content. In those fields which are not eliminated, the distribution of gray levels and gradients are determined, a binary image is formed by thresholding the gray gradients to determine zones of vitrinite, the distribution of the gray levels of the obtained zones of vitrinite are then determined and the reflectance of the vitrinite is calculated.

Abstract: A method of characterizing texture heterogeneities in a geological formation traversed by a borehole. The method records an image of the borehole wall such as that provided by Schlumberger's Formation Microscanner (FMS) apparatus, representative of variations in a physical parameter of the formation in the longitudinal direction of the borehole and around the periphery of the wall. Geological objects are extracted from the image corresponding to a determined morphological type of heterogeneity. The variation in at least one attribute defined for this type of heterogeneity in the longitudinal direction of the borehole is determined. The invention is particularly applicable to vug detection.

Abstract: The present invention involves a system and method for processing information from high resolution data from maps, aerial photographs and other spatial data with low resolution data from limitation in order to accurately identify changes in the studied areas. The system and method relies upon a vectorized database which has been classified according to topographical features. Change is defined by a Z-statistic. The Z-statistic is calculated in a two-pass cross-correlation technique when pixel brightnesses are compared to a mean brightness for the typical topographical class and to a standard deviation for that class. The normalized difference values are accumulated across different bands, are scaled and then compared to a threshold which defines high, medium and low change values. A map is automatically produced illustrating areas of significant change.

Abstract: An image processing method for thinning lines converts pixels having a density of a configuration to a background density. Pixels are converted according to conditions which include densities of pixels in a neighborhood around a pixel to be processed. Pixels to be converted to the background density are first converted to an index value. Subsequent pixels are evaluated using the index values of adjacent, previously evaluated pixels. Index values are then converted to the background density.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting errors in frames of seismic data that can be presented as images, such images being expected to exhibit an inherent symmetry about an axis, the apparatus comprising: a storage device for storing a frame of seismic data which can be presented as an image; a selection device for selecting an axis within the image as the axis of symmetry; a divider for dividing the data about the axis of symmetry to create first and second sets of data; and a comparison means for comparing the sets of data according to preselected matching criteria to determine, based on the degree of matching, whether the extent of mismatch in the frame of data is within a predetermined tolerance.

Abstract: An automatic method for finding mines in side scan sonar images using a two-stage detection/discrimination process is provided. This method improves the discrimination process by specialized processing of regions of interest found in the detection process to increase the probability of correctly identifying highlight and shadow regions associated with mine images. Features specifically selected for their ability to discriminate mines are then extracted from these areas for use in the Bayesian discriminator.