Superimposing graphic representations of ground locations onto ground location images after detection of failures
A method for superimposing graphic representations of ground locations onto images of ground locations after detecting the presence of material failure(s) or failures in man-made structures in such ground locations including providing an image sensor spaced remotely from the ground and which sequentially captures a number of images of various ground locations to provide digital images of such ground locations; processing captured digital images to determine the presence of a potential material failure in a man-made structure in accordance with predetermined coordinate positions which locate the man-made structures in one or more of the captured digital images; identifying reference points in the ground locations corresponding to the same reference points in the graphic representations of the ground location; and superimposing the graphic representation with the reference points onto at least one of the captured digital images.
1. A method for superimposing graphic representations of ground locations onto images of ground locations after detecting the presence of material failure(s) or failures in man-made structures in such ground locations comprising the steps of:
(a) providing an image sensor spaced remotely from the ground and which sequentially captures a number of images of various ground locations to provide digital images of such ground locations;
(b) processing captured digital images to determine the presence of a potential material failure in a man-made structure in accordance with predetermined coordinate positions which locate the man-made structures in one or more of the captured digital images;
(c) identifying reference points in the ground locations corresponding to the same reference points in the graphic representations of the ground location; and
(d) superimposing the graphic representation with the reference points onto at least one of the captured digital images.
2. The method of claim 1 further including scaling the digital images to match or register with the graphic representation of ground location.
3. The method of claim 1 further including encoding with color or other symbol predetermined areas of interest.
4. The method of claim 1 further including displaying the layered information as a whole or in superimposable layers in either soft display or printed hardcopy.
5. The method of claim 1 further including supplying to a customer combined sets of graphic representations including that an indication that there is potential material failure detected in a predetermined coordinate position.
6. The method of claim 1 further including:
(e) sending captured processed digital images with detected potential material failures to a customer.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the digital image processing includes comparing previously captured digital images with newly captured digital images to determine variations in the captured digital images at the predetermined coordinates which indicate a potential material failure in a man-made structure.
8. The method according to claim 1 further including providing an image capture device which is located in a fixed structure position above the ground location or in a moving structure such as an aircraft or satellite.
9. The method of claim 1 further including storing in memory a representation of different material failures to be detected and comparing the captured digital image with the material failures to determine the presence of a material failure, type of material failures and location of the material failures.