IP Library Granted Patent US 7,539,605
Granted Patent B2
US 7,539,605 · App. 11/530,972 · Granted May 26, 2009

Geospatial modeling system providing simulated tree trunks for groups of tree crown vegitation points and related methods

Assignee: Harris Corporation
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,539,605
App. No.
11/530,972
Granted
May 26, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

A geospatial modeling system may include a geospatial model database containing geospatial model data, a display, and a processor. The processor may cooperate with the geospatial model database and the display for determining a respective group of tree crown vegetation points from the geospatial model data for each tree of a plurality of trees, and for displaying a respective simulated tree trunk beneath each group of tree crown vegetation points. The processor may generate each simulated tree trunk to have a tree trunk height based upon heights of the respective group of tree crown vegetation points.

Claims (44)

1. A geospatial modeling system comprising:

a geospatial model database containing geospatial model data;

a display; and

a processor utilizing said geospatial model database and said display for determining a respective group of tree crown vegetation points from the geospatial model data for each tree of a plurality of trees, and for displaying a respective simulated tree trunk beneath each group of tree crown vegetation points;

said processor generating each simulated tree trunk to have a tree trunk height based upon heights of the respective group of tree crown vegetation points.

2. The geospatial modeling system of claim 1 wherein said processor sets the tree trunk height above ground to an average height of the respective group of tree crown vegetation points above ground.

3. The geospatial modeling system of claim 1 wherein said processor sets the tree trunk width based upon a width of the respective group of tree crown vegetation points.

4. The geospatial modeling system of claim 3 wherein said processor sets the tree trunk width to a predetermined proportion of a tree crown width.

5. The geospatial modeling system of claim 1 wherein said processor sets the tree trunk width to a fixed value.

6. The geospatial modeling system of claim 1 wherein said processor displays each tree crown vegetation point as a vegetation-colored body at its associated geospatial position.

7. The geospatial modeling system of claim 1 wherein said processor displays the simulated tree trunk as stacked layers of trunk-colored bodies aligned along a vertical axis.

8. The geospatial modeling system of claim 7 wherein adjacent layers of trunk-colored bodies are rotated relative to one another.

9. The geospatial modeling system of claim 1 wherein said processor determines the respective group of tree crown vegetation points based upon applying a peak-finding window.

10. The geospatial modeling system of claim 1 wherein the geospatial model data comprises three-dimensional (3D) geospatial model data.

11. The geospatial modeling system of claim 10 wherein the 3D geospatial model data comprises digital elevation model (DEM) data.

12. A geospatial modeling system comprising:

a geospatial model database containing geospatial model data;

a display; and

a processor utilizing said geospatial model database and said display for determining a respective group of tree crown vegetation points from the geospatial model data for each tree of a plurality of trees, and for displaying a respective simulated tree trunk beneath each group of tree crown vegetation points;

said processor generating each simulated tree trunk to have a tree trunk height based upon heights of the respective group of tree crown vegetation points;

said processor displaying each tree crown vegetation point as a vegetation-colored body at its associated geospatial position, and displaying the simulated tree trunk as stacked layers of trunk-colored bodies aligned along a vertical axis.

13. The geospatial modeling system of claim 12 wherein adjacent layers of trunk-colored bodies are rotated relative to one another.

14. The geospatial modeling system of claim 12 wherein said processor sets the tree trunk height above ground to an average height of the respective group of tree crown vegetation points above ground.

15. The geospatial modeling system of claim 12 wherein said processor sets the tree trunk width based upon a width of the respective group of tree crown vegetation points.

16. The geospatial modeling system of claim 12 wherein said processor sets the tree trunk width to a fixed value.

17. The geospatial modeling system of claim 12 wherein said processor determines the respective group of tree crown vegetation points based upon applying a peak-finding window.

18. The geospatial modeling system of claim 12 wherein the geospatial model data comprises three-dimensional (3D) geospatial model data.

19. A geospatial modeling method comprising:

determining a respective group of tree crown vegetation points from among a plurality of geospatial model data points for each tree of a plurality of trees using a processor; and

displaying a respective simulated tree trunk beneath each group of tree crown vegetation points on a display by generating each simulated tree trunk to have a tree trunk height based upon heights of the respective group of tree crown vegetation points using the processor.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the processor sets the tree trunk height above ground to an average height of the respective group of tree crown vegetation points above ground.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the processor sets the tree trunk width based upon a width of the respective group of tree crown vegetation points.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the processor displays each tree crown vegetation point as a vegetation-colored body at its associated geospatial position.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the processor displays the simulated tree trunk as stacked layers of trunk-colored bodies aligned along a vertical axis.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein adjacent layers of trunk-colored bodies are rotated relative to one another.

25. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable modules for performing computer-executable instructions and comprising:

a geospatial model database module containing geospatial model data;

a processing module utilizing the geospatial model database and a display for determining a respective group of tree crown vegetation points from the geospatial model data for each tree of a plurality of trees, and for displaying a respective simulated tree trunk beneath each group of tree crown vegetation points;

the processor module generating each simulated tree trunk to have a tree trunk height based upon heights of the respective group of tree crown vegetation points.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the processing module sets the tree trunk height above ground to an average height of the respective group of tree crown vegetation points above ground.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the processing module sets the tree trunk width based upon a width of the respective group of tree crown vegetation points.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the processing module displays each tree crown vegetation point as a vegetation-colored body at its associated geospatial position.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 wherein the processing module displays the simulated tree trunk as stacked layers of trunk-colored bodies aligned along a vertical axis.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein adjacent layers of trunk-colored bodies are rotated relative to one another.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 20, 2015
From: HARRIS CORPORATION
To: TECHNOLOGY LICENSING CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 035681/0476 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 12, 2006
From: RAHMES, MARK; SMITH, ANTHONY O'NEIL; ALLEN, JOSEF; CONNETTI, STEPHEN
To: HARRIS CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 018234/0906 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20080133195A1 · Jun 5, 2008