Generating multi-dimensional building models with ground level images
A system and method is provided for generating textured 3D building models from ground-level imagery. Ground-level images for the sides/corners of building objects are collected for identification of key architectural features, corresponding key façade geometry planes, and generation of a 3D building façade geometry. The 3D building model is properly geo-positioned, scaled and textured.
1. A system for generating a scaled multi-dimensional building model, the system comprising:
a computer system for receiving, from a wireless capture device, a plurality of ground-level images of an entire single building captured by the wireless capture device circumnavigating the entire single building;
an image database for storing and retrieving the plurality of ground-level images of the entire single building;
an image processor, operative with the image database, to:
construct a textured contiguous multi-dimensional building model of the entire single building by processing external surfaces of the entire single building identified within the plurality of ground-level images, wherein the processing includes at least defining boundaries for a plurality of planar surfaces of the entire single building by recognition of building vertices, correlating and aligning the plurality of planar surfaces to one another along the defined boundaries to form a contiguous multi-dimensional model, and re-texturing the plurality of planar surfaces with imagery from the plurality of ground-level images of an entire single building, and wherein the external surfaces include one or more architectural features;
scale the imagery re-textured contiguous multi-dimensional building model using a scaling factor based on a comparison of dimensional ratios of the one or more architectural features, as identified in the plurality of captured ground-level images, to known dimensional ratios of industry standard architectural features, wherein the scaling factor is based on dimensional ratios of a plurality of architectural features as identified in the plurality of captured ground-level images; and
a viewer device for displaying the constructed imagery re-textured contiguous multi-dimensional building model.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more architectural features include roofing surfaces or roof intersection vertices.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more architectural features include one or more of: ground intersection vertices, bay window vertices, or overhanging vertices.
4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising identifying the one or more architectural features by matching to stored libraries of known architectural features.
5. A method for generating a multi-dimensional building model, the method comprising:
receiving, from a smartphone, a plurality of ground-level images of an entire single building captured from multiple angles and distances around the entire single building;
wirelessly uploading and storing, in computer memory, the plurality of ground-level images received from the smartphone;
creating a textured contiguous multi-dimensional building model by constructing a plurality of facades of the entire single building based on the plurality of ground-level images, the plurality of facades including all sides and roof of the entire single building, wherein the constructing includes at least defining boundaries for a plurality of facades of the entire single building by recognition of building vertices, correlating and aligning the facades to one another along the defined boundaries to form a contiguous multi-dimensional model, and re-texturing the facades with imagery from the plurality of ground-level images of an entire single building;
determining scale of the imagery re-textured contiguous multi-dimensional building model using a scaling factor based on comparing dimensional ratios of one or more building architectural features located within one or more of the plurality of facades to known dimensional ratios of industry standard architectural features;
reconstructing the imagery re-textured contiguous multi-dimensional building model from the determined scale; and
sending, to a touch screen, the reconstructed imagery re-textured contiguous multi-dimensional building model.