Augmented reality for reflective particle tag alignment

1. A method for visual alignment of Reflective particle tags comprising:

creating a three-dimensional digital model of a reticle;

processing a plurality of features based on the digital model;

generating an Augmented Reality application; and

deploying the Augmented Reality application on a camera platform;

wherein the step of processing a plurality of features based on the digital model further comprises positioning the three-dimensional model above a digital representation of a fiducial image disposed on a reflective particle tag.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising creating the three dimensional model of a reticle with a three-dimensional modeling software application.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of creating a three-dimensional digital model further comprises creating a digital rectangular image from a cylindrical graphical element, and importing the digital rectangular image into a game engine.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

viewing a misaligned image of the augmented reality application and an aligned image of the augmented reality application; and

providing a reference image representing a fiducial as a rectangular section of the RPT, the fiducial bounded by a first line on an upper edge and a second line a lower edge; the first line and the second line intersecting at a left edge of the fiducial and a right edge of the fiducial.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising moving the camera platform until proper alignment is ensured; wherein ensuring proper alignment comprises overlapping the two reticles, the overlapping indicating that the camera platform is at the correct distance along the z axis and that the x and y axes are not rotated out of alignment; and

aligning the reticle sides parallel to the sides of the viewfinder, the parallel sides indicating that the Z axis is not rotated out of alignment.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a copy of the fiducial image.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising moving the copy of the fiducial image into alignment above the fiducial image, and scaling the respective fiducial images to form a pair of reticles for sighting.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:

wherein each of the first reticle and the second reticle comprises a plurality of edges; and

superimposing the first reticle and the second reticle.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

viewing the first reticle and the second reticle in parallel with at least one edge of a camera viewfinder; and

aligning the first reticle and the second reticle in six degrees of freedom in a three-dimensional space.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing a frame-by-frame determination of pixel locations of a plurality of virtual objects within a field of view of the cameral platform;

verifying the RPT in alignment; and

initiating an RPT illumination and imaging system automatically in response to determining the alignment is within acceptable tolerances.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:

wherein the RPT is verified in alignment based on the coordinates of the points identified above, the first condition is met when a first intersection point (x 1 ,y 1 ) of the first reticle is equal to a corresponding first intersection point (x 3 ,y 3 ) of the second reticle;

and a second intersection point (x 2 ,y 2 ) of the first reticle is equal to a second intersection point (x 4 ,y 4 ) of the second reticle;

wherein distance l 1 to x 1 and l 2 is the distance to x 2 , measured from a left edge of an image.

12. An augmented reality alignment system comprising:

one or more processors;

one or more memory devices comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

creating a three-dimensional digital model of a reticle;

processing a plurality of features based on the digital model;

generating an Augmented Reality application; and

deploying the Augmented Reality application on a camera platform;

wherein the operations further comprise positioning the three-dimensional model above a digital representation of a fiducial image disposed on a reflective particle tag.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise: creating the three dimensional model of a reticle with a three-dimensional modeling software application.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise creating a digital rectangular image from a cylindrical graphical element; and importing the digital rectangular image into a game engine.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise: generating a copy of the fiducial image.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise: moving the copy of the fiducial image into alignment above the fiducial image, and scaling the respective fiducial images to form a pair of reticles for sighting.

17. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

creating a three-dimensional digital model of a reticle;

processing a plurality of features based on the digital model;

generating an Augmented Reality application; and

deploying the Augmented Reality application on a camera platform;

wherein the step of processing a plurality of features based on the digital model further comprises positioning the three-dimensional model above a digital representation of a fiducial image disposed on a reflective particle tag.

18. A method for visual alignment of Reflective particle tags comprising:

creating a three-dimensional digital model of a reticle;

processing a plurality of features based on the digital model;

generating an Augmented Reality application; and

deploying the Augmented Reality application on a camera platform;

performing a frame-by-frame determination of pixel locations of a plurality of virtual objects within a field of view of the cameral platform;

verifying the RPT in alignment; and

initiating an RPT illumination and imaging system automatically in response to determining the alignment is within acceptable tolerances.