Rapid terrain model generation with 3-D object features and user customization interface

Abstract

A method and system 5 for generating a three-dimensional world model for simulated real terrain optimized for a personal computer. Terrain data and other environmental data are acquired from at least one of a plurality of digital data sources 9 through an acquisition step 20 and the acquired data are processed in a transformation and formatting step 25 to construct a predetermined intermediate database format 30 , from which intermediate database, in response to a user query 40 , introduced through a query interface program 45 that is visible on a personal computer monitor 11 , the data are further extracted, processed and composited in a formatting step 32 to create a three-dimensional world model file 35 . The 3-D world model format 35 is optimized for a particular imaging system, preferably a browser that renders standard Virtual Reality Modeling Language 2.0 specification files, that allows the 3-D model to be viewed and navigated on the computer monitor 11 . In formatting step 32 the terrain surface can be colored and textured automatically by the system corresponding to geographic database layers, and natural and man-made structures can be made to populate the terrain skin as 3-D objects in the composited world model 35 . The method and system 5 allow a personal computer user to query the system for any geographic location for which source data are available and to adjust the geographic extent of the 3-D world 35 per the user's preference aided by expert system guidance.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . In a computer system having (i) a digital processor, (ii) working memory and (iii) input/output units including input means and a display monitor, a terrain model rapid generation system, comprising: 
 an intermediate data file holding indications/representations of elevation vertices;    a translator coupled to the intermediate data file, the translator for translating elevation vertices in input files into a format of the intermediate data file.    an extractor and formatter responsive to user input and loosely coupled to the intermediate data file for extracting a subset of vertices from the intermediate data file, combining these vertices into an array and formatting said array into an output specification for a three-dimensional geometric configuration, said specification supporting display of a three-dimensional world model including geographic terrain details; and    a user interface coupled to the extractor and formatter for enabling user input of instructions through the input means, said instructions directing the extractor and formatter;    wherein the digital processor executes the extractor and formatter and user interface in the working memory to generate and display the three-dimensional world model through the display monitor for user viewing.    
     
     
         2 . In a computer system having (i) a digital processor, (ii) working memory and (iii) input/output units including input means and a display monitor, a terrain model rapid generation system, comprising: 
 an intermediate data file holding indications/representations of elevation vertices;    an extractor and formatter responsive to user input and loosely coupled to the intermediate data file for extracting a subset of vertices from the intermediate data file, combining these vertices into an array and formatting said array into an output specification for a three-dimensional geometric configuration, said specification supporting display of a three-dimensional world model including geographic terrain details, the extractor and formatter further merge a plurality of input files to produce a single output file of different geographic extent than any one of the input files, said output specification being formed of the output file; and    a user interface coupled to the extractor and formatter for enabling user input of instructions through the input means, said instructions directing the extractor and formatter;    wherein the digital processor executes the extractor and formatter and user interface in the working memory to generate and display the three-dimensional world model through the display monitor for user viewing.    
     
     
         3 . A method for rapidly generating a computer-based terrain model comprising the steps of: 
 providing computing means including an intermediate database of terrain vertices;    using a query manager executed by the computing means, extracting a set of terrain vertices from the intermediate database based on a latitude-longitude center location and geographic extents, the extracted set of terrain vertices corresponding to said latitude-longitude center location and geographic extents;    constructing a three-dimensional world model format instruction based on the extracted terrain vertices, said constructed instruction supporting display of a three-dimensional terrain model of a geographic area defined by said location and geographic extents; and    merging a plurality of input files to produce a single output file of different geographic extent than any one of the input files, said constructed instruction being formed of the output file.    
     
     
         4 . In a computer system having (i) a digital processor, (ii) working memory and (iii) input/output units including input means and a display monitor, a terrain model rapid generation system, comprising: 
 an intermediate data file holding indications/representations of elevation vertices;    an extractor and formatter responsive to user input and loosely coupled to the intermediate data file for extracting a subset of vertices from the intermediate data file, combining these vertices into an array and formatting said array into an output specification for a three-dimensional geometric configuration, said specification supporting display of a three-dimensional world model including geographic terrain details;    a user interface coupled to the extractor and formatter for enabling user input of instructions through the input means, said instructions directing the extractor and formatter;    a query manager subsystem coupled between the user interface and the extractor and formatter, the query manager subsystem defining the subset of vertices to be extracted from the intermediate data file, the query manager including means for overlaying a graphic image upon the displayed three-dimensional world model;    wherein the digital processor executes the extractor and formatter and user interface in the working memory to generate and display the three-dimensional world model through the display monitor for user viewing.    
     
     
         5 . A method for rapidly generating a computer-based terrain model comprising the steps of: 
 providing computing means including an intermediate database of terrain vertices;    using a query manager executed by the computing means, extracting a set of terrain vertices from the intermediate database based on a latitude-longitude center location and geographic extents, the extracted set of terrain vertices corresponding to said latitude-longitude center location and geographic extents;    preparing a two-dimensional image;    applying the two-dimensional image to the terrain surface as a terrain skin;    revising the two-dimensional image based on movement of a user's viewpoint during navigation within the three-dimensional terrain model; and    constructing a three-dimensional world model format instruction based on the extracted terrain vertices, said constructed instruction supporting display of a three-dimensional terrain model of a geographic area defined by said latitude-longitude center location and said geographic extents.    
     
     
         6 . A method for rapidly generating a computer-based terrain model comprising the steps of: 
 providing computing means including an intermediate database of terrain vertices;    using a query manager executed by the computing means, extracting a set of terrain vertices from the intermediate database based on a latitude-longitude center location and geographic extents, the extracted set of terrain vertices corresponding to said latitude-longitude center location and geographic extents;    preparing a two-dimensional image;    applying the two-dimensional image to the terrain surface as a terrain skin;    constructing a three-dimensional world model format instruction based on the extracted terrain vertices, said constructed instruction supporting display of a three-dimensional terrain model of a geographic area defined by said latitude-longitude center location and said geographic extents; and    wherein the two-dimensional image is downloaded from a computer network.    
     
     
         7 . A method for using a rapidly generated computer-based terrain model to visualize geographic locations through simulations of the geographic locations, comprising the steps of: 
 accessing an intermediate database of terrain vertices through a query manager interface to extract elevation vertices of a desired geographic location; and    converting the extracted elevation vertices into a three-dimensional. world terrain model in a specified output format.    
     
     
         8 . The method of    claim 7    further comprising the steps of; 
 navigating through an image of the three-dimensional world terrain model using a three-dimensional rendering engine.  
 
     
     
         9 . The method of    claim 7    further comprising the steps of: 
 hyperlinking from within the three-dimensional world terrain model via a universal resource locator address.  
 
     
     
         10 . The method of    claim 7    further comprising the steps of: 
 exporting output models in a specified format to a conventional three-dimensional model authoring tool for enhancing and/or revising the three-dimensional world terrain model; and  
 revisualizing the revised three-dimensional world terrain model in a computer display device.  
 
     
     
         11 . The method of    claim 7    further comprising the step of: 
 choosing a surface color for the output format of the three-dimensional world terrain model from a selection of multiple alternative choices presented by the query manager.  
 
     
     
         12 . The method of    claim 7    further comprising the step of: 
 choosing a surface color for the output format of the three-dimensional world terrain model automatically based upon a predetermined mapping of elevation data to color.  
 
     
     
         13 . The method of    claim 7    further comprising the steps of: 
 choosing an appropriate vertical exaggeration for the elevation vertices as desired by the user.  
 
     
     
         14 . The method of    claim 7    further comprising the steps of: 
 choosing a two-dimensional image to be overlaid on the surface of the three-dimensional world terrain model, and  
 merging the two-dimensional image onto the three-dimensional world terrain model surface within the output format.  
 
     
     
         15 . A computer program product comprising: 
 a computer usable medium for rapidly generating a computer-based terrain model;    a set of computer program instructions embodied on the computer usable medium, including instructions to:    create an intermediate database of terrain vertices;    extract a set of terrain vertices from the intermediate database based on a latitude-longitude center location and geographic extents, the extracted set of terrain vertices corresponding to said latitude-longitude center location and geographic; and    construct a three-dimensional world model format instruction based on the extracted terrain vertices, said constructed instruction supporting display of a three-dimensional terrain model of a geographic area defined by said latitude-longitude center location and said geographic extents.    
     
     
         16 . A computer data signal embodied in a carrier wave comprising a code segment for rapidly generating a computer-based terrain model, including instructions to: 
 create an intermediate database of terrain vertices;    extract a set of terrain vertices from the intermediate database based on a latitude-longitude center location and geographic extents, the extracted set of terrain vertices corresponding to said latitude-longitude center location and geographic; and    construct a three-dimensional world model format instruction based on the extracted terrain vertices, said constructed instruction supporting display of a three-dimensional terrain model of a geographic area defined by said latitude-longitude center location and said geographic extents.