Computer system for forensic analysis using motion video

Abstract

A computer system calibrates an image from digital motion video, which originated from a camera that has a view of a scene from a period of time, with an image rendered from a three-dimensional model of the scene for a view based on a location (position and orientation) of the camera in the scene. The calibrated image from the digital motion video can be overlaid on the rendered image in a graphical user interface. The graphical user interface can allow a user to modify opacity of the overlay of the calibrated image from the digital motion video on the rendered image. The overlaid image can be used as a guide by the user to provide inputs with respect to the three-dimensional model.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer system comprising:
 a processing system comprising computer storage and a processing device that executes computer program instructions;   an overlay module comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by the processing system, overlay a calibrated image from digital motion video on a rendered image of a three-dimensional model of a scene according to an opacity on a display, wherein the digital motion video originates from a camera that has a view of the scene, from a period of time, and wherein the image rendered from the three-dimensional model of the scene is for a view based on a location of the camera in the scene; and   wherein, in response to an input related to locations in the overlaid calibrated image, the processing system provides the input to three-dimensional modeling software providing the three-dimensional model.   
     
     
         2 . The computer system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a calibration module comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by the processing system, generate the calibrated image from the digital motion video based on correspondence with the image rendered from a three-dimensional model.   
     
     
         3 . The computer system of  claim 1 , wherein the overlay control module generates a graphical user interface on the display enabling a user to provide input to modify the opacity. 
     
     
         4 . The computer system of  claim 1 , further comprising the three-dimensional modeling software, wherein the three-dimensional modeling software comprises computer program instructions that, when executed by the processing system, enables a user to manipulate the three-dimensional model while the calibrated image is overlaid on the rendered image of the three-dimensional model. 
     
     
         5 . The computer system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an image processing module comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by the processing system, correct spatial distortions in the digital motion video due to the camera, and wherein the calibrated image is generated from corrected digital motion video.   
     
     
         6 . The computer system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a playback module comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by the processing system, plays back calibrated images from the digital motion video, in response to user inputs; and   wherein the overlay control module overlays the played back calibrated images on the image rendered of the three-dimensional model.   
     
     
         7 . The computer system of  claim 2 , wherein the calibration module generates a two-dimensional transform for calibrating an image from the digital motion video to the image rendered of the three-dimensional model. 
     
     
         8 . A computer program product comprising:
 computer storage having computer program instructions stored thereon, wherein the computer program instructions, when processed by a processing system comprising a processing device, configures the processing system to be comprising:   an overlay module comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by the processing system, overlay a calibrated image from digital motion video on a rendered image of a three-dimensional model of a scene according to an opacity on a display, wherein the digital motion video originates from a camera that has a view of the scene, from a period of time, and wherein the image rendered from the three-dimensional model of the scene is for a view based on a location of the camera in the scene; and   wherein, in response to an input related to locations in the overlaid calibrated image, the processing system provides the input to three-dimensional modeling software providing the three-dimensional model.   
     
     
         9 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the computer program instructions are further comprising:
 a calibration module comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by the processing system, generate the calibrated image from the digital motion video based on correspondence with the image rendered from a three-dimensional model.   
     
     
         10 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the overlay control module causes the processing system to generate a graphical user interface on the display enabling a user to provide input to modify the opacity. 
     
     
         11 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the computer program instructions are further comprising the three-dimensional modeling software, wherein the three-dimensional modeling software comprises computer program instructions that, when executed by the processing system, enables a user to manipulate the three-dimensional model while the calibrated image is overlaid on the rendered image of the three-dimensional model. 
     
     
         12 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the computer program instructions are further comprising:
 an image processing module comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by the processing system, correct spatial distortions in the digital motion video due to the camera, and wherein the calibrated image is generated from corrected digital motion video.   
     
     
         13 . The computer program product of  claim 8 , wherein the computer program instructions are further comprising:
 a playback module comprising computer program instructions that, when executed by the processing system, plays back calibrated images from the digital motion video, in response to user inputs; and   wherein the overlay control module overlays the played back calibrated images on the image rendered of the three-dimensional model.   
     
     
         14 . The computer program product of  claim 9 , wherein the calibration module generates a two-dimensional transform for calibrating an image from the digital motion video to the image rendered of the three-dimensional model. 
     
     
         15 . A computer-implemented process performed by a processing system comprising a processing device and computer storage having computer program instructions stored thereon, wherein the computer program instructions, when processed by the processing device, performs the process comprising:
 overlaying a calibrated image from digital motion video on a rendered image of a three-dimensional model of a scene according to an opacity on a display, wherein the digital motion video originates from a camera that has a view of the scene, from a period of time, and wherein the image rendered from the three-dimensional model of the scene is for a view based on a location of the camera in the scene; and   in response to an input related to locations in the overlaid calibrated image, providing the input to three-dimensional modeling software providing the three-dimensional model.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented process of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 generating the calibrated image from the digital motion video based on correspondence with the image rendered from a three-dimensional model.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented process of  claim 15 , further comprising generating a graphical user interface on the display enabling a user to provide input to modify the opacity. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented process of  claim 15 , further comprising, in response to input from a user, manipulating the three-dimensional model while the calibrated image is overlaid on the rendered image of the three-dimensional model. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented process of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 correcting spatial distortions in the digital motion video due to the camera, and wherein generating the calibrated image is performed using the corrected digital motion video.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented process of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 playing back calibrated images from the digital motion video in response to user inputs; wherein the played back calibrated images are overlaid on the image rendered of the three-dimensional model.