Automated georeferencing of digitized map images

A method of reconciling metadata records and target vectors to determine a centroid of an area of interest, the method comprising:

• combining the metadata records and the target vectors to form position indexes;
• sorting the position indexes;
• and
• evaluating the sorted position indexes against predetermined criteria to determine a centroid of the area of interest.

A method of extracting features from raster map data to create map representation vectors, the method comprising:

• applying a determined centroid to the raster map data to shift the raster map data to new coordinate positions;
• identifying and decoding directional information from the raster map data;
• determining a proper scale for the identified and decoded raster map data;
• and
• applying the proper scale and the determined centroid to the identified and decoded raster map data to create map representation vectors.

A georeferencing system for producing map representation vectors comprising:

• a geographic database providing target vectors;
• a metadata source module adapted to store metadata corresponding to the target vectors;
• a raster map repository adapted to store raster map data;
• a centroid determination subsystem for determining a centroid of an area of coverage of the raster map data by applying the metadata to the target vectors;
• and
• a feature extraction module to apply the determined centroid of the area of coverage of the raster map data to shift the raster map data and produce map representation vectors.

A georeferencing system to reconcile metadata records and target vectors to determine a centroid of an area of interest, the system comprising:

• a geographic database adapted to store target vectors;
• a metadata source module adapted to store metadata records corresponding to the target vectors;
• and
• a centroid determination subsystem for determining a centroid of an area of interest by applying the metadata records to the target vectors.

A data storage medium with computer-executable instructions for reconciling metadata records and target vectors to determine a centroid of an area of interest, the data storage medium comprising:

• instructions for combining the metadata records and the target vectors to form position index records;
• instructions for sorting the position index records;
• and
• instructions for evaluating the sorted position index records against predetermined criteria to determine a centroid of the area of interest.

A data storage medium with computer-executable instructions for extracting features from raster map data to create map representation vectors, the data storage medium comprising:

• instructions for applying a determined centroid to the raster map data to shift the raster map data to new coordinate positions;
• instructions for identifying and decoding directional information from the raster map data;
• instructions for determining a proper scale for the identified and decoded raster map data;
• and
• instructions for applying the proper scale and the determined centroid to the identified and decoded raster map data to create map representation vectors.

A method of producing georeferenced images from disparate data sources comprising the steps of:

• recording geographic image data as target vectors in a geographic database;
• storing metadata corresponding to the geographic image data in a metadata source module;
• associating the metadata and the geographic image data in a geocoding module to create position index records;
• parsing and aggregating the position index records to determine a centroid for a map;
• registering the centroid in an extraction module;
• accessing raster map data from a raster map data repository for use in the extraction module;
• extracting directional information from the raster map data to determine map representation vectors based on the centroid and the extracted directional information;
• defining data matches between the map representation vectors and the target vectors as corresponding feature pairs;
• converting the corresponding feature pairs into an overlay map by iteratively matching nodes and iteratively matching arc chains according to match criteria;
• storing the overlay map as a georeferenced image in a georeferenced image repository;
• and
• presenting the georeferenced images as a visual display.

An automated georeferencing system for producing georeferenced images from disparate data sources comprising:

• a geographic database recording geographic image data as target vectors;
• a metadata source storing metadata records corresponding to the geographic image data;
• a centroid determination subsystem to determine a centroid for a map;
• a raster map repository storing raster map data for use in a feature extraction module;
• a feature extraction module registering the centroid for a map and extracting directional information from the raster map data to determine map representation vectors;
• a conflation module to define data matches between the map representation Vectors and the target vectors as corresponding feature pairs;
• a conversion module for converting the corresponding feature pairs into images by matching nodes and matching arc chains according to match criteria;
• and
• a georeferenced image storage repository for storing the images as georeferenced images.

A data storage medium with computer-executable instructions for producing georeferenced images from disparate data sources comprising:

• instructions for recording geographic image data as target vectors in a geographic database;
• instructions for storing metadata records in a metadata source, the metadata records corresponding to the geographic image data;
• instructions for a geocoding module to associate geographic image data from the geographic database and metadata from the metadata source to create position index records;
• instructions for a parsing and aggregation module to sort the position index records created by the geocoding module to determine a centroid for a map;
• instructions for storing raster map data in a raster map repository for use in a feature extraction module;
• instructions for registering the centroid for the map in a feature extraction module and for extracting directional information from the raster map data to determine map representation vectors;
• instructions for defining data matches between the map representation vectors and the target vectors as corresponding feature pairs;
• instructions for converting the corresponding feature pairs into images by matching nodes and matching arc chains according to match criteria;
• and
• instructions for storing the images in a georeferenced image storage repository.

A method for displaying co-registered data containing target vectors, metadata records, and raster map data, the method comprising:

• determining a mapping relationship between the target vectors and the metadata records;
• creating position index records from the target vectors and the metadata records;
• sorting the position index records to determine a centroid for a map;
• linking the centroid for the map to the raster map data;
• extracting directional information from the raster map data;
• shifting the raster map data based upon the centroid;
• creating map representation vectors based on the shifted raster map data and directional information;
• matching the map representation vectors and the target vectors;
• co-registering the map representation vectors and the target vector by warping a template corresponding to the target vectors;
• storing the matches as a composite image in a georeferenced image repository;
• and
• presenting the composite image as a visual display.

A method for co-registering images comprising:

• selecting a first image having a feature;
• selecting metadata corresponding to the feature in the first image;
• determining a centroid for a map based upon a correspondence between the first image and the metadata;
• selecting raster image data corresponding to the feature in the first image;
• and
• co-registering the first image and the raster image data to incorporate the feature from the first image, the metadata corresponding to the feature, and the raster image data to produce a co-registered image.