Arrangement and method for providing a three dimensional map representation of an area

A method for providing a three dimensional map representation of an area, the method comprising:

• generating time recorded images,
• providing a plurality of at least partly overlapping images each covering at least a part of said area,
• forming an arbitrary number of at least partly overlapping image sets from said provided at least partly overlapping images,
• outputting time recorded navigation states comprising position and attitude, and
• stereo processing said image sets based on the navigational states so as to provide said three dimensional map representation, wherein for each time recorded image to be stereo processed the navigation states relating to a corresponding time record are associated with the image, said associating comprising correlating each pixel of each time recorded image to a corresponding navigation state, and wherein the stereo processing is performed based on the associated navigation states so that all pixels in the map representation are specified in three geographical dimensions.

A computer program product, comprising:

• a computer readable medium;
• and
• a programme code recorded on the computer readable medium for performing a method for providing a three dimensional map representation of an area when said computer programme is run on a computer, the method comprising
• generating time recorded images,
• providing a plurality of at least partly overlapping images each covering at least a part of said area,
• forming an arbitrary number of at least partly overlapping image sets from said provided at least partly overlapping images,
• outputting time recorded navigation states comprising position and attitude, and
• stereo processing said image sets based on the navigational states so as to provide said three dimensional map representation, wherein for each time recorded image to be stereo processed the navigation states relating to a corresponding time record are associated with the image, said associating comprising correlating each pixel of each time recorded image to a corresponding navigation state, and wherein the stereo processing is performed based on the associated navigation states so that all pixels in the map representation are specified in three geographical dimensions.

A computer readable medium having embodied thereon a computer program for processing by a computer program comprising:

• a first code segment for generating time recorded images;
• and
• a second code segment for providing a plurality of at least partly overlapping images,
• a fourth code segment for outputting time recorded navigation states, and
• a fifth code segment for associating for each generated time recorded image the navigation states relating to a corresponding time record by correlating each pixel of each time recorded image to a corresponding navigation state, and
• a third code segment for stereo processing, based on said associated navigation states, an arbitrary number of overlapping image sets generated by said image generating unit so as to provide a three dimensional map representation wherein all pixels are specified in three geographical dimensions.