Method for creating 3-d models by stitching multiple partial 3-d models

A computer-readable medium having stored therein executable instructions for performing a method of creating a 3-D Model by combining multiple partial 3-D models, each partial 3-D model comprising a sequence of 2-D images, each 2-D image associated with 3-D coordinates mapped onto the 3-D model, the method comprising:

• analyzing each of at least three partial 3-D models to identify image features in the sequence of 2-D images of each of the partial 3-D models;
• identifying pairs of overlapping image features between the 2-D images of each of the partial 3-D models by identifying image features in each 2-D image in the sequence of 2-D images of each of the partial 3-D models that overlaps or matches image features in 2-D images of the sequence of 2-D images of the other partial 3-D models and selecting a 2-D image from each of the partial 3-D models;
• computing an initial global transformation between 3-D coordinates of individual pairs of the identified overlapping image features between the selected 2-D image from each of the at least three partial 3-D models;
• and
• generating a final 3-D model based on the initial global transformation.

An apparatus for creating a 3-D Model by combining multiple partial 3-D models, each partial 3-D model comprising a sequence of 2-D images, each 2-D image associated with 3-D coordinates mapped onto the 3-D model, the apparatus comprising:

• an image feature analyzer that analyzes each of at least three partial 3-D models to identify image features in the sequence of 2-D images of each of the partial 3-D models;
• an overlapping image feature identification device that identifies pairs of overlapping image features between the 2-D images of each of the partial 3-D models by identifying image features in each 2-D image in the sequence of 2-D images of each of the partial 3-D models that overlaps or matches image features in 2-D images of the sequence of 2-D images of the other partial 3-D models and selecting a 2-D image from each of the partial 3-D models;
• a controller configured to compute an initial global transformation between 3-D coordinates of individual pairs of the identified overlapping image features between the selected 2-D image from each of the at least three partial 3-D models;
• and
• a display to display a final 3-D model generated based on the initial global transformation.

A method of providing a viewable 3-D model, the method comprising:

• receiving a plurality of 2-D images, each encoded with associated 3-D coordinates in a 3-D space;
• analyzing each of the plurality of 2-D images to identify image features in each of the plurality of 2-D images;
• identifying pairs of overlapping image features between the 2-D images of each of the partial 3-D models by identifying image features in each 2-D image in the sequence of 2-D images of each of the partial 3-D models that overlaps or matches image features in 2-D images of the sequence of 2-D images of the other partial 3-D models and selecting a 2-D image from each of the partial 3-D models;
• computing, by a processor, an initial global transformation between 3-D coordinates of individual pairs of the identified overlapping image features between the selected 2-D image from each of the at least three partial 3-D models;
• and
• providing the final 3-D model in a browsable format based on the initial global transformation.