Method and system for processing image data

A method of processing image data obtained from scanning a network infrastructure in order to identify conductors in the network, said data comprising a plurality of co-ordinate points in three-dimensional space, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) dividing the data into a grid of cells, each representing a volume within the three-dimensional space and, for each cell:
• (i) identifying sets of co-ordinate points from potential co-ordinate points within the cell, said set being indicative of a set of identified substantially parallel vertical planes, each said plane representing a possible hanging catenary;
• (ii) identifying a plurality of individual subsets of coordinate points from the set, each subset representing an identified vertical plane in the set of substantially parallel vertical planes;
• (iii) analysing the distribution of co-ordinate points of a vertical plane to identify one or more vertical plane segments, including allocating to each vertical plane segment the coordinate points used in identifying that vertical plane segment;
• (b) for the set of vertical plane segments generated by the analysis of all cells, aggregating the vertical plane segments into one or more linear runs, on the basis of one or more prescribed aggregation criteria;
• and
• (c) for the set of linear runs generated:
• (i) defining co-ordinate points within each linear run as belonging to a particular span and circuit;
• and
• (ii) defining co-ordinate points within each circuit as belonging to a particular conductor.