Automatic positioning of 2d image sign sightings in 3d space

A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions that when executed by a processor are configured to perform:

• receiving point cloud data associated with multiple locations in a geographic region as a vehicle travels along a path;
• calculating a sign position candidate for the point cloud data;
• receiving image data associated with the geographic region;
• calculating a sighting frustum from the image data;
• calculating a coverage value for an intersection of the sighting frustum to the sign position candidate;
• calculating a parsimony value for the intersection of the sighting frustum to the sign position candidate;
• and
• storing a sign location in a geographic database in response to the coverage value and the parsimony value.

An apparatus for sign detection in a three-dimensional point cloud and a two-dimensional image, the apparatus comprising:

• a memory configured to store instructions;
• and
• a processor configured to execute the instructions to perform:
• receiving point cloud data associated with multiple locations in a geographic region as a vehicle travels along a path;
• calculating a sign position candidate for the point cloud data;
• receiving image data associated with the geographic region;
• calculating a sighting frustum from the image data;
• performing a comparison of the sighting frustum to the sign position candidate;
• and
• storing, in the memory, a sign location in a geographic database in response to the comparison.