Apparatus and method for displaying subsurface anomalies and surface features
AssigneeBryant Consultants, Inc.
InventorJohn Bryant
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method of combining various types of data and software in order to arrive at a composite graphical representation of a construction site, including surface and subsurface features. A 2-D or 3-D graph of subsurface contoured surfaces is created. A 3-D wire-frame model of surface and subsurface features is created. Aerial photographs of the site can be incorporated and the aerial photographs contoured surfaces and wire-frame model are to produce a complete Visual Reduction Modeling Language (VRML) model of both surface and subsurface features. The VRML model allows the user to identify and visualize a relationship between sub-surface features and above ground features.
Claims65
A method of combining data to arrive at a composite graphical representation of a construction site comprising, the steps of:
- providing subsurface mapping data;
- creating a subsurface model of subsurface features from the subsurface mapping data;
- creating a wire frame model of an above surface feature;
- overlaying the wire frame model with a pictorial representation of the above surface feature;
- and
- combining the wire frame model with the subsurface model to produce the composite graphical representation.
A 3-dimensional model of a construction site comprising:
- a graphical model of subsurface mapping data;
- a spatial model of an above ground object;
- and
- a 2-dimensional image of the above ground object superimposed on the spatial model and spatially synchronized with the graphical model of resistivity data.
A method of creating a graphical model comprising the steps of:
- testing to determine subsurface mapping data;
- enhancing the data;
- constructing a wire frame model of an above ground structure;
- providing a pictorial representation of a plan view of the above ground structure;
- combining the pictorial representation with the wire frame model;
- aligning the subsurface mapping data with the combined pictorial representation and wire frame model;
- and
- merging the subsurface mapping data with the combined pictorial representation and wire frame model.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.