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US 8,525,834 B2Granted
Voxel based three dimensional virtual environments
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorLeo Salemann
Life of this patent
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AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorLeo Salemann
Estimating the term…
Geospatial information specific to a real-world volumetric space can be gathered. The gathered information can be stored in a voxel database. The stored information can be indexed against voxels, which correspond to volume units of the real-world volumetric space. Stored information can be extracted from the voxel database. The extracted information can be directly inserted into an interactive three dimensional (3D) application providing a simulation space. The 3D application can interactively presents 3D entities programmed with entity specific intelligence within the simulation space. Each 3D entity can dynamically move and react in the simulation space in a geospatially constrained manner in accordance with the entity specific intelligence and in accordance with limitations of the simulation space.
A method for creating data sets for an interactive three dimensional (3D) environment with interactive entities comprising:
A computer program product for creating data sets for an interactive three-dimensional (3D) environment with interactive entities comprising:
A system for creating data sets for an interactive three-dimensional (3D) environment with interactive entities comprising:
A method for creating data sets for an interactive three-dimensional (3D) environment with interactive entities comprising:
A computer program product for creating data sets for an interactive three-dimensional (3D) environment with interactive entities, the computer program product comprising:
A system comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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Three-dimensional [3D] modelling for computer graphics: geographic models
Image data processing or generation, in general
About 5 years of term left · ends 5 Nov 2031 (estimated)
The present disclosure relates to the field of three-dimensional virtual environments, and, more particularly, to voxel based three dimensional (3D) virtual environments.
In computing environments, virtual entities (avatars, for example) are often moved about a three dimensional virtual environment, where the virtual entities are controlled by users and/or by computer based intelligence. Semi-automated forces (SAF) are one implementation specific (and non-limiting) example of an application functioning within a three dimensional virtual environment. More specifically, SAF are computer-generated forces (CGF) that react in a manner similar to real forces using computer models that determine decision making aspects of the simulated force entities. That is, the simulated force entities are programmed with the doctrine and behavior associated with a corresponding real-world entity being simulated, so that during an exercise, they move and react in a realistic manner over a simulation space. The simulation space can be a geo-specific synthetic environment of a battlefield, generated from digital mapping data.
SAF applications and components require highly complex terrain representations (e.g., Synthetic Natural Environments (SNE) or Terrain Database (TDB)) in order to operate. Producing these SNEs and/or terrain databases is labor and cost intensive. Prior approaches build SAF environments from digital mapping data. The digital mapping data is usually a combination of Digital Elevation Model (DEM) data and a set of vector layers, such as road centerlines, water areas, and building footprints. In some cases, the vector data can be aligned to terrain imagery or can be extracted from imagery through semi-automated means. The vector data, imagery data, and DEM data are obtained from different sources and are collected at different times. Moreover, DEMs and vector layers can require months to years to create from raw earth measurements making it difficult (if not impossible using current techniques) to build SAF compatible SNEs from current geospatial data.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a voxel database managing spatially referenced behavioral data for a simulated population in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
FIG. 2A describes an embodiment for populating and using a voxel database and a simulator able to consume data of the voxel database.
FIG. 2B shows embodiments for simulators and simulator interfaces in accordance with an embodiment of disclosure.
The disclosure provides a three dimensional virtual environment (e.g., an environment represented by simulation space 140) in which user-controlled and/or computer logic controlled entities 144 interact with one another. These entities 144 can dynamically move and react within the three dimensional virtual environment. In the disclosure, a volumetric storage space 120 is used to detail specifics for the entities 130 and the three dimensional virtual environment.
The volumetric storage space 120 can be a space composed of a set of volumetric units, called voxels 122. Data elements can be directly referenced to voxels 122, which permits these data elements to be spatially placed in the volumetric storage space 120. The data elements need not have any specific identity outside their relationship to the voxels 122, which permits raw data to be inserted into the volumetric storage space 120. For example, satellite imagery, LIDAR points, and other information can all be inserted into the volumetric storage space 120 and referenced to voxels 122. Viewed in one manner, each voxel 122 can be thought of as a three dimensional puzzle piece that fits together with other puzzle pieces to form the volumetric storage space 120. Information included in the volumetric storage space 120 can be extracted post-storage. For example, outlines of objects can be detected within the volumetric storage space 120 to determine a presence or absence of a building, vehicle, crowd, or other object within the volumetric storage space 120.
It should be noted that data elements can be continuously inserted into the volumetric storage space. In this manner, data elements can be combined to continuously increase a “resolution” of the data image contained within the volumetric storage space 120. In one embodiment, the volumetric storage space 120 can be a probabilistic one. In other words, data elements can be stored in the volumetric storage space 120 that have a probability of being contained therein but have a probability of not actually being contained therein. For example, if an incomplete “data image” of a building (which can be formed by 1 . . . N quantity of voxels) exists in the volumetric storage space 120, an associated probability of the building being present in the volumetric storage space 120 can be at a value of forty percent where a sixty percent probability value exists that the building is not present in the volumetric storage space 120. Thus, the volumetric storage space 120 is able to handle uncertainty of data elements in a manner that traditional storage spaces cannot.