Method for detecting bridges using lidar point cloud data

A computer-implemented method for detecting elevated structures, comprising an act of causing a data processor to execute instructions stored on a memory such that upon execution, the data processor performs operations of:

• receiving a set of data from a three-dimensional point cloud of a landscape, wherein the set of data points comprises inlier data points and outlier data points;
• identifying the inlier data points in the three-dimensional point cloud data;
• combining the inlier data points into a plurality of segments, wherein each segment in the plurality of segments represents a planar, horizontal or near-horizontal extent in the three-dimensional cloud data;
• filtering the plurality of segments to generate a plurality of filtered segments, the plurality of filtered segments having overlapping parts;
• converting each of the filtered segments into an image comprising one or more horizontal image levels, wherein the number of image levels depends on a maximum number of overlapping parts of the filtered segments;
• processing each image level with an edge detection algorithm to detect elevated edges in the filtered segments;
• and
• vectorizing the elevated edges to identify a multi-level elevated structure of interest in the landscape, wherein the multi-level elevated structure of interest is selected from the group consisting of bridges, overpasses, and ramps.

A computer program product for detecting elevated structures, the computer program product comprising:

• computer-readable instruction means stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium that are executable by a computer having a processor for causing the processor to perform operations of:
• receiving a set of data from a three-dimensional point cloud of a landscape, wherein the set of data points comprises inlier data points and outlier data points;
• identifying the inlier data points in the three-dimensional point cloud data;
• combining the inlier data points into a plurality of segments, wherein each segment in the plurality of segments represents a planar, horizontal or near-horizontal extent in the three-dimensional cloud data;
• filtering the plurality of segments to generate a plurality of filtered segments, the plurality of filtered segments having overlapping parts;
• converting each of the filtered segments into an image comprising one or more horizontal image levels, wherein the number of image levels depends on a maximum number of overlapping pans of the filtered segments;
• processing each image level with an edge detection algorithm to detect elevated edges in the filtered segments;
• and
• vectorizing the elevated edges to identify a multi-level elevated structure of interest in the landscape, wherein the multi-level elevated structure of interest is selected from the group consisting of bridges, overpasses, and ramps.