Uniform point cloud decimation
AssigneeAutodesk, Inc.
InventorsRavinder P. Krishnaswamy, Jeffrey M. Kowalski, Carl Christer Janson
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Abstract
A method, apparatus, system, article of manufacture, and computer readable medium provide the ability to create a point cloud indexed file. A grid (of cells that are divided into subcells) is mapped over points in a point cloud dataset. An occupancy value, that indicates whether a subcell contains a point, is computed for each subcell. A surface area contribution factor is computed for each cell and identifies a count of subcells that are occupied divided by a total number of subcells. The surface area contribution factor for each cell and points for each cell are written to the point cloud indexed file.
Claims21
A computer implemented method for creating a point cloud indexed file comprising:
- (a) mapping, in a computer, a grid over one or more points in a point cloud dataset, wherein:
- (i) the grid comprises one or more cells;
- and
- (ii) each of the one or more cells is divided into one or more subcells;
- (b) computing an occupancy value for each of the one or more subcells, wherein the occupancy value comprises a bit that indicates a subcell is occupied if the subcell contains at least one of the one or more points;
- (c) computing a surface area contribution factor for each of the one or more cells, wherein the surface area contribution factor comprises an occupied count of subcells in each cell that are occupied divided by a total subcell number of the one or more subcells in that cell;
- and
- (d) writing the surface area contribution factor for each of the one or more cells and one or more of the one or more points to the point cloud indexed file in a random order.
An apparatus for creating a point cloud indexed file in a computer system comprising:
- (a) a computer having a memory;
- (b) an application executing on the computer, wherein the application is configured to:
- (i) map a grid over one or more points in the point cloud dataset, wherein:
- (1) the grid comprises one or more cells;
- and
- (2) each of the one or more cells is divided into one or more subcells;
- (ii) compute an occupancy value for each of the one or more subcells, wherein the occupancy value comprises a bit that indicates a subcell is occupied if the subcell contains at least one of the one or more points;
- (iii) compute a surface area contribution factor for each of the one or more cells, wherein the surface area contribution factor comprises an occupied count of subcells in each cell that are occupied divided by a total subcell number of the one or more subcells in that cell;
- and
- (iv) write the surface area contribution factor for each of the one or more cells and one or more of the one or more points to the point cloud indexed file in a random order.
A non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with computer program instructions which when accessed by a computer cause the computer to load the program instructions to a memory therein creating a special purpose data structure causing the computer to operate as a specially programmed computer, executing a method of creating a point cloud indexed file, comprising:
- (a) mapping, in the specially programmed computer, a grid over one or more points in the point cloud dataset, wherein:
- (i) the grid comprises one or more cells;
- and
- (ii) each of the one or more cells is divided into one or more subcells;
- (b) computing, in the specially programmed computer, an occupancy value for each of the one or more subcells, wherein the occupancy value comprises a bit that indicates a subcell is occupied if the subcell contains at least one of the one or more points;
- (c) computing, in the specially programmed computer, a surface area contribution factor for each of the one or more cells, wherein the surface area contribution factor comprises an occupied count of subcells in each cell that are occupied divided by a total subcell number of the one or more subcells in that cell;
- and
- (d) writing, in the specially programmed computer, the surface area contribution factor for each of the one or more cells and one or more of the one or more points to the point cloud indexed file in a random order.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.