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US007084871B2
(12) United States Patent ao) Patent No.: Us 7,084,871 B2
Jardin et al. (45) Date of Patent: Aug. 1,2006
(54) METHOD FOR SYNTHESIZING AN
INTERVISIBILITY IMAGE
(75) Inventors: Laurent Jardin, Saint Jean d'lllac
(FR); Jean-Rene Verbeque, Lardy
(FR); Erick Coppolino, Medard en
Jalles (FR)
(73) Assignee: Thales, Neuilly-sur-Seine (FR)
( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 209 days.
(21) Appl. No.: 10/479,997
(22) PCT Filed: Jun. 28, 2002
(86) PCT No.: PCT/FR02/02262
§ 371 (c)(1),
(2), (4) Date: Dec. 8, 2003
(87) PCT Pub. No.: WO03/003312 PCT Pub. Date: Jan. 9, 2003
(65) Prior Publication Data
US 2005/0012744 Al Jan. 20, 2005
(30) Foreign Application Priority Data
Jun. 29, 2001 (FR) 01 08669
(51) Int. CI.
G06T17/00 (2006.01)
(52) U.S. CI 345/421; 345/589; 345/581
(58) Field of Classification Search 345/428,
345/581, 589, 596, 597 See application file for complete search history.
(56) References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 4,821,212 A 4/1989 Heartz
The invention relates to the field of methods for synthesizing an intervisibility image consisting of pixels and representing the distribution, over a terrain overflown by an aircraft, of the intervisibility zones.
This is a method of synthesizing an intervisibility image consisting of pixels and representing the distribution, over a terrain overflown by an aircraft, of the zones of indirect intervisibility between the aircraft and at least one potential threat, in which, on the one hand, a danger plain color is associated with the set of zones of indirect intervisibility and, on the other hand, a safety plain color distinct from the danger plain color is associated with the set of portions of range zones of the threats that are not covered by any zone of indirect intervisibility, and, in at least one mode of the method of synthesis, said plain colors may be modulated at each pixel by a shading cue (asha) representative of the relief of the terrain at said pixel.
The method according to the invention may in particular be implemented in a cartographic accelerator card.
11 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets
