Patent ID: 6173067
Filing Date: 2001-01-09
Classification: G06T

Abstract:
A method for determining and representing the visibility in a first direction of an array of points on a map based on a digital elevation map, the method comprising the steps of:defining a separate visibility cone associated with each point in said array of points, each visibility cone extending in a second direction, having a number of cells and having an angle less than 180 degrees;counting, for each point in the array of points, visible cells in said associated visibility cone that are visible;calculating an array of heuristic visibility numbers having elements corresponding to said points in said array of points, each element of said array of heuristic visibility numbers based on said count of said visible cells in said visibility cone associated with said point corresponding to said element;representing said visibility of said array of points on said map in said first direction with said array of heuristic visibility numbers; andstoring said array of heuristic visibility numbers in a database.