Patent ID: 8019736

Claim:
A system of combining a plurality of terrain data sets into one terrain data set, the system comprising: a plurality of terrain data sets, wherein each terrain data set is stored in a digital file having a file format and is comprised of digital terrain elevation data having an elevation data resolution, where such elevation data resolution is a resolution other than the elevation data resolution of the digital terrain elevation data of at least one other terrain data set within the plurality and is associated with a digital elevation model; a common resolution parameter representative of one elevation data resolution; and a processor, wherein such processor receives the plurality of terrain data sets and the common resolution parameter, conforms each terrain data set in which the elevation data resolution of the digital terrain elevation data is a resolution other than the one elevation data resolution of the common resolution parameter, such that the elevation data resolution of the digital terrain elevation data of each terrain elevation set will equal the one elevation data resolution of the common resolution parameter, and combines the digital terrain elevation data of each terrain data set to form one combined terrain data set, whereby such combined terrain data set is stored in a digital file having one file format and is comprised of digital terrain elevation data having the one elevation data resolution of the common resolution parameter.