Patent ID: 8660338

Claim:
A method for wide baseline feature matching, the method comprising: capturing one or more images from an image sensor on each of two or more platforms when the image sensors have overlapping fields of view; performing a two-dimensional (2-D) feature extraction on each of the captured images in each platform using local 2-D image feature descriptors; calculating three-dimensional (3-D) feature locations on the ellipsoid of the Earth surface from the extracted features in each platform using a position and attitude of the platform and a model of the image sensor; updating the 3-D feature locations in each platform using digital terrain elevation data (DTED) as a constraint; matching the extracted features in each of the platforms using the updated 3-D feature locations to create a common feature zone; selecting a subset of features from the common feature zone; inputting the subset of features into a collaborative filter in each platform; performing a convergence test on other subsets in the common feature zone; and pruning falsely matched features from the common feature zone.