Method and apparatus for visually comparing geo-spatially aligned digital content according to time
Inventors
Demchak, Gregory • Martinez, Pascal
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12204820-B2
Publication Date
2025-01-21
Expiration Date
Abstract
In example embodiments, techniques are provided for visually comparing digital content for an infrastructure project according to time using 4-D construction modeling software. The 4-D construction modeling software includes a cloud-based 4-D comparison service and a local 4-D modeling client. The 4-D comparison service includes a digital content alignment service and a 4-D difference engine. The digital content alignment service aligns different pieces of digital content and produces views that provide visual comparison between different pieces of digital content. The 4-D difference engine automatically determines differences between different pieces of digital content. The 4-D modeling client includes a 4-D comparison user interface (UI) process that receives user input used to generate, and then displays a generated visual comparison between different pieces of digital content. The 4-D comparison UI utilizes time control channels for selecting digital content and comparison controls for selecting a type of visual comparison.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a method for visually comparing digital content for an infrastructure project according to time using four-dimension (4-D) construction modeling software. A user selects a first source and a first time and a second source and a second time, where the first digital content is field-captured digital content and the second digital content is modeled digital content. The selected time for the second time channel is different than the selected time for the first time channel. The 4-D construction modeling software aligns the first digital content and the second digital content and then generates a visual comparison between them.
The visual comparison includes a split view with a movable cutting plane that controls where in a display area the first digital content or the second digital content is shown, and the visual comparison is displayed in a user-interface (UI). The cloud-based 4-D comparison service includes a digital content alignment service and a 4-D difference engine. The digital content alignment service receives user selections of sources and time channels, aligns the digital contents, and provides aligned views of the first digital content and the second digital content.
The aligned views include color or texture highlights indicating at least one component having a difference. The 4-D difference engine is configured to automatically compute differences between the first digital content and the second digital content, and the computed differences are displayed by changing color or texture of at least one component to visually indicate a difference. In certain implementations, the differences are automatically quantified and the quantified differences include at least one of differing volume, area, length, or count between corresponding components, and the quantification is displayed in the UI.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims are clm-00001, clm-00012, clm-00015, clm-00020, and clm-00023. Across these independent claims, there are six inventive features centered on time-based selection, alignment, comparison, and difference visualization of field-captured and modeled digital content.
Time-based visual comparison using split view with movable cutting plane
Generating, by the 4-D construction modeling software, a visual comparison between the first digital content and the second digital content, wherein the visual comparison includes a split view with a movable cutting plane that controls where in a display area the first digital content or the second digital content is shown; and displaying the visual comparison in the UI.
Aligning field-captured digital content and modeled digital content selected at different times
Aligning the first digital content and the second digital content, wherein the first digital content is field-captured digital content and the second digital content is modeled digital content, and wherein the selected time for the second time channel is different than the selected time for the first time channel.
Cloud-based 4-D comparison service with digital content alignment service and 4-D difference engine
Storing a cloud-based four-dimensional (4-D) comparison service of a 4-D construction monitoring application that includes a digital content alignment service configured to receive and populate time channels for first and second sources and to align the first digital content and second digital content, and a 4-D difference engine configured to automatically compute differences between the first digital content and the second digital content.
Difference visualization using color or texture highlights for components
Providing a 4-D modeling client aligned views of the first digital content and the second digital content that include color or texture highlights indicating at least one component in the first digital content or the second digital content have a difference.
Automatic computation and visualization of differences between aligned digital contents
Automatically computing, by the 4-D construction monitoring software, differences between the first digital content and the second digital content; generating a visualization of the computed differences; and displaying the visualization of the computed differences in the UI.
Quantified differences for corresponding components using differing volume, area, length, or count
Automatically computing differences between the first digital content and the second digital content, wherein the method further determines, using 4-D construction monitoring software, a quantified difference in volume, area, length, or count between components in first and second digital content and displays that quantification in a UI.
The claims collectively cover user-interface driven selection of first and second sources with separate time channels for field-captured and modeled digital content, alignment of the selected digital contents, and display of a time-based visual comparison in the UI. The coverage further includes automated difference computation with visual indication, including color or texture highlights, and quantified difference reporting for corresponding components using differing volume, area, length, or count.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
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