Earl T Birdsall

US Patent:

7720605, May 18, 2010

Filed:

Jun 22, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/767084

Inventors:

Jeffrey J Welty - Tacoma WA, US
Earl T Birdsall - Federal Way WA, US
Robert K McKinney - Lake Tapps WA, US

Assignee:

Weyerhaeuser NR Company - Federal Way WA

International Classification:

G01V 3/38

US Classification:

702 2

Abstract:

Aspects of the present invention are directed at using LiDAR data to identify attributes of vegetation. In this regard, a method is provided that identifies the location of individual items of vegetation from raw LiDAR data. In one embodiment, the method includes selecting a coordinate position represented in the LiDAR data that generated a return signal. Then, a determination is made regarding whether the selected coordinate position is inside a geographic area allocated to a previously identified item of vegetation. If the selected coordinate position is not within a geographic area allocated to a previously identified item of vegetation, the method determines that the selected coordinate position is associated with a new item of vegetation. In this instance, a digital representation of the new item of vegetation is generated.

US Patent:

7974813, Jul 5, 2011

Filed:

Feb 18, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/707857

Inventors:

Jeffrey Jay Welty - Tacoma WA, US
Earl T. Birdsall - Federal Way WA, US
Robert K. McKinney - Lake Tapps WA, US

Assignee:

Weyerhaeuser NR Company - Federal Way WA

International Classification:

G01S 13/00

US Classification:

702143

Abstract:

Aspects of the present invention are directed at using LiDAR data to identify attributes of vegetation. In this regard, a method is provided that identifies the location of individual items of vegetation from raw LiDAR data. In one embodiment, the method includes selecting a coordinate position represented in the LiDAR data that generated a return signal. Then, a determination is made regarding whether the selected coordinate position is inside a geographic area allocated to a previously identified item of vegetation. If the selected coordinate position is not within a geographic area allocated to a previously identified item of vegetation, the method determines that the selected coordinate position is associated with a new item of vegetation. In this instance, a digital representation of the new item of vegetation is generated.

US Patent:

20080319673, Dec 25, 2008

Filed:

Jun 22, 2007

Appl. No.:

11/767050

Inventors:

Jeffrey Jay Welty - Tacoma WA, US
Earl T. Birdsall - Federal Way WA, US
Robert K. McKinney - Lake Tapps WA, US

Assignee:

Weyerhaeuser Co. - Federal Way WA

International Classification:

G01S 17/89
G01V 3/38

US Classification:

702 5

Abstract:

Aspects of the present invention are directed at using LiDAR data to identify attributes of vegetation. In this regard, a method is provided that allocates points to individual items of vegetation from raw LiDAR data. In one embodiment, the method includes selecting a coordinate position represented in the LiDAR data that generated a return signal. Then, a determination is made regarding whether the selected coordinate position is inside a geographic area allocated to a previously identified item of vegetation. If the selected coordinate position is not within a geographic area allocated to a previously identified item of vegetation, the method determines that the selected coordinate position is associated with a new item of vegetation. In this instance, a digital representation of the new item of vegetation is generated.