Feature tracking with temporal scale space modelling

This study investigates the extension of scale space techniques for manipulating image sequences for extracting and classifying useful information for further vision processes toward image understanding and sequentially facilitating the acquisition phase of Geographic Information Systems. More precisely, the basic concepts, axioms and the implementational issues of multi-resolution approaches will be discussed for treating continuous monotonic scale changes in images taken in a dynamic environment as in the case when a mobile mapping system captures images at constant time intervals. Moreover, discussion will be devoted to the scale variations and resolution issues, in a stereo-pair and within a sequence, and consequently to the use of an operator with adaptable size for tracking and interpreting spatial scale changes with respect to the registered object space. The analysis of a set of images representing the same object space and by using scale space tracing techniques supported with scale changes in temporal basis results to the characterization of features in which their precise localization is extracted by applying a multiple image matching framework, satisfying a set of criteria and taking into account the geometric and radiometric dissimilarities for accommodating the scale differences. Finally, the above framework can be applied to the localization and to the archiving of traffic signs, reaching high levels of automation in real time in a controlled environment, to the registration of the road centerline and to the post-processing of sequences for producing DEMs and Orthoimagery.