US Patent 7505609 Remote measurement of object orientation and position

Methods for using training images to define correlation strength surfaces about reference filters, permitting direct solution of position and orientation using images of a target object with only a few reference filters are disclosed. Correlations of selected reference filters with training images are used to develop expressions describing shapes of respective correlation surfaces at incremental changes relative to an aspect or range used for a filter. Correlations of target images with only a few reference filters may then be used to define target orientation and range in many real-world applications. A method for determining target object orientation and/or range based on interpolations, using results of correlations of a target image with composite filters having reduced sensitivities for different orientation axes, or range, is also disclosed. Techniques for using training images to create such composite filters are disclosed, as are extensions of methods to additional dimensions.