Automatic Registration of Multi-Temporal 3D Models Based on Phase Congruency Method

The application prospects of multi-temporal 3D models are broad. It is difficult to ensure that multi-temporal 3D models have a consistent spatial reference. In this study, a method for automatic alignment of multi-temporal 3D models based on phase congruency (PC) matching is proposed. Firstly, the texture image of the multi-temporal 3D model is obtained, and the key points are extracted from the texture image. Secondly, the affine model between the plane of the key point and its corresponding tile triangle is established, and the 2D coordinates of the key point are mapped to 3D spatial coordinates. Thirdly, multi-temporal 3D model matching is completed based on PC to obtain a large number of evenly distributed corresponding points. Finally, the parameters of the 3D transformation model are estimated based on the multi-temporal corresponding points, and the vertex update of the 3D model is completed. The first experiment demonstrates that the method proposed in this study performs remarkably well in improving the positioning accuracy of feature point coordinates, effectively reducing the mean error of the systematic error to below 0.001 m. The second experiment further reveals the significant impact of different 3D transformation models. The experimental results show that the coordinates obtained based on position and orientation system (POS) data have significant positioning errors, while the method proposed in this study can reduce the coordinate errors between the two-period models. Due to the fact that this method does not require obtaining ground control points (GCPs) and does not require manual measurement for 3D geometric registration, its application to multi-temporal 3D models can ensure high-precision spatial referencing for multi-temporal 3D models, streamlining processes to reduce resource intensity and enhancing economic efficiency.