Point Processes of Segments and Rectangles for Building Extraction from Digital Elevation Models

In this work, we propose a new model based on stochastic geometry for extracting features from images. This type of model allows the incorporation of a prior knowledge on the interactions between features within the extraction process. We focus on the specific problem of automatic building extraction from digital elevation models (DEMs). The model we propose is based on two interacting spatial point processes, the former being a process of rectangles, the latter a process of segments. An energy associated with the resulting process is defined. This energy consists in five main parts. We first define two energy data terms to make the rectangles fit the homogeneous areas and the segments fit meaningful discontinuities. Two prior terms favoring respectively the alignment of rectangles and the connection of segments are incorporated. The last part of the energy is an interaction term that makes the two types of objects cooperate. We present results on real data provided by the IGN (French Geographic Institute)