Intelligent Cloud Patching

Feature Description

Optical remote sensing imagery is susceptible to interference from atmospheric clouds and their shadows during the imaging process, leading to the loss of some ground information. Features in cloud-covered areas cannot be effectively captured, and cloud shadow areas also affect surface reflectance, causing spectral distortion of features and color distortion of the imagery. These issues may lead to misidentification in subsequent imagery analysis, resulting in decreased accuracy.

To efficiently address the above issues, SuperMap iDesktopX provides an interactive cloud patching function. This function supports automatic identification and manual editing of the cloud area to be patched, while also allowing flexible specification of alternate image data. It enables rapid image patching and replacement through human-computer interaction.

When using this function, please note the following:

  • Ensure that the image to be repaired and the alternate image have the same pixel format, number of bands, and coordinate system.
  • The image to be repaired must have undergone orthorectification.

Function Entry

Imagery tab ->Satellite image processing group ->Intelligent cloud patching.

Operation Instructions

  1. Start the Function

    Click the Imagery tab ->Satellite image processing group ->Intelligent cloud patching button.

  2. Set the Image to be Repaired

    The following four methods are supported for adding images, in formats: .tiff, .tif, .img, .pix.

    • Add File: Select one or more image files from a local folder.
    • Add Folder: Select a local folder, and all image files meeting the format requirements in that folder and its subfolders will be automatically retrieved.
    • Add List: Select a local manifest file (*.csv), and all image files meeting the format requirements will be retrieved in batches based on the file information in the list.
    • Add Mosaic Data: Select a mosaic dataset that is already open in the current workspace.

    If adding via the first three methods, you need to set the output data source and dataset to manage the image to be repaired as a mosaic dataset; no settings are needed if only a mosaic dataset is used.

    After adding the image to be repaired, click the Next Step button.

  3. Set the Cloud Zone Extents

    • Data source:
      • Existing data (default): Select the data source and dataset of the existing cloud zone vector data.
      • Cloud detection: Automatically identify cloud areas based on mask pixel threshold. Processing time may be longer.
    • Output result: Specify the data source and dataset for storing the cloud zone range data.
    • Edit the cloud zone: Click the Edit button to the right of the result dataset to manually modify the cloud zone range in the map. For details, refer to Feature Editing.

    After completing the cloud zone range settings, click the Next Step button.

  4. Set the Alternate Image

    • Add an alternate image: The addition method is the same as setting the image to be repaired.
    • Set the sorting method: Multiple sorting methods are provided. The default sorting method is Priority cloud area range. You can also choose Priority time, Priority resolution, Priority sensor, or Priority similarity to sort the images. When set to Priority cloud area range, you can add cloud zone information via Existing data or Cloud detection.

    After completing the alternate image settings, click the Next Step button.

  5. Confirm and Adjust the Alternate Image

    The system automatically recommends alternate images and displays them in a list. After selecting a row record, you can view the alternate image, cloud zone range, etc., in the preview area on the right.

    • Re-specify the alternate image: Click the drop-down button in the alternate image column cell, then re-specify the alternate image through the following two methods.
      • Select from the list: Find and check (checkbox selected means enabled) the desired alternate image in the drop-down options.
      • Add from local: Click the More button, browse and select image files from a local directory to add.
    • Adjust the alternate image order: Click the drop-down button in the alternate image cell -> the Move Up arrow on the right side of the option to adjust the order of the alternate images. The system will perform patching in this new order.
    • Preview area description:
      • Show alternate images: Controls the visibility of alternate images for easy viewing of their effects. It is unchecked by default, meaning alternate images are not shown.
      • Displays the cloud zone: Controls whether to display the cloud zone range data, facilitating checking whether the alternate image can effectively cover this area. It is checked by default, meaning the cloud zone range data is displayed.
      • Full view: The preview window supports zooming and browsing by scrolling data. This checkbox allows zooming back to see the global effect.

    After confirming and adjusting the alternate images, click the Next Step button.

  6. Perform Cloud Patching

    • Color balancing method:
      • Adaptive color uniformity (default): An adaptive method combining global and local color consistency processing. It can adaptively process the image without specifying a color balancing template.
      • No color balancing: No image color balancing processing is performed.
    • Expand range: The system first buffers the cloud zone data based on the extended distance, then performs patching based on the buffered range to ensure complete coverage of the cloud zone. The default value is 100, in pixels.
    • Number of feathered pixels: Set the number of feathered pixels at the image stitching seam. The default value is 0.
    • Output path: Set the storage path for the alternate result image. The output result includes the following:
      • Cloud-free image folder: Contains all cloud-free image data from the image to be repaired.
      • Cloudy image folder: Contains all cloudy image data from the image to be repaired.
      • Patched image folder: Contains the image data that has undergone cloud patching.
      • Cloud.udbx data source: Stores the cloud zone range data for the image to be repaired.
    • Substitute preview: After setting the preview resolution, you can click the preview button on the right to view the image substitution effect.

    After completing all parameters, click the OK button to execute the image cloud patching operation.

Related Topics

Image Color Balancing

True Color Output

Image Mosaic