1 
THE UNIVERSAL AUTOMATIC 
MAP COMPILATION EQUIPMENT 
By Dr. Sidney Bertram 
THE BUNKER-RAMO CORPORATION 
Canoga Park, California 
ORTHOPHOTO ALTITUDE CHART 
MAP SHEETS PREPARED BY AUTOMATIC MAP COMPILATION SYSTEM 
ABSTRACT 
The Universal Automatic Map Compilation 
Equipment nearing completion at The Bunker- 
Ramo Corporation is being developed to auto 
matically produce accurate orthophotos and alti 
tude charts in a map-production environment. It 
will serve as a precision comparator and, using 
the equipment computer, will perform orientation 
calculations to obtain the data required for the 
compilation operation. 
The equipment consists of four identical scan 
ning tables, a control console, a Bunker-Ramo 
Model 133 Digital Computer with input/output 
equipment, and associated electronics. Any one of 
the four tables can be used to carry a diapositive 
during compilation or comparator operations or 
to carry a film sheet for exposure of the ortho 
photo or altitude chart during compilation. 
As a compilation instrument, the computer 
directs the centering of synchronous electronic 
scans on small areas of a stereo pair of photo 
graphs that correspond to a given geographic 
position at an estimated altitude. Electronic cor 
relators and auxiliary circuitry determine the 
error in the height, and thereby permit the com 
puter to correct its estimate and to make an esti 
mate for the next point in a profiling sequence. 
The height is used to prepare a chart showing the 
altitude contours in the area; the signal obtained 
by scanning one of the photographs is used to 
create a new photograph —the orthophoto — 
wherein height parallax displacements have been 
removed so the image detail appears in correct 
map relationship. 
The console includes an electronic stereoviewer 
for monitoring of the operation during compila 
tion and for use during stereo comparator meas 
urements. A reference viewer produces a spot 
of light on a print of one of the diapositives to 
indicate the general area under observation at a 
given time. 
The equipment is designed to perform one hun 
dred altitude measurements per second; detailed 
9 by 18 inch, 100% lap, 30-degree convergent 
stereo pairs can be compiled in less than three 
hours with an expected accuracy corresponding to 
a C-factor of 5000. Smaller models and/or a 
reduced accuracy requirement would require lower 
compilation times per model. 
The equipment permits the operator to outline 
possible trouble areas before a compilation is 
started and to command appropriate action to be 
taken when the areas are examined during com 
pilation. For example, over water areas, the oper 
ator would instruct the computer to ignore 
indicated altitude changes, thus preventing it 
from following the bottom (where it can be seen 
through the water). 
The scale of the orthophoto and altitude chart 
can be selected independently of the scale of the 
input photography. The equipment can form 
mosaics at a reduced scale from contiguous stereo 
pairs. 
When operated as a comparator, the equipment 
permits virtually simultaneous stereo measure 
ments on common areas on four diapositives — 
one on each table. A measurement error of less 
than 4[i rms is expected for such operations.