US 11,636,671 B1Granted

Image acquisition planning systems and methods used to generate information for structures of interest

AssigneePointivo, Inc.

InventorsHabib Fathi, Daniel Ciprari, William Wilkins

Life of this patent

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Abstract

The present disclosure relates to improvements in systems and methods in acquiring images via imaging devices, where such imaging devices can be configured, in some implementations, with an unmanned aerial vehicle or other vehicle types, as well as being hand-held. Images are acquired from the imaging devices according to capture plans where useful information types about a structure of interest (or objects, items, etc.) can be derived from a structure image acquisition event. Images acquired from capture plans can be evaluated to generate improvements in capture plans for use in subsequent structure image acquisition events. Capture plans provided herein generate accurate information as to all or part of the structure of interest, where accuracy is in relation to the real-life structure incorporated in the acquired images.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method of generating a collection of information for a structure of interest in a scene comprising:

a. providing, by a user, a computer or an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a capture plan configured to generate information associated with a structure of interest in a scene in a first image capture event, wherein the capture plan is associated with one or more capture plan goals;
b. generating, by the computer or the UAV, capture plan instructions for operation of the UAV in the first image capture event, wherein the capture plan instructions comprise each of:
i. instructions for navigating the UAV proximate to the structure of interest;
and
ii. instructions for acquiring a plurality of images of the structure of interest;
c. executing, by the computer or the UAV, the capture plan instructions, thereby acquiring the plurality of images of the structure of interest and associated UAV operation information;
d. processing, by the computer or the UAV, the plurality of acquired images and the associated UAV operation information in real time or substantially in real time during the first image capture event;
e. generating, by the computer or the UAV, information for incorporation in a first collection of information in real time or substantially in real time during the first image capture event, wherein the information for incorporation comprises:
i. structure information including some of:
1. structure dimensions;
2. 3D structure information;
3. structure occlusions;
and
4. structure coverage;
ii. acquired image characteristics including an amount of overlap between images;
and
iii. UAV performance information;
f. comparing, by the computer or the UAV, the information incorporated in the first collection of information with the one or more capture plan goals in real time or substantially in real time during the first image capture event;
and
g. determining, by the computer or the UAV, in real time or substantially in real time during the first image capture event whether the structure information incorporated in the first collection of information will substantially meet the one or more capture plan goals at a completion of the first image capture event.

17 more elements

A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying at least one program executable in at least one computing device, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or a combination thereof, the at least one program, when executed by the at least one computing device, the UAV, or combination thereof being configured to cause the at least one computing device, the UAV, or combination thereof to at least:

a. generate capture plan instructions for operation of the UAV in a first image capture event, the capture plan instructions based at least in part upon a capture plan configured to generate information associated with a structure of interest in a scene, wherein the capture plan is associated with one or more capture plan goals and the capture plan instructions comprise each of:
i. instructions for navigating the UAV proximate to the structure of interest;
and
ii. instructions for acquiring a plurality of images of the structure of interest;
b. execute the capture plan instructions, thereby acquiring the plurality of images of the structure of interest and associated UAV operation information;
c. process the plurality of acquired images and the associated UAV operation information in real time or substantially in real time during the first image capture event;
d. generate information for incorporation in a first collection of information in real time or substantially in real time during the first image capture event, wherein the information for incorporation comprises:
i. structure information including some of:
1. structure dimensions;
2. 3D structure information;
3. structure occlusions;
and
4. structure coverage;
ii. acquired image characteristics including an amount of overlap between images;
and
iii. UAV performance information;
e. compare the information incorporated in the first collection of information with the one or more capture plan goals in real time or substantially in real time during the first image capture event;
and
f. determine in real time or substantially in real time during the first image capture event whether the structure information incorporated in the first collection of information will substantially meet the one or more capture plan goals at a completion of the first image capture event.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/411,392Filed 25 Aug 2021 · continuation
Priority: 13 Jun 2018
Granted: 25 Apr 2023
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

G06V 20/176
Terrestrial scenes: urban or other man-made structures
G05D 1/2465
Using environment maps, e.g. simultaneous localisation and mapping [SLAM]: using a 3D model of the environment
G05D 1/648
Intended control result: performing a task within a working area or space, e.g. cleaning
G05D 1/689
Interaction with payloads or external entities: pointing payloads towards fixed or moving targets