# US 12,010,428 B2 · Controlling a line of sight angle of an imaging platform > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,010,428 B2 - Document ID: US12010428B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/737,554 - Filed: 2022-05-05 - Published: 2022-08-18 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2015-08-07 - Assignees: Planet Labs Pbc - Applicants: Planet Labs PBC - Inventors: M. Dirk Robinson; Jonathan Dyer; Joshua Levine; Brendan Hermalyn; Ronny Votel; Matt William Messana - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12010428B2 ## CPC - H04N 23/687: {by shifting the lens or sensor position} - G01C 11/02: Picture taking arrangements specially adapted for photogrammetry or photographic surveying, e.g. controlling overlapping of pictures - G02B 27/64: Imaging systems using optical elements for stabilisation of the lateral and angular position of the image - H04N 23/6811: {based on the image signal} - H04N 23/685: {performed by mechanical compensation} - H04N 23/6812: {based on additional sensors, e.g. acceleration sensors} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract Systems and methods of capturing imagery are provided. In particular, an imaging platform can be configured to capture imagery using a dual-axis steering mirror and one or more image capture devices. The line of sight angle of the imaging platform can be controlled by controlling the motion of the steering mirror in accordance with a motion profile. In example embodiments, the motion profile can correspond to a sawtooth wave. The imaging platform can further include one or more position sensors used to determine a position and/or orientation of the imaging platform along a path on which the imaging platform travels. The motion of the steering mirror can then be controlled to rotate about a first axis and a second axis to compensate for line of sight errors based at least in part on the determined position and/or orientation. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method of controlling an imaging platform, the method comprising: determining a motion profile for a dual-axis steering mirror associated with an imaging platform, wherein the motion profile is determined, at least in part, such that a line of sight angle of one or more imaging devices associated with the imaging platform changes to reduce or eliminate relative motion between the imaging platform and a region of interest; controlling the motion of the dual-axis steering mirror based at least in part on the motion profile to capture a sequence of image frames of at least a portion of a region of interest during one or more integration time periods, wherein the motion profile controls the motion of the dual-axis steering mirror to rotate about a first axis and a second axis during the one or more integration time periods as the imaging platform travels along a path on which the imaging platform travels; linking successive image frames together based on one or more overlapping regions within the sequence of image frames to form a reconstructed image; and modifying the motion of the dual-axis steering mirror based on the motion profile, to rotate about the first axis and the second axis based on correcting one or more misalignments within the reconstructed image. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein linking successive image frames together further comprises: determining an amount of overlap within the one or more overlapping regions corresponding to a size capture area of a staring sensor; and determining the one or more integration time periods such that the one or more integration time periods are spaced a distance apart to capture the sequence of image frames at a frequency that provides overlapping measurements the size of the capture area of the staring sensor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein linking successive image frames together further comprises: determining an amount of overlap within the one or more overlapping regions corresponding to a frequency at which the image frames are captured; and determining the one or more integration time periods such that the one or more integration time periods are spaced a distance apart to capture the sequence of image frames at the frequency, wherein a region of interest is overlapped among neighboring image frames. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein linking successive image frames together further comprises: determining an amount of overlap within the one or more overlapping regions corresponding to a distance between the imaging platform and a region of interest; and determining the one or more integration time periods such that the one or more integration time periods are spaced a distance apart to capture the sequence of image frames at a frequency that provides overlapping measurements that are a size of the region of interest. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein neighboring image fames are registered to provide the reconstructed image of a region of interest. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein registration is based at least in part on a correlation of a portion of image data and an overlap between successive sub-images. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The computer-implemented method of claim 5, wherein based on registering the neighboring image frames, deviations in the motion of the imaging platform from an expected direction of travel are corrected based on one or more misalignments within the reconstructed image. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, the computer-implemented method further comprising: identifying blur in at least one of the captured image frames; and controlling the motion of the dual-axis steering mirror based at least in part on identified blur, wherein controlling the motion of the dual-axis steering mirror comprises controlling the dual-axis steering mirror to rotate about a first axis and a second axis. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the motion profile comprises a sawtooth wave with one or more snapback segments according to which the dual-axis steering mirror is to be moved, and wherein the one or more snapback segments are determined such that the one or more integration time periods facilitate images captured at a frequency that provides overlapping measurements of a region of interest among neighboring image frames. ### Claim 10 A computing system, comprising: one or more processors; and one or more memory devices, the one or more memory devices storing computer-readable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising: determining a motion profile for a dual-axis steering mirror associated with an imaging platform, wherein the motion profile is determined, at least in part, such that a line of sight angle of one or more imaging devices associated with the imaging platform changes to reduce or eliminate relative motion between the imaging platform and a region of interest; controlling the motion of the dual-axis steering mirror based at least in part on the motion profile to capture a sequence of image frames of at least a portion of a region of interest during one or more integration time periods, wherein the motion profile controls the motion of the dual-axis steering mirror to rotate about a first axis and a second axis during the one or more integration time periods as the imaging platform travels along a path on which the imaging platform travels; linking successive image frames together based on one or more overlapping regions within the sequence of image frames to form a reconstructed image; and modifying the motion of the dual-axis steering mirror to rotate about the first axis and the second axis based on correcting one or more misalignments within the reconstructed image. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The computing system of claim 10, the operations further comprising: determining an amount of overlap within the one or more overlapping regions corresponding to a size capture area of a staring sensor; and determining the one or more integration time periods such that the one or more integration time periods are spaced a distance apart to capture the sequence of image frames at a frequency that provides overlapping measurements the size of the capture area of the staring sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The computing system of claim 10, the operations further comprising: determining an amount of overlap within the one or more overlapping regions corresponding to a frequency at which the image frames are captured; and determining the one or more integration time periods such that the one or more integration time periods are spaced a distance apart to capture the sequence of image frames at the frequency, wherein a region of interest is overlapped among neighboring image frames. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The computing system of claim 10, the operations further comprising: determining an amount of overlap within the one or more overlapping regions corresponding to a distance between the imaging platform and a region of interest; and determining the one or more integration time periods such that the one or more integration time periods are spaced a distance apart to capture the sequence of image frames at a frequency that provides overlapping measurements that are a size of the region of interest. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The computing system of claim 10, wherein neighboring image fames are registered to provide the reconstructed image of a region of interest. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The computing system of claim 14, wherein registration is based at least in part on a correlation of a portion of image data and an overlap between successive sub-images. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The computing system of claim 14, wherein based on registering the neighboring image frames, deviations in the motion of the imaging platform from an expected direction of travel are corrected based on one or more misalignments within the reconstructed image. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The computing system of claim 10, the operations further comprising: identifying blur in at least one of the captured image frames; and controlling the motion of the dual-axis steering mirror based at least in part on identified blur, wherein controlling the motion of the dual-axis steering mirror comprises controlling the dual-axis steering mirror to rotate about a first axis and a second axis. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The computing system of claim 10, wherein the motion profile comprises a sawtooth wave with one or more snapback segments according to which the dual-axis steering mirror is to be moved, and wherein the one or more snapback segments are determined such that the one or more integration time periods facilitate images captured at a frequency that provides overlapping measurements of a region of interest among neighboring image frames. ### Claim 19 A computer-implemented method of controlling an imaging platform, the method comprising: determining a motion profile for a dual-axis steering mirror associated with an imaging platform, wherein the motion profile is determined, at least in part, such that a line of sight angle of one or more imaging devices associated with the imaging platform changes to reduce or eliminate relative motion between the imaging platform and a region of interest, wherein the motion profile comprises a sawtooth wave with one or more snapback segments according to which the dual-axis steering mirror is to be moved; controlling the motion of the dual-axis steering mirror based at least in part on the motion profile to capture a sequence of image frames of at least a portion of a region of interest during one or more integration time periods, wherein the motion profile controls the motion of the dual-axis steering mirror to rotate about a first axis and a second axis during the one or more integration time periods as the imaging platform travels along a path on which the imaging platform travels; and linking successive image frames together based on one or more overlapping regions within the sequence of image frames to form a reconstructed image. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The computer-implemented method of claim 19, wherein the one or more snapback segments are determined such that the one or more integration time periods facilitate images captured at a frequency that provides overlapping measurements of a region of interest among neighboring image frames.