US 2016/0105609 A1Published application

Panoramic View Imaging System With Laser Range Finding And Blind Spot Detection

AssigneeIEC Infrared Systems, LLC

InventorsRichard Pettegrew, John Paximadis

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Abstract

Example systems and methods acquire individual frames under a variety of different operating parameters. Example systems and methods then piece together strips of frames from the individual frames. Example systems and methods then produce a panoramic image from the strips of frames. Frames are acquired using different imaging parameters (e.g., focal length, pan position, tilt position) under different imaging conditions (e.g., temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, pan rate, tilt rate). Range information is acquired and associated with different locations (e.g., pixels) in frames. Range information may be acquired for some locations and estimated for other locations. Blind spots in a scene may be identified. Range information may then be retrieved quickly from the panoramic image or from a data structure associated with the panoramic image without having to find the range again.

Claims34

Dependent claims

A panoramic view imaging system (PVIS), comprising:

a visual light frame acquisition assembly comprising a lens and a sensor, where the visual light frame acquisition assembly produces a frame from light in a visible spectrum, where the light in the visible spectrum is acquired passively from a scene;
a rotational position controller that pans the visual light frame acquisition assembly through a range of horizontal imaging positions;
a rotational position encoder that produces data describing a rotational position at which light for the frame is acquired;
an elevation position controller that tilts the visual light frame acquisition assembly through a range of vertical imaging positions;
an elevation position encoder that produces data describing an elevation position at which light for the frame is acquired;
a zoom controller that changes the focal length of the visual light frame acquisition assembly;
an image processor that produces a panoramic image from a plurality of frames produced by the visual light frame acquisition assembly;
and
a range apparatus that produces range information for a plurality of locations in the frame;
where the plurality of frames are acquired under varying operating parameters including horizontal position, vertical position, target grid co-ordinates, pitch, yaw, field of view, focal length, depth of field, light intensity, angle of light, temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, pan rate, tilt rate, change in pan rate, or change in tilt rate,
where the panoramic image has a field of view greater in both a horizontal dimension and a vertical dimension than a single frame acquired by the visual light frame acquisition assembly,
where the panoramic image is produced without using a hemispherical mirror or a fisheye lens, and
where range information is associated with a plurality of locations in the panoramic image.

10 more elements

A panoramic imaging camera, comprising:

a first camera comprising a lens and a sensor, where the first camera produces frames from electromagnetic radiation in a first spectrum, where the electromagnetic radiation in the first spectrum is acquired passively, where a frame includes a pixel;
a second camera comprising a lens and a sensor, where the second camera produces frames from electromagnetic radiation in a second, different spectrum, where the electromagnetic radiation in the second spectrum is acquired passively, where a frame includes a pixel;
a range finding apparatus mounted co-axially with the first camera or the second camera;
a positioning apparatus configured to pan and tilt the panoramic imaging camera and the range finding apparatus, and to provide data about a pan and tilt orientation associated with the first camera or the second camera when a frame is acquired by the first camera or by the second camera, or to provide data about a pan and tilt orientation associated with the range finding apparatus;
a processor;
a memory;
a set of logics;
and
a hardware interface that connects the processor, the memory, the first camera, the second camera, the range finding apparatus and the set of logics;
the set of logics comprising:
a frame logic that produces an individual frame based on electromagnetic radiation acquired by the first camera or by the second camera;
a strip logic that produces a strip of frames pieced together from a plurality of individual frames produced by the frame logic;
a panorama logic that produces a panoramic image pieced together from two or more strips of frames produced by the strip logic;
a range logic that produces range information for a plurality of locations in the panoramic image;
and
a line of sight (LOS) logic that produces line of sight (LOS) information based on the range information.

13 more elements

A computerized method, comprising:

acquiring a first frame from a panoramic view imaging system (PVIS), where the first frame is acquired at a first pan and tilt orientation;
acquiring range information for one or more locations in the first frame;
selectively estimating range information for one or more additional locations in the first frame;
de-warping the first frame;
acquiring a second frame from the PVIS, where the second frame is acquired at a second pan and tilt orientation;
acquiring range information for one or more locations in the second frame;
selectively estimating range information for one or more additional locations in the second frame;
de-warping the second frame;
stitching together a composite image from the first frame and the second frame, where the composite image has a greater field of view than either the first frame or the second frame, where range information associated with a plurality of locations in the composite image is embedded in the composite image, or stored in a data structure separate from the composite image;
correcting the composite image;
and
displaying the composite image.

9 more elements

A computerized method for line of sight (LOS) blind spot analysis, comprising:

establishing a range finder at a location, where the location has an absolute location or a relative location;
defining a set of points to scan for range information with the range finder, where the set of points is defined by an azimuth range, an azimuth resolution, an elevation range, and an elevation resolution, where the set of points is oriented on the location;
acquiring range information for a first point in the set of points, where the range information is acquired at a first azimuth and a first elevation;
acquiring range information for a second point in the set of points, where the range information is acquired at a second azimuth and a second elevation;
computing the difference between a range associated with the first point, and a range associated with the second point;
upon determining that a difference between the range associated with the first point and the range associated with the second point is greater than a range threshold;
computing an azimuth and an elevation for a third point that bisects the first point and the second point;
acquiring range information for the third point;
computing an angular difference between the third point and the first point, and the third point and the second point;
upon determining that the angular difference between the third point and the first point or the third point and the second point is greater than an angular resolution threshold:
selecting a point from among the first point and the second point that has the lower angular difference from the third point;
and
acquiring range information from the point that has the lower angular difference from the third point;
accessing a panoramic image acquired from a panoramic view imaging system (PVIS), where the panoramic image is acquired over the set of points, where the panoramic image includes a set of frames, where a frame is acquired at a point in the set of points, where a frame includes a pixel;
generating an associated range data by associating a range data for a point in the set of points with a position in the panoramic image, where the range data and the position in the panoramic image were acquired at the same azimuth and elevation;
upon determining that a first position in the panoramic image does not have an associated range data:
generating an associated range data for the first position by interpolating a range value for the first position from a set of positions that have associated range data;
and
storing the associated range data in a data structure.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/865,799Filed 25 Sep 2015
Priority: 10 Oct 2014
Published: 14 Apr 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification32 codes

H04N 23/698
Control of cameras or camera modules: for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
G01C 3/08
Use of electric means to obtain final indication: use of electric radiation detectors
G01S 7/4808
Of systems according to group G01S17/00: evaluating distance, position or velocity data
G01S 17/42
Systems determining position data of a target: simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates