US 2023/0054256 A1 · Method and System for Locating a Light Source

Abstract

A method and system for locating a high-intensity target light source (26) from an elevated observation location (Po), for instance in an aircraft. The target light source is located at/near an earth surface portion (30) and amongst reference light sources (16, 24, 25) arranged along the surface portion. This target light source emits light (28) with a peak radiant intensity that exceeds the intensity of the reference light sources by at least one order of magnitude. The method includes: acquiring, with an image recording device located at the observation location, images of the light and light emitted the reference light sources; comparing the images and a digital ground map (50) that includes representations of the surface portion and of structures (20, 22) associated with the reference light sources, and estimating a location (Pt) of the target light source relative to the reference light sources, based on the comparison.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for locating a target light source, wherein the target light source is located at or near a portion of the earth's surface and amongst a plurality of reference light sources that are arranged along the surface portion, and the target light source emits light with a peak radiant intensity that exceeds the peak radiant intensity of the reference light sources by at least one order of magnitude, and wherein the method comprises:

acquiring, with an image recording device located at an observation location (Po) above the surface portion, for instance at or in an airborne aircraft, one or more images of the light and light emitted by a portion of the reference light sources;
comparing, with a processing unit, the one or more images and a digital ground map, DGM, wherein the DGM includes digital representations of the surface portion and of structures associated with the reference light sources, and;
estimating, with the processing unit, a location (Pt) of the target light source relative to the reference light sources, based on the comparison between the one or more images and the DGM.

A system for locating a target light source, wherein the target light source is located at or near a portion (30) of the earth's surface and amongst a plurality of reference light sources (16, 24, 25) that are arranged in an predetermined and essentially stationary spatial distribution along the earth surface portion, and the target light source emits light with a peak radiant intensity that exceeds the peak radiant intensity of the reference light sources by at least one order of magnitude, wherein the observation location is above and remote from the earth surface portion, and wherein the system comprises:

an image recording device, configured to acquire images of the target light source and of the directly surrounding part of the plurality of reference light sources;
a memory unit, provided with a digital ground map, DGM, which includes three-dimensional digital representations of the earth surface portion and the spatial distribution of the reference light sources;
a processing unit, configured to receive the images from the image recording device, to receive the DGM from the memory unit, and to compare the images and the DGM and estimate location (Pt) of the target light source at or near the earth surface portion and relative to the reference light sources.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and System for Locating a Light Source

Life of this patent

Method and System for Locating a Light Source

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15