US 5,473,364 A · Video technique for indicating moving objects from a movable platform

Abstract

An imaging technique, suitable for surveillance use by a moving robotic vehicle carrying two spatially displaced fixed cameras aligned with the direction of travel or, alternatively, a single camera movable to either of two positions on the vehicle corresponding to the positions occupied by the fixed cameras, is capable in a moving object indicator mode of deriving first image data of a viewed scene at a first time from a first position with respect to the vehicle and of deriving second image data of the viewed scene at a second time from a second position with respect to the vehicle that is spatially displaced a given distance from the first position such that the spatial position with respect to the viewed scene depicted by the second image data at least approximates the spatial position with respect to the viewed scene depicted by the first image data. As an aid to detecting driving hazards encountered by the moving vehicle, the imaging technique may also be operated in a stereo-vision mode, in which the first and second image data is derived at the same time from the same angle of gaze of the viewed scene.

Claims12

Dependent claims

In apparatus for viewing a 3-dimensional scene from a moving platform, wherein said 3-dimensional scene may include objects at different distances from said moving platform;

said apparatus comprising:
means including camera means situated on said moving platform that points said camera means in a predetermined direction toward said scene for deriving first image data of said scene at a first earlier time from a first position with respect to said moving platform and that points said camera means in substantially the same predetermined direction toward said scene for deriving second image data of said scene at a second later time from a second position with respect to said moving platform that is spatially displaced a given distance from said first position such that the spatial position with respect to said viewed scene depicted by said second image data at least approximates the spatial position with respect to said viewed scene depicted by said first image data, whereby said first and second image data results in minimizing the depiction of parallax between relatively near and far objects in said 3-dimensional scene caused by movement of said moving platform;
and
image processing means responsive to said first and second image data for deriving information therefrom that indicates those objects in said viewed scene that are moving with respect to stationary objects in said viewed scene and substantially removes any indication of said stationary objects in said viewed scene.

1 more element

In apparatus comprising means including camera means situated on said moving platform for viewing a 3-dimensional scene from a moving platform, and image processing means responsive to image data from said means including camera means;

wherein:
said moving platform comprises a vehicle that is movable in a given direction of travel;
and
said means including camera means comprises a bar oriented substantially in a horizontal plane that is rotatably mounted to said vehicle at a given point of said bar in between opposite ends thereof for rotation of said bar about a substantially vertical axis, first and second cameras respectively attached to said bar on either side of said given point toward the opposite ends of said bar with said first camera occupying said first position and said second camera occupying said second position.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Video technique for indicating moving objects from a movable platform

Life of this patent

Video technique for indicating moving objects from a movable platform

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12