Wire detection procedure for low-flying aircraft
AssigneeAstrium GmbH
InventorChristoph Schaefer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In an obstacle device, a front end range imaging sensor is used to scan the viewing field relative to the aircraft, while a navigation system provides information concerning the postion and altitude of the aircraft. A data processor uses these data to generate 3-d scene vectors, such that every range image is converted into a measurement point set, from which the presence of cables or wires is detected using a wire detection procedure based on the Hough Transform. For this purpose, an HT acceleration board is provided, which needs not perform complex floating point operations. The processed results are then input to an evaluation module, which determines whether any detected wires are proximate to the position of the aircraft.
Claims7
A process for real-time wire detection for an aircraft, said process comprising:
- scanning of a field of view ahead of the aircraft by means of a range image sensor;
- generating a set of measurement points, using information output by the range image sensor and information output by a navigation system as input, a measurement point being defined by its three position coordinates in a terrestrial coordinate system;
- eliminating from the set of measurement points those measurement points from the point set which correspond to ground;
- detecting horizontal lines within the set of measurement points, employing a Hough transform;
- and
- detecting slack wires within vertical planes which contain a detected horizontal line, employing a Hough transform;
- wherein execution of each Hough transform is performed in two stages, the first stage being a discrete Hough transform, and the second being a fuzzy Hough transform.
Apparatus for real-time obstacle detection for an aircraft, said apparatus comprising:
- a range image sensor mounted on said aircraft for scanning a field-of-view ahead of the aircraft;
- a navigation system mounted on said aircraft;
- a data processor;
- and
- an HT acceleration board;
- wherein said data processor and said HT acceleration board are configured for cooperation to perform the following steps,
- generating a set of measurement points, using information output by the range image sensor and information output by a navigation system as input, a measurement point being defined by its three position coordinates in a terrestrial coordinate system;
- eliminating from the set of measurement points those measurement points from the point set which correspond to ground;
- detecting horizontal lines within the set of measurement points, employing a Hough transform;
- and
- detecting slack wires within vertical planes which contain a detected horizontal line, employing a Hough transform;
- wherein execution of each Hough transform is performed in two stages, the first stage being a discrete Hough transform, and the second being a fuzzy Hough transform.
Apparatus for real-time obstacle detection for an aircraft having a range image sensor for scanning a field of view ahead of the aircraft and a navigation system for generating information concerning position and attitude of said aircraft, said apparatus comprising:
- a data processor;
- and
- an HT acceleration board;
- wherein said data processor and said HT acceleration board are configured to cooperate in performing the following steps,
- generating a set of measurement points, using information output by the range image sensor and information output by a navigation system as input, a measurement point being defined by its three position coordinates in a terrestrial coordinate system;
- eliminating from the set of measurement points those measurement points from the point set which correspond to ground;
- detecting horizontal lines within the set of measurement points, employing a Hough transform;
- and
- detecting slack wires within vertical planes which contain a detected horizontal line, employing a Hough transform;
- wherein execution of each Hough transform is performed in two stages, the first stage being a discrete Hough transform, and the second being a fuzzy Hough transform.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.