Self-calibrated, remote imaging and data processing system
AssigneeVisual Intelligence, LP
InventorChester L. Smitherman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An imaging sensor system comprising: a rigid mount plate affixed to a vehicle; a first rigid mount unit affixed to the mount plate and having at least two imaging sensors disposed within the first mount unit, wherein a first imaging and a second imaging sensor each has a focal axis passing through an aperture in the first mount unit and the mount plate, wherein the first and second imaging sensor each generates a first array of pixels, wherein each array of pixels is at least two dimensional, wherein the first and second imaging sensors are offset to have a first image overlap area in the target area, wherein the first sensors image data bisects the second sensors image data in the first image overlap area.
Claims35
A system for generating a map, comprising:
- a global positioning receiver;
- a vehicle in alignment with a target area;
- an elevation measurement unit, in communication with the vehicle;
- a global positioning antenna, in communication with the vehicle;
- an attitude measurement unit, in communication with the vehicle;
- an imaging sensor system, disposed to the vehicle, comprising:
- a rigid mount plate affixed to the vehicle;
- a first rigid mount unit affixed to the mount plate and having at least two imaging sensors disposed within the first mount unit, wherein a first imaging sensor and a second imaging sensor each has a focal axis passing through an aperture in the first mount unit and the mount plate, wherein the first and second imaging sensor each generates a first data array of pixels, wherein each data array of pixels is at least two dimensional, wherein the first and second imaging sensors are offset to have a first image overlap area in the target area, wherein the first sensors image data bisects the second sensors image data in the first image overlap area;
- and
- a computer in communication with the elevation measurement unit, the global positioning antenna, the attitude measurement unit, the first imaging sensor, and the second imaging sensor;
- correlating at least a portion of the image areas from the first imaging sensor and the second imaging sensor to a portion of the target area based on input from one or more of:
- the elevation measurement unit, the global positioning antenna and the attitude measurement unit.
An imaging sensor system comprising:
- a rigid mount plate affixed to a vehicle in alignment with a target area;
- a first rigid mount unit affixed to the mount plate and having at least two imaging sensors disposed within the first mount unit, wherein a first imaging sensor and a second imaging sensor each has a focal axis passing through an aperture in the first mount unit and the mount plate, wherein the first and second imaging sensor each generates a first data array of pixels, wherein each data array of pixels is at least two dimensional, wherein the first and second imaging sensors are offset to have a first image overlap area in the target area, wherein the first sensors image data bisects the second sensors image data in the first image overlap area.
A method of calibrating imaging sensors comprising the steps of:
- performing an initial calibration of the imaging sensors comprising:
- determining the position of an AMU;
- determining the position of a first imaging sensor within a first rigid mount unit relative to the AMU;
- determining the position of a second imaging sensor within the first rigid mount unit relative to the AMU;
- calibrating the first imaging sensor against a target area and determining a boresight angle of the first imaging sensor;
- and
- calculating the position of one or more subsequent imaging sensors within the first rigid mount unit relative to the first imaging sensor;
- and
- calibrating the one or more subsequent imaging sensors using the boresight angle of the first imaging sensor;
- and
- using oversampling techniques to update at least one initial calibration parameter of the first imaging sensor against a target area and the boresight angle of the first imaging sensor;
- using oversampling techniques to update the position of one or more subsequent imaging sensors within the first rigid mount unit relative to the first imaging sensor;
- and
- updating at least one calibration parameter of one or more subsequent imaging sensors within the first rigid mount using the updated boresight angle of the first imaging sensor.
The method of 34, further comprising the steps of:
- using flight line oversampling techniques to update the position of the second imaging sensor within the first rigid mount unit relative to the first imaging sensor;
- using flight line oversampling techniques to update the position of one or more subsequent imaging sensors within the first rigid mount unit relative to the first imaging sensor;
- and
- updating at least one calibration parameter of one or more subsequent imaging sensors within the first rigid mount using the updated boresight angle of the first imaging sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.