# US 8,542,286 B2 · Large format digital camera with multiple optical systems and detector arrays > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,542,286 B2 - Document ID: US8542286B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/624,454 - Filed: 2009-11-24 - Published: 2011-05-26 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2009-11-24 - Assignees: Microsoft Corporation - Applicants: Michael Gruber; Martin Josef Ponticelli - Inventors: Michael Gruber; Martin Josef Ponticelli - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8542286B2 ## CPC - H04N 23/90: Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums - G01C 11/025: {by scanning the object} - G03B 37/04: with cameras or projectors providing touching or overlapping fields of view - H04N 23/45: for generating image signals from two or more image sensors being of different type or operating in different modes, e.g. with a CMOS sensor for moving images in combination with a charge-coupled device [CCD] for still images - H04N 23/698: for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) ## Abstract A large format digital camera has a primary camera system configured for collecting panchromatic image data and a secondary camera system configured for collecting color image data. The secondary camera system has an optical system that has a longer focal length than the optical system of the primary camera system. The resolution of the secondary camera system is greater than the resolution of the primary camera system. The footprint of images produced by the primary camera system is larger in size than the footprint of images produced by the secondary camera system. Images produced by the primary camera system offer information for performing image-based georeferencing by means of photogrammetric triangulation. Images produced by the secondary camera system offer a high-resolution narrow angle color image suitable for use in ortho image production. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A large format framing camera, comprising: a first camera system configured for collecting panchromatic image data, the first camera system comprising a first optical system having a first focal length; and a second camera system configured for collecting color image data, the second camera system comprising a second optical system having a second focal length, and wherein the second focal length is longer than the first focal length, wherein a radiometric resolution of the second camera system is greater than the radiometric resolution of the first camera system, and wherein an image capture trigger for the second camera system being at a higher rate than an image capture trigger for the first camera system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The large format camera of claim 1, wherein the first camera system further comprises an electro-optical detector array having a first resolution for collecting the panchromatic image data, wherein the second camera system further comprises an electro-optical detector array having a second resolution for collecting the color image data, and wherein the second resolution is greater than the first resolution. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The large format camera of claim 2, wherein the first camera system has a first footprint, wherein the second camera system has a second footprint, and wherein the second footprint is smaller than the first footprint. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The large format camera of claim 3, wherein the second footprint covers a center of the first footprint. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The large format camera of claim 4, wherein the large format camera is configured to output a first image comprising the panchromatic image data and a second image comprising the color image data. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The large format camera of claim 5, wherein the first camera system and the second camera system are mounted within a single housing. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The large format camera of claim 6, wherein the first camera system and the second camera system are configured to generate a sequence of consecutive first and second images, wherein consecutive first images overlap one another, consecutive second images overlap one another, and wherein the overlap of the first images is greater than the overlap of the second images. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The large format camera of claim 7, wherein the first images are used in a photogrammetric workflow that includes image-based geo-referencing and digital surface modeling. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The large format camera of claim 8, wherein the second images are used in a photogrammetric workflow that includes ortho-image production. ### Claim 10 A large format framing camera, comprising: a first camera system configured for collecting panchromatic image data, the first camera system comprising a first optical system having a first focal length and being configured output a first image comprising the panchromatic image data, the first image having a first footprint; and a second camera system configured for collecting color image data, the second camera system comprising a second optical system having a second focal length and being configured to output a second image comprising the color image data, the second image having a second footprint, and wherein the second focal length is longer than the first focal length and the second footprint is smaller than the first footprint, wherein an image capture trigger for the second camera system being at a higher rate than an image capture trigger for the first camera system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The large format camera of claim 10, wherein the second footprint covers a center of the first footprint. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The large format camera of claim 11, wherein the first camera system and the second camera system are mounted within a single housing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The large format camera of claim 12, wherein the first camera system further comprises an electro-optical detector array having a first resolution for collecting the panchromatic image data, wherein the second camera system further comprises an electro-optical detector array having a second resolution for collecting the color image data, and wherein the second resolution is greater than the first resolution. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The large format camera of claim 13, wherein the first camera system and the second camera system are configured to generate a sequence of consecutive first and second images, wherein consecutive first images overlap one another, consecutive second images overlap one another, and wherein the overlap of the first images is greater than the overlap of the second images. ### Claim 15 A large format framing camera, comprising: a housing; a first camera system mounted within the housing and configured for collecting panchromatic image data, the first camera system comprising a first optical system having a first focal length and an electro-optical detector array having a first resolution for collecting the panchromatic image data; and a second camera system mounted within the housing configured for collecting color image data, the second camera system comprising a second optical system having a second focal length and an electro-optical detector array having a second resolution for collecting the color image data, and wherein the second focal length is longer than the first focal length and the second resolution is greater than the first resolution, the color image data collected by the second camera system being stitched to corresponding panchromatic image data collected by the first camera system based on a calibration object wherein an image capture trigger for the second camera system being at a higher rate than an image capture trigger for the first camera system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The large format camera of claim 15, wherein the first camera system has a first footprint, wherein the second camera system has a second footprint, wherein the second footprint is smaller than the first footprint, and wherein the second footprint covers a center of the first footprint. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The large format camera of claim 16, wherein the large format camera is configured to output a first image comprising the panchromatic image data and a second image comprising the color image data. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The large format camera of claim 17, wherein the first camera system is configured to generate a consecutive sequence of first images and the second camera system is configured to generate a consecutive sequence of second images, wherein consecutive first images overlap one another, consecutive second images overlap one another, and wherein the overlap of the first images is greater than the overlap of the second images. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The large format camera of claim 18, wherein the first images are used in a photogrammetric workflow that includes image-based geo-referencing and digital surface modeling and wherein the second images are suitable for ortho-image production.