System and method of presenting altitude visibility information provision system utilizing satellite image, and system and method of recognizing flight obstacle

• US 20030081812A1
• Filed: 09/23/2002
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Mitsubishi Space Software Company Limited (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Hiromichi, Homma, Kohzo, Kitagata, Satoru
• Granted Patent: US 7,046,824 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 5/005 altimeters for aircraft G01C5/02, G01C5/06 take precedence

Abstract

An altitude visibility information provision system and a flight obstacle recognition system of the invention are formed by a satellite image analysis and processing apparatus and an altitude visibility information preservation apparatus. The satellite image analysis and processing apparatus includes: a DEM extraction unit for extracting digital elevation model information having topography data and steeple-shaped building data from satellite image information of stereopairs differing in resolution obtained by picking up an image of ground surface and received from an observation satellite on an orbit round the earth via a communication line and high resolution satellite image information processed based on the satellite image information; a topography situation recognition unit for discriminating a kind of topography and recognizing a topographic situation from the topography data of the digital elevation model information; a steeple-shaped building recognition unit for recognizing shape and location information of steeple-shaped buildings from the steeple-shaped building data of the digital elevation model information; a time series recognition unit for recognizing a change with time by comparing the high resolution satellite image information received last time with the high resolution satellite image information of the same location received this time; and an altitude visibility information preservation unit for preserving altitude visibility information obtained by combining information acquired by the topography situation recognition unit, information acquired by the steeple-shaped building recognition unit, and information acquired by the time series recognition unit in an altitude visibility information database provided in the altitude visibility information preservation apparatus.

Claims

1. An altitude visibility information provision system comprising a satellite image analysis and processing apparatus and an altitude visibility information preservation apparatus, said satellite image analysis and processing apparatus comprising:

DEM (digital elevation model) extraction means for extracting digital elevation model information having topography data and steeple-shaped building data from satellite image information of stereopairs differing in resolution obtained by picking up an image of ground surface and received from an observation satellite on an orbit round the earth via a communication line and high resolution satellite image information processed based on the satellite image information;

topography situation recognition means for discriminating a kind of topography and recognizing a topographic situation from the topography data of the digital elevation model information;

steeple-shaped building recognition means for recognizing shape and location information of steeple-shaped buildings from the steeple-shaped building data of the digital elevation model information; and

altitude visibility information preservation means for preserving altitude visibility information obtained by combining information acquired by said topography situation recognition means and information acquired by said steeple-shaped building recognition means in an altitude visibility information database provided in said altitude visibility information preservation apparatus.

3. A flight obstacle presentation apparatus mounted on an aircraft apparatus comprising:

display means for combining the altitude visibility information of said altitude visibility information provision system according to claim 1 or 2 with location information and attitude information of said aircraft, and displaying altitude visibility information for flight obstacle recognition such as a topographic map including an image taken from a viewpoint of a pilot and a location of said aircraft; and

warning sound emission means for emitting a warning sound when a flight obstacle is sensed and the flight obstacle is displayed on said display means.

4. A flight obstacle recognition system comprising an altitude visibility information downloading apparatus for downloading the altitude visibility information of said altitude visibility information provision system according to claim 1 or 2 to said flight obstacle presentation apparatus according to claim 3 via a communication line.

2. An altitude visibility information provision system comprising a satellite image analysis and processing apparatus and an altitude visibility information preservation apparatus, said satellite image analysis and processing apparatus comprising:

DEM (digital elevation model) extraction means for extracting digital elevation model information having topography data and steeple-shaped building data from satellite image information of stereopairs differing in resolution obtained by picking up an image of ground surface and received from an observation satellite on an orbit round the earth via a communication line and high resolution satellite image information processed based on the satellite image information;

topography situation recognition means for discriminating a kind of topography and recognizing a topographic situation from the topography data of the digital elevation model information;

steeple-shaped building recognition means for recognizing shape and location information of steeple-shaped buildings from the steeple-shaped building data of the digital elevation model information;

time series recognition means for recognizing a change with time by comparing the high resolution satellite image information received last time with the high resolution satellite image information of same location received this time; and

altitude visibility information preservation means for preserving altitude visibility information obtained by combining information acquired by said topography situation recognition means, information acquired by said steeple-shaped building recognition means, and information acquired by said time series recognition means in an altitude visibility information database provided in said altitude visibility information preservation apparatus.

5. A method for providing altitude visibility information comprising the steps of:

extracting digital elevation model information having topography data and steeple-shaped building data from satellite image information of stereopairs differing in resolution obtained by picking up an image of ground surface and received from an observation satellite on an orbit round the earth via a communication line and high resolution satellite image information processed based on the satellite image information;

discriminating a kind of topography and recognizing a topographic situation from the topography data of the digital elevation model information;

recognizing shape and location information of steeple-shaped buildings from the steeple-shaped building data of the digital elevation model information; and

preserving altitude visibility information obtained by combining information acquired at said topography situation recognizing step and information acquired at said steeple-shaped building recognizing step in an altitude visibility information database.

7. A method for presenting flight obstacles in a flight obstacle presentation apparatus of an aircraft comprising the steps of:

combining the altitude visibility information of said altitude visibility information provision method according to claim 5 or 6 with location information and attitude information of said aircraft, and displaying altitude visibility information for flight obstacle recognition such as a topographic map including an image taken from a viewpoint of a pilot and a location of said aircraft on a display of said flight obstacle presentation apparatus; and

emitting a warning sound when a flight obstacle is sensed and the flight obstacle is displayed on said display of said flight obstacle presentation apparatus.

8. A flight obstacle recognition method comprising the step of downloading the altitude visibility information of said altitude visibility information provision method according to claim 5 or 6 to said flight obstacle presentation apparatus according to claim 7 via a communication line.

6. A method for providing altitude visibility information comprising the steps of:

extracting digital elevation model information having topography data and steeple-shaped building data from satellite image information of stereopairs differing in resolution obtained by picking up an image of ground surface and received from an observation satellite on an orbit round the earth via a communication line and high resolution satellite image information processed based on the satellite image information;

discriminating a kind of topography and recognizing a topographic situation from the topography data of the digital elevation model information;

recognizing shape and location information of steeple-shaped buildings from the steeple-shaped building data of the digital elevation model information; and

recognizing a change with time by comparing the high resolution satellite image information received last time with the high resolution satellite image information of same location received this time; and

preserving altitude visibility information obtained by combining information acquired at said topography situation recognizing step, information acquired at said steeple-shaped building recognizing step, and information acquired at said change with time recognizing step in an altitude visibility information database.