Airborne imaging spectrometry system and method
First Claim
1. A method of collecting spectral imagery and transmitting said imagery to a remote location, said method comprising the steps of:
- providing a digital hyperspectral imaging spectrometer carried by an aircraft;
disposing said aircraft above an area of interest;
collecting hyperspectral imagery of said area of interest with said spectrometer;
geo-locating said imagery; and
transmitting said geo-located imagery to said remote location, wherein said geo-located imagery is received at said remote location in near real-time for time-sensitive decision making.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention generally relates to an airborne imaging spectrometry method and system. According to the present invention, a digital airborne imaging spectrometer is provided aboard an aircraft and is used to collect hyperspectral imagery of an area of interest while the aircraft flies over the area of interest. The method and system of the present invention combine (1) real-time display, aboard an aircraft, of the hyperspectral imagery being collected for an area of interest below the aircraft with (2) transmission of such hyperspectral imagery to a remote location, wherein such imagery is received at the remote location in near real-time. When hyperspectral imagery and related data are received from the aircraft at the remote location, the transmitted hyperspectral imagery and related data are useful at the remote location in time-sensitive or time-critical decision making. Forest fires, infestations of vegetation, and law enforcement scenarios such as counter-narcotic operations are examples of situations in which time-sensitive or time-critical decision making may be necessary and in which the airborne imaging spectrometry system and method of the present invention may be used.
50 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of collecting spectral imagery and transmitting said imagery to a remote location, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a digital hyperspectral imaging spectrometer carried by an aircraft;
disposing said aircraft above an area of interest;
collecting hyperspectral imagery of said area of interest with said spectrometer;
geo-locating said imagery; and
transmitting said geo-located imagery to said remote location, wherein said geo-located imagery is received at said remote location in near real-time for time-sensitive decision making. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of collecting spectral imagery and transmitting said imagery to a remote location for use in time-sensitive decision making, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing a digital hyperspectral imaging spectrometer carried by an aircraft;
providing a display with said aircraft, said display in communication with said spectrometer;
providing a navigational system with said aircraft, said navigational system including a global positioning system;
disposing said aircraft above an area of interest;
collecting hyperspectral imagery of said area of interest with said spectrometer;
displaying said hyperspectral imagery of said area of interest in real-time on said display;
selecting at least one portion of said displayed hyperspectral imagery of said area of interest for a snapshot;
creating at least one snapshot of said at least one portion of said displayed hyperspectral imagery of said area of interest;
geo-locating said at least one snapshot using said navigational system; and
transmitting said at least one geo-located snapshot to said remote location;
wherein said geo-located snapshot is received at said remote location in near real-time. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An airborne hyperspectral imaging spectrometry system, comprising:
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an airborne digital hyperspectral imaging spectrometer operative to scan an area of interest and collect hyperspectral imagery of said area of interest;
a display operative to display said hyperspectral imagery of said area of interest in real-time;
a controller operative to create a snapshot of said imagery of said area of interest, save said snapshot, and geo-locate said snapshot;
a transmitter operative to transmit said geo-located snapshot to a remote location; and
a receiver at said remote location operative to receive said geo-located snapshot in near-real time. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. An airborne hyperspectral imaging spectrometry system, comprising:
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means for scanning an area of interest and collecting digital hyperspectral imagery of said area of interest;
means for displaying said digital hyperspectral imagery of said area of interest in real-time;
means for creating a snapshot of said imagery of said area of interest, saving said snapshot, and geo-locating said snapshot;
means for transmitting said geo-located snapshot to a remote location; and
means for receiving said geo-located snapshot at said remote location in near-real time. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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25. A geo-located snapshot of an area of interest, said snapshot produced by the process comprising the steps of:
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providing a digital hyperspectral imaging spectrometer carried by an aircraft;
disposing said aircraft above an area of interest;
collecting hyperspectral imagery of said area of interest with said spectrometer;
geo-locating said imagery;
transmitting said geo-located imagery to a remote location, wherein said geo-located imagery is received at said remote location in near real-time; and
producing a geo-located snapshot from said imagery. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification