Navigation and inspection system

• US 20070061076A1
• Filed: 01/06/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William E. Knight
• Original Assignee: Doubleshot, Inc.
• Inventors: Shulman, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 7,386,394 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/00 Photogrammetry or videogrammetry, e.g. stereogrammetry; Photographic surveying
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/02 Picture taking arrangements specially adapted for photogrammetry or photographic surveying, e.g. controlling overlapping of pictures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10048 Infrared image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/028 Multiple view windows (top-side-front-sagittal-orthogonal)
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/97 Determining parameters from multiple pictures depth or shape recovery from multiple images G06T7/55; stereo camera calibration G06T7/85

Abstract

A method of detecting a changed condition within a geographical space from a moving vehicle. Images of that geographic space are memorialized in conjunction with GPS coordinates together with its GPS coordinates. The same geographic space is traversed from the moving vehicle while accessing the route'"'"'s GPS coordinates. The memorialized images are played back by coordinating the GPS data on a memorialized images with that of the traversed geographic space such that the memorialized images are viewed simultaneously with the geographic space being traversed. An observer traveling within the moving vehicle can compare the memorialized images with those being traversed in order to identify changed conditions.

Claims

1. A method of detecting a changed condition within a geographic space from a moving or still vehicle comprising capturing and memorializing images or sensor data of the geographic space in conjunction with GPS or otherwise acquired geographic coordinates associated with said geographic space, traversing said geographic space from said moving vehicle while accessing such coordinates, playing back said memorialized images by coordinating geographic coordinate data on said memorialized images with the traversing of said geographical space such that said memorialized images are views of the same geographical space being traversed, and presenting to an observer, for a comparison of the memorialized images to the geographical space being traversed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said images are video images.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said memorialized images are captured from a camera positioned upon said moving vehicle or moving camera/sensor platform.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said images of said geographical space being traversed are observed by viewing the output of a camera positioned at substantially the same location on the moving vehicle as the camera location used to capture said memorialized images.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said memorialized images and images viewed of the geographical spaced being traversed are simultaneously provided onto one or more viewing screens.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein a single viewing screen provides split images separated by horizontally extending line of demarcation.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the upper half or portion of said viewing screen provides images of the geographic space being traversed and the lower half of said viewing screen provides images of the memorialized images.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said memorialized images are taken at a time of day when said geographic space is traversed.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said memorialized images are taken at a substantially different time such as during daylight hours and said geographic space being traversed is traversed at night or other time of day.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said geographic space being traversed is being traversed using an infrared camera, intensified camera, or other raster based sensor such as sonar, ladar, or radar.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said geographic space being traversed is being traversed using a line scan sensor or other sensor such as a magnetometer or audio sensor or other geo referenced data producing sensor.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said geographic space being traversed is being traversed using an 360 degree Field of View camera

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said geographic space being traversed is being traversed using more than one sensor or combinations of sensors.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said memorialized images are memorialized on a DVD, or other recording medium.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein images or other data are tagged with meta data representing GPS location, view direction, elevation or time of day.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein images or other data are tagged with meta data representing geographic location from inertial sensors, inclinometers, accelerometers, digital compass, view direction, and time of day.

17. The method of claim 5 wherein differences between said memorialized images and the geographic space being traversed are highlighted on said viewing screen.

18. The method of claim 5 wherein differences between said memorialized images and the geographic space being traversed are highlighted on said viewing screen by rapidly alternating the display of the current and previous imagery.

19. A method of reducing database requirements and bandwidth requirements of a system capturing camera-based images from a moving vehicle or sensor platform by selectively recording imagery according to the distance traveled by said moving vehicle or sensor platform.

20. The method of reducing the database requirements and bandwidth requirements of a system capturing camera-based images from a moving vehicle or sensor platform comprising using a GPS triggered camera that will produced imagery according to the distance traveled by said moving vehicle or sensor platform.

21. A method of providing a navigation view to a vehicle operator within a geographic space including a navigational view from a position behind said vehicle, said method comprising memorializing images of the geographic space behind the vehicle in conjunction with GPS or otherwise acquired geographic coordinates associated with said geographic space and playing back said memorialized images of the same geographical space being traversed.

22. A method of determining the current position of a vehicle within a geographic space comprising memorializing images or sensor data of said geographic space in coordination with GPS or otherwise acquired geographic coordinates of said geographic space and comparing the GPS or otherwise acquired geographic coordinates so memorialized with geographic coordinates at said position of said vehicle.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein a sequence of frames are memorialized by GPS coordinates, and wherein the closest one of said frames is compared with the GPS coordinates for the vehicle position at the time of comparison.

24. A method of aiding in the navigation of a moving vehicle over a selected geographic space comprising establishing a database of images or sensor data of said geographic space in conjunction with GPS or otherwise acquired geographic coordinates associated with said geographic space, traversing said geographic space from said moving vehicle while accessing such coordinates, and playing back said memorialized images by coordinating geographic coordinate data on said memorialized images while traversing said geographical space such that said memorialized images are viewed of the same geographical space being traversed.