System and Method for Detecting Reflection with a Mobile Sensor Platform

• US 20090276110A1
• Filed: 05/05/2008
• Published: 11/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Hursig, David, Martinez, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,170,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/23
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/04 Systems determining the presence of a target
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0044 by providing the operator with a computer generated representation of the environment of the vehicle, e.g. virtual reality, maps maps used for automatic navigation G05D1/0274; flight directors G01C23/005

Abstract

Systems and methods for planning and executing a search route by a mobile sensor platform for detecting reflection are disclosed. The search route of the mobile sensor platform is based on the angle of a radiation source relative to the ground in a search area. While executing the search route, a sensor on the mobile sensor platform is configured to detect the reflection of radiation from an object in the search area.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an input comprising a search area;

generating a mobile sensor platform search route for detecting reflection, wherein the search route is based on the angle of a radiation source relative to the ground in the search area; and

displaying a graphical representation of the search route.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending the search route to the mobile sensor platform;

receiving data from a sensor on the mobile sensor platform, wherein the sensor is sensitive to radiation from the radiation source; and

displaying a visual representation of the data received from the sensor.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

detecting a reflection of radiation from an object in the search area; and

generating an alert based on said detecting.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending an interrupt command to suspend the execution of the search route;

sending one or more manual control commands to the mobile sensor platform; and

sending a resume command to resume the execution of the search route from the point where the interrupt command was received.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the radiation source is the sun, and wherein the angle of the sun relative to the ground in the search area is calculated according to the Solar Position Algorithm.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the search route comprises a plurality of commands to control the position, velocity, and attitude of the mobile sensor platform, and to control the positioning of the sensor, wherein the plurality of commands are based on the movement capabilities of the mobile sensor platform, the resolution of the sensor, the field of view of the sensor, and the search area.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the visual representation of the data received from the sensor is a video signal.

8. A method comprising:

receiving a search route for detecting reflection, wherein the search route is received from a control station, and wherein the search route is based on the angle of a radiation source relative to the ground in a search area;

autonomously executing the search route; and

sending data from a sensor to the control station while executing the search route, wherein the sensor is sensitive to radiation from the radiation source.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the radiation source is the sun, and wherein the angle of the sun relative to the ground in the search area is calculated according to the Solar Position Algorithm.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the sensor is one of an electro-optical sensor, an infrared sensor, a multi-spectral sensor, or a hyper-spectral sensor.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the data sent from the sensor to the control station is a video signal.

12. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

detecting a reflection of radiation from an object in the search area.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving an interrupt command to suspend the execution of the search route;

receiving one or more manual control commands from the control station;

receiving a resume command to resume the execution of the search route; and

resuming execution of the search route from the point where the interrupt command was received.

14. A system comprising:

a control station comprising;

(i) input means for receiving a search area as an input;

(ii) a processor for generating at least one search route for detecting reflection, wherein the search route is based on the angle of a radiation source relative to the ground in the search area;

(iii) a communication means for sending data comprising the search route to a mobile sensor platform, and for receiving a real-time video signal from a sensor mounted on the mobile sensor platform, wherein the sensor is sensitive to radiation from the radiation source; and

(iv) display means for displaying a graphical representation of the search route and for displaying the real-time video signal received from the sensor mounted on the mobile sensor platform.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising:

a mobile sensor platform comprising;

(i) a sensor for detecting reflection, wherein the sensor is sensitive to radiation from the radiation source;

(ii) communication means for receiving data comprising the search route from the control station and for sending a real-time video signal from the sensor to the control station; and

(iii) control means for autonomously executing the search route.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the radiation source is the sun, and wherein the angle of the sun relative to the ground in the search area is calculated according to the Solar Position Algorithm.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the sensor is one of an electro-optical sensor, an infrared sensor, a multi-spectral sensor, or a hyper-spectral sensor.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the sensor detects a reflection of radiation from an object in the search area, and wherein the control station generates an alert based on said detecting.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein the search route comprises a plurality of commands to control the position, velocity, and attitude of the mobile sensor platform, and to control the positioning of the sensor, wherein the plurality of commands are based on the movement capabilities of the mobile sensor platform, the resolution of the sensor, the field of view of the sensor, and the search area.

20. The system of claim 14 wherein the data further comprises:

an interrupt command to suspend the execution of the search route;

one or more manual control commands; and

a resume command to resume the execution of the search route from the point where the interrupt command was received.