Method and Apparatus for Automated Camera Location and Orientation with Image Processing and Alignment to Ground Based Reference Point(s)
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus for processing one or more frame(s) of image data captured from an Aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
- a computer server comprising a processor and a storage device; and
executable software stored on the storage device and executable on demand, the software operative with the processor to cause the computer server to;
receive digital data comprising one or more Aerial Images with Location Data of a subject;
wherein the one or more Aerial Images with Location Data are captured by one or more image capturing devices firmly mounted to an Aircraft;
identify at least one Target Feature for Alignment within the one or more Aerial Images with Location Data of a subject;
extract and align the one or more Aerial Images with Location Data with Available Mapping Data; and
calculate a significantly more accurate location and viewpoint orientation of the one or more image capturing devices at a point in time during flight during the capture of the one or more Aerial Images with Location Data.
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Abstract
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus to obtain precise location and orientation of an aerial imaging platform and photographs taken from its cameras via image pattern matching using mathematical algorithms and known locations of artifacts. More specifically, software techniques to implement freely available global road mapping data to enable low cost and highly automated registration of aerial images that include highly accurate positional data.
22 Citations
20 Claims
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1. Apparatus for processing one or more frame(s) of image data captured from an Aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
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a computer server comprising a processor and a storage device; and
executable software stored on the storage device and executable on demand, the software operative with the processor to cause the computer server to;receive digital data comprising one or more Aerial Images with Location Data of a subject; wherein the one or more Aerial Images with Location Data are captured by one or more image capturing devices firmly mounted to an Aircraft; identify at least one Target Feature for Alignment within the one or more Aerial Images with Location Data of a subject; extract and align the one or more Aerial Images with Location Data with Available Mapping Data; and calculate a significantly more accurate location and viewpoint orientation of the one or more image capturing devices at a point in time during flight during the capture of the one or more Aerial Images with Location Data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. Apparatus for processing a frame of image data captured from an Aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
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a computer server comprising a processor and a storage device; and
executable software stored on the storage device and executable on demand, the software operative with the processor to cause the server to;receive digital data comprising one or more Aerial Images with Location Data of a subject captured by one or more image capturing devices firmly mounted to an Aircraft; receive digital available Mapping Data comprising location data; identify at least one Target Feature for Alignment found in the Available Mapping Data within the one or more Aerial images; match the identified Target Feature for Alignment in the one or more Aerial Image(s) with Location Data with the same Target Feature for Alignment in the mapping data; and calculate a significantly more accurate location of the subject from the alignment of the identified Target Feature(s) for Alignment. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. Apparatus for processing a frame of image data captured from an Aircraft, the apparatus comprising:
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a computer server comprising a processor and a storage device; and
executable software stored on the storage device and executable on demand, the software operative with the processor to cause the server to;receive digital data comprising one or more Aerial Images with Location Data of a subject, wherein the one or more Aerial Images with Location Data of a subject are captured by one or more image capturing device(s) firmly mounted to the Aircraft; synthesize one of the one or more Aerial Images with Location Data with a previous frame using a distance difference between frames value; and minimize pixel differences between frames by varying the roll, pitch, yaw and heading and location of the field of view of the image capturing device. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification