PORTABLE MOBILE LIGHT STAGE

• US 20130314502A1
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OTOY, Inc.
• Original Assignee: OTOY, Inc.
• Inventors: Urbach, Julian Michael, Taylor, Malcolm, Sparks, Clay, Hawkins, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 9,609,284 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/46
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0094 involving pointing a payload, e.g. camera, weapon, sensor, towards a fixed or moving target
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/104 involving a plurality of aircrafts, e.g. formation flying traffic control systems for aircraft G08G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A subject is imaged using imaging equipment arranged on portable, wireless vehicles. The vehicles are positioned in a pattern in proximity to the subject and illuminate the subject in order to collect image data. The image data can be collected by cameras carried by the vehicles in addition to or instead of external high speed cameras.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, information representing a first pattern comprising a plurality of points representing positions in a three dimensional space having within the space, a subject;

positioning, by the processor, a plurality of moveable, controllable, flying vehicles at each of the plurality of points in the selected pattern in the space proximate to the subject, each of the plurality of vehicles comprises at least one imaging component; and

activating, by the processor, at least one of the imaging components in order to collect imaging data of the subject.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

re-positioning, by the processor, the plurality of moveable vehicles to form a second pattern in the space in proximity to the subject; and

activating, by the processor, at least one of the imaging components for collecting imaging data of the subject.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, the collected imaging data from the plurality of moveable vehicles; and

storing, by the processor, the collected imaging data in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein positioning the plurality of moveable vehicles by the processor further comprises:

transmitting, by the processor, position information associated with the plurality of points to the plurality of moveable vehicles.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising;

controlling, by the processor, formation of the first pattern by the plurality of moveable vehicles via communication of control signals.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, imaging requirements for the positions in three dimensional space;

receiving, by the processor, attributes of the plurality of moveable vehicles;

selecting, by the processor, the plurality of moveable vehicles for positioning based on the attributes and the imaging requirements.

7. The method of claim 1, activation of the plurality of moveable vehicles further comprises:

programming, by the processor, the plurality of moveable vehicles for executing an imaging process for the collection of the imaging data such that the imaging components of the plurality of moveable vehicles emit light in different multiplexed patterns.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

receiving, by the processor, user input related to the imaging process; and

altering, by the processor, the programming of the plurality of moveable vehicles based on the user input.

9. The method of claim 8, altering the programming of the plurality of moveable vehicles further comprises:

altering, by the processor, imaging requirements associated with the plurality of points in the selected pattern in the space.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a subset of the plurality of moveable vehicles comprise at least two imaging components and activating at least one of the imaging components further comprises activating different ones of the at least two imaging components at different time points.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing, by the processor, at least the first pattern for selection based on a shape of the subject.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically selecting, by the processor, the first pattern for positioning the plurality of moveable vehicles.

13. An apparatus comprising:

a processor;

a storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising;

pattern receiving logic, executed by the processor, for receiving information representing a first pattern comprising a plurality of points representing positions in a three dimensional space having within the space, a subject;

positioning logic, executed by the processor, for positioning a plurality of moveable, controllable, flying vehicles at each of the plurality of points in the first pattern in the space proximate to the subject, each of the plurality of vehicles comprises at least one imaging component; and

activating logic, executed by the processor, for activating at least one of the imaging components in order to collect imaging data of the subject.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

re-positioning logic, executed by the processor, for repositioning the plurality of moveable vehicles to form a second pattern in the space in proximity to the subject; and

activating logic, executed by the processor, for activating at least one of the imaging components for collecting imaging data of the subject.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the positioning logic further comprises:

transmitting logic, executed by the processor, for transmitting position information associated with the plurality of points to the plurality of moveable vehicles.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

controlling logic, executed by the processor, for controlling formation of the first pattern by the plurality of moveable vehicles via communication of control signals.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

requirements receiving logic, executed by the processor, for receiving imaging requirements for the positions in three dimensional space;

attributes receiving logic, executed by the processor, for receiving attributes of the plurality of moveable vehicles;

selecting logic, executed by the processor, for selecting the plurality of moveable vehicles for positioning based on the attributes and the imaging requirements.

18. A computer readable storage medium, having stored thereon, instructions which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive information representing a first pattern comprising a plurality of points representing positions in a three dimensional space having within the space, a subject;

position a plurality of moveable, controllable, flying vehicles at each of the plurality of points in the selected pattern in the space proximate to the subject, each of the plurality of vehicles comprises at least one imaging component; and

activate at least one of the imaging components in order to collect imaging data of the subject.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18 further comprising instructions that cause the processor to:

reposition the plurality of moveable vehicles to form a second pattern in the space in proximity to the subject; and

activate at least one of the imaging components for collecting imaging data of the subject.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18 further comprising instructions that cause the processor to:

receive the collected imaging data from the plurality of moveable vehicles; and

store the collected imaging data in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium.

21. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18 further comprising instructions that cause the processor to:

transmit position information associated with the plurality of points to the plurality of moveable vehicles.

22. The computer readable storage medium of claim 21 further comprising instructions that cause the processor to:

control formation of the first pattern by the plurality of moveable vehicles via communication of control signals.

23. A method comprising:

positioning, by a processor, a moveable, moveable, controllable, flying vehicle at a point in three dimensional space such that the moveable vehicle is part of a pattern formed by other moveable vehicles;

receiving, by the processor, an activation signal to begin an imaging procedure;

executing, by the processor, the imaging procedure; and

collecting, by the processor, image data of a subject.

24. A imaging system comprising:

a controller comprising a processor and a computer readable storage medium;

a plurality of moveable, moveable, controllable, flying vehicles, each of the plurality of vehicles comprises at least one imaging component;

the computer readable storage medium comprising;

pattern receiving logic, executed by the processor, for receiving information representing a first pattern comprising a plurality of points representing positions in a three dimensional space having within the space, a subject;

positioning logic, executed by the processor, for positioning a plurality of moveable, controllable, flying vehicles at each of the plurality of points in the selected pattern in the space proximate to the subject; and

activating logic, executed by the processor, for activating at least one of the imaging components in order to collect imaging data of the subject.

25. The imaging system of claim 24, wherein the computer readable storage medium further comprises a plurality of imaging patterns for selection.

26. The imaging system of claim 24, wherein the plurality of moveable vehicles are quadrotors.

27. The imaging system of claim 24, wherein the at least one imaging component is selected from a group of components consisting of a light, an LED (light emitting diode), a camera, an optical sensor, an infrared sensor, a radio sensor and a polarized light source.

28. The imaging system of claim 24, wherein the at least one imaging component is a light field camera.

29. The imaging system of claim 24, the activating logic executed by the processor further comprises:

multiplexing logic, executed by the processor, so that at least a subset of the imaging components emit light in different time multiplexed patterns.

30. An imaging system comprising:

at least one imaging component;

a processor; and

a computer readable storage medium comprising;

coordinates receiving logic, executed by the processor, for receiving coordinates representing a position in a three dimensional space;

positioning logic, executed by the processor, for positioning the imaging system at the position represented by the received coordinates;

activation signal receiving logic, executed by the processor, for receiving a first activation signal for the imaging component;

activating logic, executed by the processor, for activating the at least one imaging component in accordance with the received first activation signal upon the system being positioned at the position represented by the received coordinates.

31. The imaging system of claim 30, wherein the at least one imaging component is a light field camera.

32. The imaging system of claim 30, the at least one imaging component is a plurality of imaging components.

33. The imaging system of claim 30, the activating logic executed by the processor further comprises:

multiplexing logic, executed by the processor, so that the plurality of imaging components emit light in different time multiplexed patterns.

34. The imaging system of claim 30, wherein the activation signal receiving logic further causes the processor to receive a second activation signal and the computer readable storage medium comprising:

altering logic, executed by the processor, so that activation of the at least one imaging component is altered such that the activation occurs in accordance with a second activation signal and not the first activation signal.