METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AERIAL SURVEILLANCE

• US 20150022662A1
• Filed: 01/01/2013
• Published: 01/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Limited (Government of Israel)
• Original Assignee: Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Limited (Government of Israel)
• Inventors: Greenfeld, Israel, Yavin, Zvi
• Application Number:
  US14/370,191
• Publication Number:
  US 20150022662A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/144
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/006 Apparatus mounted on flying objects
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/02 with scanning movement of lens or cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10032 Satellite or aerial image; Remote sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30232 Surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/20 Analysis of motion motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/43, H04N19/51
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/207 for motion estimation over a hierarchy of resolutions multi-resolution motion estimation or hierarchical motion estimation for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals H04N19/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/50 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

The invention relates to a method of performing surveillance of an object moving on the ground, which comprises: a) providing two independent image-acquisition devices, wherein at least one of said devices is capable of acquiring high-resolution images, and the second of said devices is capable of acquiring low-resolution images; b) independently acquiring low-resolution and high-resolution images of the same scanned area; c) identifying an object the movement of which it is desired to follow, using the images; d) locating the object identified in at least one image; and e) following the movements of the identified object through a string of low-resolution images.

Claims

1. A method of performing aerial surveillance and reconnaissance of an object moving on the ground, comprising:

a) providing two independent airborne image-acquisition devices, wherein one of said devices is capable of acquiring high-resolution images, and the second of said devices is capable of acquiring low-resolution images at larger field of view;

b) independently acquiring by said two devices low-resolution and high-resolution images, by repeatedly scanning the same area of interest;

c) inspecting the acquired images, and identifying at least one object the movement of which it is desired to track;

d) locating each identified object in at least one image; and

e) tracking the movements of each identified object through a string of low-resolution images in which the object appears.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said images are acquired using a “

step and stare”

process.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the object the movement of which it is desired to track is identified using a high-resolution image.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the identified object is located in at least one low-resolution image.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the high-resolution images are acquired by scanning the area of interest, and the low-resolution images are acquired by staring at the area.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the image-acquisition devices are located at two extremities of a single airborne pod.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the image-acquisition devices are separate devices.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the image-acquisition devices do not possess a common axis.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein a land station receives and analyzes images acquired by said image-acquisition devices.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein each of said image acquisition devices is independently actuated by a gimbals system.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the tracked object details are analyzed using the high resolution images.

16. A method according to claim 1, wherein the area of interest has a complex shape or a few separated areas.

9. An airborne pod for carrying out reconnaissance and surveillance missions, comprising two sets of imaging devices each of which is independently actuated by a gimbals system, and wherein the two image-acquisition devices are located at two extremities of the pod.

10. A pod according to claim 9, wherein the two sets of imaging devices are controlled by a same processing unit.

11. A pod according to claim 9, comprising image processing means suitable to analyze images acquired by at least one of said imaging devices.

12. A pod according to claim 9, comprising communication means suitable to transmit data representing the images acquired by an imaging device.

17. A pod according to claim 9, wherein one of said devices is capable of acquiring high-resolution images, and the second of said devices is capable of acquiring low-resolution images at larger field of view.

18. A pod according to claim 9, wherein at the same time, each image acquisition device scans a different area of interest.

19. A pod according to claim 9, wherein the two image acquisition devices are identical.

20. A pod according to claim 9, wherein each image acquisition device can operate either at a low resolution or at a high resolution.

21. A pod according to claim 9, wherein an optical head at each extremity of the pod accommodates more than one image acquisition device, wherein said devices may be of different types.