IMAGING SYSTEM MOUNTED IN FLIGHT VEHICLE

• US 20160173859A1
• Filed: 01/06/2016
• Published: 06/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Institute of Meteorological Research
• Original Assignee: National Institute of Meteorological Research
• Inventors: Choi, Kyu Young, Lee, Yong Hee, Ahn, Kwang Deuk, Lee, Hee Choon
• Granted Patent: US 9,532,035 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G01W 1/00 Meteorology
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/08 Adaptations of balloons, missiles, or aircraft for meteorological purposes; Radiosondes transmission of measurements G01D; transmitting circuits H04B; balloons in general B64B; aeroplanes in general B64D; missiles in general F42B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

An imaging system on an aerial vehicle, includes: a group of rotating camera including at least a first and a second rotating cameras on the aerial vehicle; and a control part which controls a first virtual rotation track of the first rotating camera and a second virtual rotation track of the second rotating camera and allows shots to be taken at multiple photograph-shooting points on the first virtual rotation track and the second virtual rotation track; wherein the control part controls a set of multiple photograph-shooting points on the first virtual rotation track and those on the second virtual rotation track to be substantially in a grid shape. Accordingly, a 3D image could be acquired by using the group of rotating cameras on the aerial vehicle during a relatively short endurance flight and more information on images created in such a method could be estimated.

Claims

1. An imaging system on an aerial vehicle, comprising:

a group of rotating camera including at least a first and a second rotating cameras on the aerial vehicle; and

a control part which controls a first virtual rotation track of the first rotating camera and a second virtual rotation track of the second rotating camera so as to partially overlap with each other and allows shots to be taken at multiple photograph-shooting points on the first virtual rotation track by the first rotating camera and at multiple photograph-shooting points on the second virtual rotation track by the second rotating camera;

wherein the control part controls a set of multiple photograph-shooting points on the first virtual rotation track where shooting is made by the first rotating camera and those on the second virtual rotation track where shooting is done by the second rotating camera to be substantially in a grid shape.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein, on the assumption that a center of rotation in the first virtual rotation track and a center of rotation in the second virtual rotation track are placed on a virtual first axis and a virtual second axis is perpendicular to the virtual first axis, if a virtual straight line connecting a photograph-shooting point 1-1 located in an interior of the second virtual rotation track among multiple photograph-shooting points on the first virtual rotation track shot by the first rotating camera with at least one photograph-shooting point among multiple photograph-shooting points on the second virtual rotation track shot by the second rotating camera is named as a first virtual hetero straight line, the control part may control the first virtual hetero straight line to be in parallel with the second axis;

and if a virtual straight line connecting a photograph-shooting point 2-1 located in an interior of the first virtual rotation track among multiple photograph-shooting points on the second virtual rotation track shot by the second rotating camera with at least one photograph-shooting point among multiple photograph-shooting points on the first virtual rotation track shot by the first rotating camera is named as a second virtual hetero straight line, the control part may control the second virtual hetero straight line to be in parallel with the second axis.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the control part allows shots to be taken at two points where the first virtual rotation track and the second virtual rotation track are overlapped;

and wherein, if a straight line virtually connecting the two points is named as a virtual common hetero straight line, the control part controls the virtual common hetero straight line to be in parallel with the second axis.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first and the second virtual rotation tracks are circular or elliptical shape.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the group of rotating camera further includes at least a third rotating camera;

and wherein the control part controls a third virtual rotation track of the third rotating camera to be overlapped with at least part of the first and the second virtual rotation tracks and additionally allows shots to be taken by the third rotating camera at multiple photograph-shooting points on the third virtual rotation track.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein, on the assumption that the center of rotation in the first virtual rotation track, the center of rotation in the second virtual rotation track, and a center of rotation in the third virtual rotation track are placed on the virtual first axis, (i) if a virtual straight line connecting a photograph-shooting point 1-1 located in an interior of the second virtual rotation track among multiple photograph-shooting points on the first virtual rotation track shot by the first rotating camera with at least one photograph-shooting point among multiple photograph-shooting points on the second virtual rotation track shot by the second rotating camera is named as a first virtual hetero straight line, the control part controls the first virtual hetero straight line to be in parallel with the second axis, (ii) if a virtual straight line connecting a photograph-shooting point 2-1 located in an interior of the first virtual rotation track among multiple photograph-shooting points on the second virtual rotation track shot by the second rotating camera with at least one photograph-shooting point among multiple photograph-shooting points on the first virtual rotation track shot by the first rotating camera is named as a second virtual hetero straight line, the control part controls the second virtual hetero straight line to be in parallel with the second axis, (iii) if a virtual straight line connecting a photograph-shooting point 3-1 among multiple photograph-shooting points on the third virtual rotation track and at least one photograph-shooting point among multiple photograph-shooting points on the first virtual rotation track shot by the first rotating camera is named as a 3-1 virtual hetero straight line, the control part controls the 3-1 virtual hetero straight line to be in parallel with the second axis, and (iv) if a virtual straight line connecting a photograph-shooting point 3-2 among multiple photograph-shooting points on the third virtual rotation track and at least one photograph-shooting point among multiple photograph-shooting points on the second virtual rotation track shot by the second rotating camera is named as a 3-2 virtual hetero straight line, the control part controls the 3-2 virtual hetero straight line to be in parallel with the second axis.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein images acquired at photograph-shooting points on the first virtual hetero straight line, the second virtual hetero straight line, the 3-1 virtual hetero straight line, and the 3-2 virtual hetero straight line are used to implement a 3D image.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein, if images of the subject are acquired by allowing shots to be taken at photograph-shooting points on the first virtual hetero straight line, the second virtual hetero straight line, the 3-1 virtual hetero straight line, and the 3-2 virtual hetero straight line at the time when the aerial vehicle is located at a first location during a flight and if images of the subject are acquired by allowing shots to be taken at photograph-shooting points on the first virtual hetero straight line, the second virtual hetero straight line, the 3-1 virtual hetero straight line, and the 3-2 virtual hetero straight line at the time when the aerial vehicle is located at a second location during the flight, the second location being a location where the aerial vehicle has flown for a certain period of time from the first location, a 3D image is implemented by referring to the images acquired from the first and the second locations.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein, if a virtual straight line connecting two photograph-shooting points among multiple photograph-shooting points on the first virtual rotation track shot by the first rotating camera is named as a first virtual homo straight line, the control part controls the first virtual homo straight line to be in parallel with the second axis and the first virtual homo straight line does not include therein multiple photograph-shooting points on the second and the third virtual rotation tracks;

and wherein, if a virtual straight line connecting two photograph-shooting points among multiple photograph-shooting points on the second virtual rotation track shot by the second rotating camera is named as a second virtual homo straight line, the control part controls the second virtual homo straight line to be in parallel with the second axis and the second virtual homo straight line does not include therein multiple photograph-shooting points on the first and the third virtual rotation tracks.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein images acquired at the photograph-shooting points on the first virtual homo straight line and the second virtual homo straight line are used to implement a 2D image.

11. The system of claim 5, wherein the third virtual rotation track as a virtual rotation track covered by rotation of the third rotating camera is controlled to be included in an overlapped area between the interior of the first virtual rotation track and that of the second virtual rotation track.