DYNAMIC IMAGE MASKING SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20170018058A1
• Filed: 09/29/2014
• Published: 01/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Spinelli, Charles B., Turner, Robert W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,846,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/32 for cartography or topography
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/86 Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10032 Satellite or aerial image; Remote sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/20004 Adaptive image processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/70 Denoising; Smoothing
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0069 specially adapted for an unmanned aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2358/00 Arrangements for display data security
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/12 Avionics applications
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/20 for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters

Abstract

A dynamic image masking system for providing a filtered autonomous remote sensing image through a dynamic image masking process is provided. The dynamic image masking system has a remote sensing platform and an imaging system associated with the remote sensing platform. The imaging system has an optical system and an image sensing system. The dynamic image masking system further has a multi-level security system associated with the imaging system and one or more image alteration locations located in the imaging system and the multi-level security system, wherein alteration of one or more images takes place via the dynamic image masking process. The dynamic image masking system further has a computer system associated with the imaging system. The computer system has a gatekeeper algorithm configured to send gatekeeper commands to one or more controllers that control the one or more image alteration locations through the dynamic image masking process.

Claims

1. A dynamic image masking system for providing a filtered autonomous remote sensing image through a dynamic image masking process, the system comprising:

a remote sensing platform;

an imaging system associated with the remote sensing platform, the imaging system comprising;

an optical system;

an image sensing system;

a multi-level security system associated with the imaging system;

one or more image alteration locations located in the imaging system and the multi-level security system, wherein alteration of one or more images takes place via the dynamic image masking process; and

a computer system associated with the imaging system, the computer system comprising a gatekeeper algorithm configured to send gatekeeper commands to one or more controllers that control the one or more image alteration locations through the dynamic image masking process.

2. The dynamic image masking system of claim 1, further comprising a navigation system comprising a global positioning system (GPS), a radio based navigation system, an optical based navigation system, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) system, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) system equipped with a magnetometer, or a combination thereof, to position the imaging system to image a designated area to be imaged.

3. The dynamic image masking system of claim 1, wherein the remote sensing platform comprises an airborne based platform, a ground based platform, a space based platform, or a water based platform.

4. The dynamic image masking system of claim 1, wherein the optical system comprises a camera, including a digital camera, and wherein the image sensing system comprises a focal plane array subsystem, a radar imaging system, a sonar imaging system, an infrared imaging system, an x-ray imaging system, or a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system.

5. The dynamic image masking system of claim 1, wherein the gatekeeper algorithm is further configured to send a gatekeeper command to a pre-established collection planning process at an image alteration location at the located pre-established collection planning process before input to the imaging system, by determining excluded area not to be imaged with the imaging system.

6. The dynamic image masking system of claim 1, wherein the gatekeeper algorithm is configured to send a gatekeeper command either mechanically or optically to an optical blindness system that controls an image alteration location located between the optical system and the image sensing system, the optical blindness system comprising a shutter control mechanical device to inhibit one or more pixels from collecting photons, or comprising an a laser and micro-mirrors optical device to illuminate one or more pixels, causing blindness of the one or more pixels.

7. The dynamic image masking system of claim 1, wherein the image sensing system comprises a focal plane array subsystem comprising:

a focal plane array that reads raw image data from the optical system;

an analog to digital converter that receives the raw image data from the focal plane array and converts the raw image data from analog to digital signals;

a volatile temporary storage that receives the digital signals from the analog to digital converter and temporarily stores the digital signals;

a digital signal processor that receives the digital signals from the volatile temporary storage and processes the digital signals to a readable image format; and

,

when the imaging system uses analog output, a digital to analog converter that receives readable digital signals from the digital signal processor and converts the readable digital signals to analog signals.

8. The dynamic image masking system of claim 7, wherein the gatekeeper algorithm is configured to send a gatekeeper command to a pixel controller that controls an image alteration location at the focal plane array, by overwriting one or more pixels on the focal plane array with either zero saturation or one hundred percent saturation.

9. The dynamic image masking system of claim 7, wherein the gatekeeper algorithm is configured to send a gatekeeper command to a digitization controller that controls an image alteration location located between the analog to digital converter and the volatile temporary storage, by setting a digitized value for one or more pixels of either a minimum value or a maximum value.

10. The dynamic image masking system of claim 7, wherein the gatekeeper algorithm is configured to send a gatekeeper command to a digital flow controller that controls an image alteration location located between the volatile temporary storage and the digital signal processor, by altering a single image at a time and masking one or more pixels in the single image.

11. The dynamic image masking system of claim 7, wherein the gatekeeper algorithm is configured to send a gatekeeper command to a control storage controller that controls an image alteration location located at a digital signal processor output of the focal plane array subsystem and before input to a non-volatile resultant storage of the multi-level security system, by masking one or more pixels so that they are not written to the non-volatile resultant storage.

12. The dynamic image masking system of claim 7, wherein the gatekeeper algorithm is configured to send a gatekeeper command to an analog signal controller that controls an image alteration location located at a digital to analog converter output of the focal plane array subsystem and before input to a video editing system, by masking one or more pixels so that they are not written to the video editing system.

13. The dynamic image masking system of claim 1, wherein the gatekeeper algorithm is configured to send a gatekeeper command that controls an image alteration location located in the multi-level security system between a non-volatile resultant storage and a post processing process, by overwriting one or more pixels with either zero saturation or one hundred percent saturation.

14. The dynamic image masking system of claim 1, wherein the gatekeeper algorithm is configured to send a gatekeeper command that controls an image alteration location at a post processing process of the multi-level security system, by editing or ignoring one or more pixels representing excluded area of a designated area to be imaged.

15. A method for providing a filtered autonomous remote sensing image through a dynamic image masking process, the method comprising the steps of:

equipping a remote sensing platform with an imaging system;

designating an area for imaging to obtain a designated area to be imaged;

establishing a plurality of datum points on a surface of the designated area to be imaged;

designating a plurality of specific surface areas as excluded area not to be imaged with reference to the plurality of datum points;

controlling a pre-established collection planning process covering the designated area to be imaged;

using a navigation system comprising a global positioning system (GPS), a radio based navigation system, an optical based navigation system, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) system, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) system equipped with a magnetometer, or a combination thereof, to position the imaging system to image the designated area to be imaged;

using the imaging system to image the designated area to be imaged that is covered by the pre-established collection planning process;

dynamically nullifying one or more pixels in one or more images of the excluded area; and

obtaining a filtered autonomous remote sensing image through the dynamic image masking process of the designated area to be imaged.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of equipping the remote sensing platform with the imaging system comprises equipping the remote sensing platform with the imaging system comprising an optical system including a digital camera, and an image sensing system including a focal plane array subsystem, a radar imaging system, a sonar imaging system, an infrared imaging system, an x-ray imaging system, or a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the step of equipping the remote sensing platform with the imaging system comprises equipping the remote sensing platform comprising an airborne based platform, a ground based platform, a space based platform, or a water based platform.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of dynamically nullifying the one or more pixels from the one or more images of the excluded area comprises altering one or more captured images of the excluded area, making them undecipherable.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the altering of the one or more captured images of the excluded area is carried out in real time during imaging of the designated area to be imaged.

20. A method for providing a filtered autonomous remote sensing image through a dynamic image masking process, the method comprising the steps of:

equipping an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with an imaging system;

designating an area for imaging to obtain a designated area to be imaged;

establishing a plurality of datum points on a surface of the designated area to be imaged;

designating a plurality of specific surface areas as excluded area not to be imaged with reference to the plurality of datum points;

controlling a pre-established flight plan of the UAV covering the designated area to be imaged;

using a navigation system comprising a global positioning system (GPS), a radio based navigation system, an optical based navigation system, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) system, an inertial measurement unit (IMU) system equipped with a magnetometer, or a combination thereof, to position the imaging system to image the designated area to be imaged;

flying the UAV over the designated area to be imaged, and using the imaging system to image the designated area to be imaged that is covered by the pre-established flight plan of the UAV;

dynamically nullifying one or more pixels in one or more images of the excluded area; and

obtaining a filtered autonomous remote sensing image through the dynamic image masking process of the designated area to be imaged.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of dynamically nullifying the one or more pixels in one or more images of the excluded area comprises guiding the pre-established flight plan of the UAV to avoid flying over the excluded area.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of dynamically nullifying the one or more pixels from one or more images of the excluded area comprises dynamic real time cancellation of imaging by the image sensing system when the UAV flies over the excluded area.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of dynamically nullifying the one or more pixels from the one or more images of the excluded area comprises altering one or more captured images of the excluded area, making them undecipherable.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the altering of the one or more captured images of the excluded area is carried out in real time during imaging of the designated area to be imaged.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the altering of the one or more captured images of the excluded areas is carried out after overall imaging of the designated area to be imaged is completed, and before the filtered autonomous remote sensing image is obtained through the dynamic image masking process of the designated area to be imaged.