IMAGING ARRAY FOR BIRD OR BAT DETECTION AND IDENTIFICATION

• US 20180163700A1
• Filed: 11/17/2017
• Published: 06/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IdentiFlight International, LLC
• Original Assignee: IdentiFlight International, LLC
• Inventors: WENGER, Eric S., OLIVER, Andrew G., BABBITT, Victor L., HIESTER, Thomas R.
• Granted Patent: US 10,519,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 29/005 Monitoring or measuring activity, e.g. detecting heat or mating
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 29/10 using light sources, e.g. lasers or flashing lights
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 29/16 using sound waves
• CPC Class Codes: A01M 31/002 Detecting animals in a given area
• CPC Class Codes: E04B 1/72 Pest control by keeping dry E04B1/70; impregnation of wood or like materials B27K
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 17/00 Monitoring or testing of wind motors, e.g. diagnostics testing during commissioning of wind motors F03D13/30
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/042 by means of an electrical or electronic controller
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 7/048 controlling wind farms
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/00 Details, components or accessories not provided for in groups F03D1/00 - F03D17/00
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 80/10 Arrangements for warning air traffic
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/007 the wind motor being combined with means for converting solar radiation into useful energy
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/257 the wind motor being part of a wind farm
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2270/804 Optical devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/24 Classification techniques
• 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: G06V 10/764 using classification, e.g. of video objects
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/13 Satellite images
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 40/103 Static body considered as a whole, e.g. static pedestrian or occupant recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 10/12 Hybrid wind-PV energy systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/243 using three or more 2D image sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 : Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 : for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/90 : Arrangement of cameras or camera modules, e.g. multiple cameras in TV studios or sports stadiums
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 : Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 : Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction

Abstract

An automated system for mitigating risk from a wind farm. The automated system may include an array of a plurality of image capturing devices independently mounted in a wind farm. The array may include a plurality of low resolution cameras and at least one high resolution camera. The plurality of low resolution cameras may be interconnected and may detect a spherical field surrounding the wind farm. A server is in communication with the array of image capturing devices. The server may automatically analyze images to classify an airborne object captured by the array of image capturing devices in response to receiving the images.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. An automated system for tracking an airborne object in a designated area, the automated system comprising:

a detection tower;

a plurality of wide field of view cameras connected to the detection tower;

a tracking camera connected to the detection tower for providing a high resolution image of a moving airborne object;

wherein the plurality of wide field of view cameras are interconnected and have a combined field of view that surrounds the detection tower; and

a server in communication with the cameras, wherein the server analyzes images from the cameras to classify an airborne object captured by the cameras.

22. The automated system of claim 21, wherein each wide field of view camera has a field of view that partially overlaps with another wide field of view camera.

23. The automated system of claim 21, wherein the tracking camera is mounted to a positioner controlled by the controller to rotate and tilt the tracking camera to continuously track the moving airborne object.

24. The automated system of claim 23, wherein the positioner comprises a pan and tilt system.

25. The automated system of claim 21, further comprising one or more of:

a range finder;

a radar;

or

a second tracking camera to form a stereoscopic image with an image from the tracking camera;

for measuring a distance to the flying object.

26. The automated system of claim 21, further comprising a radar system to improve location determination of the airborne object.

27. The automated system of claim 21, wherein the wide field of view cameras provides a low resolution blob-like image of the airborne object that the server analyzes and classifies as an animal or non-living object.

28. The automated system of claim 27, wherein the tracking camera tracks the airborne object as it moves toward, in or through the designated area.

29. The automated system of claim 28, wherein the designated area corresponds to an airspace volume surrounding the detection tower that extends at least 600 m from the detection tower.

30. The automated system of claim 21, wherein the high resolution image from the tracking camera is displayed to a graphical user interface, along with one or more moving object parameters.

31. The automated system of claim 30, wherein the moving object parameter is selected from the group consisting of:

location;

direction of motion;

speed;

time stamp;

flight path;

animal species; and

any combination thereof.

32. The automated system of claim 21, wherein the wide field of view cameras are provided to image in all directions from the detection tower in which an airborne moving object may approach.

33. The automated system of claim 32, wherein the wide field of view cameras are in a fixed position.

34. The automated system of claim 32, wherein the wide field of view cameras generated images from visible light or from infrared light.

35. The automated system of claim 21, further comprising a deterrent system to deploy deterrent measures to deter a living moving object from approaching a wind turbine positioned in the designated area.

36. The automated system of claim 21, wherein the detection tower is a wind turbine tower.

37. The automated system of claim 21, wherein the detection tower is a stand-alone tower.

38. The automated system of claim 21, further comprising one or more additional automated systems that are positioned to provide coverage in and around a wind farm comprising a plurality of wind turbines.

39. A method of analyzing object movement in a designated area, the method comprising:

monitoring airspace in all approachable directions around the designated area with a plurality of wide field of view cameras;

detecting an airborne object through a wide field of view camera;

activating a tracking camera to track the airborne object;

obtaining a high resolution image of the airborne object with the tracking camera;

transmitting, automatically through a computing device, the high resolution image to a server;

classifying, through the server, the airborne object based at least in part on the high resolution image; and

monitoring the airborne object with the tracking camera as the airborne object enters the designated area based at least in part on a classification when the airborne object is classified as at least one of a predetermined species; and

activating mitigation efforts within the designated area when the airborne object meets a threshold classification and a threshold location.