Obscuration Map Generation

• US 20200134854A1
• Filed: 10/25/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Snoke, Sean, Baader, John, Trandel, Mark R., Ochoa, Jaime E.
• Granted Patent: US 11,087,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/495 Counter-measures or counter-counter-measures using electronic or electro-optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/497 Means for monitoring or calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10012 Stereo images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30212 Military
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/13 Edge detection
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/73 using feature-based methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/128 Adjusting depth or disparity
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/246 Calibration of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2013/0081 Depth or disparity estimation from stereoscopic image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/54 Mounting of pick-up tubes, electronic image sensors, deviation or focusing coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/62 Control of parameters via user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects

Abstract

A camera is arranged on a transmitter or receiver mount configured to provide a transmitter or receiver with a field of regard. Image data of the field of regard is captured by the camera. A location of an obscuration within the field of regard from the image data is determined from the image data. A map of obscurations within the field of regard is generated based upon the image data and the location of the obscuration within the field of regard.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

arranging a camera on a transmitter or receiver mount of a vehicle, wherein the transmitter or receiver mount is configured to provide a transmitter or receiver with a field of regard;

capturing, via the camera, image data of the field of regard;

determining a location of an obscuration caused by a portion of the vehicle within the field of regard from the image data; and

generating a map of obscurations within the field of regard based upon the image data and the location of the obscuration within the field of regard,

wherein determining the location of the obscuration comprises;

generating an image from the image data;

presenting the image to a user via a user display device; and

receiving a user input comprising an indication of a coordinate of the obscuration within the image.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitter or receiver comprises a directional infrared countermeasure transmitter or receiver.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location of an obscuration within the field of regard comprises determining an angular location of the obscuration relative to the camera and a distance from the camera.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein arranging the camera comprises arranging a plurality of cameras on the transmitter or receiver mount;

and

wherein capturing image data of the field of regard comprises;

capturing image data from each of the plurality of cameras, and

generating three-dimensional data from the image data from each of the plurality of cameras; and

wherein determining the location of the obscuration comprises determining a three-dimensional location of the obscuration from the three-dimensional data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing image data of the field of regard comprises capturing a plurality of photographs.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location of the obscuration comprises determining a location of a permanent obscuration.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location of the obscuration comprises determining a location of a temporary obscuration.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing the image data of the field of regard comprises repositioning the transmitter or receiver mount through a plurality of positions so that the camera acquires image data from the entire field of regard.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein arranging the camera comprises arranging a pair of cameras on the transmitter or receiver mount;

wherein capturing image data of the field of regard comprises capturing image data from each of the pair of cameras to generate pairs of images;

wherein presenting the image to the user comprises presenting the pairs of images to the user via the user display device; and

wherein receiving the user input comprises receiving the user input comprising a pair of indications of coordinates of the obscuration within the pair of images.

8. (canceled)

11. An apparatus comprising:

a mounting plate of a camera positioning fixture;

an azimuthal angle positioning plate rotatably mounted to the mounting plate;

a mounting arm mounted to the azimuthal angle positioning plate and extending in a direction normal to a surface of the azimuthal angle positioning plate;

a polar positioning mount rotatably mounted to the mounting arm; and

a camera mount connected to the polar positioning mount and configured to secure the camera to the fixture;

wherein the mounting plate is configured to secure the camera positioning fixture to a transmitter or receiver mount; and

wherein the mounting arm, the azimuthal angle positioning plate and the polar positioning mount are configured to position the camera at a plurality of positions for acquisition of image data by the camera corresponding to a field of regard of the transmitter or a field of regard of the receiver.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the mounting arm is configured to position image acquisition optics of the camera at a position corresponding to an output of the transmitter when mounted in the transmitter mount or acquisition optics of the receiver when mounted in the receiver mount.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the camera mount is configured to secure a plurality of cameras to the fixture, and the mounting arm is configured to position a midpoint between image acquisition optics of the plurality of cameras at a position corresponding to an output of the transmitter when mounted in the transmitter mount or acquisition optics of the receiver when mounted in the receiver mount.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising one or more actuators configured to rotate the azimuthal positioning plate and the polar positioning mount to position the camera at the plurality of positions.

15. An apparatus comprising:

a communication interface; and

a processor configured to;

receive, via the communication interface, image data corresponding to a field of regard of a transmitter or receiver;

determine pixel coordinates of an obscuration in the field of regard of the transmitter or receiver contained in the image data;

determine a location of the obscuration relative to the transmitter or receiver by translating the pixel coordinates to coordinates relative to a location of the transmitter or receiver; and

generate an obscuration map from the coordinates relative to the location of the transmitter or receiver.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a display and a user input device,

wherein the processor is further configured to display on the display a visual representation of the image data to a user;

and

wherein the processor is configured to determine the pixel coordinates of the obscuration by receiving user input from the user input device indicating the location of the obscuration in the visual representation of the image data.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is configured to determine pixel coordinates of the obscuration by performing edge recognition on the image data.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to

receive the image data by receiving stereoscopic image data from a plurality of cameras;

generate a three dimensional representation of the stereoscopic image data; and

determine a three dimensional location of the obscuration from the three dimensional representation.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to generate the three dimensional representation of the stereoscopic image data by rectifying the stereoscopic image data.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the transmitter or the receiver comprises an element of a directional infrared countermeasure system.