Method and apparatus for telemetry adaptive bandwidth compression

• US 4,682,225 A
• Filed: 09/13/1985
• Issued: 07/21/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Original Assignee: United States Of America As Represented By The Administrator Of The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Inventors: Graham, Olin L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goldberg, E. A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foster, Patrick W.
• Application Number:
  US06/775,990
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 358/133, 358/138, 358/105, 340/870.16
• US Class Current: 375/240.21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/002 Special television systems not provided for by H04N7/007 - H04N7/18 still pictures via a television channel H04N1/00098
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/12 Systems in which the television signal is transmitted via one channel or a plurality of parallel channels, the bandwidth of each channel being less than the bandwidth of the television signal H04N7/24 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for automatic and/or manual adaptive bandwidth compression of telemetry.

An adaptive sampler (16) samples a video signal from a scanning sensor (12) and generates a sequence of sampled fields. Each field and range rate information from the sensor are then sequentially transmitted to and stored in a multiple adaptive field storage means (22). The field storage means (22) then, in response to an automatic or manual control signal, transfers the stored sampled field signals to a video monitor (24) in a form for sequential or simultaneous display of a desired number of stored field signals.

The sampling ratio of the adaptive sample (16), the relative proportion of available communication bandwidth allocated respectively to transmitted data and video information, and the number of fields simultaneously displayed are manually or automatically selectively adjustable in functional relation to each other and detected range rate. In one embodiment, when relatively little or no scene motion is detected, the control signal maximizes sampling ratio and cause simultaneous display of all stored fields, thus maximizing display resolution and bandwidth available for data transmission. When increased scene motion is detected, the control signal is adjusted accordingly to cause display of fewer fields. If greater resolution is desired, the control signal is adjusted to increase sampling ratio.

Claims

1. A system for producing a display of an image of an object comprising:

imaging means for deriving a video signal corresponding to said object;

adaptive sampler means for sampling said video signal at a sampling rate and sequentially deriving a plurality of sampled low-resolution fields;

first transmitter means for transmitting said fields;

first receiver means for receiving said transmitted fields;

field storage means for storing said received fields;

monitor means for simultaneously displaying an electronic image of a preselected number of said stored fields;

controller means for generating a control signal, wherein said control signal varies as a function of the range or range rate of said object relative to said imaging means and wherein said system further includes means for varying the number of said preselected stored fields simultaneously displayed by said monitor means in response to said control signal.

2. A system for producing a display of an image of an object comprising:

imaging means for deriving a video signal corresponding to said object;

adaptive sampler means for sampling said video signal at a sampling rate and sequentially deriving a plurality of sampled low-resolution fields;

first transmitter means for transmitting said fields;

first receiver means for receiving said transmitted fields;

field storage means for storing said received fields;

monitor means for simultaneously displaying an electronic image of a preselected number of said stored fields;

range rate means for generating a range rate signal indicating rate of motion of said object relative to said imaging means, said range rate signal being transmitted by said first transmitter means and received by said first receiver means;

controller means for generating a control signal in response to said received range rate signal; and

wherein said system further includes

means for varying the number of said preselected stored fields simultaneously displayed by said monitor means in response to said control signal.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein:

said controller means generates a remote control signal in response to said received range rate signal; and

wherein said system further includes

second transmitter means for transmitting said remote control signal;

second receiver means for receiving said transmitted remote control signal; and

means for adjusting said sampling rate of said sampler means in response to said received remote control signal.

4. A system for producing a display of an image of an object comprising:

imaging means for deriving a video signal corresponding to said object;

adaptive sampler means for sampling said video signal at a sampling rate and sequentially deriving a plurality of sampled low-resolution fields;

first transmitter means for transmitting said fields;

first receiver means for receiving said transmitted fields;

field storage means for storing said received fields;

monitor means for simultaneously displaying an electronic image of a preselected number of said stored fields;

range rate means for generating a range rate signal indicating rate of motion of said object relative to said imaging means; and

means for adjusting said sampling rate of said sampler means in response to said range rate signal.

5. A system for producing a display of an image of an object comprising:

imaging means for deriving a video signal corresponding to said object;

adaptive sampler means for sampling said video signal at a sampling rate and sequentially deriving a plurality of sampled low-resolution fields;

first transmitter means for transmitting said fields;

first receiver means for receiving said transmitted fields;

field storage means for storing said received fields;

monitor means for simultaneously displaying an electronic image of a preselected number of said stored fields;

range rate means for generating a range signal indicating rate of motion of said object relative to said imaging means, and wherein said transmitter means transmits said range rate signal and said receiver means receives said transmitted range rate signal;

controller means for generating a remote control signal in response to said received said range rate signal;

second transmitter means for transmitting said remote control signal;

second receiver means for receiving said transmitted remote control signal; and

means for varying said sampling rate of said sampler means in response to said received remote control signal.

6. A system for producing a display of an image of an object comprising:

imaging means for deriving a video signal corresponding to said object;

adaptive sampler means for sampling said video signal at a sampling rate and sequentially deriving a plurality of sample low-resolution fields;

first transmitter means for transmitting said fields;

first receiver means for receiving said transmitted fields;

field storage means for storing said received fields;

monitor means for simultaneously displaying an electronic image of a preselected number of said stored fields;

range rate means for generating a range rate signal indicating rate of motion of said object relative to said imaging means;

data generating means for generating a non-video data signal; and

mixer means for generating a composite signal transmitted by said first transmitter having a relative proportion of said non-video signal to said fields controlled by said range rate signal.

7. A system for producing a display of an image of an object comprising:

imaging means for deriving a video signal corresponding to said object;

adaptive sampler means for sampling said video signal at a sampling rate and sequentially deriving a plurality of sampled low-resolution fields;

first transmitter means for transmitting said fields;

first receiver means for receiving said transmitted fields;

field storage means for storing said received fields;

monitor means for simultaneously displaying an electronic image of a preselected number of said stored fields;

range rate means for generating a range rate signal indicating rate of motion of said object relative to said imaging means;

data generator means for generating non-video data signals;

mixer means for generating a composite signal having a relative proportions of said non-video signals to said fields;

remote control generator means for generating a remote control signal;

second transmitter means for transmitting said remote control signal;

second receiver means for receiving said transmitted remote control signal; and

wherein

said first transmits and said first receiver receives said range rate signal;

said remote control generator means generates said remote control signal in functional response to said received range rate signal; and

said mixer means generates said non-video signals and said fields in said relative proportion controlled by said received remote control signal.

8. A method for producing a display of an image of an object comprising:

deriving a video signal corresponding to said object;

sampling said video signal at a sampling rate to sequentially derive a plurality of low-resolution fields;

transmitting said fields from a first to a second location;

receiving said fields at said second location;

storing said received fields;

simultaneously displaying an image of a preselected number of said stored fields;

generating a control signal;

varying the number of said preselected stored fields simultaneously displayed by said monitor means in response to said control signal; and

varying said control signal as a function of the range or range rate of said object.

9. A method for producing a display of an image of an object comprising:

deriving a video signal corresponding to said object;

sampling said video signal at a sampling rate to sequentially derive a plurality of low-resolution fields;

transmitting said fields from a first to a second location;

receiving said fields at said second location;

storing said received fields;

simultaneously displaying an image of a preselected number of said stored fields;

generating a range rate signal indicating rate of motion of said object at said first location;

transmitting said range rate signal from said first location to said second location;

receiving said range rate signal at said second location;

generating a control signal in response to said received range rate signal; and

varying the number of said preselected stored fields simultaneously displayed in response to said control signal.

10. The method of claim 9, further including:

generating a remote control signal in response to said received range rate signal;

transmitting said remote control signal from said second to said first location;

receiving said remote control signal at said first location; and

adjusting said sampling rate in response to said received remote control signal.

11. A method for producing a display of an image of an object comprising:

deriving a video signal corresponding to said object;

sampling said video signal at a sampling rate to sequentially derive a plurality of low-resolution fields;

transmitting said fields from a first to a second location;

receiving said fields at said second location;

storing said received fields;

simultaneously displaying an image of a preselected number of said stored fields;

generating a range rate signal indicating rate of motion of said object; and

adjusting said sampling rate in response to said range rate signal.

12. A method for producing a display of an image of an object comprising:

deriving a video signal corresponding to said object;

sampling said video signal at a sampling rate to sequentially derive a plurality of low-resolution fields;

transmitting said fields from a first to a second location;

receiving said fields at said second location;

storing said received fields;

simultaneously displaying an image of a preselected number of said stored fields;

generating a range rate signal indicating rate of motion of said object;

transmitting said range rate signal from said first to said second location;

receiving said range rate signal at said second location;

generating a remote control signal in response to said received range rate signal;

transmitting said remote control signal from said second to said first location;

receiving said remote control signal at said first location; and

varying said sampling rate in response to said received remote control signal.

13. A method for producing a display of an image of an object comprising:

deriving a video signal corresponding to said object;

sampling said video signal at a sampling rate to sequentially derive a plurality of low-resolution fields;

transmitting said fields from a first to a second location;

receiving said fields at said second location;

storing said received fields;

simultaneously displaying an image of a preselected number of said stored fields;

generating a range rate signal indicating rate of motion of said object;

generating a non-video data signal;

generating a composite signal transmitted from said first to said second location having relative proportions of said non-video signal to said fields controlled by said range rate signal.

14. A method for producing a display of an image of an object comprising:

deriving a video signal corresponding to said object;

sampling said video signal at a sampling rate to sequentially derive a plurality of low-resolution fields;

transmitting said fields from a first to a second location;

receiving said fields at said second location;

storing said received fields;

simultaneously displaying an image of a preselected number of said stored fields;

generating a range rate signal indicating rate of motion of said object;

generating a non-video data signal;

generating a composite signal having a relative proportions of said non-video signal to said fields;

transmitting said range rate signal from said first to said second location;

receiving said range rate signal at said second location;

generating a remote control signal in response to said received range rate signal;

transmitting said remote control signal from said second to said first location; and

adjusting said relative proportion of said non-video signal to said fields in functional response to said received remote control signal.