Geographical surveying using multiple cameras to obtain split-screen images with overlaid geographical coordinates

• US 5,045,937 A
• Filed: 08/25/1989
• Issued: 09/03/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Space Island Products & Services Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Space Island Products & Services Incorporated
• Inventors: Myrick, E. L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US07/398,600
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 358/109, 358/113, 358/103, 358/110, 358/183, 358/83
• US Class Current: 348/144
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/007 for earth observation
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/02 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 5/025 Interfacing a pyrometer to an external device or network; User interface
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 9/00 Prospecting or detecting by methods not provided for in groups G01V1/00 - G01V8/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/33 Transforming infrared radiation cameras or camera modules for generating image signals from infrared radiation H04N23/20; circuitry of SSIS for transforming infrared radiation into image signals H04N25/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

An earth surface surveying system uses an IR camera to obtain IR images of a selected area. A video camera operates in association with the IR camera to obtain video images in geographic and time sequence with images obtained by the IR camera. A processor allows split-screen viewing of the IR and video images so that areas of interest in the IR image can be identified from the video image. The system also includes apparatus for overlaying earth surface coordinates on the images from a global navigation system to enable identifying the location of areas in the images.

Claims

1. An infrared earth surface survey system for mounting in a survey vehicle comprising:

a video camera having a first field of view, said camera producing a sequence of television frames;

an infrared imager head having a field of view coincident with said video camera field of view;

an infrared data processor connected to said imager head for receiving analog infrared data therefrom, said processor processing said infrared data to produce a sequence of infrared television frames compatible with said sequence of video television frames, said processor producing a plurality of colors in said frames, each of said colors indicative of a temperature range of a portion of an earth surface within said image head field of view;

a split-screen generator connected to said infrared data processor and said video camera for combining said sequence of said video television frames to produce a sequence of composite television frames, each of such frames having a first part of one of said infrared television frames and a second part of a corresponding one of said video television frames;

video recorder means connected to said split-screen generator for recording said sequence of composite television frames;

a global navigation system for determining coordinates of said survey vehicle;

a computer for receiving said coordinates from said global navigation system and programmed to produce alphanumeric representations thereof; and

means connected to said computer and said video recorder means for overlaying respective determined coordinates on each of said composite television frames.

2. The survey system of claim 1 which further comprises:

radar altimeter means for measuring the height of said vehicle above said portion of earth surface; and

said computer programmed to produce alphanumeric representations of said measured heights for overlaying on each of said composite television frames.

3. The survey system of claim 1 which further comprises a second video camera having a second field of view wider than said first field of view and including said first field of view, said second video camera producing a second sequence of television frames.

4. The survey system of claim 3 which further comprises second video recorder means connected to said second video camera for recording said second sequence of television frames.

5. The survey system of claim 1 in which said split-screen generator produces said sequence of composite television frames in which said first and second parts of each of said video television frames represents a forward half-frame infrared image and a following half-frame video image wherein said images represent contiguous portions of said earth surface.

6. The survey system of claim 1 in which said video camera produces a sequence of color television frames.

7. The survey system of claim 1 which further comprises a television monitor connected to said video recording means for displaying said sequence of television frames including said overlaid coordinates.

8. The survey system of claim 1 in which said video camera and said infrared imager head are mounted in a pod, said pod manually movable during operation of said survey system.

9. The survey system of claim 1 in which said data processor includes manual adjustment means for selecting said temperature range of said colors, temperature resolution of said range, and a low temperature limit.

10. The survey system of claim 1 in which said infrared imager head is cryogenically cooled.

11. The survey system of claim 1 in which said video recorder includes a sound channel for recording voice and data contemporaneously with said video recording.

12. The survey system of claim 9 in which said data processor produces a set of temperature calibration indices in each of said infrared television frames in accordance with said selected temperature range and temperature resolution.

13. An aerial infrared earth surface survey system for mounting in an aircraft comprising:

a first video camera having a narrow angle field of view for producing a first sequence of television frames;

a second video camera having a wide angle field of view, including images within said narrow angle field of view, for producing a second sequence of television frames;

an infrared imager head having a narrow angle field of view coincidental with said first video camera field of view, said imager head producing analog data representative of temperatures of infrared sources in said imager head field of view;

an infrared data processor connected to receive said infrared analog data for processing said data to produce a third sequence of television frames compatible with said first sequence of colors therein, each of said colors indicative of a temperature range of said infrared sources;

a special effects generator connected to receive said third sequence of television frames and said first sequence of television frames to produce therefrom a sequence of split-screen television frames, a first part-screen frame from said third sequence and a second part-screen frame from a corresponding first sequence;

first video recorder connected to receive and record said sequence of split-screen television frames;

second video recorder connected to receive and record said second sequence of television frames;

a global navigation system for determining the latitude and longitude of said aircraft;

a radar altimeter for determining the height of said aircraft above an earth surface;

a computer for receiving latitude and longitude data from said global navigation system, and aircraft height data from said radar altimeter, said computer programmed to produce alphanumeric representations of said received latitude and longitude data, and said height data; and

a time base corrector connected to receive a synchronization signal from said data processor and to receive said alphanumeric representations for overlaying respective latitude, longitude, and height alphanumeric representations on each of said split-screen frames for recording by said first and second video recorders.

14. The survey system of claim 13 in which said infrared imager head is cryogenically cooled.

15. The survey system of claim 13 in which said first and second video cameras each produce color video images.

16. The survey system of claim 13 in which said first and second video recorders include an audio channel for recording an operator voice message and communication data.

17. The survey system of claim 13 which further comprises:

a pod for mounting said first and second video cameras, and said infrared imager head;

said pod is mounted in said aircraft and pivoted along a longitudinal axis of said aircraft; and

said pod includes a control stick for permitting an operator to roll said pod for tracking of earth surface features.

18. The survey system of claim 13 which further comprises:

a first monitor connected to said first video recorder for monitoring said sequence of split-screen television frames being recorded; and

a second monitor connected to said second video recorder for monitoring said second sequence of television frames being recorded.

19. A method of locating points of interest on the earth'"'"'s surface by temperature discrimination comprising the steps of:

producing a sequence of infrared images of a part of the earth'"'"'s surface and simultaneously generating a preselected sequence of video television images in geographic and time sequence relationship with the sequence of infrared images; and

determining the coordinates of each image of the sequence.

20. The method as set forth in claim 19 further comprising the further additional step of recording the sequences and the coordinates.

21. A method of locating points of interest of selected portions of the earth'"'"'s surface by temperature discrimination comprising the steps of:

producing a sequence of split-scene television frames in which an upper portion of each frame is an infrared image of a first portion of the earth'"'"'s surface and a lower portion of each frame is a pictorial video image of a second portion of the earth'"'"'s surface adjacent to and contiguous with the first portion;

determining the coordinates of a point in each frame; and

recording the sequence of the split-scene television frames and overlaying the coordinates on each recorded frame.

22. A method for locating points of interest on the earth'"'"'s surface by temperature discrimination comprising the steps of:

moving a video camera and an infrared imager head, the camera and imager head having coincident fields of view, along and over selected areas of the earth'"'"'s surface for scanning such areas;

producing a sequence of video television frames from the video camera representative of the areas scanned;

producing a sequence of infrared television frames from the infrared imager head having images representative of temperatures of the areas scanned;

determining coordinates of centers of the selected areas in each of the television frames;

producing and recording a sequence of split-screen television frames in which a top portion of each frame is a top portion of an infrared image frame, and the bottom portion of each frame is a bottom portion of the corresponding video frame;

overlaying the determined coordinates of each frame on its respective recording thereof;

playing back the recording to locate a thermal point of interest in the infrared portion of a frame;

advancing the sequence of recorded frames to a frame in which the thermal point of interest appears in the bottom video frame;

visually identifying the location of the thermal point of interest; and

determining the location of the thermal point by reference to the overlaid coordinates of a frame containing the thermal point of interest.

23. The method as set forth in claim 22 in which the step of playing back is playing back in slow motion.

24. The method as set forth in claim 22 wherein the determining step includes scaling distances from known distances in the video frame.

25. An earth surface surveying system for association with a survey vehicle comprising:

means for producing a sequence of infrared images of a part of the earth surface;

means for generating a preselected sequence of video television images in geographic and time sequence relationship with the sequence of infrared images of said producing means; and

means for determining the coordinates of each image of the sequence.

26. An aerial earth surface survey system for mounting in an aircraft comprising:

a first video camera having a narrow angle field of view for producing a first sequence of television frames;

a second video camera having a wide angle field of view, including images within said narrow angle field of view, for producing a second sequence of television frames;

a special effects generator connected to receive said first and second sequences of television frames and for producing therefrom a sequence of split-screen television frames, a first part-screen frame from said first sequence and a second part-screen frame from a corresponding second sequence;

a first video recorder connected to receive and record said sequence of split-screen television frames;

a global navigation system for determining the latitude and longitude of said aircraft;

an altimeter for determining the height of said aircraft above an earth surface;

a computer for receiving latitude and longitude data from said global navigation system and aircraft height data from said altimeter, said computer being programmed to produce alphanumeric representations of said received latitude and longitude data and said height data; and

a time base corrector connected to receive a synchronization signal from said computer and to receive said alphanumeric representations for overlaying respective latitude, longitude, and height alphanumeric representations on each of said split screen frames for recording by said first video recorder.