Object location identification system for providing location data of an object being pointed at by a pointing device

• US 5,672,820 A
• Filed: 04/30/1996
• Issued: 09/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boeing North American Incorporated (The Boeing Co.)
• Original Assignee: Boeing North American Incorporated (The Boeing Co.)
• Inventors: Goodfriend, Steven L., Lowe, Douglas E., Innocenzi, Mark E., Rossi, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dombroske, George M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): AMROZOWICZ, PAUL DOUGLAS
• Application Number:
  US08/642,071
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 358/909.1, 358/906, 348/207, 386/46, 354/105, 354/109, 354/75, 354/76
• US Class Current: 73/178.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/47 the supplementary measurement being an inertial measurement, e.g. tightly coupled inertial
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2205/002 for traffic control, mobile tracking, guidance, surveillance or anti-collision
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/0027 of actual mobile position, i.e. position determined on mobile
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/16 using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/906 Hand-held camera with recorder in a single unit

Abstract

The object location identification system includes a Receiving Module (RM), an Angular Measuring System (AMS) and a processor. The RM receives information specifying a user'"'"'s location and provides RM output data in terms of latitude, longitude and altitude. The AMS is connectable to a pointing device for measuring the orientation of the pointing device and providing AMS output data in at least heading and depression angles. The processor processes the RM output data and the AMS output data and provides location data of an object being pointed at by the pointing device.

Claims

1. An object location identification system, comprising:

a) a receiving module (RM) for receiving information specifying a user'"'"'s location and providing RM output data in terms of latitude, longitude and altitude (x₀, y₀, z₀);

b) an angular measuring system (AMS) securely mountable to a pointing device for measuring the orientation of said pointing device and providing AMS output data in at least heading and depression angles (α

, β

) in real-time;

c) a computational element for processing said RM output data and said AMS output data and providing location data of an object being pointed at by said pointing device, said location data being in terms of latitude, longitude and altitude; and

d) a map referencing element (MRE) for receiving said location data and retrieving graphic map displays associated with the object'"'"'s specific location,

whereby the latitude and longitude of the pointing device are utilized as inputs to the map database to show the location of a field of view of the pointing device in real-time.

2. The object location identification system of claim 1, wherein said computation elements comprises an encoding element and a recording element for storage of said location data.

3. The object location identification system of claim 2, wherein said recording element comprises an image and data recorder with said location data being stored as an audio tone.

4. The object location identification system of claim 1, further including a pointing device.

5. The object location identification system of claim 4, wherein said pointing device comprises a video camera.

6. The object location identification system of claim 4, wherein said pointing device comprises an infrared (IR) camera.

7. The object location identification system of claim 4, wherein said pointing device comprises a multi-mode sensor.

8. The object location identification system of claim 1, wherein said AMS comprises an inertial navigation system (INS).

9. The object location identification system of claim 1, wherein said AMS comprises a micro-machined angular rate sensor (MMARS) and micro-machined accelerometer (MMA).

10. The object location identification system of claim 1, wherein said RM comprises a global positioning system (GPS) receiver.

11. The object location identification system of claim 1, wherein said system further includes:

a) a transmitting element connected to said MRE for receiving a moving map display output of said MRE and for providing an RF signal; and

b) a base station for receiving said RF signal, thereby providing remote readout and display of said moving map display output.

12. The object location identification system of claim 11, wherein said transmitting element is connected to said MRE via an encoding device.

13. The object location identification system of claim 1, wherein said system further includes:

a) a transmitting element connectable to said RM and to said AMS for receiving said RM output data and said AMS output data and for providing an RF signal; and

,

b) a base station for receiving said RF signal for said processing by said computational element.

14. The object location identification system of claim 13, wherein said transmitting element is connectable to said RM and said AMS via an encoding device.

15. The object location identification system of claim 1, wherein said AMS comprises, solely, an inertial measurement unit (IMU), thus allowing for hand-held portability.

16. The object location identification system of claim 1, wherein said RM and said AMS comprise a single integrated unit.

17. An object location identification system adaptable for use with a pointing device, comprising:

a) a receiving module (RM) for receiving information specifying a user'"'"'s location and providing RM output data in terms of latitude, longitude and altitude (x₀, y₀, z₀);

b) an angular measuring system (AMS) for providing AMS output data, indicative of the orientation of a pointing device, in at least heading and depression angles (α

, β

) in real-time;

c) a processor for processing said RM output data and said AMS output data and providing location data representing the location of an object relative to a pointing device; and

d) a map referencing element (MRE) for receiving said location data and retrieving graphic map displays associated with the object'"'"'s specific location,

whereby the latitude and longitude of the pointing device are utilized as inputs to the map database to show the location of a field of view of the pointing device in real-time.

18. An object location identification system adaptable for use with a pointing device, comprising:

a) a receiving module (RM) for receiving information specifying a user'"'"'s location and providing RM output data in terms of latitude, longitude and altitude (x₀, y₀, z₀);

b) an angular measuring system (AMS) for providing AMS output data, indicative of the orientation of a pointing device, in at least heading and depression angles (α

, β

) in real-time;

c) a computational element for processing said RM output data and said AMS output data and providing location data representing the location of an object relative to a pointing device, said location data being in terms of latitude, longitude and altitude; and

d) a map referencing element (MRE) for receiving said location data and retrieving graphic map displays associated with the object'"'"'s specific location,

whereby the latitude and longitude of the pointing device are utilized inputs to the map database to show the location of a field of view of the pointing device in real-time.