Cartographic overlay on sensor video

• US 6,208,933 B1
• Filed: 12/04/1998
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Lazar, Jonathan Noel
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US09/205,889
• Time in Patent Office: 844 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/206, 701/207, 701/208, 701/211, 701/214, 701/300, 342/64, 342/63, 342/357.01, 342/357.08, 342/46, 342/53, 345/113, 345/118, 345/121, 345/7, 345/8, 340/988, 340/995
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/04 Display arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/106 using electronic means

Abstract

A sensor system for providing a cartographic overlay on a displayed sensor image for a current location within a selected region. The sensor system includes a sensor for generating the sensor image and a location device for generating a location signal corresponding to the current location of the sensor. Additionally, the system includes a storage device in electrical communication with the location device wherein the storage device electronically stores cartographic data for the selected region. The cartographic data consist of titles and symbols for known objects in the region. The storage device is operative to generate a map data signal corresponding to the cartographic data based on the location signal. The system further includes a display in electrical communication with the sensor and the storage device for presenting a final image. The display produces a final image that consists of the sensor image superimposed with cartographic data based upon the map data signal.

Claims

1. A sensor system for providing a cartographic overlay on a displayed sensor image of a current location within a selected region, the sensor system comprising:

a sensor attached to a moving platform for generating the sensor image, the sensor image being representative of detected objects proximate the current location of the platform;

a location device for generating a location signal corresponding to the current location of the sensor within the selected region;

a storage device including electronically stored cartographic data for the selected region, the storage device being in electrical communication with the location device and operative to generate a map data signal corresponding to the stored cartographic data based on the location signal; and

a display in electrical communication with the sensor and the storage device, the display being operative to present a composite image comprising the sensor image and the map data such that the sensor image is superimposed upon and relocatable in relation to an underlying map data.

2. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein:

the sensor is movable and has a pan, a tilt, a rotation and a visible angle; and

the location device is configured such that the location signal is based on a known coordinate system as refined by the pan, the tilt, the rotation and the visible angle of the sensor.

3. The sensor system of claim 2 further comprising:

a platform having a position and an attitude and attached to the sensor;

wherein the location device is configured such that the location signal is further refined by the position and attitude of the platform.

4. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein:

the cartographic data of the final image includes titles and symbols representative of respective ones of the objects detected by the sensor.

5. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of:

a low light sensor;

an infra-red sensor;

a video sensor;

a radar imaging sensor; and

a laser imaging sensor.

6. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein the display is selected from the group consisting of:

a heads-up display;

a helmet visor; and

a sensor monitor.

10. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein the platform is an aircraft.

11. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein a dynamic sensor image is superimposeable upon static cartographic data.

13. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein a dynamic sensor image is superimposeable upon static cartographic data.

7. A method for displaying a cartographic overlay on a displayed sensor image, the method comprising the steps of:

a) generating the sensor image with a sensor mounted on a moving platform, the sensor image being representative of detected objects proximate the current location of the platform;

b) generating a location signal corresponding to a current location of the sensor within a selected region;

c) generating a map data signal corresponding to stored cartographic data based on the location signal; and

d) displaying a composite image comprising the sensor image and the map data such that the sensor image is superimposed upon and relocatable in relation to an underlying map data.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein step (b) comprises generating a location signal corresponding to a sensor pan, a sensor tilt, a sensor rotation, a platform position and a platform attitude within the selected region.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein step (d) comprises displaying the final image on a display selected from the group consisting of:

a heads-up display;

a helmet visor; and

a sensor monitor.

12. The sensor system of claim 7 wherein the platform is an aircraft.