System for precise rotational and positional tracking
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for tracking a movable structure, comprising:
- at least one actively emissive fiducial;
at least one video camera;
wherein either the camera or the fiducial is mounted on the movable structure, so that the camera can capture an image of the fiducial as the structure moves;
means for capturing the image from the video camera;
means for determining the location of the fiducial in the captured image, comprising means for resolving the energy received from the active fiducial separately in a plurality of separate areas of a captured video frame, means for comparing the resolved energy to a predetermined energy threshold to find areas with energies above the threshold, and means for resolving the centroid of a larger area of the captured video frame comprised of a separate area with an energy above the threshold and a plurality of contiguous separate areas; and
means, responsive to the means for determining, for resolving the heading of the movable structure.
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Abstract
A system for tracking a movable structure, comprising: at least one fiducial; and at least one video camera; wherein either the camera or the fiducial is mounted on the movable structure, so that the camera can capture an image of the fiducial as the structure moves. The image from the video camera is captured. From this, the heading of the movable structure is resolved.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A system for tracking a movable structure, comprising:
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at least one actively emissive fiducial; at least one video camera; wherein either the camera or the fiducial is mounted on the movable structure, so that the camera can capture an image of the fiducial as the structure moves; means for capturing the image from the video camera; means for determining the location of the fiducial in the captured image, comprising means for resolving the energy received from the active fiducial separately in a plurality of separate areas of a captured video frame, means for comparing the resolved energy to a predetermined energy threshold to find areas with energies above the threshold, and means for resolving the centroid of a larger area of the captured video frame comprised of a separate area with an energy above the threshold and a plurality of contiguous separate areas; and means, responsive to the means for determining, for resolving the heading of the movable structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for tracking a movable structure, comprising:
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at least one actively emissive fiducial; at least one linear video camera; wherein either the camera or the fiducial is mounted on the movable structure, so that the camera can capture an image of the fiducial as the structure moves; means for capturing the image from the video camera; means for determining the location of the fiducial in the captured image, comprising means for resolving the energy received from the active fiducial separately in a plurality of separate areas of a captured video frame, means for comparing the resolved energy to a predetermined energy threshold to find areas with energies above the threshold, and means for resolving the centroid of a larger area of the captured video frame comprised of a separate area with an energy above the threshold and a plurality of contiguous separate areas; and means, responsive to the means for determining, for resolving the heading of the movable structure, the means for resolving the heading comprising means for comparing captured images over time.
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15. A system for tracking a movable structure, comprising:
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at least one actively emissive fiducial; at least one linear video camera; wherein either the camera or the fiducial is mounted on the movable structure, so that the camera can capture an image of the fiducial as the structure moves; means for capturing the image from the video camera; means for determining the location of the fiducial in the captured image, comprising means for resolving the energy received from the active fiducial separately in a plurality of separate areas of a captured video frame, means for comparing the resolved energy to a predetermined energy threshold to find areas with energies above the threshold, and means for resolving the centroid of a larger area of the captured video frame comprised of a separate area with an energy above the threshold and a plurality of contiguous separate areas; means, responsive to the means for determining, for resolving the heading of the movable structure, the means for resolving the heading comprising means for comparing captured images over time; a video display for displaying an image; means for creating computer generated graphics; and means for mixing the captured video image and the computer generated graphics, and displaying them together on the video display as an augmented reality image.
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Specification