Virtual pan/tilt camera system and method for vehicles
First Claim
1. A method of automatically navigating a ground vehicle using a plurality of fixed video cameras mounted to the vehicle and using an autonomous navigation system (ANS) programmed to operate with pan/tilt cameras, said method comprising the steps of:
- generating video data from said fixed video cameras;
generating commands at the output of said ANS for controlling the positions of pan/tilt cameras;
converting said commands into signals representing azimuths and elevations that said pan/tilt cameras would view;
mapping the azimuth and elevation signals to selected addresses containing the video data;
reformatting the video data from said selected addresses; and
inputting the reformatted video data to the ANS as video streams, said ANS processing said video streams.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to a virtual pan/tilt camera system and method for use with vehicles, and particularly ground vehicles (MGVs). The disclosure utilizes autonomous navigation systems (ANSs) used with pan/tilt cameras, but eliminates the pan/tilt cameras substituting a plurality of video cameras. Each video camera is mounted in a fixed orientation on the vehicle and covers a selected angular range of lateral view. Commands from the ANS are mapped to selected addresses where the video data from the video cameras are stored, and appropriately transformed data from the selected addresses are input to the ANS. Computers and software in the MGV receive video data from the cameras and stitch the imagery together into a single panoramic view. Video data from cameras with overlapping fields of view are used to simulate the view of stereo cameras.
-
Citations
34 Claims
-
1. A method of automatically navigating a ground vehicle using a plurality of fixed video cameras mounted to the vehicle and using an autonomous navigation system (ANS) programmed to operate with pan/tilt cameras, said method comprising the steps of:
-
generating video data from said fixed video cameras; generating commands at the output of said ANS for controlling the positions of pan/tilt cameras; converting said commands into signals representing azimuths and elevations that said pan/tilt cameras would view; mapping the azimuth and elevation signals to selected addresses containing the video data; reformatting the video data from said selected addresses; and inputting the reformatted video data to the ANS as video streams, said ANS processing said video streams. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method of automatically navigating a ground vehicle using a plurality of fixed cameras mounted to the vehicle and using an autonomous navigation system (ANS) programmed to operate with pan/tilt cameras, said method comprising the steps of:
-
providing a plurality of video cameras on said vehicle, each video camera mounted in a fixed position to view a selected portion of a selected image, said plurality of video cameras collectively viewing a panoramic image encompassing at least 360°
about said vehicle, pairs of said cameras having overlapping views such that each portion of said image is viewed by at least two video cameras;generating video data from said plurality of cameras, the video data from each camera representing the image portion viewed by said camera; inputting the video data to buffers; converting signals at the outputs of said ANS, that would be used to control the positions of pan/tilt cameras, to signals representing azimuths and elevations that said pan/tilt cameras would view; mapping said azimuths and elevations signals to selected addresses in said buffers; and generating video streams in response to said selected video data for input to said ANS. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
-
-
15. A system for automatically navigating a ground vehicle using a plurality of fixed video cameras mounted to the vehicle and using an autonomous navigation system (ANS) programmed to operate with pan/tilt cameras, said system comprising:
-
a plurality of video cameras for generating video data, each video camera generating video data representing a selected portion of an image; an ANS for generating commands for controlling the positions of pan/tilt cameras; a conversion component for converting said commands into signals representing azimuths and elevations that said pan/tilt cameras would view; a translation component for mapping the azimuth and elevation signals to selected addresses containing said video data generated by said video cameras; a reformatting component for reformatting the video data from said selected addresses; and
inputting the reformatted video data to the ANS as video streams, said ANS processing said video streams. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A system for automatically navigating a ground vehicle using a plurality of fixed cameras mounted to the vehicle and using an autonomous navigation system (ANS) programmed to operate with pan/tilt cameras, said system comprising:
-
a plurality of video cameras on said vehicle, each video camera mounted in a fixed position to view a selected portion of a selected image, said plurality of Video cameras collectively viewing a panoramic image encompassing at least 360°
about said vehicle, pairs of said cameras having overlapping views such that each portion of said image is viewed by at least two video cameras, said video cameras generating video data, the video data from each camera representing the image portion viewed by said camera;buffers for storing the video data generated by the video cameras; an ANS for generating commands that would control the positions of pan/tilt cameras; a conversion component for converting said commands generated by said ANS, to signals representing azimuths and elevations that said pan/tilt cameras would view; a translation component for mapping said azimuths and elevations signals to selected addresses in said buffers to select the video data stored at said selected addresses; and a reformatting component for generating video streams in response to said selected video data for input to said ANS. - View Dependent Claims (26)
-
-
27. A vehicle capable of autonomous operation, said vehicle comprising:
-
a plurality of cameras mounted to said vehicle for generating a panoramic scene; an autonomous navigation system (ANS) for generating azimuth and elevation commands; a translator for translating azimuth and elevation commands from said ANS to select sub-sets of the panoramic scene such that the cameras function as a virtual pan/tilt camera system; and a vehicle propulsion system for moving and guiding the vehicle under the direction of said ANS.
-
-
28. A method of autonomously navigating a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
-
generating video data from fixed video cameras mounted to said vehicle representing a panoramic image; selecting video data representing a portion of said panoramic image; and autonomously navigating said vehicle at least partially in response to said selected data. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
-
-
32. A method of automatically navigating a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
-
generating a panoramic image using fixed video cameras; reformatting the panoramic image; inputting the reformatted panoramic image to an autonomous navigation system designed to operate with pan/tilt cameras, said autonomous navigation system processing the transformed image to navigate the vehicle.
-
-
33. A method of automatically navigating a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
-
generating a panoramic image using fixed video cameras; reformatting the panoramic image; inputting the reformatted panoramic image to an autonomous navigation system designed to operate with pan/tilt cameras, said autonomous navigation system processing the transformed image to navigate the vehicle, said reformatting step further comprising the steps of; converting pixel indices for the focal planes of the fixed cameras to physical locations on the cameras'"'"' focal planes, converting the image from intensity as a function of x and y locations on the fixed cameras'"'"' focal planes, to intensity as a function of Az-EI coordinates relative to the fixed cameras'"'"' optical axes, rotating the Az-EI coordinates to Az-EI coordinates relative to the commanded optical axes of virtual pan/tilt cameras, thereby producing a resultant Az-EI image, converting the resultant Az-EI image to intensity as a function of x and y locations on the virtual pan/tilt cameras'"'"' focal planes, converting the x-y locations to pixel values, and interpolating the pixel values.
-
-
34. A method of automatically navigating a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:
-
generating a panoramic image using fixed video cameras; reformatting the panoramic image; inputting the reformatted panoramic image to an autonomous navigation system designed to operate with pan/tilt cameras, said autonomous navigation system processing the transformed image to navigate the vehicle, said reformatting step further comprising the steps of; converting pixel indices for the focal planes of the fixed cameras to physical locations on the cameras'"'"' focal planes, converting the image from intensity as a function of x and y locations on the fixed cameras'"'"' focal planes, to intensity as a function of Az-EI coordinates relative to the fixed cameras'"'"' optical axes, rotating the Az-EI coordinates to Az-EI coordinates relative to the commanded optical axes of virtual pan/tilt cameras, thereby producing a resultant Az-EI image, converting the resultant Az-EI image to intensity as a function of x and y locations on the virtual pan/tilt cameras'"'"' focal planes, converting the x-y locations to pixel values, and interpolating the pixel values.
-
Specification