Navigation and inspection system

• US 8,000,895 B2
• Filed: 06/09/2008
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William E. Knight
• Original Assignee: Doubleshot, Inc.
• Inventors: Shulman, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US12/135,841
• Publication Number:
  US 20090015685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 701/213, 701/26, 701/210, 701/211, 348/169, 348/222.1, 348/E50.24, 342/357.09
• US Class Current: 701/213
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/00 Photogrammetry or videogrammetry, e.g. stereogrammetry; Photographic surveying
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/02 Picture taking arrangements specially adapted for photogrammetry or photographic surveying, e.g. controlling overlapping of pictures
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/00 Manipulating 3D models or images for computer graphics
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10048 Infrared image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30252 Vehicle exterior; Vicinity of vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/028 Multiple view windows (top-side-front-sagittal-orthogonal)
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 5/50 using two or more images, e.g. averaging or subtraction
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/97 Determining parameters from multiple pictures depth or shape recovery from multiple images G06T7/55; stereo camera calibration G06T7/85

Abstract

A method of detecting a changed condition within a geographical space from a moving vehicle. Images of that geographic space are memorialized in conjunction with GPS coordinates together with its GPS coordinates. The same geographic space is traversed from the moving vehicle while accessing the route'"'"'s GPS coordinates. The memorialized images are played back by coordinating the GPS data on a memorialized images with that of the traversed geographic space such that the memorialized images are viewed simultaneously with the geographic space being traversed. An observer traveling within the moving vehicle can compare the memorialized images with those being traversed in order to identify changed conditions.

Claims

1. A method of displaying an enhanced view of a visual field accessible to a mobile image acquisition device, the method comprising:

capturing a first set of image data in real-time from an image acquisition device associated with a mobile unit;

determining one or more meta-tags associated with a location of the image acquisition device;

accessing a second set of image data based on the one or more meta-tags, wherein the second set of image data comprises picture data stored as one or more images associated with the one or more meta-tags; and

displaying the one or more images when the mobile unit is located in the location.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein capturing the first set of image data in real-time from the image acquisition device associated with the mobile unit comprises:

storing the first set of image data based on GPS at a frame rate dependent on a velocity of the image acquisition device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of image data comprises images acquired during reduced visibility relative to the second set of image data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the image acquisition device is one of a video or thermal camera.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the image acquisition device is configured to generate at least one of electromagnetic or acoustic imagery.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more meta-tags include elevation information relating the image acquisition device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more meta-tags include time of day information.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more meta-tags includes data received from one or more of inertial sensors, inclinometers, accelerometers, digital compasses, or clocks.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more meta-tags includes information representing a velocity of the image acquisition device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more images associated with the one or more meta-tags is sampled from previously-acquired real-time image data based on GPS data.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more images associated with the one or more meta-tags is computer-generated imagery, the computer-generated imagery derived from one of a texture or wire frame map.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the picture data is stored in JPEG format.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more images are accessed randomly from a database, the database being accessible by a plurality of users.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second sets of image data are displayed simultaneously on two views of one display or two single views in each of two displays in close proximity to one another.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the two views of the one display or the two displays are situated horizontally one over the other.

16. A method comprising:

capturing a first set of image data from an image acquisition device, the first set of image data associated with a location of a vehicle;

accessing a second set of image data, wherein the second set of image data comprises imagery associated with one or more meta-tags;

comparing the first set of image data with the second set of image data;

selecting at least one image from the second set of image data that matches the first set of image data; and

identifying the location of the vehicle based on a meta-tag corresponding to the at least one image from the second set of image data that matches the first set of image data.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first and second sets of image data are stored in JPEG format.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the second set of image data is randomly accessed from a database.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more meta-tags include GPS coordinate data.