Methods and systems for determining angles and locations of points
First Claim
1. An apparatus for determining an azimuth of a target point comprising:
- a support structure;
an imaging device coupled to the support structure and configured to provide image data;
a position measuring device coupled to the support structure and configured to determine position information; and
a processor in electrical communication with the imaging device and the position measuring device, wherein the processor is configured to;
receive the image data from the imaging device;
receive the position information from the position measuring device;
determine a baseline between a first position and a second position;
determine an orientation between overlapping images; and
compute the azimuth of the target point, the azimuth being an angle between the baseline and a line extending from either the first position or the second position to the target point.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for determining an azimuth of a target point is provided. The apparatus includes a support structure and an imaging device coupled to the support structure and configured to provide image data. The apparatus also includes a position measuring device coupled to the support structure and configured to determine position information and a processor in electrical communication with the imaging device and the position measuring device. The processor is configured to receive the image data from the imaging device, receive the position information from the position measuring device, determine a baseline between a first position and a second position, determine an orientation between overlapping images, and compute the azimuth of the target point relative to the baseline.
43 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus for determining an azimuth of a target point comprising:
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a support structure; an imaging device coupled to the support structure and configured to provide image data; a position measuring device coupled to the support structure and configured to determine position information; and a processor in electrical communication with the imaging device and the position measuring device, wherein the processor is configured to; receive the image data from the imaging device; receive the position information from the position measuring device; determine a baseline between a first position and a second position; determine an orientation between overlapping images; and compute the azimuth of the target point, the azimuth being an angle between the baseline and a line extending from either the first position or the second position to the target point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of determining an azimuth of a target point, the method comprising:
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at a first location; positioning an imaging device at the first location; orienting the imaging device with respect to a reference position having known coordinates in a local coordinate frame; obtaining a first image of a surface from the first location; determining a position of the first location; orienting the imaging device with respect to the target point; and obtaining a second image of the surface from the first location, wherein a portion of the first image overlaps a portion of the second image; determining an orientation of the first image relative to the second image; and determining the azimuth of the target point relative to the reference position. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of determining coordinates of a target point in a local coordinate frame, the method comprising:
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computing a baseline as a function of a first location and a second location; obtaining a first image of a surface from the second location using an imaging device; orienting the first image relative to the baseline; aligning the imaging device with the target point; obtaining a second image of the surface from the second location with the imaging device aligned with the target point; determining an orientation of the second image relative to the first image; computing the azimuth of the target point; determining a distance from the second location to the target point; and computing the coordinates of the target point in the local coordinate frame. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. A method of determining coordinates in a local coordinate frame of a target point on a substantially flat surface, the method comprising:
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obtaining a first image of a surface from a first location using a calibrated imaging device that includes angular relationships between elements of image data; determining a position of the first location in the local coordinate frame; obtaining a second image of the substantially flat surface from a second location using the calibrated imaging device, the second image including the target point, wherein the first location is different from the second location and a portion of the first image overlaps a portion of the second image; determining a position of the second location in the local coordinate frame; computing an azimuth of the second image; and computing the coordinates of the target point in the local coordinate frame. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification