Infrastructure mapping system and method

• US 8,994,822 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2012
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: VI Technologies, LLC (VI GP LLC (f/k/a M7 Visual Intelligence GP LLC))
• Original Assignee: Visual Intelligence LP (f/k/a M7 Visual Intelligence LP) (VI GP LLC (f/k/a M7 Visual Intelligence GP LLC))
• Inventors: Smitherman, Chester L., McCoy, Joseph, Tilley, James, Baro, Mohan
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, ALLEN C
• Application Number:
  US13/590,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20130013185A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• Field of Search: 348/144
• US Class Current: 348/144
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 11/025 by scanning the object
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/60 Control of cameras or camera modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture

Abstract

An imaging sensor system comprising: a mount unit affixed to a vehicle or a platform and having at least three imaging sensors disposed within the mount unit, wherein a first, second and third imaging sensor each has a focal axis passing through an aperture in the mount unit, wherein the first image sensor generates a first image area of the target area comprising a first array of pixels, wherein the second image sensor generates a second image area of the target area comprising a first array of pixels, wherein the first and second imaging sensors are offset to have a first image overlap area in the target area, wherein the first sensors image data bisects the second sensors image data in the first image overlap area.

Claims

1. A system for generating a map of a target area, comprising:

a global position receiver;

an elevation measurement unit, adaptably mountable to a vehicle or a platform;

a global positioning antenna, adaptably mountable to the vehicle or the platform;

an attitude measurement unit, adaptably mountable to the vehicle or the platform;

an imaging sensor system, adaptably mountable to the vehicle or the platform having a view of the target area, comprising;

a mount unit, having at least three imaging sensors disposed within the mount unit, wherein a first imaging sensor, a second imaging sensor and a third imaging sensor each has a focal axis passing through an aperture in the mount unit, wherein the first imaging sensor generates a first image area of the target area comprising a first data array of pixels, the second imaging sensor generates a second image area of the target area comprising a second data array of pixels and the third imaging sensor generates a third image area of the target area comprising a third data array of pixels, wherein the second imaging sensor is offset from the first imaging sensor along a first array axis in across track, cross-eyed fashion to have a first image overlap area in the target area, wherein the third imaging sensor is offset from the first imaging sensor along the first array axis opposite the second imaging sensor; and

a computer in communication with the elevation measurement unit, the global positioning antenna, the attitude measurement unit, the first, second and third imaging sensors;

correlating at least a portion of the image area from the first, second and third imaging sensors to a portion of the target area based on input from one or more of;

the elevation measurement unit, the global positioning antenna and the attitude measurement unit.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the image elevation from the first, second and third imaging sensors is correlated to a portion of the target elevation based upon input from one or more of:

stereographic calculations from overlapping image data, LIDAR data or a digital elevation model.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

an anti-vibration member secured to the mount unit, having the at least three imaging sensors disposed within the anti-vibration member, wherein the first imaging sensor, the second imaging sensor and the third imaging sensor each has a focal axis passing through an aperture in the anti-vibration member, and each imaging sensor has its own lens, wherein each lens is secured to the anti-vibration member.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein each lens is disposed within an anti-vibration or thermal sleeve.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a fourth imaging sensor disposed within the mount unit, wherein the fourth imaging sensor has a focal axis passing through an aperture in the mount unit, wherein the fourth imaging sensor generates a fourth image area of the target area comprising a fourth data array of pixels, wherein the fourth imaging sensor is offset from the second imaging sensor along the first array axis opposite the third imaging sensor.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a fourth imaging sensor disposed within the mount unit, wherein the wherein the fourth imaging sensor has a focal axis passing through an aperture in the mount unit, wherein the fourth imaging sensor generates a fourth image area of the target area comprising a fourth data array of pixels, wherein the fourth imaging sensor is offset from the first imaging sensor along a second array axis in a long track, cross-eyed fashion; and

a fifth imaging sensor disposed within the mount unit, wherein the fifth imaging sensor has a focal axis passing through an aperture in the mount unit, wherein the fifth imaging sensor generates a fifth image area of the target area comprising a fifth data array of pixels, wherein the fifth imaging sensor is offset from the first imaging sensor along the second array axis opposite the fourth imaging sensor, wherein the second, third, fourth and fifth imaging sensors are oblique imaging sensors.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second imaging sensors are selected from the group consisting of digital cameras, LIDAR, infrared, heat-sensing and gravitometers.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein third and fourth imaging sensors are selected from the group consisting of digital cameras, LIDAR, infrared, heat-sensing and gravitometers.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first image overlap area is between about 1% and about 100% of the first and second image areas.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first image overlap area is between about 10% and about 80% of the first and second image areas.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first image overlap area is between about 20% and about 60% of the first and second image areas.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the third imaging sensor is offset from the first imaging sensor along the first array axis to have a second image overlap area in the target area, wherein the first sensors image data bisects the second sensors image data in the first image overlap area, wherein the first sensors image data bisects the third sensors image data in the second image overlap area, wherein the first image overlap area is about 100% of the first and second image areas, wherein the second image overlap area is about 100% of the first and third image area.

13. The system of claim 5, wherein the second imaging sensor is offset from the first imaging sensor along the first array axis in along track, cross-eyed fashion, wherein the first sensors image data bisects the second sensors image data in the first image overlap area.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the image elevation from the first, second and third imaging sensors is correlated to a portion of the target elevation based upon input from one or more of:

stereographic calculations from overlapping image data, LIDAR data or a digital elevation model.

15. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

an anti-vibration member secured to the mount unit, having the at least three imaging sensors disposed within the anti-vibration member, wherein the first imaging sensor, the second imaging sensor and the third imaging sensor each has a focal axis passing through an aperture in the anti-vibration member, and each imaging sensor has its own lens, wherein each lens is secured to the anti-vibration member.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein each lens is disposed within an anti-vibration or thermal sleeve.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the third imaging sensor is a forward oblique imaging sensor and the fourth imaging sensor is a rear oblique imaging sensor.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the first image overlap area is between about 1% and about 100% of the first and second image areas.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the first image overlap area is between about 30% and about 95% of the first and second images areas.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the first image overlap area is between about 50% and about 90% of the first and second image areas.

21. An imaging sensor system comprising:

a mount unit adaptably mountable to a vehicle or a platform, having a first, second, third and fourth imaging sensor disposed within a mount unit, wherein the first, second, third and fourth imaging sensors each have a focal axis passing through an aperture in the mount unit, wherein the first imaging sensor generates a first image area comprising a first data array of pixels, the second imaging sensor generates a second image area comprising a second data array of pixels, the third imaging sensor generates a third image area comprising a third data array of pixels and the fourth imaging sensor generates a fourth image area comprising a fourth data array of pixels, wherein the second imaging sensor is offset from the first imaging sensor in along track, cross-eyed fashion to have a first image overlap area in the target area, wherein the first sensors image data bisects the second sensors image data in the first image overlap area.

22. A system for generating a map of a surface, comprising:

a global position receiver;

an elevation measurement unit, adaptably mountable to a vehicle or a platform;

a global positioning antenna, adaptably mountable to the vehicle or the platform;

an attitude measurement unit, adaptably mountable to the vehicle or the platform;

an imaging array, having a view of the surface, comprising;

a mount unit, adaptably mountable to the vehicle or the platform;

an aperture, formed in the mount unit;

a first imaging sensor, coupled to the mount unit, having a first focal axis passing through the aperture, wherein the first image sensor generates a first image area of the surface comprising a first array of pixels; and

a second imaging sensor, coupled to the mount unit and offset along an array axis from the first imaging sensor in a long track, cross-eyed fashion, having a second focal axis passing through the aperture and intersecting the first focal axis, wherein the second imaging sensor generates a second image area of the surface comprising a second array of pixels;

a third imaging sensor, coupled to the mount unit and offset from the first imaging sensor along an array axis opposite to the second imaging sensor, wherein the third imaging sensor generates a third image area of the surface comprising a third array of pixels, wherein the third imaging sensor is a forward oblique imaging sensor; and

a fourth imaging sensor, coupled to the mount unit and offset from the second imaging sensor along the array axis opposite to the third imaging sensor, wherein the fourth imaging sensor generates a fourth image area of the surface comprising a fourth array of pixels, wherein the fourth imaging sensor is a rear oblique imaging sensor; and

a computer, connected to the elevation measurement unit, the global positioning antenna, the attitude measurement unit and first and second imaging sensors;

correlating at least a portion of the image area from the first and second imaging sensors to a portion of the surface area based on input from one or more of;

the elevation measurement unit, the global positioning antenna and the attitude measurement unit.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein at least a portion of the image elevation from the first and second imaging sensors is correlated to a portion of the surface elevation based upon input from one or more of:

stereographic calculations from overlapping image data, LIDAR data or a digital elevation model.

24. A system for generating a map of a surface, comprising:

a global position receiver;

an elevation measurement unit, adaptably mountable to a vehicle or a platform;

a global positioning antenna, adaptably mountable to the vehicle or the platform;

an attitude measurement unit, adaptably mountable to the vehicle or the platform;

a plurality of imaging arrays adaptably mountable to the vehicle or the platform, each having a view of the surface, comprising;

a first imaging array further comprising a plurality of first imaging sensors, coupled to a first mount unit, each first imaging sensor having a first focal axis passing through an aperture formed in the first mount unit, wherein the first image array generates a first image area of the surface comprising a first array of pixels;

a second imaging array further comprising a plurality of second imaging sensors, coupled to a second mount unit and offset from the first imaging array along a curvilinear array axis perpendicular to the first image array, each second imaging sensor having a second focal axis passing through an aperture formed in the second mount unit, wherein the second imaging array generates a second image area of the surface comprising a second array of pixels;

a third imaging array further comprising a plurality of third imaging sensors, coupled to a third mount unit and offset from the first imaging array along the array axis opposite the second imaging array, each third imaging sensor having a third focal axis passing through an aperture formed in the third mount unit, wherein the third imaging array generates a third image area of the surface comprising a third array of pixels; and

a fourth imaging array further comprising a plurality of fourth imaging sensors, coupled to a fourth mount unit and offset from the second imaging array along the array axis opposite to the third imaging array, each fourth imaging sensor having a fourth focal axis passing through an aperture formed in the fourth mount unit, wherein the fourth imaging array generates a fourth image area of the surface comprising a fourth array of pixels; and

a computer, connected to the elevation measurement unit, the global positioning antenna, the attitude measurement unit and first and second imaging sensors;

correlating at least a portion of the image area from the first, second, third and fourth imaging arrays to a portion of the surface area based on input from one or more of;

the elevation measurement unit, the global positioning antenna and the attitude measurement unit.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein at least a portion of the image elevation from the first, second and third imaging arrays is correlated to a portion of the surface elevation based upon input from one or more of:

stereographic calculations from overlapping image data, LIDAR data or a digital elevation model.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the first imaging array is configured in across track, cross-eyed fashion.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the first imaging array is configured in along track, cross-eyed fashion.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the third imaging sensor is a forward oblique imaging sensor and the fourth imaging sensor is a rear oblique imaging sensor.

29. A system for generating a map of a surface, comprising:

a global position receiver;

an elevation measurement unit, adaptably mountable to a vehicle or a platform;

a global positioning antenna, adaptably mountable to the vehicle or the platform;

an attitude measurement unit, adaptably mountable to the vehicle or the platform;

a compound imaging array adaptably mountable to the vehicle or the platform, having a view of a target area, comprising;

a first concave array having an apex;

a second concave array, angularly displaced with respect to the first array and adapted to meet the apex of the first concave array;

a primary imaging sensor, centrally disposed along the concave surface of the first array, having a primary focal axis; and

a plurality of secondary imaging sensors, disposed along the concave surfaces of the first and second arrays at angular intervals from the primary imaging sensor, having a focal axes that intersect with the primary focal axis in an intersection area in cross-eyed fashion; and

a computer in communication with the elevation measurement unit, the global positioning antenna, the attitude measurement unit, the first, second, third and fourth imaging sensors;

correlating at least a portion of the image area from the first and second imaging arrays to a portion of the target area based on input from one or more of;

the elevation measurement unit, the global positioning antenna and the attitude measurement unit.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein at least a portion of the image elevation from the first and second imaging arrays is correlated to a portion of the target elevation based upon input from one or more of:

stereographic calculations from overlapping image data, LIDAR data or a digital elevation model.