Image monitoring and display from unmanned vehicle

• US 9,350,954 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2013
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crane-Cohasset Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Crane-Cohasset Holdings, LLC
• Inventors: Wagreich, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Villecco, John
• Application Number:
  US13/847,161
• Publication Number:
  US 20140327770A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 348/114, 348/117, 348/115, 348/144, 348/159
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/028 Micro-sized aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 47/08 Arrangements of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/87 Mounting of imaging devices, e.g. mounting of gimbals
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 2101/30 for imaging, photography or videography
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0016 characterised by the operator's input device input arrangements for computing systems in general G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0038 by providing the operator with simple or augmented images from one or more cameras located onboard the vehicle, e.g. tele-operation images analyzed by a computer and used for automatic navigation G05D1/0246
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/698 for achieving an enlarged field of view, e.g. panoramic image capture
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

An image capture and display system comprises an image capture array positioned on a vehicle, the image capture array comprising a plurality of image sensing members. At least one transmitter is provided for transmitting images from the image sensing members. The system also includes a monitor display array positioned remotely from the image capture array. The monitor display array comprises a display monitor for and corresponding to each image sensing member, and a receiver for receiving the images corresponding to each transmitter.

Claims

1. A method for image capture with an unmanned aerial vehicle and remote display and control, comprising:

capturing a plurality of first video images in real-time using a video camera array system positioned on an unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein;

the video camera array system includes a plurality of first video cameras,

each of the plurality of first video cameras has a separate first video signal,

the plurality of first video cameras are arranged panoramically to capture for a remote pilot, and

each of the separate first video signals is associated with a first antenna;

capturing a second video image in real-time using a video camera system positioned on the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein;

the video camera system includes a second video camera, the second video camera has a second video signal,

the second video signal is associated with a second antenna, and the first video camera array system is separate from the second video camera system;

separately transmitting the plurality of first video signals and the second video signal from the unmanned aerial vehicle;

remotely changing captured image orientation with respect to the unmanned aerial vehicle;

facilitating display of the plurality of first video signals using a monitor display array positioned remotely from the video camera array system, wherein;

the monitor display array including a plurality of display monitors,

the plurality of display monitors matches the video camera array system to present panoramically to the pilot,

the plurality of display monitors includes a display monitor, and

the display monitor is associated with any one of the plurality of video cameras in the video camera array system or the video camera system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of video cameras in the video camera array system include cameras of a first type, and

the video camera system includes a camera of a second type.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the video camera array system and the video camera system provide operational redundancy in the event that either fails.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitor display array displays a composite real-time view of video streams captured by the video camera array system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective views from the plurality of first video cameras in the video camera array system are different from the view of the second video camera in the video camera system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the video pixel data comprising the views from the plurality of second video cameras in the video camera array system are combined into one composite video signal, transmitted using one transmitter, received by one coupled antenna, separated, and then displayed on two or more monitors in the monitor display array.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more signals of the first plurality of video cameras of the video camera array system and/or the second video signal of the second video camera of the video camera system is transmitted as an analog video signal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the video camera system captures in the visual spectrum and the video camera array system captures in the infrared spectrum or in night vision.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the video camera system captures in the infrared spectrum and the video camera array system captures in the visible spectrum.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of first video cameras and the second video camera transmit their video signals using a plurality of carrier frequencies.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the video signals of the respective plurality of second video cameras in the video camera array system are transmitted using the first antenna, and

the video signal of the second video camera in the video camera system is transmitted using the second antenna.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective video cameras of the video camera array system and the video camera of the video camera system can be moved up or down with respect to orientation of the aerial vehicle.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of first video cameras and the second video camera is actively stabilized.

14. An unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising:

one or more antennas;

a video camera array system positioned on the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein;

the video camera array is configured to capture a plurality of first video images in real-time,

the video camera array system includes a plurality of first video cameras,

each of the plurality of first video cameras has a separate first video signal,

the plurality of first video cameras are arranged panoramically to capture for a remote pilot, and

each of the separate first video signals is associated with a first antenna; and

a video camera system positioned on the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein;

the video camera system is configured to capture a second video image in real-time,

the video camera system includes a second video camera,

the second video camera has a second video signal,

the second video signal is associated with a second antenna,

the first video camera array system is separate from the second video camera system,

the unmanned aerial vehicle is configured to separately transmit the plurality of first video signals and the second video signal,

captured image orientation with respect to the unmanned aerial vehicle is remotely changed by the remote pilot, and

the plurality of first video signals match a monitor display array positioned remotely from the unmanned aerial vehicle, whereby;

the plurality of display monitors matches the video camera array system to present panoramically to the remote pilot,

the plurality of display monitors includes a display monitor, and

the display monitor is associated with any one of the plurality of video cameras in the video camera array system or the video camera system.

15. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 14, wherein:

the plurality of first video cameras in the video camera array system include cameras of a first type, and

the video camera system include a camera of a second type.

16. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 14, wherein respective views from the plurality of first video cameras in the second video camera array system are different from a view of the video camera in the video camera system.

17. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 14, wherein the plurality of first video signals comprising views from two or more video cameras in the video camera array system are combined into one video signal, transmitted using one transmitter, received by one coupled antenna, separated, and then displayed on two or more monitors in the monitor display array.

18. The unmanned aerial vehicle of claim 14, wherein the respective video cameras of the video camera array system and the video camera of the video camera system can be moved up or down with respect to orientation of the aerial vehicle.

19. An image capture system, comprising:

an unmanned aerial vehicle, comprising

a first antenna;

a video camera array system positioned on the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein;

the video camera array system is configured to capture a plurality of first video images in real-time,

the video camera array system includes a plurality of first video cameras,

each of the plurality of first video cameras has a separate first video signal,

the plurality of first video cameras are arranged panoramically to capture for a remote pilot, and

each of the separate first video signals is associated with the first antenna; and

a second antenna;

a video camera system positioned on the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein;

the video camera system is configured to capture a second video image in real-time,

the video camera system includes a second video camera,

the second video camera has a second video signal,

the second video signal is associated with the second antenna,

the first video camera array system is separate from the second video camera system,

the unmanned aerial vehicle is configured to separately transmit the plurality of first video signals and the second video signal, and

captured image orientation with respect to the unmanned aerial vehicle is remotely changed by the remote pilot; and

a monitor display array positioned remotely from the unmanned aerial vehicle, wherein;

the monitor display array includes a plurality of display monitors,

the plurality of display monitors matches the video camera array system to present panoramically to the remote pilot,

the plurality of display monitors includes a display monitor, and

the display monitor is associated with any one of the plurality of video cameras in the video camera array system or the video camera system.

20. The image capture system of claim 19, wherein:

the plurality of first video cameras in the video camera array system include cameras of a first type, and

the second video camera of the video camera system include a camera of a second type.

21. The image capture system of claim 19, wherein respective views from the plurality of first video cameras in the video camera array system are different from a view of the second video camera in the video camera system.

22. The image capture system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of first video signals comprising views from two or more video cameras in the video camera array system are combined into one video signal, transmitted using one transmitter, received by one coupled antenna, separated, and then displayed on two or more monitors in the monitor display array.

23. The image capture system of claim 19, wherein lenses of the respective video cameras of the video camera array system and the video camera of the video camera system can be moved up or down with respect to orientation of the aerial vehicle.