Real-time moving platform management system

• US 9,743,046 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2012
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pictometry International Corporation (EagleView Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Pictometry International Corporation (EagleView Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Giuffrida, Frank D., Winkelbauer, Mark A., Mondello, Charles, Bradacs, Robert S., Woodward, Craig D., Schultz, Stephen L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huq, Farzana
• Application Number:
  US13/730,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20130113831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,698 Days
• Field of Search: 348116, 348143-144, 348156-206, 370335-337, 370344, 370352, 370428, 370503, 455427, 455429-431
• 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: G01S 17/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18506 Communications with or from aircraft, i.e. aeronautical mobile service
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18508 with satellite system used as relay, i.e. aeronautical mobile satellite service
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/005 using at least one opto-electrical conversion device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/027 using movement velocity, acceleration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a method for displaying data products onto a geospatial map in real-time using a computer program. In one version, the method includes the steps of monitoring the one or more directories of one or more computer readable media for newly created data products, automatically reading the newly created data products, correlating positional information of the data products with the geospatial map of the computer program for mapping and exploitation, and rendering information onto the geospatial map indicative of the area covered by each newly created data product.

Claims

1. A method for displaying data products onto a geospatial map in real-time using a computer program, comprising the steps of:

capturing, by a moving platform system, a raw image and positional data indicative of position and orientation of a sensor capturing the raw image using a flight plan, the flight plan having an elevation value of the ground assigned for geo-referencing the raw image prior to capture of the raw image, and geo-referencing the raw image using the positional data and the elevation value to create a geo-referenced image;

monitoring one or more directories of one or more computer readable media for newly created data products, wherein the data product includes the geo-referenced image, and wherein the geo-referenced image is an oblique image;

automatically reading the newly created data products;

correlating geo-referencing information of the data products with the geospatial map of the computer program for mapping and exploitation;

rendering information onto the geospatial map indicative of an area covered by each newly created data product; and

geo-referencing the geo-referenced image using a ground elevation model to enhance geo-referenced accuracy of the sensor data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information in the step of rendering is defined further as at least a portion of pixel content of the oblique image is positioned directly on the geospatial map and aligned with a geospatial position of the image pixel content of the oblique image.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information in the step of rendering is defined further as at least a portion of pixel content of the oblique image is positioned to appear on or above the geospatial map and aligned relative to an optical axis of a sensor that captured the oblique image.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data products comprise remotely sensed elevation data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of rendering information is defined further as rendering at least a portion of pixel content of the oblique image onto the geospatial map.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of rendering information is defined further as rendering a marker onto the geospatial map.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the steps occurs in real-time.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein all of the steps occur in real-time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein geo-referencing the raw image to create the geo-referenced image is performed by the moving platform system.