Aerial camera system and method for identifying route-related hazards
First Claim
1. A system, comprising:
- a first aerial device configured to be disposed onboard a non-aerial vehicle as the non-aerial vehicle moves along a route, the first aerial device also configured to fly above the route during movement of the non-aerial vehicle along the route;
a first camera unit configured to be disposed onboard the first aerial device and to generate first image data during flight of the first aerial device;
one or more image analysis processors configured to examine the first image data and to identify a hazard disposed ahead of the non-aerial vehicle along a direction of travel of the non-aerial vehicle based on the first image data; and
a control unit configured to control the flight of the first aerial device, wherein the control unit is configured to autonomously prevent the first aerial device from flying outside of a three dimensional movement envelope disposed ahead of the non-aerial vehicle during the movement of the non-aerial vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An aerial camera system includes an aerial device disposed onboard a non-aerial vehicle as the non-aerial vehicle moves along a route. The aerial device also can be configured to fly above the route during movement of the vehicle along the route. The camera unit is configured to be disposed onboard the aerial device and to generate image data during flight of the aerial device. The one or more image analysis processors are configured to examine the image data and to identify a hazard disposed ahead of the non-aerial vehicle along a direction of travel of the non-aerial vehicle based on the image data. A method for identifying route-related hazards using image data obtained from a camera unit on an aerial device.
134 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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a first aerial device configured to be disposed onboard a non-aerial vehicle as the non-aerial vehicle moves along a route, the first aerial device also configured to fly above the route during movement of the non-aerial vehicle along the route; a first camera unit configured to be disposed onboard the first aerial device and to generate first image data during flight of the first aerial device; one or more image analysis processors configured to examine the first image data and to identify a hazard disposed ahead of the non-aerial vehicle along a direction of travel of the non-aerial vehicle based on the first image data; and a control unit configured to control the flight of the first aerial device, wherein the control unit is configured to autonomously prevent the first aerial device from flying outside of a three dimensional movement envelope disposed ahead of the non-aerial vehicle during the movement of the non-aerial vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method comprising:
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generating first image data from a first camera unit disposed onboard a first aerial device configured to land on a non-aerial vehicle during movement of the non-aerial vehicle along a route; the first image data generated during flight of the first aerial device above the route being traveled by the non-aerial vehicle; examining, using one or more image analysis processors, the first image data to identify a hazard disposed ahead of the non-aerial vehicle along a direction of travel of the non-aerial vehicle based on the first image data; and controlling the flight of the first aerial device by autonomously preventing the first aerial device from flying outside of the three dimensional movement envelope disposed ahead of the non-aerial vehicle during the movement of the non-aerial vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system comprising:
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a first aerial device configured to land and dock to a non-aerial vehicle as the non-aerial vehicle moves along a route, the first aerial device also configured to fly off of the non-aerial vehicle and fly ahead of the non-aerial vehicle along a direction of travel of the non-aerial vehicle along the route; a first camera unit configured to be disposed onboard the first aerial device and to generate first image data representative of a portion of the route ahead of the non-aerial vehicle during movement of the non-aerial vehicle along the route; a second aerial device configured to land and dock to the non-aerial vehicle as the non-aerial vehicle moves along a route, the second aerial device also configured to fly off of the non-aerial vehicle and fly ahead of the non-aerial vehicle along the direction of travel of the non-aerial vehicle along the route; a second camera unit configured to be disposed onboard the second aerial device and to generate second image data representative of the portion of the route ahead of the non-aerial vehicle during movement of the non-aerial vehicle along the route; one or more image analysis processors configured to be disposed onboard the non-aerial vehicle and to receive the first image data and the second image data, the one or more image analysis processors configured to identify a hazard along the route ahead of the non-aerial vehicle; and a control unit configured to control flight of the first aerial device and the second aerial device, the control unit also configured to prevent the first aerial device and the second aerial device from flying outside of a three dimensional movement envelope defined ahead of the non-aerial vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification