REMOTE VEHICLE MONITORING

• US 20150105933A1
• Filed: 10/15/2013
• Published: 04/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Martin, Douglas R., Miller, Kenneth J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,175,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/34 Route searching; Route guidance
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10032 Satellite or aerial image; Remote sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30232 Surveillance
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30236 Traffic on road, railway or crossing
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/13 Satellite images
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors

Abstract

A monitoring device receives an aerial image, data relating to a vehicle and a request for an image of the vehicle. The vehicle is located in the image. A portion of the aerial image that includes the vehicle and/or information based thereon is provided.

Claims

1. A system, comprising a computer server, the computer server including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor such that the server is configured to:

receive an aerial image;

receive data relating to a vehicle;

receive a request for an image of the vehicle;

identify the vehicle in the image; and

provide information based on at least a portion of the aerial image that includes the vehicle, including at least one of the portion of the aerial image, a location of the vehicle, a route of the vehicle, an event involving the vehicle, and a condition of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an aircraft carrying a camera, the camera being configured to acquire the aerial image, and the aircraft being configured to transmit the aerial image to the server.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the server is further configured to:

apply a geographic coordinate system to the aerial image, and

locate the vehicle in the image according to geo-coordinates provided in the data relating to the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle is marked with identifying indicia, in the server is further configured to locate the vehicle in the image according to the identifying indicia.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the aerial image is a moving image, whereby the portion of the aerial image that includes the vehicle is a moving image.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein one of a computer in a vehicle and a mobile user device provide the request to the server.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a device receiving the portion of the aerial image that includes the vehicle overlays the portion of the aerial image on a map of an area that includes the vehicle location.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving an aerial image;

receiving data relating to a vehicle;

receiving a request for an image of the vehicle;

identifying the vehicle in the image; and

providing information based on at least a portion of the aerial image that includes the vehicle, including at least one of the portion of the aerial image, a location of the vehicle, a route of the vehicle, an event involving the vehicle, and a condition of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

using a camera in an aircraft to acquire the aerial image; and

transmitting the aerial image to the server from the aircraft.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

applying a geographic coordinate system to the aerial image, and

locating the vehicle in the image according to geo-coordinates provided in the data relating to the vehicle.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the vehicle is marked with identifying indicia, in the server is further configured to locate the vehicle in the image according to the identifying indicia.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the aerial image is a moving image, whereby the portion of the aerial image that includes the vehicle is a moving image.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein one of a computer in a vehicle and a mobile user device provide the request.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein a device receiving the portion of the aerial image that includes the vehicle overlays the portion of the aerial image on a map of an area that includes the vehicle location.

15. A system, comprising:

a computing device capable of being included in a vehicle, the computing device including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor such that the device is configured to transmit geo-coordinates of a location of the vehicle and an identifier for the vehicle;

an aircraft carrying a camera, the camera being configured to acquire an aerial image of a geographic area that includes the geo-coordinates of the vehicle location, and the aircraft being configured to transmit the aerial image to the server; and

a computer server, the computer server including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor such that the server is configured to;

receive the aerial image;

receive the vehicle geo-coordinates and identifier;

receive a request for an image of the vehicle;

provide information based on at least a portion of the aerial image that includes the vehicle, including at least one of the portion of the aerial image, a location of the vehicle, a route of the vehicle, an event involving the vehicle, and a condition of the vehicle.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising a remote user device configured to receive the portion of the aerial image that includes the vehicle.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the server is further configured to:

apply a geographic coordinate system to the aerial image, and

locate the vehicle in the image according to geo-coordinates provided in the data relating to the vehicle.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the aerial image is a moving image, whereby the portion of the aerial image that includes the vehicle is a moving image.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein a device receiving the portion of the aerial image that includes the vehicle overlays the portion of the aerial image on a map of an area that includes the vehicle location.