Method and apparatus for capturing, geolocating and measuring oblique images

• US 9,182,657 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Issued: 11/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pictometry International Corporation (Eagleview Technologies, Inc. /Wa/)
• Original Assignee: Pictometry International Corporation (Eagleview Technologies, Inc. /Wa/)
• Inventors: Schultz, Stephen L., Giuffrida, Frank D., Gray, Robert L., Mondello, Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter, Aaron W
• Application Number:
  US13/791,032
• Publication Number:
  US 20140009626A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 382/106, 382/154, 382/284, 382/294, 348113-118, 348143-148, 356 3- 309, 356601-613
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: G01C 11/04 Interpretation of pictures
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/006 Apparatus mounted on flying objects
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/02 with scanning movement of lens or cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/203 Drawing of straight lines or curves
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 17/05 Geographic models
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10032 Satellite or aerial image; Remote sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30204 Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/4038 Image mosaicing, e.g. composing plane images from plane sub-images
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/60 Analysis of geometric attributes

Abstract

A computerized system for displaying and making measurements based upon captured oblique images. The system includes an image-capturing device capturing oblique aerial images at image-capturing events and issuing image-data signals corresponding to captured images; at least one geo-locating device issuing a corresponding at least one geo-locating signal indicative at least in part of a geo-location of said image-capturing device during each image capturing event; a computer system receiving and storing said image-data signals and said at least one geo-locating signal; and the computer system executing image and data acquiring software reading the image-data signals and the at least one geo-locating signal, and associating each of the image-data signal with a corresponding at least one geo-locating signal for each image-capturing event.

Claims

1. A system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto, comprising:

a first image-capturing device, said first image-capturing device capturing oblique aerial images at image-capturing events, said first image-capturing device issuing first image-data signals corresponding to captured images;

a second image-capturing device, said second image-capturing device capturing images at image-capturing events, said second image capturing device issuing second image-data signals corresponding to captured images;

at least one geo-locating device, each said at least one geo-locating device issuing a corresponding at least one geo-locating signal, each said at least one geo-locating signal being indicative at least in part of a geo-location of said first image-capturing device during each first image capturing event;

a computer system receiving and storing said first and second image-data signals and said at least one geo-locating signal;

the computer system executing image and data acquiring software reading said first and second image-data signals and said at least one geo-locating signal, said image and data acquiring software associating each said first or second image-data signal with a corresponding said at least one geo-locating signal for each image-capturing event; and

wherein the computer system transmits image-capture signals to the first image-capturing device and the second image-capturing device to cause the first and second image-capturing devices to capture images, and wherein the computer system controls the first and second image-capturing devices separately.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one geo-locating device and said at least one geo-locating signal respectively comprise at least one of:

a clock issuing to said image-capturing computer system time data signals indicative of a time of each said image-capturing event;

a global-positioning system (GPS) receiver receiving GPS signals and issuing to said image-capturing computer system location data signals indicative of a longitude and latitude of said first or second image-capturing device at each said image-capturing event;

an inertial navigation unit (INU) issuing to said image-capturing computer system velocity data signals indicative of a velocity of said first or second image-capturing device at each said image-capturing event;

a gyroscope issuing to said image-capturing computer system a pitch signal, a roll signal, and a yaw signal respectively indicative of a pitch, roll and yaw of said first or second image-capturing device at each said image-capturing event;

a compass issuing to said image-capturing computer system heading data signals indicative of a heading of said first or second image-capturing device at each said image-capturing event; and

an altimeter issuing to said image-capturing computer system altitude data signals indicative of an altitude of said first or second image-capturing device at each said image-capturing event.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one geo-locating device and said at least one geo-locating signal respectively comprise:

a clock issuing to said image-capturing computer system time data signals indicative of a time of each said image-capturing event;

a global-positioning system (GPS) receiver receiving GPS signals and issuing to said image-capturing computer system location data signals indicative of a longitude and latitude of said first or second image-capturing devices at each said image-capturing event;

an inertial navigation unit (INU) issuing to said image-capturing computer system velocity data signals indicative of a velocity of said first or second image-capturing device at each said image-capturing event;

a gyroscope issuing to said image-capturing computer system a pitch signal, a roll signal, and a yaw signal respectively indicative of a pitch, roll and yaw of said first or second image-capturing device at each said image-capturing event;

a compass issuing to said image-capturing computer system heading data signals indicative of a heading of said first or second image-capturing device at each said image-capturing event; and

an altimeter issuing to said image-capturing computer system altitude data signals indicative of an altitude of said first or second image-capturing device at each said image-capturing event.

4. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 1, wherein the first or second image-capturing device captures community level oblique aerial images.

5. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 1, wherein the second image-capturing device captures orthogonal images at image-capturing events.

6. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 1, wherein the computer system transmits image capture signals to the first and second image capturing devices to capture images at different instants of time.

7. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 1, wherein the computer system transmits image capture signals to the first and second image-capturing devices to capture images at different intervals.

8. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 1, further comprising:

an inertial navigation unit detecting changes in velocity of the first and second image-capturing devices and transmitting one or more velocity signal indicative of velocity of the first and second image-capturing devices to the computer system.

9. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 1, further comprising:

a clock measuring time and providing one or more time signal indicative of timing of events to the computer system.

10. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 1, further comprising:

a gyroscope providing the computer system with one or more gyroscope signals indicative of pitch, roll, and yaw of the first and second image-capturing devices.

11. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 1, further comprising:

a compass providing the computer system with one or more heading signals indicative of heading of the first and second image-capturing devices.

12. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 1, further comprising:

an altimeter providing the computer system with one or more altitude signals indicative of altitude of the first and second image-capturing devices.

13. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 1, wherein the geo-locating device comprises a GPS receiver receiving global positioning system signals and transmitting location signals, that are dependent at least in part upon the global positioning system signals and that are indicative of the location of the first and second image-capturing devices, to the computer system.

14. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 1, further comprising a platform carrying the first and second image-capturing devices through a controlled flight.

15. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 14, wherein the first and second image-capturing devices capture the oblique aerial images at predetermined image capture intervals, the predetermined image capture intervals dependent at least in part upon velocity of the platform.

16. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 14, wherein the computer system transmits image capture signals to the first and second image-capturing devices to capture images at different instants of time.

17. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 14, wherein the computer system transmits image capture signals to the first and second image-capturing devices to capture images at different intervals.

18. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 14, further comprising:

an inertial navigation unit detecting changes in velocity of the first and second image-capturing devices and transmitting one or more velocity signal indicative of velocity of the first and second image-capturing devices to the computer system.

19. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 14, wherein the first and second image-capturing devices have different angles of declination.

20. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 14, further comprising a third image-capturing device, wherein the first and second image-capturing devices are capturing oblique aerial images and the third image-capturing device is capturing orthogonal aerial images.

21. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 20, wherein the computer system transmits image-capture signals to the first image-capturing device and the second image-capturing device and the third image-capturing device to cause the first, second, and third image-capturing devices to capture images.

22. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 20, wherein the computer system transmits image capture signals to the first, second, and third image-capturing devices to capture images at different instants of time, wherein the image capture signals are common to the first, second, and third image-capturing devices.

23. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 20, wherein the computer system transmits image capture signals to the first, second, and third image-capturing devices to capture images at different intervals.

24. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 20, further comprising:

an inertial navigation unit detecting changes in velocity of the first, second, and third image-capturing devices and transmitting one or more velocity signal indicative of velocity of the first, second, and third image-capturing devices to the computer system.

25. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 20, wherein the first and second image-capturing devices have characteristics for capturing the oblique aerial images.

26. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 20, wherein the first and second image-capturing devices capture community level oblique aerial images.

27. The system for capturing images and geo-location data corresponding thereto of claim 20, wherein the first and second image-capturing devices capture neighborhood level oblique aerial images.