Aerial Viewing Patents (Class 348/144)
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Patent number: 10303943Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for detecting cloud features. The method comprises: obtaining image data (e.g. using a camera), the image data defining a plurality of pixels and, for each pixel, a respective luminance value; defining one or more intervals for the luminance values of the pixels; partitioning the image data into one or more image segments (502-508), each respective image segment (502-508) containing pixels having a luminance value in a respective interval; and classifying, as a cloud feature, each image segment (502-508) containing pixels having luminance value greater than or equal to a threshold luminance value (LT).Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2015Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: BAE Systems plcInventors: James Duncan Revell, Roderick Buchanan
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Patent number: 10288398Abstract: A non-lethal, non-impact smart projectile fired from a suitable launcher and equipped with a digital camera, CPU microprocessor and computer vision programming that can recognize a designated target and track a moving target, while moving at high speed. An image dataset of the target stored in memory of the CPU that enables the projectile to recognize a human or small UAV “drone” in real time within fractions of a second. A steering and braking system comprising several fins/air brakes, controlled by the CPU and MEMS micro-actuators, that enable the projectile to track a moving target or slow the projectile down. A projectile equipped with actuators that dispenses a non-lethal, non-impact payload or payloads as the projectile approaches the target.Type: GrantFiled: August 7, 2018Date of Patent: May 14, 2019Inventor: Nicholas A. Verini
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Patent number: 10271026Abstract: A projection apparatus includes a projection unit configured to display an image based on an input signal by a display element, to form an optical image from light provided from a light source passed or reflected by the display element, and to project the formed optical image on a projection target, a photographing unit configured to photograph a region including an image range which is projected by the projection unit, an image recognition unit configured to recognize a person from the image obtained by the photographing at the photographing unit, and a projection control unit configured to change and set an aspect of the image projected by the projection unit based on a result of the recognition at the image recognition unit.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2017Date of Patent: April 23, 2019Assignee: CASIO COMPUTER CO., LTD.Inventor: Futoshi Sato
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Patent number: 10259593Abstract: An obstacle avoidance device for detecting surroundings of an unmanned mobile device is disclosed, which includes a stabilization platform connected with the unmanned mobile device, wherein the stabilization platform includes a stabilizer for ensuring stably bearing at least one platform camera; and an obstacle avoidance module fixed with the stabilization platform, so as to reduce interferences to detecting the surroundings by the obstacle avoidance module when the unmanned mobile device acts. The obstacle avoidance device of the present invention is able to keep a stable attitude while the unmanned mobile device is unstable and changes an attitude thereof, so as to effectively avoid obstacles.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2017Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: Haoxiang Electric Energy (Kunshan) Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yu Tian, Wenyan Jiang
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Patent number: 10248700Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a system and methods for the selection and use of content. More specifically, the present invention relates to a system and methods through the use of which information of one or more types and from one or more information sources may be selected, accessed, analyzed, and managed in order to extract content from which synthesized information may be developed that may be used to produce an information product relevant to a selected topic, issue, subject, or other target. Certain embodiments of the present invention are configurable to permit a user to identify the target for which the synthesized information is sought, select the source or sources from which the information is drawn, identify content in the information relevant to the target to produce the synthesized information, and select the detail of and the form in which the synthesized information is presented in order to produce a customized information product.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2016Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: Remote Sensing Metrics, LLCInventors: Alex H. Diamond, Thomas Peter Diamond
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Patent number: 10234439Abstract: A method and system for monitoring the health and growth of plants in a field. The method and system acquire a thermal image indicative of thermal energy emitted by the plants and process the thermal image to assess variations in the temperatures among the plants.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2016Date of Patent: March 19, 2019Assignee: Airscout Inc.Inventor: Brian Harold Sutton
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Patent number: 10220961Abstract: An aerial image capturing device is provided. The aerial image capturing device includes a camera array formed of multiple camera mounted to a camera array base. Aerial image capturing device further includes a mount for mounting the aerial image capturing device to the aircraft. The camera array base is moveably coupled to the mount by an actuating device, wherein the actuating device moves the camera array base away from and toward the mount. The movement of the camera array base allows for movement of the camera to a position to capture images without interference of the aircraft in the image. It also allows for moving the camera array into a position to not interfere with the landing gear. The aerial image capturing device may further include an image actuation device that synchronizes the image capturing of all of the cameras in the camera array.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2016Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: Aerial Sphere, LLCInventor: Dennis J. Vegh
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Patent number: 10220960Abstract: A modulated lighting infrastructure for a runway approach lighting system includes a network of LED emitters, emitting primarily in the visible spectral band, driven by control logic to emit brief high-frequency pulses of energy at peak brightness for a fraction of their duty cycle while emitting no energy for the remainder of the duty cycle. While the pulsed emissions of the approach lighting system are so brief as to appear normal to pilots (as the average intensity is unchanged), an onboard detection system can integrate a camera for short bursts at a high frame rate to detect images of the emitted high-frequency pulses against competing atmospheric and background illumination and display the detected images to the pilot. The emitter network may include additional emitters configured to emit energy in infrared and other spectral ranges for detection by onboard enhanced vision systems.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2016Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: Carlo L. Tiana, Ming Yu, Marvin R. Lovato
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Patent number: 10212346Abstract: An aerial vehicle may include a first sensor, such as a digital camera, having a lens or other component that includes a second sensor mounted thereto. Information or data, such as digital images, captured using the second sensor may be used to determine or predict motion of the lens, which may include components of translational and/or rotational motion. Once the motion of the lens has been determined or predicted, such motion may be used to stabilize information or data, such as digital images, captured using the first sensor, according to optical or digital stabilization techniques. Where operations of the first sensor and the second sensor are synchronized, motion of the second sensor may be modeled based on information or data captured thereby, and imputed to the first sensor.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2016Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Scott Raymond Harris, Ishay Kamon, Joshua John Watson
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Patent number: 10203691Abstract: Disclosed is an imaging method for imaging terrain using a sensor on an unmanned aircraft. The method comprises: acquiring a range of motion of the sensor; acquiring positional information of the terrain; acquiring parameter values relating to aircraft maneuverability; using the acquired information, determining a procedure; performing, by the aircraft, the procedure and simultaneously capturing, by the sensor, a set of images of only parts of the terrain. The procedure comprises the aircraft moving with respect to the area of terrain and the sensor moving with respect to the aircraft such that each point in the area of terrain is coincident with a footprint of the sensor on the ground for at least some time. Also, every point in the area of terrain is present within at least one of the captured images.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2014Date of Patent: February 12, 2019Assignee: BAE SYSTEMS PLCInventor: Andrew Christopher Tebay
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Patent number: 10194061Abstract: The invention provides a pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera, including a pan-tilt unit and a camera unit. The pan-tilt unit includes a first vibration damper plate, a second vibration damper plate, and a shock absorber ball; the camera unit is fixedly disposed on the first vibration damper plate, the shock absorber ball is sandwiched between the first vibration damper plate and the second vibration damper plate, and the shock absorber ball is fixedly connected to the second vibration damper plate; the shock absorber ball is elastic, and when the camera unit is horizontally laid, the first vibration damper plate is out of touch with the shock absorber ball; when the camera unit is subjected to extra load other than gravity, the first vibration damper plate compresses the shock absorber ball. The pan-tilt unit of the invention is simple in structure and safe in use.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2017Date of Patent: January 29, 2019Assignee: SHENZHEN HUBSAN TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Guangyao Chen, Fanli Pang, Shenglong Liu
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Patent number: 10187806Abstract: Systems and methods using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to obtain data capture at a cell site for developing a three dimensional (3D) thereof include causing the UAV to fly a given flight path about a cell tower at the cell site; obtaining data capture during the flight path about the cell tower, wherein the data capture includes a plurality of photos or video subject to a plurality of constraints, wherein the plurality of photos are obtained by a plurality of cameras which are coordinated with one another; and subsequent to the obtaining, processing the data capture to define a three dimensional (3D) model of the cell site based on one or more objects of interest in the data capture.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2017Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Assignee: ETAK Systems, LLCInventor: Lee Priest
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Patent number: 10165725Abstract: An agricultural machine has a communication component configured to receive a first data set and a second data set. The first and second data sets comprise indications of a soil parameter of a worksite. The first data set is captured at an earlier time than the second data set. The agricultural machine also has a controller configured to receive the first and second data sets and, based on the first and second data sets, generate a map of the worksite. The agricultural machine also has a controllable subsystem configured to receive a control signal from the controller. The control signal is generated based on both a position of the agricultural machine within the worksite and the generated map. The control signal is configured to control operator of the controllable subsystem.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2016Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventors: Ramanathan Sugumaran, Noel W. Anderson
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Patent number: 10167091Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus for space surveillance are disclosed herein. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed method involves scanning, by at least one sensor on at least one satellite in super-geostationary earth orbit (super-GEO), a raster scan over a field of regard (FOR). In one or more embodiments, the scanning is at a variable rate, which is dependent upon a target dwell time for detecting a target of interest. In at least one embodiment, the target dwell time is a function of a characteristic brightness of the target.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2015Date of Patent: January 1, 2019Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANYInventors: David R. Gerwe, Keith R. Williams, John Lambert, Paul D. Tarbuck, Edward A. Estrada
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Patent number: 10157468Abstract: An object detection device of an object detection system includes an object detection determination unit including a bird candidate determination unit for determining, from an image acquired by imaging a moving object, whether or not the moving object is a specific detection subject (bird in this case), and a bird type/attitude estimation unit for estimating, based on a contour of the moving object determined to be the bird by the bird candidate determination unit and a WFM library storing contour shape information, which is a contour prepared for each of types of the specific detection subject (types of the bird in this case), a type of the moving object out of the types of the specific detection subject.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2015Date of Patent: December 18, 2018Assignees: NEC Corporation, National Univ. Corporation Hokkaido Univ., Flowbiz Research Inc.Inventors: Hiroyuki Kumeno, Yuichi Murai, Yasushi Takeda
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Patent number: 10154624Abstract: In an approach, hyperspectral and/or multispectral remote sensing images are automatically analyzed by a nitrogen analysis subsystem to estimate the value of nitrogen variables of crops or other plant life located within the images. For example, the nitrogen analysis subsystem may contain a data collector module, a function generator module, and a nitrogen estimator module. The data collector module prepares training data which is used by the function generator module to train a mapping function. The mapping function is then used by the nitrogen estimator module to estimate the values of nitrogen variables for a new remote sensing image that is not included in the training set. The values may then be reported and/or used to determine an optimal amount of fertilizer to add to a field of crops to promote plant growth.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2016Date of Patent: December 18, 2018Assignee: The Climate CorporationInventors: Wei Guan, Ying Xu
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Patent number: 10154178Abstract: An imaging apparatus includes: a camera portion; a lens cover that includes a light receiving hole and covers the camera portion; a ring gear that is attached to the lens cover while surrounding the light receiving hole and is rotatable using the center of concentric circles formed by the ring gear; and a pair of light shielding plates that are attached to a cover outer surface, each of the pair of light shielding plates including an inclined rack, and opening and closing the light receiving hole with the inclined racks meshing with opposite ends in a radial direction of the ring gear.Type: GrantFiled: October 13, 2016Date of Patent: December 11, 2018Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Jyouji Wada, Tatsuo Tanno
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Patent number: 10146667Abstract: Example embodiments relate to generalized snapshots based on multiple partial snapshots. An example method may include accessing multiple partial snapshots, each from a different client. The method may include creating a generalized snapshot from the multiple partial snapshots. The generalized snapshot includes multiple target pixels, and the color of each of the multiple target pixels may be determined by considering colors of multiple source pixels, each from a different partial snapshot.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2014Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: ENTIT SOFTWARE LLCInventors: Nitsan Amichai, Haim Shuvali, Michael Gopshtein
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Patent number: 10140546Abstract: A system for detecting clouds and cloud shadows is described. In one approach, clouds and cloud shadows within a remote sensing image are detected through a three step process. In the first stage a high-precision low-recall classifier is used to identify cloud seed pixels within the image. In the second stage, a low-precision high-recall classifier is used to identify potential cloud pixels within the image. Additionally, in the second stage, the cloud seed pixels are grown into the potential cloud pixels to identify clusters of pixels which have a high likelihood of representing clouds. In the third stage, a geometric technique is used to determine pixels which likely represent shadows cast by the clouds identified in the second stage. The clouds identified in the second stage and the shadows identified in the third stage are then exported as a cloud mask and shadow mask of the remote sensing image.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2017Date of Patent: November 27, 2018Assignee: The Climate CorporationInventors: Wei Guan, Pramithus Khadka, Jeffrey Gerard
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Patent number: 10136492Abstract: A helicopter search light comprises: a lighting arrangement, having at least one light source, the lighting arrangement having an adjustable light output; a light detector, which is configured for detecting light emitted by the at least one light source and reflected by the ground and/or at least one item on the ground and for providing a detection signal which is correlated to an amount of light detected; and a control unit which is configured for controlling the adjustable light output of the lighting arrangement of the helicopter search light depending on the detection signal provided by the light detector.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2017Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: GOODRICH LIGHTING SYSTEMS GMBHInventors: Andre Hessling-Von Heimendahl, Christian Schoen
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Patent number: 10135927Abstract: System and methods for incorporating virtual network computing (“VNC”) into a cockpit display system (“CDS”) are disclosed. A system and method for incorporating VNC into the CDS is comprised of a non-aircraft remote system and a CDS, where the non-aircraft remote system is comprised of a VNC client and a remote display unit, and the CDS comprised of, in part, a VNC server and a PM configured with a method employing an aviation-industry standard protocol (e.g., ARINC 661) and a VNC protocol. A Second method for incorporating VNC into the CDS is comprised of a non-aircraft remote system and a CDS, where the non-aircraft remote system is comprised of a VNC server and a remote display unit, and the CDS comprised of, in part, a VNC client and a processing module (“PM”) configured with a method employing an aviation-industry standard protocol and a VNC protocol.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2014Date of Patent: November 20, 2018Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.Inventors: Sarah Barber, Patrick D. McCusker, Alan E. Siniff, Sethu R. Rathinam, Patrick J. Cosgrove
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Patent number: 10127450Abstract: Field data is collected of a field. Each instance of field data contains information that can be used to determine a value corresponding to whether or not a plant is present or absent in a particular location and is referred to as a plant presence value. The plant presence values are aggregated using the position data associated with each instance of field data to generate aggregated plant presence values. Gaps between plots are identified based partly on variations in the plant presence values within the aggregated field data. Information known about a field can be used to heuristically identify gaps in a seed line or used to eliminate locations on a seed line that may look like a gap based on low plant presence values. The aggregated plant presence values can be presented as a heat map of plant presence values showing the relative plant density of the field.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2016Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: Blue River Technology Inc.Inventors: Lee Kamp Redden, James Patrick Ostrowski, James Willis, Zebulon Elias Wheeler
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Patent number: 10122920Abstract: The present invention provides a new and useful paradigm in wide area imaging, in which wide area imaging is provided by a step/dwell/image capture process and system to capture images and produce from the captured images a wide area image. The image capture is by a sensor that has a predetermined image field and provides image capture at a predetermined frame capture rate, and by a motorized step and dwell sequence of the sensor, where image capture is during a dwell, and the step and dwell sequence of the sensor is synchronized with the image capture rate of the sensor.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2017Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignee: Diversified Innovations Fund, LLLPInventors: Andrew J. Griffis, Michael B. Powell, Mark J. Howell
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Patent number: 10116863Abstract: A method of obtaining image data includes scanning an imaging area with an imaging device while obtaining multiple overlapping images of the imaging area. The method also includes transforming the overlapping images by performing frame averaging on the overlapping images to produce at least one enhanced image of the imaging area.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2016Date of Patent: October 30, 2018Assignee: Goodrich CorporationInventor: Richard N. Lane
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Patent number: 10110858Abstract: A computer-vision based method for validating an activity workflow of a human performer includes identifying a target activity. The method includes determining an expected sequence of actions associated with the target activity. The method includes receiving a video stream from an image capture device monitoring an activity performed by an associated human performer. The method includes determining an external cue in the video stream. The method includes associating a frame capturing the external cue as a first frame in a key frame sequence. The method includes determining an action being performed by the associated human performer in the key frame sequence. In response to determining the action in the key frame sequence matching an expected action in the target activity, the method includes verifying the action as being performed in the monitored activity.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2015Date of Patent: October 23, 2018Assignee: CONDUENT BUSINESS SERVICES, LLCInventors: Robert P. Loce, Beilei Xu, Edgar A. Bernal, Saurabh Prabhat, Wencheng Wu
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Patent number: 10088332Abstract: A flying vehicle has a retro-reflector, a position measuring instrument has a non-prism measurement function for performing a distance measurement and an angle measurement in non-prism and a prism measurement function for performing the distance measurement and the angle measurement with respect to the retro-reflector, a control device is adapted to have a flight range as set within a flat plane, to prepare an approximate flight plan having a two-dimensional approximate flying route as set within the flight range, to measure the approximate flying route by the non-prism measurement, to calculate a three-dimensional detailed flying route based on the measurement results and the approximate flying route, to prepare a detailed flight plan including the detailed flying route and to control the flying vehicle so as to fly in maintaining a distance between the flying vehicle system and a surface of the object to be measured at a constant value based on the detailed flight plan and a result of the prism measurement.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2017Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: TOPCON CorporationInventors: Hitoshi Otani, Daisuke Sasaki, Nobuyuki Fukaya, Takeshi Sasaki
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Patent number: 10089529Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) assessment and reporting system may utilize one or more scanning techniques to provide useful assessments and/or reports for structures and other objects. The scanning techniques may be performed in sequence and optionally used to further fine tune each subsequent scan. The system may include shadow elimination, annotation, and/or reduction for the UAV itself and/or other objects. A UAV may be used to determine a pitch of roof of a structure. The pitch of the roof may be used to fine tune subsequent scanning and data capture.Type: GrantFiled: August 11, 2017Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: Loveland Innovations, LLCInventors: Leif Larson, Jim Loveland, Dan Christiansen, Tad Christiansen, Cam Christiansen
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Patent number: 10089766Abstract: A method, a computer program product, and a system are disclosed for stitching aerial data using information from at least one previous image. The method includes capturing a plurality of images of the landscape; obtaining, image metadata for each of the captured images; generating, for each of the captured images, a set of transformed images based on the image metadata, comprises: setting a variable for each of the parameters; preparing a plurality of sets of transformed image metadata by applying the variables to the parameters; and preparing the set of transformed images from the captured image based on the plurality of sets of transformed image metadata, respectively; identifying, for each set of transformed images, one of the transformed images by calculating quality of fit to the top level image for each of the transformed images; and assembling a new aerial image based on the plurality of the identified transformed images.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2015Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: Konica Minolta Laboratory U.S.A., IncInventors: John Randall Christ, Po-Chieh Hung
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Patent number: 10089530Abstract: An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) assessment and reporting system may utilize one or more scanning techniques to provide useful assessments and/or reports for structures and other objects. The scanning techniques may be performed in sequence and optionally used to further fine tune each subsequent scan. The system may include shadow elimination, annotation, and/or reduction for the UAV itself and/or other objects. A UAV may receive or determine a pitch of roof of a structure. The pitch of the roof may be used to capture perpendicular images of sample regions that have a defined area-squared.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2018Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: Loveland Innovations, LLCInventors: Jim Loveland, Leif Larson, Dan Christiansen, Tad Christiansen, Cam Christiansen
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Patent number: 10074183Abstract: Described is an, such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (“UAV”), that includes stereo pairs of imaging element, each imaging element including a region of interest controller. The region of interest controller for an imaging element of the stereo pair receives movement information affecting the imaging element and selects a portion of pixels of a digital image formed by the imaging element. The portion of pixels are provided to an image processor that utilizes the portion of pixels to determine depth information for objects represented by the pixels.Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2016Date of Patent: September 11, 2018Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Joshua John Watson
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Patent number: 10053229Abstract: An aircraft system (1) includes an aircraft apparatus (31) including an image capturing device (33) and a remote control (32). The remote control (32) includes a display (321), a first communication circuit (322) adapted for transmitting aircraft control signals to the aircraft apparatus (31), and a second communication circuit (323) adapted for receiving image signals of the image capturing device. The display (321) is adapted for displaying the image signals.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2015Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: Yuneec Technology Co., LimitedInventors: Yu Tian, Wenyan Jiang
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Patent number: 10048039Abstract: A sighting and launching weapons system that incorporates the technologies of smart munitions and virtual reality (VR) simulation with precise target engagement capabilities; including targets that would normally be hidden from the shooter's field of view. Non-linear deployment of smart munitions to a precise target coordinate (via closed-loop navigation) allows for minimal collateral damage. Network link allows a plurality of operators to participate in coordinated target engagement in real time from one or more remote locations. The sighting and launching weapons system can be configured for a variety of uses including the deployment of weaponry or aid, and is capable of automatically identifying friendly targets from enemy targets.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2016Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Inventors: John Curtis Bell, Curtis King Bell, David Rogers Bell
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Patent number: 10047905Abstract: A gimbal includes a base and a fixing support rotatably provided on the base, wherein the fixing support includes a first mounting seat and a second mounting seat, and the second mounting seat is provided with an inner cavity therein. An unmanned aerial vehicle including a gimbal is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2015Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: ZEROTECH (SHENZHEN) INTELLIGENCE ROBOT CO., LTD.Inventors: Jianjun Yang, Hongtao Sun
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Patent number: 10043104Abstract: A method for determining a likelihood that a first object captured in a first image and a second object captured in a second image are the same object includes capturing the first image from a first viewpoint and a second image from a second viewpoint, wherein the first object is in the first image, and the second object is in the second image. The method also includes determining a first likelihood that a first visual feature on the first object and a second visual feature on the second object are the same visual feature, and determining a second likelihood that a dimension of the first object and a corresponding dimension of the second object are the same. The method then includes determining a final likelihood that the first object and the second object are the same object based at least partially upon the first likelihood and the second likelihood.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2015Date of Patent: August 7, 2018Assignee: AVIGILON FORTRESS CORPORATIONInventors: Gang Qian, Zeeshan Rasheed
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Patent number: 10029790Abstract: A device that controls the flight altitude of an unmanned aerial vehicle having mounted thereon an imaging device that captures an image of the ground, the device being provided with: one or more memories; and circuitry which, in operation, recognizes, as a plurality of markers, a plurality of objects located on the ground from the image captured by the imaging device, calculates the area of a polygon formed by the plurality of markers, and controls the flight altitude of the unmanned aerial vehicle in such a way that the area of the polygon is maximized.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2016Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICAInventor: Hajime Maekawa
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Patent number: 10019805Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to detecting vehicle movement. For example, one or more computing devices may receive first image data representative of a vehicle's wheel and second image data representative of the wheel captured subsequent to the capture of the first image data. The one or more computing devices may determine a first location of a first portion of the wheel based on the first image data, and a second location of the first portion of the wheel based on the second image data. The one or more computing devices may calculate a value based on the angular distance between the first location and the second location of the first portion, and based on the value, determine whether the vehicle is in motion. Upon determining the vehicle is in motion the one or more computing devices may provide a signal that the vehicle is in motion.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2015Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: Waymo LLCInventor: Craig Lewin Robinson
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Patent number: 10019446Abstract: At least one subsystem among the plurality of subsystems includes a managing section operable to manage individual route information for routes in a management target region of the at least one subsystem among the plurality of regions and adjacent route information for routes positioned in a partial range from a boundary of the management target region among routes in an adjacent region that is adjacent to the management target region, and an identifying section operable to identify the route on which the moving object is positioned based on the observation position, by using the individual route information and the adjacent route information managed by the at least one subsystem. Also provided is a method and computer program product.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2015Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Yasuhisa Gotoh, Tomohiro Miyahira, Taku Sasaki, Makoto Tanibayashi
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Patent number: 9998683Abstract: An image processing device is connected to an imaging unit. The imaging unit has an overlapping region in an imaging range before and after continuous imaging. The image processing device includes: an interface that receives a plurality of captured images obtained by the imaging unit; a measurement unit configured to acquire a measurement result of a subject in the captured image by performing measurement processing to the captured image; a synthesis unit configured to generate a synthesized image by synthesizing the plurality of captured images such that the captured images overlap with one another within an overlapping range corresponding to the overlapping region in imaging order; and an output unit configured to output the synthesized image, information indicating the overlapping range correlated with the synthesized image, and information indicating the measurement result.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2013Date of Patent: June 12, 2018Assignee: OMRON CorporationInventors: Masahiro Fujikawa, Koji Shimada, Kakuto Shirane, Katsuhiro Shimoda, Yoshihiro Moritoki, Yasuyuki Ikeda, Hiroyuki Hazeyama
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Patent number: 9984455Abstract: A plant growth measurement and prediction system uses drone-captured images to measure the current growth of particular plant species and/or to predict future growth of the plant species. For example, the system instructs a drone to fly along a flight path and capture images of the land below. The captured images may include both thermographic images and high-resolution images. The system processes the images to create an orthomosaic image of the land, where each pixel in the orthomosaic image is associated with a brightness temperature. The system then uses plant species to brightness temperature mappings and the orthomosaic image to identify current plant growth. The system generates a diagnostic model using the orthomosaic image to then predict future plant growth.Type: GrantFiled: October 30, 2017Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: Hana Resources, Inc.Inventors: Andrew John Fox, Michelle Caruana
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Patent number: 9961308Abstract: A multispectral image capture device includes a filter wheel (4) and an image sensor. The filters (41-46) are located close to a focusing plane of a light beam used to form the images, and at least one of the filters is more angularly narrow than the optical field of the image sensor. The production of the filter is thereby facilitated. Advantageously, the filters are closer to one another in the wheel such that multiple filters are in the optical field of the sensor simultaneously. Each multispectral image can be captured more quickly than when each filter covers the entire optical field of the sensor.Type: GrantFiled: December 24, 2014Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE SASInventor: Pierre-Luc Georgy
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Patent number: 9952591Abstract: An interface includes a human machine interface (HMI) to provide a visualization of current and future states of a mission associated with one or more unmanned vehicles. A time specifier provides input to the HMI to specify a current time or a future time for the visualization of the current and future states of the mission. A prediction engine generates predictions of the current and future states of the mission for the visualization based on the current time or the future time specified by the time specifier.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2015Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems CorporationInventors: Devang R. Parekh, Henry H. Fung, Feng Cao, Louis Oddo, Miteshkumar K. Patel, William Parsons
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Patent number: 9945955Abstract: A communications system includes a GPS receiver that receives GPS position data and GPS correction data, a mobile device having a first transceiver and an adapter coupled to the GPS receiver and having a second transceiver and a voltage regulator. The mobile device accesses RTK correction data over a cellular network using a current GPS position and processes the RTK correction data. The second transceiver of the adapter receives the RTK correction data over a wireless signal sent by the first transceiver of the mobile device. The adapter converts the RTK correction data so that the RTK correction data is receivable by a serial port on the GPS receiver that the adapter is coupled and the voltage regulator derives power from the GPS receiver to power the adapter.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2015Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: Glacial Ridge Technologies, LLCInventor: Joseph A. Cihlar
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Patent number: 9937765Abstract: Methods and systems for adapting an automobile suspension in real-time may include a radar module reading a surface topology ahead of a vehicle. A processor may convert an output signal of the radar module into a suspension input signal that corresponds to an amount by which a wheel suspension device of the vehicle should be adjusted to counteract the surface topology. The processor may adjust a mechanical attribute of the wheel suspension device in real-time based on the suspension input signal. In an embodiment, the processor may be configured to calculate the amount by which the wheel suspension device should be adjusted based on a speed of the vehicle and a size of the surface topology. In one embodiment, the radar module may include a gimbal mount configured to provide vertical and horizontal visibility to the radar module.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2015Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Inventor: Ram Sivaraman
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Patent number: 9922405Abstract: A method for agronomic and agricultural monitoring includes designating an area for imaging, determining a flight path above the designated area, operating an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) along the flight path, acquiring images of the area using a camera system attached to the UAV, and processing the acquired images.Type: GrantFiled: August 20, 2015Date of Patent: March 20, 2018Assignee: The Climate CorporationInventors: Doug Sauder, Justin L. Koch, Troy L. Plattner, Phil Baurer
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Patent number: 9915733Abstract: A method of imaging a scene includes estimating multiple three-dimensional (3D) representations, each of which corresponds to a respective portion of the scene. Neighboring portions of the scene area are at least partially overlapping. Each 3D representation is estimated by illuminating the respective portion of the scene with a light burst including multiple light pulses, after which multiple point clouds are generated by detecting photons reflected or scattered from the respective portion of the scene using a focal plane array. Data points in the point clouds represent a distance between the focal plane array and a scene point in the respective portion of the scene. The 3D representation is then estimated based on the multiple point clouds via coincidence processing. The method then generates a 3D image of the scene based on the multiple 3D representations.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2016Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Dale G. Fried, Jonathan Frechette
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Patent number: 9864740Abstract: Various examples of methods and systems for template driven element adapter are described. In one implementation, one or more processors of a computing device may interface between a user and a networked device of a network of a plurality of networked devices to render a communication between the user and the networked device. The one or more processors may process the communication between the user and the networked device by: transforming data contained in the communication; filtering the communication; and performing one or more of the following: aggregating additional data with the communication; translating the communication; and constructing a second structure for the data in the communication using a template based on a first structure of the data in the communication.Type: GrantFiled: February 5, 2015Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: Ciena CorporationInventor: Eko Prasetya
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Patent number: 9854166Abstract: An image pickup apparatus includes an image pickup unit that picks up an object to generate moving image data. A detection unit detects one of a shooting direction of the image pickup unit and an attitude of the image pickup apparatus. A storage unit temporarily stores moving image data generated by the image pickup unit. An instruction unit instructs operation to photograph a still image. A recording unit reads out the moving image data traced back by a predetermined time period from a time point when still image photographing is instructed by the instruction unit, from the storage unit, and records the read-out moving image data in a recording medium. The recording unit records, relatedly with the moving image data, information concerning the detected one of the shooting direction and the attitude of the image pickup apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: February 9, 2015Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Jumpei Kitamura
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Patent number: 9852341Abstract: A moving objects detection method is disclosed. The method may include: identifying a plurality of feature points based on a plurality of video frames; selecting from the plurality of feature points to form a first and a second groups of feature points based on correlations between the plurality of feature points; and identifying in at least one video frame two segments based on the first and the second groups of feature points, respectively, as detected moving objects, where a correlation between two feature points may include a distance component and a movement difference component, where the distance component is related to a distance between the two feature points, and the movement difference component is related to a difference between corresponding movements of the two feature points. A moving objects detection system is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2013Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: HARMAN INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRIES, INCORPORATIONInventors: Yun Zhou, Chuyang Hong, Yankun Zhang, Norman Weyrich
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Patent number: 9854165Abstract: The present invention provides methods, systems, and apparatus for generating panoramic aerial images. An image capturing device is coupled to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAVs) via a carrier configured to allow the image capturing device to rotate around one, two, or three axes relative to the UAV. To generate a panoramic image, the UAV is brought to hover or remain substantially stationary near a predetermined location. While the UAV is hovering over the predetermined position, the carrier causes the image capturing device to rotate around a first axis while stabilizing the image capturing device with respect to at least a second axis. As the image capturing device rotates, it captures a plurality of overlapping images. The plurality of images can be processed entirely onboard the UAV to generate a panoramic image without transmitting the plurality of images to a remote device.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2016Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: SZ DJI OSMO TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Mingyu Wang, Zisheng Cao, Taiwen Liang, Lifu Yu
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Patent number: 9834307Abstract: Embodiments include one or more high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft capable of persistent station-keeping having one or more electromagnetic (IR/Visual/RF) sensor elements or suites for purposes of survey and/or signal gathering. Embodiments include one or more high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft capable of persistent station-keeping having a directable laser. Embodiments include a group of four or more high altitude, long endurance (HALE) unmanned aircraft configured as GPS repeaters.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2016Date of Patent: December 5, 2017Assignee: AEROVIRONMENT, INC.Inventor: Edward Oscar Rios