Patents Assigned to Visual Intelligence, LP
  • Patent number: 9797980
    Abstract: An imaging sensor system, having a view of a target area comprising: a rigid mount unit having at least two imaging sensors disposed within the mount unit, wherein a first imaging and a second imaging sensor each has a focal axis passing through an aperture in the mount unit, wherein the first imaging sensor generates a first image area comprising a first data array of pixels and the second imaging sensor generates a second image area comprising a second data array of pixels, wherein the first and second imaging sensors are offset to have a first image overlap area in the target area, wherein the first sensors image data bisects the second sensors image data in the first image overlap area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Visual Intelligence LP
    Inventor: Chester L. Smitherman
  • Publication number: 20160313435
    Abstract: An imaging sensor system, having a view of a target area comprising: a rigid mount unit having at least two imaging sensors disposed within the mount unit, wherein a first imaging and a second imaging sensor each has a focal axis passing through an aperture in the mount unit, wherein the first imaging sensor generates a first image area comprising a first data array of pixels and the second imaging sensor generates a second image area comprising a second data array of pixels, wherein the first and second imaging sensors are offset to have a first image overlap area in the target area, wherein the first sensors image data bisects the second sensors image data in the first image overlap area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Applicant: Visual Intelligence LP
    Inventor: Chester L. Smitherman
  • Patent number: 9389298
    Abstract: An imaging sensor system, adaptably mountable to a vehicle having a view of a target area comprising: a rigid mount unit having at least two imaging sensors disposed within the mount unit, wherein a first imaging and a second imaging sensor each has a focal axis passing through an aperture in the mount unit, wherein the first imaging sensor generates a first image area comprising a first data array of pixels and the second imaging sensor generates a second image area comprising a second data array of pixels, wherein the first and second imaging sensors are offset to have a first image overlap area in the target area, wherein the first sensors image data bisects the second sensors image data in the first image overlap area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2016
    Assignee: Visual Intelligence LP
    Inventor: Chester L. Smitherman
  • Patent number: 8994822
    Abstract: An imaging sensor system comprising: a mount unit affixed to a vehicle or a platform and having at least three imaging sensors disposed within the mount unit, wherein a first, second and third imaging sensor each has a focal axis passing through an aperture in the mount unit, wherein the first image sensor generates a first image area of the target area comprising a first array of pixels, wherein the second image sensor generates a second image area of the target area comprising a first array of pixels, wherein the first and second imaging sensors are offset to have a first image overlap area in the target area, wherein the first sensors image data bisects the second sensors image data in the first image overlap area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Visual Intelligence LP
    Inventors: Chester L. Smitherman, Joseph McCoy, James Tilley, Mohan Baro
  • Patent number: 8896695
    Abstract: The present invention provides a camera system having a compound array of imaging sensors disposed in a retinal configuration. The system preferably comprises a concave housing. A first imaging sensor is centrally disposed along the housing. At least one secondary imaging sensor is disposed along the housing, adjacent to the first imaging sensor. The focal axis of the second imaging sensor, in the preferred embodiment, intersects with the focal axis of the first imaging sensor within an intersection area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Visual Intelligence LP
    Inventors: Leo J. Peters, III, Chester L. Smitherman
  • Patent number: 8483960
    Abstract: An imaging sensor system comprising: a rigid mount plate affixed to a vehicle; a first rigid mount unit affixed to the mount plate and having at least two imaging sensors disposed within the first mount unit, wherein a first imaging and a second imaging sensor each has a focal axis passing through an aperture in the first mount unit and the mount plate, wherein the first and second imaging sensor each generates a first array of pixels, wherein each array of pixels is at least two dimensional, wherein the first and second imaging sensors are offset to have a first image overlap area in the target area, wherein the first sensors image data bisects the second sensors image data in the first image overlap area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Visual Intelligence, LP
    Inventor: Chester L. Smitherman
  • Patent number: 8471907
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing a remote imaging array. A first imaging sensor, having a focal axis, is coupled to a housing, having a curvilinear array axis, along the curvilinear array axis. A second imaging sensor, having a focal axis, is coupled to the housing along the curvilinear array axis adjacent to the first imaging sensor, such that the focal axes of the first and second imaging sensors intersect one another at an intersection area. A third imaging sensor, having a focal axis, is coupled to the housing along a curvilinear array axis adjacent to the first imaging sensor, opposite the second imaging sensor, such that the focal axes of the first and third imaging sensors intersect one another at the intersection area. The second and third imaging sensors' fields of view are aligned with target areas opposite their respective positions in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Visual Intelligence, LP
    Inventors: Leo J. Peters, III, Chester L. Smitherman
  • Publication number: 20130013185
    Abstract: An imaging sensor system comprising: a mount unit affixed to a vehicle or a platform and having at least three imaging sensors disposed within the mount unit, wherein a first, second and third imaging sensor each has a focal axis passing through an aperture in the mount unit, wherein the first image sensor generates a first image area of the target area comprising a first array of pixels, wherein the second image sensor generates a second image area of the target area comprising a first array of pixels, wherein the first and second imaging sensors are offset to have a first image overlap area in the target area, wherein the first sensors image data bisects the second sensors image data in the first image overlap area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: Visual Intelligence, LP
    Inventors: Chester L. Smitherman, Joseph McCoy, James Tilley, Mohan Baro
  • Patent number: 7925114
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for mosaicing multiple input images, captured by one or more remote sensors, into a seamless mosaic of an area of interest. Each set of input images captured by the remote sensors within a capture interval are ortho-rectified and mosaiced together into a composite image. Successive composite images, along a given flight path, are then mosaiced together to form a strip. Adjacent strips are then mosaiced together to form a final image of the area of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Visual Intelligence, LP
    Inventors: Tuy Vu Mai, Chester L. Smitherman
  • Patent number: 7893957
    Abstract: The present invention provides a camera system having a compound array of imaging sensors disposed in a retinal configuration. The system preferably comprises a concave housing. A first imaging sensor is centrally disposed along the housing. At least one secondary imaging sensor is disposed along the housing, adjacent to the first imaging sensor. The focal axis of the second imaging sensor, in the preferred embodiment, intersects with the focal axis of the first imaging sensor within an intersection area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Visual Intelligence, LP
    Inventors: Leo J. Peters, III, Chester L. Smitherman
  • Patent number: 7212938
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method to calibrate an on-board remote sensing system using a self-locking travel pattern and target remote sensing data. The self-locking travel pattern includes a number of parallel travel lines having overlapping swath widths between adjacent travel lines. The overlapping swath widths are used to determine the boresight angles and range offset of the remote sensor device. In addition, the method can be used to generate estimated horizontal and vertical displacement errors. These estimated errors can be used as correction factors for the range offset and boresight angles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: M7 Visual Intelligence, LP
    Inventor: Tuy Vu Mai
  • Patent number: 7127348
    Abstract: A vehicle based data collection and processing system which may be used to collect various types of data from an aircraft in flight or from other moving vehicles, such as an automobile, a satellite, a train, etc. In various embodiments the system may include: computer console units for controlling vehicle and system operations, global positioning systems communicatively connected to the one or more computer consoles, camera array assemblies for producing an image of a target viewed through an aperture communicatively connected to the one or more computer consoles, attitude measurement units communicatively connected to the one or more computer consoles and the one or more camera array assemblies, and a mosaicing module housed within the one or more computer consoles for gathering raw data from the global positioning system, the attitude measurement unit, and the retinal camera array assembly, and processing the raw data into orthorectified images.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: M7 Visual Intelligence, LP
    Inventors: Chester L. Smitherman, Tuy Vu Mai, Leo J. Peters, III
  • Patent number: 6928194
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system for mosaicing multiple input images, captured by one or more remote sensors, into a seamless mosaic of an area of interest. Each set of input images captured by the remote sensors within a capture interval are ortho-rectified and mosaiced together into a composite image. Successive composite images, along a given flight path, are then mosaiced together to form a strip. Adjacent strips are then mosaiced together to form a final image of the area of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: M7 Visual Intelligence, LP
    Inventors: Tuy Vu Mai, Chester L. Smitherman
  • Publication number: 20040167709
    Abstract: A vehicle based data collection and processing system which may be used to collect various types of data from an aircraft in flight or from other moving vehicles, such as an automobile, a satellite, a train, etc. In various embodiments the system may include: computer console units for controlling vehicle and system operations, global positioning systems communicatively connected to the one or more computer consoles, camera array assemblies for producing an image of a target viewed through an aperture communicatively connected to the one or more computer consoles, attitude measurement units communicatively connected to the one or more computer consoles and the one or more camera array assemblies, and a mosaicing module housed within the one or more computer consoles for gathering raw data from the global positioning system, the attitude measurement unit, and the retinal camera array assembly, and processing the raw data into orthorectified images.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicants: M7 Visual Intelligence, LP, Visual Intelligence Systems, Inc., VISI Technology
    Inventors: Chester L. Smitherman, Tuy Vu Mai, Leo Peters