Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, it is possible to visually show both of information which is originally visually recognizable and information which is originally not seen that have been provided from equipment on the same image, so that it is possible to grasp the content of information and the source of providing the information corresponding to or in association with each other. Furthermore, it is possible to view information difficult to visually recognize together with visually recognizable information, and it is possible to clearly grasp, in addition to information which can be visually obtained at the place where a user currently stays, information related to the visually obtained information, from an image visually indicating the association.

Abstract: An image enhancing system for a vehicle comprises a display unit for displaying modified images and an imaging device for receiving captured images—enhanced by the image enhancing system. The system further includes an image enhancing module in communication with the display unit and the imaging device—such that pixels located in the captured images are enhanced by repositioning the pixels from a first position to a second position via a transfer operation.

Abstract: A camera for taking a state behind a vehicle is installed in a position laterally shifted from the rear center of the vehicle. An image processing unit generates a rear image from a camera image by shifting merely a rectangular area of the camera image so that a vertical center line thereof can substantially accord with the center line along the lengthwise direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, processing for correcting lens distortion may be performed. As a result, when the vehicle is moved straight backward, an object present on the center line of the vehicle moves vertically in substantially the center of the screen, so that a user can be prevented from having an odd feeling to see the image.

Abstract: A method and a system for calibrating a camera in a surveillance system. The method and system use a mathematical rotation between a first coordinate system and a second coordinate system in order to calibrate a camera with a map of an area. In some embodiments, the calibration can be used to control the camera and/or to display a view cone on the map.

Abstract: A security system includes at least first and second monitoring units, each having a motion sensor for detecting motion, a camera for obtaining visual data, a transmitter, a receiver, and a processor in data communication with the motion sensor, camera, transmitter, and receiver. The security system includes means for outputting visual data from the first unit camera when the first unit motion sensor detects motion more recently than the second unit motion sensor detects motion. The security system includes programming for outputting the visual data from the second unit camera when the second unit motion sensor detects motion more recently than the first unit motion sensor detects motion. The system includes a telephone interface for transmitting visual data captured by a respective camera. A unit's camera is only activated when its associated motion detector detects motion and is deactivated when another unit's motion detector detects motion more recently.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing digital video processing of electromagnetic waves in IR or other electromagnetic waves spectra; derived from adjacent or separate bands (or sub-bands) representing a channel of electromagnetic wave intensities; that is processed for equipment radiometric corrections (calibration), adverse environmental elements or substance calibrations, channel filtering in real time and dynamic pixel to pixel time.

Abstract: A method and a system for tracking the motion of moving objects accurately on the entirety of a wide-angle video is disclosed. The method includes using a non-uniform scaling to selectively enhance pixel density, preferably in preparation for other image processing. In preferred embodiments, the further image processing (such as motion detection, object recognition, or tracking, etc.) functions better with the enhanced pixel density or distribution.

Abstract: The present invention advantageously provides a means by which the privacy zone on a PTZ camera can be maintained so that an object in the camera's sight is always masked or covered. An algorithm which remembers the defined privacy zones as an area in space marked by four rays touching the four corners of the marked zone and having absolute Pan, Tilt angular coordinates is presented. The privacy zone is initially defined by a rectangle on the screen with known pixel co-ordinates which are translated into angular coordinates. Then, when the camera moves and prepares to display a new screen, the privacy zone is superimposed on the object to be masked. Locating the object and displaying its privacy zone is done by translating the absolute angular coordinates of the original privacy zone into pixel coordinates. Additionally, multiple privacy zones can be displayed on one camera screen.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for preparing a composite image from a video data stream and for identifying changed features in two composite images. Frames from the video data stream are transformed to a projected 2D image, aligned with adjacent frames and overlapping areas are averaged to provide a higher apparent resolution. The composite image can be stored in real-time. As a second composite image is prepared of the same location at a later time, portions of the second image can be compared to corresponding portions of the stored image after the intensities of the images are equalized. Image areas whose absolute difference exceeds a threshold are again intensity equalized. Areas that are again above threshold can be flagged for further scrutiny, either by a human or by a machine that performs object recognition. In this way, composite video images of a scene can be prepared and compared in real-time.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an offset focal array including a plurality of photosensitive elements disposed at different focal lengths from at least one lens to output an image simulating an orthogonal view of an oblique coverage area. In further embodiments, the photosensitive elements are arranged in layers positioned substantially equal to the focal lengths of one or more focusing lenses.

Abstract: A system and method for equalizing an imaging sensor. The system includes at least one image sensor having a plurality of detectors defining a sensor array, each detector being configured to provide an output signal representative of a sensed image. The system further includes an equalization system configured to receive the output signals from the detectors; estimate a distribution for at least one detector based on the respective output signals; compare the distribution for the at least one of the detectors to a given distribution to determine a mapping function for the at least one detector; and apply the respective mapping function of the at least one detector to the output signal of the at least one detector to provide an equalized signal for the at least one detector.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus that obtain error correction data by adjusting the LOS vector of a sensor, and assign precise ground coordinates to respective image coordinates of an image using the error correction data and auxiliary data for the image. In the method of correcting geometry of an image using a LOS vector adjustment model of the present invention, an image, obtained by photographing a ground surface, and auxiliary data for the image, are acquired. Ground coordinates for a ground control point, and image coordinates of the image matching the ground coordinates are acquired. A LOS vector of a sensor of a photographing device is adjusted, thus obtaining error correction data. The auxiliary data and the error correction data are applied to LOS vector adjustment models, and ground coordinates are assigned to respective image coordinates of the image, thus performing exterior orientation.

Abstract: The image processor of the present invention generates a more natural synthesized image from camera images taken with a plurality of cameras capturing the surroundings of a vehicle. A parameter storage section stores a plurality of image synthesis parameter groups representing the correspondence between the camera images and the synthesized image and having different spatial or temporal resolution relations. A parameter selection section selects the image synthesis parameter group according to the output of a vehicle motion detection section for detecting the motion of the vehicle such as the driving speed and direction. An image synthesis section generates the synthesized image from the camera images according to the selected image synthesis parameter group.

Abstract: A pipeline architecture for analyzing multiple streams of video is embodied, in part, in a layer of application program interfaces (APIs) to each stage of processing. Buffer queuing is used between some stages, which helps moderate the load on the CPU(s). Through the layer of APIs, innumerable video analysis applications can access and analyze video data flowing through the pipeline, and can annotate portions of the video data (e.g., frames and groups of frames), based on the analyses performed, with information that describes the frame or group. These annotated frames and groups flow through the pipeline to subsequent stages of processing, at which increasingly complex analyses can be performed. At each stage, portions of the video data that are of little or no interest are removed from the video data. Ultimately, “events” are constructed and stored in a database, from which cross-event and historical analyses may be performed and associations with, and among, events may be made.

Abstract: A method for monitoring an alarm zone within a perimeter, border and/or building includes capturing video image data of an alarm event detected in the alarm zone, and automatically establishing a cell phone session with an end-user to verify a true or false nature of the detected alarm. The end-user may use the cell phone display to review the video during the cell phone session, and may use the cell phone's key for the verifying. The novel monitoring method with end-user alarm event verification avoids false alarms being raised where the nature of the detected alarm event is false, and the verifying occurs before a false alarm is raised/communicated.

Abstract: The invention consists of a system and method for transferring video images from video sources to video receivers using a video server as an intermediary. The video server creates a list of all the requests from the video receivers for a video image from a video source. The video server requests the video image from the video source and then sends the video image to each video receiver on the list. The video source is only required to send one image for any number of requests from video receivers and the video sources and video receivers have no direct connection to each other. The load of handling many video sources and many video receivers can be distributed amongst multiple video servers.

Abstract: A system for optical sensing in an aerial vehicle has at least one camera, an electronically-controlled mirror configured to dynamically direct light from a region of interest into the at least one camera, and at least one electronically-controlled adaptive polymer lens disposed between the mirror and the camera.

Abstract: Acceleration of a set of three frames of video with N movers may be determined by generating an inverse Fourier transformation of a differential phase correlation matrix of the three frames. The resultant acceleration estimate may be integrated with the velocity and offset estimates for the second frame so as to provide an offset estimate for the third frame. The third frame may then be co-registered with a reference frame. This process may be repeated for subsequent frames so that subsequent frames may also be registered to the reference frame so that video jitter that was caused by platform shake may be reduced or eliminated.

Abstract: A vehicle proximity alerting system and method is provided. The system includes: a sensor unit having a plurality of sensors for measuring distances from other vehicles; a system controlling unit for receiving measurement signals from the sensors, calculating distances from other vehicles, determining whether or not the calculated distance is less than a preset vehicle proximity distance setting value, and generating an alert signal when it is determined that the calculated distance is less than the vehicle proximity distance setting value; and an alerting unit for receiving the alert signal and alerting.

Abstract: Large format, digital camera systems (10, 100, 150, 250, 310) expose single detector arrays 20 with multiple lens systems (12, 14, 16, 18) or multiple detector arrays (104, 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 152, 162, 172, 182, 252, 262, 272, 282, 322, 324) with one or more single lens systems (156, 166, 176, 186) to acquire sub-images of overlapping sub-areas of large area objects. The sub-images are stitched together to form a large format, digital, macro-image (80, 230?, 236?, 238?, 240?), which can be colored. Dampened camera carrier (400) and accelerometer (404) signals with double-rate digital signal processing (306, 308) are used.

Abstract: An image acquisition apparatus has an imaging optical system. An imaging section has a plurality of imaging pixels arranged at non-uniform intervals within an imaging surface. The imaging section picks up an object image imaged by the imaging optical system, and converts the object image into image signals. An image restoration processing section has a coefficient memory in which a predetermined coefficient sequence is recorded, and an image restoration processing circuit which carries out computation processing between the coefficient sequence recorded in the coefficient memory and the image signals from the imaging section. The image restoration processing section generates an image in a desired display pixel arrangement.

Abstract: Large format, digital camera systems (10, 100, 150, 250, 310) expose single detector arrays 20 with multiple lens systems (12, 14, 16, 18) or multiple detector arrays (104, 106, 108, 110, 112, 114, 116, 118, 120, 152, 162, 172, 182, 252, 262, 272, 282, 322, 324) with one or more single lens systems (156, 166, 176, 186) to acquire sub-images of overlapping sub-areas of large area objects. The sub-images are stitched together to form a large format, digital, macro-image (80, 230?, 236?, 238?, 240?), which can be colored. Dampened camera carrier (400) and accelerometer (404) signals with double-rate digital signal processing (306, 308) are used.

Abstract: An aerial vehicle speed correlation method for two-dimensional visual reproduction of laser radar images of the present invention is capable of altering and controlling the output timing of the invention's laser radar system rated output lines based on the moving distance and the speed of an aerial vehicle. The speed error correlation method of the present invention is not limited to outputting one output line for every scanned line (N) for reducing the accumulation of geometric distortion error along the in-track direction of the scan frame. The speed correlation method of the present invention uses a set of generated fire table of equation to correct tangential error along the cross-track direction and to improve the reproduction quality of the laser radar images.

Abstract: An aerial reconnaissance camera and method provides for generating a first image of the terrain of interest with the camera pointing angle oriented or rotated about an azimuthal axis some angular amount (&thgr;1) to a first, typically forward orientation, i.e., forward of a cross-line of flight direction. An image is obtained of the ground at this orientation. Then the camera is rotated about the azimuthal axis to new angular value (&thgr;2), which will typically be aft of the cross line of flight direction. An image is generated at this value. The camera is then rotated back to the value of &thgr;1, and a second image in the forward orientation is generated. The camera is then rotated again to the value of &thgr;2 and another image in the aft orientation is generated. This process of rotating the camera about the azimuthal axis and generating images in forward and aft orientations continues over and over.

Abstract: An electro-optical roll-framing camera is described in which successive overlapping frames of scene imagery are generated by an electro-optical imaging array. Image motion compensation is performed electronically to stop or freeze image motion caused by the roll motion. The image motion compensation is performed by the array during the generation of the frames of imagery. The successive frames of imagery are made during a continuous roll motion of the entire camera (including the array). The image motion due to roll is stopped or frozen without mechanically stopping the roll motion, such as found in prior art step frame cameras. The roll framing cycles of the camera generate sweeping coverage of the terrain of interest. The roll rate for a given electro-optical array is a function of the frame size and the framing rate, and is controllable by a master camera control computer.

Abstract: A system for achieving perspective-corrected views at a location removed from the site of the creation of a distorted wide angle image without the transmission of control signals to the site of image creation. Angles of tilt, pan and rotation, as well as degrees of magnification, are achieved without the use of mechanical devices by using transform algorithms. The system provides for the transmission of signals related to an uncorrected image from a site where this distorted image is created, with the transmitted signals being received at one or more processing sites for creating the perspectively-corrected views. Transmission can be via telephone lines, with the system including signal compression and decompression units. Wireless transmission is also utilized where desired.

Abstract: The invention relates to a scanned-slot x-ray imaging system, having a first collimator and a second collimator arranged in a first distance (a) and a second distance (b), respectively, from a radiation source and each provided with a slot and a detector located under the second collimator slot, said slot of said second collimator being wider than the said slot of said first collimator and said detector under the second slot is wider than the first collimator slot and the second collimator slot. The slot of said second collimator has a width (y′) not less than a safety margin and the product of the width (x) of the slot of said first collimator and said second distance (b) divided with the said first distance (a) for allowing a misalignment with respect to a central symmetry line of said slots.

Abstract: Described is a device for determining the attitude on board of a satellite (1) with a data transfer device for carrying out optical data exchange between at least two satellites (1, 3); a device for determining one's own attitude; a device for determining the directional vectors in an inertial co-ordinate system from one's own attitude and from attitude data of at least two satellites (1, 3), said attitude data having been transmitted by means of the data transmission device; a device for determining the directional vector directed to the satellites (1, 3) of which there are at least two, in a fixed-body co-ordinate system of the satellite; and a device for attitude determination from the directional vectors determined. Also described is a method for carrying out attitude determination.

Abstract: Method of and apparatus for registering a single dimensional image to a two dimensional image, and for generating spectral two dimensional images, as practiced in aerial imagery. Raw data or primary images are acquired from a subject of interest and are passed through a camera type aperture and divided by passing the light beam through a beam splitter. One beam is recorded digitally as two dimensional images containing at least three recognizable geometric reference points. The second beam is passed through a slit to form single dimensional images, which are then preferably diffracted to produce plural spectral single dimensional images. The spectral single dimensional images are recorded digitally in a manner enabling each single dimensional image to be linked to its corresponding two dimensional reference image. The beam splitter and slit device may be replaced by a selectively reflective beam splitter which accomplishes the function of both deleted components.

Abstract: A method and a device for imaging with high geometrical resolution on a microsatellite. The device includes an objective and a focal plane on which an extended optical detector is fitted. The objective and the focal plane being fastened rigidly to the microsatellite. Intermediate optics, which can be moved using a setting and resetting instrument, are arranged between the objective and the focal plane.

Abstract: In the case where variations in ground objects in one and the same area are detected between a line drawing map describing profile lines of the ground objects or a reference line drawing/image obtained by picking up the ground objects from above, and a target image obtained by picking up the ground objects in the same area from above later on, a variation detecting apparatus collates the reference line drawing/image with the target image so as to obtain variation indexes indicating whether there are variations or not in the ground objects respectively, and displays ground objects which can be judged to have variations or ground objects which cannot be judged as to whether there are variations or not on the basis of the variation indexes, in a display mode in which an area of the reference line drawing/image including the ground objects and an area of the target image including the ground objects can be compared with each other.

Abstract: A processing device for air/ground reconnaissance using optronic equipment of high performance. A high speed detection matrix and a particular electronic processing of video signals is used to reconstruct a scan image from elementary images which have a high degree of overlap and are offset due to scan residual. For example, an incident light beam is projected in the direction of a line of sight through an optical system. Video signals are transmitted to a digital circuit to supply luminance values of successive elementary images to two image memories. A correlation processor delivers an offset signal for the current image to an image reconstruction processor which also receives luminance values for the current images. An image patch memory is reconstructed in which the elementary images are realigned.

Abstract: A method for capturing and directly scanning a rectilinear imaging element using a non-linear scan is incorporated into a single chip comprising at least a sensor array and an MSD. The method directly addresses each picture element of an analog image captured with an imaging device having either a partial spherical field of view or a conventional two-dimensional field of view. An image transform processor is used to process the captured image depending upon the particular portion of interest of the image. In the case of a non-linear scan, the image transform processor is provided with the capability of geometrically filtering the portion of interest of the captured image such that a two-dimensional, undistorted image is displayed at the monitor. A CMOS active pixel image sensor (APS) or Charge Injection Diode (CID) camera array are used to capture the image to be scanned. The image transform processor of the present invention is a Mixed-signal Semiconductor Device (MSD).

Abstract: A projective panchromatic sharpening method and apparatus combines registered high spatial resolution panchromatic imagery and lower spatial resolution multispectral imagery to synthesize higher spatial resolution multispectral imagery. The degree of misregistration between bands and the correlation of intensity values are key factors in generating radiometrically accurate and visually crisp output images. The projective panchromatic sharpening method and apparatus comprises two components. The first component determines the linear radiometric relationship between the panchromatic and multispectral bands, and the second component processes pixels to produce the sharpened product.

Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for imaging a celestial object, typically the Earth, with a spacecraft orbiting the celestial object. The method includes steps of (a) operating an imager instrument aboard the spacecraft to generate data representing an image of the celestial object; (b) processing the image data to derive the location of at least one predetermined landmark in the image and a location of edges of the celestial object in the image; and (c) further processing the detected locations to obtain the attitude of the imager instrument. The method includes a further step of outputting the image and the imager instrument attitude to at least one end-user of the image, and/or using the imager instrument attitude to revise the image before outputting the image to the at least one end-user of the image. The generated data preferably represents a one half frame image, and the steps of processing and further processing thus occur at a one half frame rate.

Abstract: Apparatus for interactive display of any portion of a spherical image preferably comprises a personal computer or other digital processor apparatus for storing digital data representative of at least one image having a 180 degree or greater field of view (or hemispherical image). In order to view a selected image portion without warp or distortion at the seam between opposite hemispherical images, edge filtering is applied to eliminate a halo effect. Moreover, an opposite hemispherical image may either be obtained by creating a mirror image of a first hemispherical image or by capturing a second hemispherical image by means of an oppositely directed camera and storing the digital image. Equations for image transformation are based on a lens' characteristics including the lens' radius R. An input interface preferably comprises a display including a magnification region and a directional cursor for pointing the direction to a next spherical image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the elimination of temporal and spacial distortions from interlaced video signals, particularly those that occur in signals associated with affine transformations. This elimination is particularly of value for signals that have been magnified so as to prevent the visual appearance of reverse movement of moving images. The removal of these distortions is achieved by sequentially inputting the images fields into three field buffers, updating the data in a rotary manner. This data is withdrawn from any two of the field buffers, while the third field buffer is being updated, and averaging the data from the two. When such averaged data is displayed, there is no apparent reverse direction motion to the image. The method and apparatus are applied to a system wherein there is affine transformation to achieve selected pan, tilt, rotation and magnification of images during the correction of distorted images received from a wide angle lens.

Abstract: A method of and a system of camera control are shown, in which a monitoring area view 2 is displayed on a monitor screen 1a. An installation position A of a camera unit 5 is input as origin A on the monitoring area view 2 with a point input unit 4. Further, a point B indicative of the home position direction of the camera unit 5 is input from the point input unit 4. A line connecting the pick-up position A of the camera unit and home position direction B thereof are set to be a virtual line C (0.degree.); and a monitoring point X is input on the monitoring area view with the point input unit 4 to obtain a monitoring point angle .theta.a which is defined by the designated monitoring point X, the origin A and the virtual line C. The camera unit 5 is caused to undergo revolution by the monitoring point angle .theta.a.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transforming wide angle video into perspective corrected viewing zones which either a single user or multiple users may select, orient and magnify. The present invention first captures a wide angle digital video input by any suitable means. The captured image is then stored in a suitable memory means so portions of the image may be selected at a later time. When a portion of the stored video is selected for viewing, a plurality of discrete viewing vectors in three dimensional space are chosen on the video input and transformed to a plurality of control points in a two dimensional plane or any other suitable surface. The area between these points which is still warped from the original wide angle image capture is then transformed to a perspective corrected field of view. The perspective corrected field of view is then displayed on a suitable displaying apparatus, such as a monitor or head mounted display.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of scanning lines, having a first scanning line part and a second scanning line part, over a substrate and a plurality of signal lines formed over the substrate and crossing the scanning line at the first scanning line part. The first scanning line part is formed of a material that is different from a low resistance metal. The second scanning line part and the signal line are formed of the low resistance metal. The first scanning line part is connected to the second part of the scanning line through a contact hole.

Abstract: An electro-optical step-frame camera system in which successive overlapping frames of scene imagery are generated by an electro-optical imaging array, and in which electronic image motion compensation is performed by the array during the generation of at least some of the frames of imagery. The successive frames of imagery are made in a stepping pattern that is repeated in a series of cycles of steps, each step separated by a framing interval in which a frame of imagery is obtained. The stepping cycles of the camera generate sweeping coverage of the terrain of interest. As the velocity to height ratio of the reconnaissance aircraft changes, the stepping cycle and electronic image motion compensation are continually adjusted, so as to ensure maximum scene coverage and preservation of image resolution.

Abstract: A visual recognition system is disclosed for detecting a target within a scene. A LADAR system and method is employed for scanning laser light signals across a scene having a target to be characterized. Laser light reflected from the target is detected and processed into a three-dimensional image. The three-dimensional image is segmented to separate the target from the overall scene. Substantially, only the segmented target data is either displayed locally or transmitted via a narrow bandwidth transmission medium to a remote site for display. The invention finds particular application in military situations where enemy armor is detected and the segmented version of the armor is transmitted via SINCGARS.

Abstract: A visual gyroscope system for detecting turns and straight line travel of a vehicle includes a visual image detector mounted on the vehicle, for producing sequential and successive digitized image data strips containing information identifying scenery about the vehicle at associated successive locations along the route travelled, A processor is programmed to extract from image detector each successive pair of image data strips, and rotate the second occurring strip of each pair until it matches the first occurring strip to obtain the incremental rotation and direction of rotation of the vehicle in its travel between strips. The incremental rotations between strips are accumulated and summed to obtain the total rotation upon completion of a turn, and along with the direction of rotation, identification of a right turn, left turn, u-turn, or straight line travel.

Abstract: A method for producing panoramic images whereby a shot is made from a desired shooting position, with the use of a camera having fish eye optics whereby the image is scanned and then digitized, images are transformed into a panoramic image with the use of a computer and software. The digital image is scanned by dividing the image into narrow radial segments, each of which is divided into a number of parts of equal length whereafter each segment part is depicted as a point on a straight line, whereby the grey tint of each segment part is corrected for the modified surface on which it is depicted. Apparatus comprises a camera with fish eye optics and a CCD matrix imager upon which the image to be obtained is projected, obtaining immediately an image in digital form.

Abstract: Method for the large-scale mapping of parameters of multi-dimensional structures in natural environments or ranges. According to the invention, the range to be subjected to mapping or sections thereof are detected during first picture-taking flights at flight altitudes between about 150 m to 500 m above ground by means of series aerial surveying pictures taken by reconnaissance cameras (2) in combination with tele-cameras (3) for making detailed images from the range section covered by said reconnaissance cameras 2. The series aerial surveying pictures are set with respect to their position in the range by means of orientation aids and evaluated using photogrammetric techniques. The range data obtained of a structure are assigned to the coordinates of the structure in the range for selective retrieval.

Abstract: A Platz-Heinzelmann collimator is produced by introducing strips of material between the dies of a die press, heating the material to below its extrusion temperature, applying pressure, removing the strips and adhesively securing them together.The collimator may be of the focussing type.

Abstract: An image transforming apparatus comprising a means for holding an input image signal, a means for holding geometric parameters for the image signal in a photographing mode, a processing means for geometrically transforming the image signal by the use of such geometric parameters, and a means for outputting the image signal transformed geometrically by the processing means. There is also provided a method of transforming an input image by employing the above apparatus to realize a tilting process and a depth-effect emphasizing process for the image obtained from a video camera, an electronic still camera or the like.

Abstract: Long range, non-linear, sector scan panoramic electro-optical reconnaissance of a scene from an airborne craft is performed at increased aircraft velocities with a given detector technology at a desired level of performance. A focal plane array is configured to detect an image of the scene, and to convert the image into electronic charge information representing the image. A main electronics unit that converts the electronic charge representation into an electronic signal which is a digital representation of the image. A lens arrangement is used to focus a narrow slit of the scene onto the focal plane array, and a rotating prism scans the slit across the scene at a non-linear scanning velocity as determined according to the present invention. The electronic signal is transmitted to a ground station where it is processed to provide visual image data and that represents the scene, distortion induced into this data as a result of the non-linear scan velocity is removed to provide a distortion free final image.

Abstract: A modular distortion correcting real-time SSM/I imagery decommutator applies earth curvature corrections to operational line scan (OLS) and special sensor meteorological image (SSM/I) data which is generated by OLS and SSM/I sensors on board a Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellite scanning the earth's surface. The OLS image data is resampled to remove a number of image pixels near the center of a scan line and to interpolate additional pixels toward the edge of the scan line. The SSM/I data is resampled to remove long track and cross track distortions caused by the SSM/I sensor scan angle. The resampled SSM/I data is then adjusted to compensate for the scan position of the SSM/I sensor. The OLS data image from the OLS sensor and at least one environmental data record (EDR) image obtained from the SSM/I sensor, for a particular geolocation, are displayed by embedding at least one EDR image into the OLS data image to produce a single combined image which can then be displayed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a comprehensive land survey map is provided in which an image base map of a geographical survey region and a legal description map for each land parcel or lot within the geographical survey region are stored in a geographic information system (GIS). A remote sensing device is utilized to collect precise position data at survey points located on, near or adjacent the parcel of interest. The precise position data generated by the remote device is supplied to the GIS, which uses the data to correlate and align the legal description map for the parcel of interest with a portion of the image base map to create a comprehensive survey map for the parcel.