Birds eye view virtual imaging for real time composited wide field of view

Abstract

A live image and a previously acquired or generated image are superimposed or composited to represented a virtual vantage point for flying, driving or navigating a plane, vehicle or vessel.

1 - 2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . A method for displaying a composite image by combining a live image and at least one previously acquired image, the method comprising the steps of:
 acquiring a first image from an image acquisition device;   retrieving a second image from an image database;   determining first transformation factors from the first image to a vantage point, the first transformation factors using a viewing angle of the vantage point and at least two of a first azimuth angle, a first vertical height, a first horizontal distance;   determining second transformation factors from the second image to the vantage point, the second transformation factors using the viewing angle of the vantage point and at least two of a second azimuth angle, a second vertical height, a second horizontal distance;   generating a first vantage point image by transforming the first image according to the first transformation factors;   generating a second vantage point image by transforming the second image according to the second transformation factors;   scaling at least one of the first vantage point image and the second vantage point image; and   creating the composite image by:
 scaling the first vantage point image and combining the scaled first vantage point image with the second vantage point image; 
 scaling the second vantage point image and combining the scaled second vantage point image with the first vantage point image; or 
 scaling the second vantage point image and scaling the first vantage point image and combining the scaled second vantage point image with the scaled first vantage point image. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the image acquisition device is a first image acquisition device, and the image database contains images acquired from a second image acquisition device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the composite image represents a view of an intended driving path of a vehicle. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the composite image comprises a projection of the intended driving path. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the composite image comprises a simulated image of the vehicle. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the first image is acquired from a first point of view;   the second image is acquired from a second point of view;   a scaling factor corresponds to a y axis displacement between the first point of view and a second point of view; and   the scaling of the at least one of the first vantage point image and the second vantage point image is performed according to the scaling factor.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the axis displacement is determined using GPS coordinates. 
     
     
         10 . A system for displaying a composite image by combining a live image and at least one previously acquired image, comprising:
 an image acquisition device for acquiring a first image;   an image database;   one or more processors configured to:
 receive the first image from the image acquisition device, 
 retrieve a second image from the image database, 
 determining first transformation factors from the first image to a vantage point, the first transformation factors using a viewing angle of the vantage point and at least two of a first azimuth angle, a first vertical height, a first horizontal distance, 
 determining second transformation factors from the second image to the vantage point, the second transformation factors using the viewing angle of the vantage point and at least two of a second azimuth angle, a second vertical height, a second horizontal distance, 
 generate a first vantage point image by transforming the first image according to the first transformation factors, 
 generate a second vantage point image by transforming the second image according to the second transformation factors, 
 scale at least one of the first vantage point image and the second vantage point image, and 
 create the composite image by:
 scaling the first vantage point image and combining the scaled first vantage point image with the second vantage point image, 
 scaling the second vantage point image and combining the scaled second vantage point image with the first vantage point image, or 
 scaling the second vantage point image and scaling the first vantage point image and combining the scaled second vantage point image with the scaled first vantage point image; and 
 
   one or more displays for displaying the composite image.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the image acquisition device is a first image acquisition device, and the image database contains images acquired from a second image acquisition device. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the composite image represents a view of an intended driving path of a vehicle. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein displaying the composite image comprises displaying a projection of the intended driving path. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein displaying the composite image comprises displaying a simulated image of the vehicle. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the first image is acquired from a first point of view;   the second image is acquired from a second point of view;   a scaling factor corresponds to a y axis displacement between the first point of view and a second point of view; and   the scaling of the at least one of the first vantage point image and the second vantage point image is performed according to the scaling factor.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the axis displacement is determined using GPS coordinates. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions for performing a method of displaying a composite image by combining a live image and at least one previously acquired image, the method comprising the steps of:
 acquiring a first image from an image acquisition device;   retrieving a second image from an image database;   determining first transformation factors from the first image to a vantage point, the first transformation factors using a viewing angle of the vantage point and at least two of a first azimuth angle, a first vertical height, a first horizontal distance,   determining second transformation factors from the second image to the vantage point, the second transformation factors using the viewing angle of the vantage point and at least two of a second azimuth angle, a second vertical height, a second horizontal distance, generating a first vantage point image by transforming the first image according to the first transformation factors;   generating a second vantage point image by transforming the second image according to the second transformation factors;   creating the composite image by:
 scaling the first vantage point image and combining the scaled first vantage point image with the second vantage point image; 
 scaling the second vantage point image and combining the scaled second vantage point image with the first vantage point image; or 
 scaling the second vantage point image and scaling the first vantage point image and combining the scaled second vantage point image with the scaled first vantage point image. 
   
     
     
         18 . The medium of  claim 17 , wherein the image acquisition device is a first image acquisition device, and the image database contains images acquired from a second image acquisition device. 
     
     
         19 . The medium of  claim 17 , wherein the composite image represents a view of an intended driving path of a vehicle. 
     
     
         20 . The medium of  claim 19 , wherein the composite image comprises a projection of the intended driving path. 
     
     
         21 . The medium of  claim 19 , wherein the composite image comprises a simulated image of the vehicle. 
     
     
         22 . The medium of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the first image is acquired from a first point of view;   the second image is acquired from a second point of view;   a scaling factor corresponds to a y axis displacement between the first point of view and a second point of view; and   the scaling of the at least one of the first vantage point image or the second vantage point image is performed according to the scaling factor.