Aerial imaging of a region using above ground aerial camera platform

Abstract

A system comprises an aerial imaging platform configured to rise to a height above ground. An apparatus allows an entity to move the aerial platform in a desired direction. The aerial platform includes a camera positioned to capture images of the ground. The camera includes a position sensor. A user/entity may move the aerial platform over a region to be imaged. The system includes a device that may be carried by the user/entity. The device receives information about a region to be imaged and a field of vision of the camera, determines a first path, and provides information on the first path to the user/entity. As the user/entity moves the aerial platform along the first path, the device receives data from the camera position sensor and determines a second path. The user/entity may then move the aerial platform along the second path to capture unimaged areas of the region.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus comprising:
 one or more processors and,   memory in communication with the one or more processors, the memory comprising code that, when executed, causes the one or more processors to control the apparatus to:   receive first data, the first data comprising information related to a region to be imaged and information related to a field of vision of a camera device positioned above an entity;   determine, based at least on the first data, a first path within the region and provide information on the first path to the entity;   receive second data, the second data associated with the position of the camera device as the entity traverses the first path;   determine, based at least on the second data, at least one unimaged area of the region that remains unimaged in the traverse of the first path; and,   determine, based at least on the at least one unimaged area, a second path within the region and provide information on the second path to the entity.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second data comprises global positioning data that is received from one or more sensors on the camera device. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second data comprises camera position data received from one or more sensors on the camera device at the time of capture of each of a plurality of images by the camera device. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the information related to the region to be imaged comprises dimensional parameters of the region and at least one indication of an area of importance within the region. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the information related to a field of vision of the camera device comprises a camera height and a camera resolution. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the code, when executed, further causes the one or more processors to control the apparatus to determine the first path by controlling the apparatus to:
 determine a height of the camera device from the information related to a field of vision of the camera;   determine a convex hull of the region; and,   determine at least a portion of the first path by determining a shortest path in the direction of a shortest width of the convex hull taking into account the height of the camera device.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the code, when executed, further causes the one or more processors to control the apparatus to determine the second path by controlling the apparatus to:
 determine a height of the camera device and at least one area of importance within the region from the first data;   generate at least one first vertex associated with the at least one unimaged area and at least one second vertex associated with the at least one area of importance;   construct edges between each of the vertices of the at least one first and at least one second vertex;   set a position of the mobile entity as starting vertex and determine the distance from the mobile entity to each of the vertices of the at least one first and at least one second vertex; and,   determine the second path by using the position of the mobile entity as the starting point.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the code, when executed, further causes the one or more processors to control the apparatus to generate the at least one first vertex associated with the at least one unimaged area and the at least one second vertex associated with the at least one area of importance by controlling the apparatus to:
 break each unimaged area of the at least one unimaged area that has an area greater than one image circle size into a first plurality of parts;   set any unbroken unimaged area of the at least one unimaged area as a vertex, and set each broken unimaged area of the at least one unimaged area as a set of vertices based on the first plurality of parts to generate the at least one first vertex associated with the at least one unimaged area;   break each important area of the at least one area of importance that has an area greater than one image circle size into a second plurality of parts;   set any unbroken important area of the at least one area of importance as a vertex, and set each broken area of importance of the at least one area of importance as a set of vertices based on the second plurality of parts to generate the at least one second vertex associated with the at least one area of importance.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a mobile device including a user interface in communication with the one or more processors, and the code further causes the one or more processors to control the mobile device to receive the information associated with a region to be imaged from the user interface in response a user entering the input at the user interface. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a mobile device including a user interface in communication with the one or more processors, and the code further causes the one or more processors to control the mobile device to provide the information on the first path and the information on the second path to the entity by providing the information on the first path and the information on the second path to a user of the mobile device at the user interface. 
     
     
         11 . A system comprising:
 an aerial platform configured to rise to a height above ground and including a steering apparatus that allows an entity on the ground to move the aerial platform in a desired direction when the aerial platform is above ground;   a camera device attached to the aerial platform, the camera device including a position sensor, and,   a mobile device including one or more processors and memory in communication with the one or more processors, the memory comprising code that, when executed, causes the one or more processors to control the apparatus to:   receive first data related to a region to be imaged by the camera device;   receive second data, the second data including information related to a field of vision of the camera device;   determine, based at least on the first data and the second data, a first path within the region and provide information on the first path to the entity;   receive third data from the position sensor of the camera device as the entity moves the aerial platform along a traverse of the first path using the steering apparatus; and,   determine, based at least on the third data, a second path within the region and provide information on the second path to the entity.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the second data includes a height of the camera and a camera resolution. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the steering apparatus comprises a tether. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the aerial platform comprises a balloon. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the camera and mobile device include a first and second wireless interface, respectively, and the third data is sent from the camera on the first wireless interface and the mobile device receives the third data at the second wireless interface. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  the code, when executed, further causes the one or more processors to control the apparatus to determine the second path by controlling the apparatus to:
 determine, based at least on the third data, at least one unimaged area of the region that remains unimaged in the traverse of the first path; and, 
 determine, based at least on the at least one unimaged area, a second path within the region and provide information on the second path to the entity. 
 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the first data related to the region to be imaged comprises dimensional parameters of the region and at least one indication of an area of importance within the region, and the mobile device further comprises a user interface in communication with the one or more processors, and the code, when executed, further causes the one or more processors to control the apparatus to receive the first data by controlling the apparatus to receive the first data at the user interface and provide the provide information on the first and the paths to the entity at the user interface. 
     
     
         18 . A method comprising:
 receiving first data at a device, the first data related to a region to be imaged by a camera suspended above ground by attachment to an aerial platform;   receiving second data at the device, the second data including information related to a field of view of the camera;   determining, at the device based at least on the first data and the second data, a first path within the region;   providing, at the device, guidance information on the first path to an entity that moves the aerial platform in a desired direction along with the entity as the entity moves on the ground using a steering apparatus;   receiving third data from the position sensor of the camera as the entity moves the aerial platform along the first path using the steering apparatus; and,   determining, based at least on the third data, a second path within the region and providing guidance information on the second path to the entity at the device.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising:
 receiving fourth data from the position sensor of the camera as the entity moves the aerial platform along a traverse of the second path using the steering apparatus; and, 
 providing imaging information at the device showing imaged and unimaged areas of the region subsequent to a traverse of the second path by the entity. 
 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the determining the second path comprises:
 determining, based at least on the third data, at least one unimaged area of the region that remains unimaged in the traverse of the first path; and, 
 determining, based at least on the at least one unimaged area, a second path within the region.