US2023215186A1PendingUtilityA1

Geolocating an object using a single camera

Assignee: SEA MACHINES ROBOTICS INCPriority: Dec 31, 2021Filed: Aug 22, 2022Published: Jul 6, 2023
Est. expiryDec 31, 2041(~15.4 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
G06T 19/006G06T 2207/10016G06V 10/48G06V 20/20G06V 20/58G06T 2207/20061G06T 7/70B63B 43/18G08G 3/02G06T 7/168B63B 49/00G06T 2207/30252G06T 7/50G06V 20/10
60
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Claims

Abstract

A camera mounted on a seafaring vessel obtains an image showing an object. The distance to the object is computed using, in part, a normal vector of the plane containing the camera and the horizon.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method, comprising:
 obtaining a single image from a camera mounted on a seafaring vessel, the single image showing a horizon and an object;   identifying, using the single image, a plane passing through the camera and the horizon;   identifying, using the single image, a normal vector to the plane;   identifying, using the single image, a distance from the seafaring vessel to the object using the normal vector to the plane; and   on an augmented reality interface, displaying an augmented reality image including the object and the distance from the seafaring vessel to the object.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the plane is identified from the single image using a Hough transform. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , in which the Hough transform only samples an area of the single image corresponding to an expected location of the horizon. 
     
     
         4 - 6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , in which distance d from the seafaring vessel to the object is given by: 
       
         
           
             
               d 
               = 
               
                 
                   
                     
                       ( 
                       
                         h 
                         
                           cos 
                           ⁢ 
                           B 
                         
                       
                       ) 
                     
                     2 
                   
                   - 
                   
                     h 
                     2 
                   
                 
               
             
           
         
       
       where v is the vector from the camera to the object, n is the normal vector, B is line-of-sight angle from the camera to the object, and h is a height above sea level at which the camera is mounted on the vessel in calm water. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , in which the seafaring vessel includes an inertial measurement unit operable to report a roll angle θ roll  and a pitch angle θ pitch  of the vessel, and in which h is scaled in the equation of  claim 7  by sin(θ roll )sin(θ pitch ). 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the augmented reality interface includes a real time video feed from the camera. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the augmented reality interface includes an overhead map of a waterway showing the vessel and the object. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising using the identified distance to make a navigational maneuver. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , in which the navigational maneuver is made by the seafaring vessel. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , in which the navigational maneuver is made by a vessel other than the seafaring vessel. 
     
     
         14 . A system, comprising:
 a camera mounted on a seafaring vessel; and   machine-readable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to:
 obtain a single image showing a horizon and an object from the camera; 
 identify, using the single image, a plane passing through the camera and the horizon; 
 identify, using the single image, a normal vector to the plane; 
 identify, using the single image, a distance from the seafaring vessel to the object using the normal vector to the plane; and 
 on an augmented reality interface, display an augmented reality image including the object and the distance from the seafaring vessel to the object. 
   
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , in which the plane is identified from the single image using a Hough transform. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , in which the Hough transform only samples an area of the single image corresponding to an expected location of the horizon. 
     
     
         17 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 14 , in which distance d from the seafaring vessel to the object is given by: 
       
         
           
             
               d 
               = 
               
                 
                   
                     
                       ( 
                       
                         h 
                         
                           cos 
                           ⁢ 
                           B 
                         
                       
                       ) 
                     
                     2 
                   
                   - 
                   
                     h 
                     2 
                   
                 
               
             
           
         
       
       where v is the vector from the camera to the object, n is the normal vector, B is line-of-sight angle from the camera to the object, and h is a height above sea level at which the camera is mounted on the vessel in calm water. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 20 , in which the seafaring vessel includes an inertial measurement unit operable to report a roll angle θ roll  and a pitch angle θ pitch  of the vessel, and in which h is scaled in the equation of  claim 20  by sin(θ roll )sin(θ pitch ). 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 14 , in which the augmented reality interface includes a real time video feed from the camera. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 14 , in which the augmented reality interface includes an overhead map of a waterway showing the vessel and the object. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising using the identified distance to make a navigational maneuver. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , in which the navigational maneuver is made by the seafaring vessel. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 , in which the navigational maneuver is made by a vessel other than the seafaring vessel.

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