U.S. patent application number 14/300741 was filed with the patent office on 2014-09-25 for birds eye view virtual imaging for real time composited wide field of view.
The applicant listed for this patent is Doubleshot, Inc.. Invention is credited to Alan SHULMAN, Donald R. SNYDER, III.
Application Number | 20140285516 14/300741 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34119116 |
Filed Date | 2014-09-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140285516 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SHULMAN; Alan ; et
al. |
September 25, 2014 |
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.
Inventors: |
SHULMAN; Alan; (Santa Rosa,
CA) ; SNYDER, III; Donald R.; (Crestview,
FL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Doubleshot, Inc. |
Rohnert Park |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
34119116 |
Appl. No.: |
14/300741 |
Filed: |
June 10, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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13657338 |
Oct 22, 2012 |
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14300741 |
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12259227 |
Oct 27, 2008 |
8295644 |
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13657338 |
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10914375 |
Aug 9, 2004 |
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12259227 |
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60493579 |
Aug 9, 2003 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
345/629 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01C 21/3647 20130101;
G06T 15/20 20130101; G06T 11/00 20130101; G06F 16/51 20190101; G06T
11/60 20130101; G06T 3/40 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
345/629 |
International
Class: |
G01C 21/36 20060101
G01C021/36; G06T 11/00 20060101 G06T011/00 |
Claims
1-2. (canceled)
3. A method for displaying a composite image by combining a live
image and a 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; generating a
first vantage point image by compressing the bottom row of the
first image and compressing each higher row of the first image to
an equal or progressively lesser extent; generating a second
vantage point image by compressing the bottom row of the second
image and compressing each higher row of the second image to an
equal or progressively lesser extent; scaling at least one of the
first vantage point image or the second vantage point image; and
creating a composite image by combining the first vantage point
image and the second vantage point image.
4. The method of claim 0, 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 0, 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 0, 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.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the y axis displacement is
determined using GPS coordinates.
10. A system for displaying a composite image by combining a live
image and a previously acquired image, comprising the steps of: 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; generate a first vantage point image by
compressing the bottom row of the first image and compressing each
higher row of the first image to an equal or progressively lesser
extent; generate a second vantage point image by compressing the
bottom row of the second image and compressing each higher row of
the second image to an equal or progressively lesser extent; scale
at least one of the first vantage point image or the second vantage
point image; and create a composite image by combining the first
vantage point image and the second 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 or the second vantage point image is performed
according to the scaling factor.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the y 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 a 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; generating a first vantage point image by transforming
the first image, wherein transforming the first image comprises
compressing the bottom row and compressing each higher row to an
equal or progressively lesser extent; generating a second vantage
point image by transforming the second image, wherein transforming
the second image comprises compressing the bottom row and
compressing each higher row to an equal or progressively lesser
extent; scaling at least one of the first vantage point image or
the second vantage point image; and creating a composite image by
combining the first vantage point image and the second 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.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of application Ser. No.
12/259,227, filed Oct. 27, 2008, which is a continuation of
application Ser. No. 10/914,375, filed Aug. 9, 2004, now abandoned,
which claims the benefit of priority of provisional Application No.
60/493,579, filed Aug. 9, 2003, all of which are incorporated
herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to methods of acquiring
multiple images for display in the form of a composite image from
alternative vantage points, and more particularly to the use of
such methods for steering transportation vehicles to real-time or
providing situational awareness.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention recognizes certain limitations which
inherently exist in an attempt to navigate a vehicle. Often times,
vehicles provide a driver with a limited view of the driver's
surroundings. For example, large trucks and military vehicles such
as a tanks position a driver high above a roadway with a somewhat
limited viewing angle. By the time potholes and other impediments
are closely approached by the vehicle, they are no longer in a
driver's field of view. As such, an attempt was made to suggest a
means of providing a driver both with obstacle positioning and
coordinance together with a broader view of the vehicle's upcoming
terrain. To the inventor's understanding, there has been no
successful means suggested to date for providing such useful
information to a vehicle operator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] A first object of the instant invention is to display a
virtual image to an individual steering or driving a plane, vessel
or transportation vehicle in real time, or other visualization
requirement when the image comprising a live image is suitably
transformed to reflect a vantage point reflecting the position of
the vehicle in reference to obstacles and hazards that are no
longer in view.
[0005] Yet another object of the present invention is to display
virtual imaging that combines visual and non-visual imaging sensors
in real-time.
[0006] It is yet another object of the present invention is to
combine live images acquired by multiple vehicles to form composite
images reflecting a wider virtual field of view, the field of view
optionally combining using previously acquired or generated images
superimposed thereon.
[0007] A further object of the invention is to superimpose
reference information on the aforementioned composite images
illustrating, for example, the relative position of the vehicle,
hazards, targets and the desired path or roadway between such
objects.
[0008] One aspect of the invention is characterized in that images
acquired at times t1 and t2 are optionally superimposed or
composited by correlating the relative magnification such that
pixels from the distant image are placed with the corresponding
pixels of the live image. However, to the extent that the virtual
viewpoint is intended to enable navigation around objects that are
no longer visible to the live image, this superposition is
preferably continuously updated to account for both forward
movement and rotation (X, Y, Z) of the image frames.
[0009] The above and other objects, effects, features, and
advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from
the following description of the embodiments thereof taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0010] In FIG. 1 the elevation of a vehicle, traveling on the road
is intended to schematically illustrate the driver's actual
viewpoint and the preferred viewpoint according to the teachings of
the instant invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 is an elevation showing the principal of acquiring
and utilizing time sequence images corresponding to a vehicle's
first position at time t 1 and second position at t 2 while
traveling on the road depicted in FIG. 1.
[0012] FIG. 3 is an illustration from the preferred viewpoint of a
vehicle in its actual position as displayed to the driver of the
vehicle.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the principles
underlying one embodiment of a method of image processing to
transform the images to equivalent virtual view point above and
behind the vehicle at the same magnification, including discrete
steps in transforming, aligning and superimposing a real-time image
with a corresponding synthetic image.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a plain view illustrating the use of the instant
invention for assisting a truck driver to backup a truck rig into a
loading ramp.
[0015] FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating the use of the instant
invention for the command and control of a variety of combat
vehicle executing a mission was spreading out over the terrain
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] FIG. 1 is an elevation view to illustrate the deficiencies
of the vantage point of a driver in vehicle 100. Objects having
reference numerals 10, 20 and 30 represent normally visible
obstacles in or adjacent to the road 110. More specifically, the
driver has just passed by pothole 10, which is no longer visible
from the front window, whereas the farthest obstacles 30 are still
within the field of view, being subtended by angle 121 to represent
the driver's vantage point. However, as object 20 is about to leave
the driver's field of view as the vehicle progresses forward, it is
very difficult to pass such road obstacles at a close distance, or
drive between them as the spacing approaches the width of the
vehicle. Thus, to the extent a road, bridge or rough terrain is
extremely narrow with obstacles or borders that represent
significant safety hazards, or the driver is required to navigate
in close proximity to such hazards, the disappearance at close
range from the driver's field of vision is undesirable. Further, to
the extent the navigation vehicle depends on non-visual imaging
system, for instance an infrared imaging system for use during
night driving or fog, the viewing angle of such imaging systems,
represented by reference numerals 122, can be a further limitation.
Under these and other conditions it would be preferable if the
driver could simultaneously have a sufficiently distant view in
front of the vehicle, while at the same time perceive the vehicles
position with respect to close objects and hazards they are
attempting or forced to avoid at a close distance.
[0017] More specifically, in particularly hazardous situations it
would be desirable if the driver could control the vehicle with a
virtual viewpoint situated slightly behind a vehicle, as indicated
by the camera icon 130, having a virtual viewing area within the
arc subtended by angle 131. Thus, a display of the virtual viewing
angle shows the driver the vehicle location with respect to road
hazards 10, 20 and 30, which might be located either just in front
or to either side of the vehicle.
[0018] Accordingly, FIG. 2 illustrates the operative principles for
a first embodiment of the instant invention, which includes
acquiring and displaying the desirable image of virtual camera 130
of FIG. 1. Vehicle 200 in FIG. 2 includes a video or digital
imaging camera 240 that continually acquires at least a forward
image as vehicle 200 progresses from the right side of the Figure
at time t1 to the left side of the Figure at time t2. Camera 240
has an actual viewing area within the arc subtended by angle 223,
which may be the same, narrower or wider than the driver's actual
field of view. Two or more images acquired by camera 240 between t1
and t 2 are used to generate a composite, for example, an actual
image acquired at time t2 as if acquired from virtual camera
position 130, but overlaid in correspondence with image data
acquired at time t1. Thus, the driver would be able to view and
steer around or close to the edge of the road but avoid hazards 10,
20 and 30.
[0019] Accordingly, FIG. 3 illustrates a display 300 of the
driver's view of composite image corresponding to time t2, as would
be seen from virtual camera position 130. The display 300 has a
first frame region 302 and a surrounding region 301. The first or
inner frame region 301 preferably is used to display the current,
or live image accorded time t2, whereas the surrounding region 301
was acquired earlier, that is at time t1, or between time t2 and
time t1, and thus includes pothole 10, which is adjacent to
vehicle, and out of the driver's current actual view. The image of
the vehicle 310 is synthesized, as it is never in actual view. In
yet another embodiment, Display 300 may also include various
indicia, such as a guideline 320 to follow to drive between other
hazard objects 20 and 30.
[0020] It should be appreciated that since it is very difficult to
position a camera for recording images that correspond with the
virtual camera 130 position each of the images acquired at time t1
and time t2 are generally transformed prior to display of the
composite image representing the virtual viewpoint at time t2.
However, the image at time t1 in the above example can be generated
from another image source not on the vehicle, including an image
database, and may in fact have been acquired at the reference
viewpoint.
[0021] Generating the Birds Eye View (BEV) image of FIG. 3 utilizes
one or more images acquired at a different viewpoint, which are
transformed to reflect a different vantage point above vehicle.
Those of ordinary skill in the art of computer graphics will
recognize that there are numerous schemes for performing such
transformations. Aerial video is rapidly emerging as a low cost,
widely used source of imagery for mapping, surveillance and
monitoring applications. The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,037,
which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a method of
acquiring individual images from an aerial video that can be
aligned with one another and merged to form an image mosaic. In
surveillance applications, such a video map provides the basis for
estimating motion of objects within a scene. U.S. Pat. No.
5,590,037, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a
method for converting forward-looking video or motion picture
imagery into a down looking database suitable for use in an image
generation system to generate real-time perspective images for
simulation purposes.
[0022] Further, U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,032, which is incorporated
herein by reference, discloses methods for automatically generating
a mosaic from a plurality of input images. The inventor's of the
'032 patent teach a mosaic construction system that sequentially
executes an image alignment process and a mosaic composition
process such that, from a sequence of images, the system
automatically produces a mosaic for utilization by various
applications. The invention is described as being capable of
constructing both dynamic and static mosaics. A dynamic mosaic
includes imagery that is time variant, e.g., the mosaic is updated
with new content over time, while the content of a static mosaic is
time invariant.
[0023] U.S. Pat. No. 6,512,857, which is incorporated herein by
reference, discloses a system and method for accurately mapping
between camera coordinates and geocoordinates, called geo-spatial
registration. The method utilizes the imagery and terrain
information contained in the geo-spatial database to precisely
align the reference imagery with input imagery, such as dynamically
generated video images or video mosaics, and thus achieve a high
accuracy identification of locations within the scene. The
geo-spatial reference database generally contains a substantial
amount of reference imagery as well as scene annotation information
and object identification information. When a sensor, such as a
video camera, images a scene contained in the geo-spatial database,
the system recalls a reference image pertaining to the imaged
scene. This reference image is aligned very accurately with the
sensor's images using a parametric transformation. Thereafter,
other information (annotation, sound, and the like) that is
associated with the reference image can easily be overlaid upon or
otherwise associated with the sensor imagery. Applications of
geo-spatial registration include text/graphical/audio annotations
of objects of interest in the current video using the stored
annotations in the reference database to augment and add meaning to
the current video.
[0024] Commercial software is available for performing the
manipulations disclosed in FIG. 4, or alternative methods of
combining adjacent images having some overlap, known as "mosaic
tiling" may be deployed. For example, Observera Inc. of 4451
Brookfield Corporate Drive, Suite 107, Chantilly, Va. 20151-1693
provides software that has a range of features allowing
modification to serve a variety of applications. In addition,
Sarnoff Corporation and Pyramid Vision Technologies, both of 201
Washington Road, CN 5300 Princeton, N.J. 08543-5300, supply
commercial software and hardware for performing Birds-Eye-View
transformations to create fly by images.
[0025] The methods for generating the useful displayed image in
FIG. 3 can be deconstructed into a sequence of steps, although they
need not all occur in a discrete manner, depending on the method of
implementation. Thus, FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of
operative principles for acquiring, transforming and aligning the
image data used to generate the real-time display of FIG. 3.
Accordingly, the following description should not be construed as
limiting the scope of the patent.
[0026] FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment for generating
display 300. Image 402 is acquired the time t1 whereas image 401 is
acquired a time t2, accordingly the pair of images is represented
by bracket 410 correspond to live actual images recorded for the
moving vehicle. In process of generating image 420 for display, the
first image frame 402 is acquired in either video or digital
format. Then after movement or displacement of the camera on the
vehicle, a second or live image 402 is similarly acquired. Bracket
410 contains a digital representation of the actual images acquired
at time t1 and t2 for further transformation and merger to form a
composite image 420. Although the BEV can be created before or
after merger of, images 403 and 404, the images in bracket 415
represent BEV transformations of the corresponding adjacent images
within bracket 410. The rectangular image frames in bracket 410 are
distorted to trapezoidal shapes in generating the higher elevation
or BEV. One embodiment for generating such bird's eye view images
optionally includes performing scaled transformation of the
rectangular image frame to a trapezoid to simulate the loss of
prospective as the BEV virtual viewpoint increases in azimuth angle
from the actual viewpoint of the camera mounted on the vehicle. The
trapezoid results from transforming each row of the x-axis
gradually with increased compression starting from the upper edge
of the picture frame of the actual view 410, with increasing
compression towards the bottom of the frame. As shown in image 403,
a trapezoidal transformation decreases the divergence of the lines
representing the highway traffic lanes in the images of bracket
410.
[0027] Although image 401 is preferably modified by digital
processing to image 403 to correspond to the expected appearance
from virtual viewpoint position 130 in FIG. 2, alternative
viewpoints are possible, including a position forward of the
vehicle at the time t2 at which image 401 is recorded, provided
images 403 and 404 are generated with substantially the same
virtual viewpoint position.
[0028] Once the transformed image 403 and 404 are generated, the
near 401 image acquired at time t2 is appropriately scaled and
overlapped with respect to the earlier acquired image. Thus in
forming the composite image 420, the scaling factor to convert
image 403 to image 405 must be determined, as well as any x and y
displacement for overlay of image 405 on image 404.
[0029] Further, virtual features, such as the image of the vehicle,
frame separating the image regions, optional projection of any
intended driving path, and the like, are preferably overlaid on the
penultimate composite images to form the final composite image 420.
Further, the composite image is most preferably refreshed in real
time to reflect the forward progress of the vehicle. Thus, image
405 is represented as de-magnified from image 403 to represent its
scaling prior to merger over virtual image 404 to create display
image 420. However, equivalent operations can be performed on image
401, such that detail in the real time image is more fully
preserved.
[0030] The displayed image 420 is optionally generated by merging
de-magnified image 405 with image 404, taking into account lateral
translation and rotation of the actual cameras viewpoint between
the acquisition of frames 402 at time t1 and 401 at time t2. The
overlay can be determined by mapping the displacement of pixels
from image frames 405 to 404, such that a selected sub group of
pixels in image 404 is replaced with image frame 405 pixels prior
to display. As the image acquired at time t1 and t2 are mapped to
the same magnification, a relative movement or rotation is
optionally determined by first searching each image field to
identify high contrast features, and then comparing the relative
orientation of these features to generate the appropriate
correction factors. That is, when the correction factors are
applied the high contrast features must coincide to compose an
accurate virtual image for display.
[0031] Image 403 is scaled to generate image 405 by a
de-magnification factor based on Y-axis displacement of the vehicle
between image frames 401 and 402 (See FIG. 2). The factor used to
generate image 405 from image 403 can be determined by several
alternative methods. Thus, depending on the method of forming and
generating the composite image 420, it is desirable to know the
absolute movement of the actual camera position between times t1
and t2, as this determines the scaling factor for converting image
403 to 405 by geometric calculations, or magnifying images 404 with
respect to 403. The Y-axis distance can be determined by several
methods, including but not limited to global satellite positioning,
or calculating the change in position by integrating the
speedometer output over time to synchronize the time period between
t1 and t2 (See FIG. 2).
[0032] To the extent that the initial images are readily acquired
in digital format by converting an analog video feed into an JPEG
or MPEG format data stream, the correction factors can be generated
from selected parameters of the digital data streams. Briefly, JPEG
and MPEG data format transmits full images, or I frames,
infrequently to conserve bandwidth, using a sequence of intervening
frames (B and P type in MPEG) to communicate the changes to
portions of the image between I frames. In forming the MPEG/JPEG
data stream the image is broken down into macro blocks, which is
collections of pixels, and analyzed to identify macro blocks that
change location between successive image frames, which are then
used to reconstruct the full image for final display. In the MPEG
format both Band P frames identify and track macro blocks that
change location between I frames. Specifically, the translation and
rotation of image 404 with respect image 405 necessary for merging
these images may be determined from the movement of macro block
represented in the JPEG and MPEG formats by extracting an average
macro block translation to represent the relative movement between
consecutive I frames. Thus, the vector sum of the individual
translation factors can be applied to align images 404 and 405. To
the extent rotation and translation have been limited, the
magnification factor is alternatively computed from the y-axis
components of the macro block translation between I frames.
[0033] It should be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art
that the position of car 310 in FIG. 3 is synthetically generated
based on the data set representing the actual car's dimensions, and
the selection of the birds eye view position, that is, Z, Y
position in FIG. 1. For example by specifying two or more
parameters which may include, the azimuth angle, vertical height
above the vehicle, horizontal distance behind the vehicle (at time
t2), viewing angle and like parameters define the Z and Y positions
necessary to determine the appropriate transformation factors used
to generate the pair transformed images in bracket 415 from the
corresponding actual images in bracket 410 in FIG. 4.
[0034] In another alternative embodiment, MPEG conversion can be
limited to images 401 and 402, rather than the entire video frame
sequence thus simplifying the computational complexity. However, in
a preferred embodiment, the entire bit stream representing each
individual frame recorded by the video camera between images 401
and 402 is utilized.
[0035] Further, in yet another embodiment, the aforementioned
method of macro block tracking can be extended to determine the
factor used to compute the magnification of image 403 for
generating image 405 while simultaneously correcting for what has
been initially described as discrete steps of image rotation and
translations determination, i.e. the steps used to place image 405
in image 404. Although it may be possible in some instances to
identify one or more macro blocks that correspond to distinct
objects or edges of the vision field, it is unlikely that the same
macro blocks can be uniquely identified for each frame of the video
source from t1 to t2. However, this is not necessarily, provided a
refreshed or updated subset of macro blocks is used at each
I-frame. The updated subset would correspond to the same x-y
coordinate range of the macro blocks in the previous I frame, as
updated to reflect the most recent preceding image. More
specifically, using the MPEG bit stream to trace the displacement
of macro blocks at corners of image frame 402 includes correction
for magnification, translation and rotation. Reverse tracking the
relative positions of macro blocks that correspond to the corner
regions of frame 401 define a relative position for edges of the
frame acquired at time t1 frame with respect to the frame acquired
at time t2. Thus applying a linear scaling between the compression
and distortion ratios necessary to re-map the frame corner also
accomplishes translation and rotation. It is anticipated that
either of frames 402 or 401 can be modified, either before or after
the trapezoidal distortion, that represents the BEV. Alternatively,
if the distance traversed between image frames 401 and 402 is
significant, or the bit stream has been interrupted, the
magnification factor can also be determined by computation from the
integrated speedometer readings. Alternatively, larger gaps can
also be accommodated by calculation based on the GPS coordinates
recorded at the time of acquisition for images 401 and 402.
[0036] Alternatively, if the driver is concerned about a particular
image feature or region of the live image, the translation and
rotation factors are preferably acquired by selecting the
corresponding macro blocks that represent such features. The
previous calculation, likewise carried out by starting with the
last live frame 401, may be carried out by averaging (before
accumulating the sum thereof) a limited number of macro block
translation factors depending on the area selected. Although the
identical macro blocks used as the starting point for the reverse
computation (from a particular region of the live image 401) may
only maintain the same identity between I Frames in the MPEG bit
stream, the accuracy is then likely to be improved by selecting a
newer subset of macro blocks that correspond to the same x-y
coordinate range of the macro blocks in the previous I frame.
[0037] Thus, the steps in executing the aforementioned method of
macro block tracking include; 1) identifying the first set of
nearest neighbor macro blocks corresponding to corners of frame 401
or selected portions of the live image, 2) recording the average
translation to the previous I frame, 3) record the average x-y
coordinate position corresponding to average translation to
previous I frame, 4) identifying a second set of nearest neighbor
macro blocks corresponding to average x-y coordinate positions, 5)
recording the average translation to the next previous I frame, 6)
compute the sum of the first average translation and each
subsequent average translation for each of the corresponding four
corners of frame 401 (or selected regions therein), 7) repeating
the previous steps of identifying the second set of nearest
neighbors until the subsequent I frame corresponds to the closest I
frame from image frame 401, 8) linearly distorting one of image
frame 401 to 402 to aligned the corresponding corners according to
their respective translation factors, 9) either before or after
merging the distorted and undistorted image frame from the previous
step generating a second composite image by distorting a first
composite image to correspond with the position of the virtual
viewpoint, 10) calculating a second pixel subset corresponding to
the profile of the vehicle as determined by the position of the
virtual viewpoint, 11) replacing selected pixels in the second
composite image with the second subset of pixels to form a third
composite image, and 12) displaying the third composite image.
[0038] FIG. 5 is a plain view illustrating the use of the instant
invention for assisting a truck driver to backup a truck rig 600
into a loading ramp 610. The driver views a display that provides a
composite of a live and recorded image from camera 640 (with
viewing angle 641) according to the teachings of the invention with
virtual camera position 630 (having viewing angle 631) such that
the drivers "sees" the corners or other obstacles 611 and 612 in
close proximity as they back up the truck to the loading dock.
[0039] FIG. 6 is a plan view illustrating the use of the instant
invention for the command and control (optionally from vehicle 705)
of a variety of combat vehicles 700-704 executing a mission while
spreading out over the terrain. Alternative virtual camera
positions 730a and 730b allow a wide-angle view of the battlefield
from any vehicle, with the images being acquired from manned
vehicles 700-705 or drones 706. The image preferably shows the
actual view from each vehicle, identifies "friend" and "foe" with
additional icons thus avoiding friendly fire accidents.
[0040] It should be appreciated that the images described and
combined need not be solely from visual sources, but include IR,
NIR and other non-visual sources, and may combine visual images
with non-visual or enhanced images in either monoscopic or
stereoscopic views in the final composite images.
[0041] While the invention has been described in connection with a
preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the
invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it
is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and
equivalents as may be within the spirit and scope of the invention
as defined by the appended claims. For example, it should be
appreciated that the alternative methods of forming a composite
image disclosed herein can be combined with any of the prior art
methods of digital image processing provided the real-time images
are either acquired in digital format or converted to digital
format from an analog video recorder or camera.
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