Multi-resolution digital large format camera with multiple detector arrays

The optical airborne registration (photogrammetric mapping) of very large areas, such as an entire country, a continent, or even the entire world, has typically been very costly and time consuming. This is primarily a function of the number of flights required to map the entirety of a very large area.

It is with respect to these and other considerations that the disclosure made herein is presented.

Concepts and technologies are described herein for a multi-resolution digital large format camera with multiple detector arrays. Through an implementation of the concepts and technologies presented herein, a multi-resolution large format digital camera having multiple optical systems and detector arrays is provided that is suitable for use in the airborne optical registration of large areas, such as entire countries, continents, or even the entire world.

According to embodiments, a multi-resolution large format digital camera is disclosed herein that is capable of producing images at different photographic scales. The large format digital camera presented herein can produce panchromatic images having a wide-angle geometry that are suitable for use in a photogrammetric workflow that includes image-based georeferencing and digital surface modeling. The large format digital camera disclosed herein can also concurrently produce multiple color images having a narrow-angle geometry suitable for use in a photogrammetric workflow that includes ortho image production. An ortho image is an image that shows ground objects in an orthographic projection. Because a single flight utilizing the digital large format camera presented herein can produce both wide-angle and narrow-angle images, the cost of mapping a large area can be reduced as compared to previous solutions.

According to one aspect presented herein, a large format camera is provided that includes a primary camera system and two or more secondary camera systems. The primary camera system is configured for collecting panchromatic image data and the secondary camera systems are configured for collecting color image data. Each of the secondary camera systems has an optical system that has a longer focal length than the optical system of the primary camera system. The primary camera system and the secondary camera systems may be mounted within a common housing suitable for installation and use within an aircraft.

According to other aspects, the primary camera system has an electro optical detector array capable of capturing the panchromatic image data. Each of the secondary camera systems has an electro optical detector array capable of capturing the color image data. The resolution of the electro optical detector in each of the secondary camera systems is greater than the resolution of the electro optical detector in the primary camera system. According to other aspects, the radiometric resolution of the secondary camera systems may be greater than the radiometric resolution of the primary camera system.

According to other aspects, the primary camera system and the secondary camera systems are configured such that the large format digital camera can produce images at two different image scales offering two different footprints. Images produced by the primary camera system have a larger footprint and are larger in size than those produced by the secondary camera systems and offer information for performing image-based georeferencing by means of photogrammetric triangulation. Images produced by the secondary camera systems have a smaller footprint and are smaller in size than those produced by the primary camera system and offer a high-resolution narrow angle color image. The color images produced by the secondary camera systems may be utilized as a source data set for high-resolution ortho image production. The footprint of the images generated by the secondary camera systems may be configured to overlap the footprint of the primary camera system in a direction perpendicular to a flight path.

According to other aspects, the large format digital camera may be configured to generate a sequence of consecutive images along a flight line. The large format camera may be further configured such that the primary camera system produces a sequence of consecutive panchromatic images that overlap one another. The secondary camera systems may be configured to produce a sequence of consecutive color images that overlap one another and the images produced by the primary camera system. The overlap between consecutive panchromatic images may be greater than the overlap between consecutive color images.

This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended that this Summary be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any or all disadvantages noted in any part of this disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing aspects of a multi-resolution digital large format camera with multiple detector arrays provided in one embodiment presented herein;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the footprint of a primary camera system overlaid with the footprints of four secondary camera systems in a large format digital camera presented in one embodiment disclosed herein;

FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram showing a perspective view of the footprint of a primary camera system and the footprints of four secondary camera systems in a large format digital camera presented in one embodiment disclosed herein;

FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram showing a top-down view that illustrates the overlap between the footprint of a sequence of consecutive images taken with a primary camera system and the footprint of a sequence of consecutive images taken with four secondary camera systems in a large format digital camera presented one embodiment disclosed herein;

FIG. 4B is a schematic diagram showing a perspective view that illustrates the overlap between the footprint of a sequence of consecutive images taken along a flight line with a primary camera system and the footprint of a sequence of consecutive images taken with four secondary camera systems in a large format digital camera presented one embodiment disclosed herein; and

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing one illustrative process presented herein for the airborne optical registration of large areas using a multi-resolution digital large format camera with multiple detector arrays provided in one embodiment presented herein.

The following detailed description is directed to a multi-resolution digital large format camera with multiple detector arrays. In the following detailed description, references are made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments or examples. Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals represent like elements throughout the several figures, aspects of a multi-resolution digital large format camera with multiple detector arrays will be presented.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing aspects of a large format digital camera 100 having multiple optical systems 106 A- 106 B and detector arrays 110 A- 110 B provided in one embodiment presented herein. As shown in FIG. 1 , the large format digital camera 100 includes a primary camera system 104 A and two or more secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N. Although FIG. 1 illustrates two secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N, it should be appreciated that other embodiments might include additional secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N. For instance, in an embodiment described below, the large format digital camera 100 includes four secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N.

According to one embodiment, the primary camera system 104 A includes an optical system 106 A that has a focal length 108 A. Each of the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N has an optical system 106 B that has a focal length 108 B that is longer than the focal length 108 A of the optical system 106 A. In this manner, the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N are configured to produce images having a narrower field of view than images produced by the primary camera system 104 A. Images produced by the primary camera system 104 A have a wider field of view than images produced by the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N. The optical systems 106 A- 106 B may include other conventional optical elements to produce a suitable image at the desired focal length.

According to one implementation, the primary camera system 104 A is configured with an electro optical detector array 110 A capable of capturing panchromatic image data 112 . As known in the art, a panchromatic image sensor, such as the electro optical detector array 110 A, is sensitive to all or most of the entire visible spectrum. According to embodiments, each of the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N is configured with an electro optical detector array 110 B capable of capturing color image data 116 . For instance, the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N might be equipped with a suitable charge coupled device (“CCD”) array configured for capturing the color image data 116 A- 116 N, respectively. According to embodiments, the camera system presented herein is a frame camera (also referred to as a framing camera), as opposed to a camera that utilizes push-broom sensing.

It should be appreciated that the detector arrays 110 A- 110 B comprise arrays of individual electro-optical detectors, e.g., semiconductor devices that output an electric signal, the magnitude of which is dependent on the intensity of light energy incident on such electro-optical detector. Therefore, the signal from each electro-optical detector in the arrays 110 A- 110 B is indicative of light energy intensity from a pixel area of the portion of the object or terrain being photographed, and the signals from all of the individual electro-optical detectors in the arrays 110 A- 110 B are indicative of light energy intensity from all of the pixel areas of the portion of the object or terrain being photographed. Consequently, the signals from the electro-optical detectors in each of the detector arrays 110 A- 110 B, together, are indicative of the pattern of light energy from the portion of the object being photographed, so a sub-image of the portion of the object can be produced from such signals. First, however, the signals are amplified, digitized, processed, and stored, as is well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.

The electro-optical detector arrays 110 A- 110 B are connected electrically by suitable conductors to a control circuit (not shown), which includes at least a microprocessor, input/output circuitry, memory, and a power supply for driving the electro-optical detector arrays 110 A- 110 B, retrieving image data from of the arrays 110 A- 110 B, and storing the image data. Other data processing functions, for example combining images and/or performing image display functions may be accomplished within the large format digital camera 100 or by other external data processing equipment.

According to implementations, the resolution of the electro optical detector arrays 104 B in the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N are greater than the resolution of the electro optical detector array 104 A in the primary camera system 104 A. In this manner, the large format digital camera 110 can produce a panchromatic image file 114 from the primary camera system 104 A using a wide-angle geometry that is suitable for use in a photogrammetric workflow that includes image-based georeferencing and digital surface modeling. The large format digital camera 110 can also simultaneously produce multiple higher-resolution color image files from the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N using a narrow-angle geometry suitable for use in a photogrammetric workflow that includes ortho image production.

As described briefly above, the primary camera system 104 A and the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N might be mounted within a common housing 102 . In this embodiment, a front glass plate 120 might be mounted within the housing 102 to protect the optical systems 106 A- 106 B. In alternate implementations, the primary camera system 104 A and the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N are mounted in separate housings (not shown). In both cases, the primary camera system 104 A, the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N, and the housing 102 are configured for mounting and use within an aircraft.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the footprint 202 of the primary camera system 104 A overlaid with footprints 204 A- 204 B of the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N in the large format digital camera 100 according in one embodiment disclosed herein. In this embodiment, the large format digital camera 100 includes four secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N configured with the footprints 204 A- 204 D illustrated in FIG. 2 , respectively. As shown in FIG. 2 , the primary camera system 104 A and the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N are configured in one embodiment such that the large format digital camera 100 can produce overlapping images at two different image scales offering two different footprints 202 and 204 A- 204 D. According to other embodiments, two primary camera systems 104 A and four secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N are utilized.

According to one embodiment, images produced by the primary camera system 104 A have a larger footprint 202 and are larger in size than those produced by the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N. Images produced by the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N have smaller footprint 204 A- 204 D and are smaller in size than those produced by the primary camera system 104 A and offer a higher resolution narrow angle color image.

As also illustrated in FIG. 2 , the four secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N may be configured such that the footprints 204 A- 204 D of the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N cover the footprint 202 of the primary camera system 104 A in a direction perpendicular to a flight line 400 . In this way, the footprints 204 A- 204 D of the four secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N cover a “stripe” of the footprint 202 of the primary camera system 104 A in a direction perpendicular to the flight line 400 . By overlapping the footprints 202 and 204 A- 204 D in the manner shown in FIG. 2 , a portion of the images produced by the primary camera system 104 A can be enhanced by the images produced by the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N. FIG. 3 provides a perspective view of the footprint 200 of the primary camera system 104 A and the footprints 204 A- 204 N of the four secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N when an image is taken from a common point 302 by the primary camera system 104 A and the four secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N.

FIG. 4A shows a top-down view that illustrates the overlap between the footprints 202 A- 202 D of a sequence of consecutive images taken with the primary camera system 104 A and the footprint 204 A- 204 D of a sequence of consecutive images taken with four secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N in the large format digital camera 100 in one embodiment disclosed herein. As discussed briefly above, the large format digital camera 100 may be mounted and configured for use within an aircraft (not shown). When the aircraft is flown according to a well-defined flight line 400 , the large format digital camera 100 may be configured to capture a sequence of images along the flight line 400 . FIG. 4A illustrates the footprints 202 A- 202 D of a sequence of images taken using the primary camera system 104 A and the footprints 204 A- 204 D of a sequence of images taken using by four secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N along the flight line 400 .

As illustrated in FIG. 4A , the large format camera 100 may be further configured such that the primary camera system 104 A produces a sequence of consecutive panchromatic images that have footprints 202 A- 202 D wherein consecutive sequential images overlap one another. The secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N may similarly be configured to produce a sequence of consecutive color images that have footprints 204 A- 204 D wherein consecutive sequential images overlap one another and also overlap the images produced by the primary camera system 104 A. The overlap between the footprints of consecutive panchromatic images may be greater than the overlap between the footprints of consecutive color images.

FIG. 4B is a perspective diagram illustrating the overlap between the footprints 202 A- 202 D of a sequence of consecutive images taken on several flight lines 400 with the primary camera system 104 A and the footprints 204 A- 204 D of a sequence of consecutive images taken with four secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N in the large format digital camera 100 in one embodiment disclosed herein. If, as illustrated in FIG. 4B , images are produced by the primary camera system 104 A and the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N along multiple well-defined flight lines by means of aerial photogrammetric image acquisition, the footprints 202 of the primary camera system 104 A overlap one another in the sequence of exposures along the flight lines. The footprints 204 A- 204 D of the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N also overlap with the footprints 202 A- 202 D of the primary camera system 104 A and the footprints 204 A- 204 D of the four secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N.

Along the flight line 400 images are therefore produced in such a way that the sequence of images produced by the primary camera system 104 A and the images produced by the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N create continuous image strips of overlapping images. The flight lines may be defined in such a way that the large format digital camera 100 captures images covering an entire project area.

According to various embodiments, image acquisition by the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N may be triggered substantially simultaneously with image acquisition by the primary camera system 104 A and, accordingly, images from the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N may be acquired at the same position and with the same camera attitude as images from the primary camera system 104 A. Alternatively, the trigger for the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N may be independent from the primary camera system 104 A, e.g., may be at a higher rate than images captured by the primary camera system. Either embodiment, as well as any combination thereof, is contemplated to be within the scope of embodiments presented herein.

When the primary camera system 104 A and the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N are triggered at the same time, the images produced by the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N may be registered to the images produced by the primary camera system 104 A using the same trigger event. Additionally, images produced by the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N may be calibrated to images of the primary camera system 104 A through the use of a precisely surveyed and well-structured object (known as a “calibration object”).

The images of the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N may also be stitched to the images of the primary camera system 104 B using traditional methods. Additionally, the images generated by the primary camera system 104 A can be used to reconstruct the three dimensional form of an object (for instance, the buildings of a city by means of a digital surface model) and the images of the secondary camera system 104 B, with a higher geometric resolution, may be used to extract high resolution photo texture which can then used for the production of ortho image maps.

Referring now to FIG. 5 additional details will be provided regarding the embodiments presented herein for a large format digital camera 100 having multiple optical systems and detector arrays. In particular, FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing a routine 500 that illustrates one process presented herein for the airborne optical registration of large areas using the large format digital camera 100 described above.

The routine 500 begins at operation 502 , where the large format digital camera 100 is calibrated. As discussed above, the large format digital camera 100 may be calibrated using a calibration object such that the footprint of images produced by the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N overlap the footprint of images produced by the primary camera system 104 A in the manner discussed above. As also discussed above, the large format digital camera 100 may be installed in an aircraft and utilized to capture ground images as the aircraft is flown along a well-defined flight line. Such images may be captured and stored in an appropriate digital storage device integrated with or external to the large format digital camera 100 .

From operation 502 , the routine 500 proceeds to operation 504 where panchromatic image files 114 are received from the primary camera system 104 A. The routine then proceeds to operation 506 , where the color image files 118 A- 118 N are received from the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N. Once the images files have been received from all of the camera systems 104 A- 104 N, the routine 500 proceeds to operation 508 , where the image files 114 from the primary camera system 104 A are co-registered with the image files 118 A- 118 N from the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N.

From operation 508 , the routine 500 proceeds to operation 510 , where the image files 114 from the primary camera system 104 A are utilized in a photogrammetric workflow that includes image-based georeferencing and digital surface modeling. From operation 510 , the routine 500 proceeds to operation 512 , where the image files 118 A- 118 N from the secondary camera systems 104 B- 104 N are utilized for ortho image production. The routine 500 proceeds from operation 512 to operation 514 , where it ends.

Based on the foregoing, it should be appreciated that a multi-resolution digital large format camera 100 with multiple detector arrays has been disclosed herein that is suitable for use in the airborne optical registration of large areas. It should also be appreciated that the subject matter described above is provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed as limiting. Various modifications and changes may be made to the subject matter described herein without following the example embodiments and applications illustrated and described, and without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention, which is set forth in the following claims.