초록 ▼

A method of image-based positioning is provided. The method comprises: (A) providing an image-capturing device integrated with an object; (B) providing a pattern-generating device configured to generate a set of patterns; (C) locating the pattern-generating device in a field of view (FOV) of the ima

A method of image-based positioning is provided. The method comprises: (A) providing an image-capturing device integrated with an object; (B) providing a pattern-generating device configured to generate a set of patterns; (C) locating the pattern-generating device in a field of view (FOV) of the image-capturing device and capturing an image of the pattern-generating device; (D) generating at least one set of pattern data by using the captured image of the pattern-generating device; and (E) processing each set of generated pattern data by using in order to generate an altitude and/or angular coordinates of the object.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for image-based positioning of an object comprising: (A) an image-capturing device;(B) a pattern-generating device comprising a structure having a first pole and a second pole opposite of the first pole, the structure includes a gradient pattern that extends from the first pole to th

1. An apparatus for image-based positioning of an object comprising: (A) an image-capturing device;(B) a pattern-generating device comprising a structure having a first pole and a second pole opposite of the first pole, the structure includes a gradient pattern that extends from the first pole to the second pole, wherein said image-capturing device is configured to capture at least one image of said pattern-generating device while said pattern-generating device is located outside of said object and separate from said object;and(C) a processor configured to generate at least one set of pattern data by using said at least one image; and configured to analyze each said set of generated pattern data in order to determine angular coordinates of said object. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said image-capturing device is selected from the group consisting of: a multispectral camera; a hyper spectral camera; a visible camera; an infrared (IR) camera; an ultraviolet (UV) camera; and a monochromatic camera. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pattern-generating device is selected from the group consisting of: a gradient-generating device; and a Siemens_star_pattern-generating device; and a Sunburst_pattern-generating device. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said pattern-generating device is selected from the group consisting of: a gradient-generating device selected from the group consisting of: a colored sphere ball placed in a transparent enclosing sphere; a colored sphere ball including a magnet placed in a transparent enclosing sphere; a colored sphere ball including a non-magnetic weight placed in a transparent enclosing sphere; a colored non-sphere ball placed in a transparent enclosing sphere; a colored non-sphere ball including a magnet placed in a transparent enclosing sphere; a colored non-sphere ball including a nonmagnetic weight placed in a transparent enclosing sphere; a colored circular disk; a colored circular disk including a magnet; a colored circular disk including a non-magnetic weight; a colored non-circular disk; a colored non-circular disk including a magnet; and a colored non-circular disk including a non-magnetic weight. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising: a sensor; wherein said sensor is selected from the group consisting of: a charge-coupled device (CCD); an active pixel sensor (APS) array; a Complementary Metal Oxide Silicon (ClMOS) sensor; and a direct image sensor. 6. A method of image-based positioning of an object using an apparatus comprising an image-capturing device, a pattern-generating device, and a processor; said method comprising: (A) capturing at least one image of said pattern-generating device by using said image-capturing device; wherein said at least one image is captured while said pattern-generating device is located outside of said object and separate from said object, the pattern-generating device comprising a structure having a first pole and a second pole opposite of the first pole, wherein the structure includes a gradient pattern that extends from the first pole to the second pole, and wherein the image containing at least a portion of the directional gradient pattern of said pattern-generating device;(B) generating at least one set of pattern data by using said at least one image by using said processor;and(C) using said processor to analyze each said set of generated pattern data in order to determine angular coordinates of said object. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein said step (A) of capturing said at least one image of said pattern-generating device by using said image-capturing device further comprises: (A1) selecting said image-capturing device from the group consisting of:a multispectral camera; a hyper spectral camera; a visible camera; an infrared (IR) camera; an ultraviolet (UV) camera; and a monochromatic camera. 8. The method of claim 6, wherein said step (A) of capturing said at least one image of said pattern-generating device by using said image-capturing device further comprises: (A2) selecting said pattern-generating device from the group consisting of:a gradient-generating device; and a Siemens_star_pattern generating device; and a Sunburst_pattern-generating device. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said step (A2) further comprises: (A2, 1) selecting said pattern-generating device from the group consisting of:a colored sphere ball placed in a transparent enclosing sphere; a colored sphere ball including a magnet placed in a transparent enclosing sphere; a colored sphere ball including a non-magnetic weight placed in a transparent enclosing sphere; a colored non-sphere ball placed in a transparent enclosing sphere; a colored non-sphere ball including a magnet placed in a transparent enclosing sphere; a colored non-sphere ball including a non-magnetic weight placed in a transparent enclosing sphere; a colored circular disk; a colored circular disk including a magnet; a colored circular disk including a non-magnetic weight; a colored noncircular disk; a colored non-circular disk including a magnet; and a colored non-circular disk including a non-magnetic weight. 10. The method of claim 8, wherein said apparatus further comprises a sensor; and wherein said step (A2) further comprises: (A2, 2) selecting said sensor from the group consisting of:a charge-coupled device (CCD); an active pixel sensor (APS) array; a Complementary Metal Oxide Silicon (CMOS) sensor; and a direct image sensor. 11. A method of image-based positioning of an object by using an apparatus comprising an image-capturing device, a pattern-generating device, and a processor; said method comprising: (A) capturing at least one image of said object;(B) capturing an image of said pattern-generating device while said pattern-generating device is located in a field of view (FOV) of said image-capturing device and while said pattern-generating device is located outside of said object and separate from said object, the pattern-generating device comprising a structure having a first pole and a second pole opposite of the first pole, wherein the structure includes a gradient pattern that extends from the first pole to the second pole, and wherein the image containing at least a portion of the directional gradient pattern of said pattern-generating device;(C) extracting, from the image, at least one spatial frequency associated with the target characteristics of said pattern of said pattern-generating device;and(D) processing said at least one spatial frequency to determine a distance of said object from said image-capturing device. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein said step (C) further comprises: (C1) extracting, from the image, a first spatial frequency associated with the target characteristics of said pattern of said pattern-generating device located in said field of view (FOV). 13. The method of claim 11, wherein said step (C) further comprises: (C2) using a two-dimensional (2D) Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to extract a spatial frequency associated with a targeted pattern. 14. The method of claim 11, wherein said step (C) further comprises: (C3) using Wavelet transforms to extract a spatial frequency associated with a targeted pattern. 15. An apparatus for distance measurements of an object comprising: an image-capturing device;a pattern-generating device comprising a structure having a first pole and a second pole opposite of the first pole, the structure includes a gradient pattern that extends from the first pole to the second pole, wherein said image-capturing device is configured to capture a set of images of said pattern-generating device while said pattern-generating device is located in a field of view (FOV) of said image-capturing device and while said pattern-generating device is located outside of said object and separate from said object;anda processor, wherein said processor is configured to process said set of captured images of said pattern-generating device located in said field of view (FOV) of said image-capturing device, and the processor is also configured to use a scale associated with the set of patterns to determine a distance of said object from said image-capturing device. 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein said processor is configured to extract a first spatial frequency associated with the set of patterns of said pattern-generating device located in said field of view (FOV); and configured to process said spatial frequency to determine a distance of said object from said image-capturing device.