Aerial Image Acquisition Mode Switching for Coverage Gaps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current air recognition systems are limited to planned acquisitions and cannot adapt to make opportunity acquisitions without interrupting the planned process, resulting in incomplete coverage of the initial planned area.
Innovation Solution
An image acquisition process that allows for the interruption of planned acquisitions to enable opportunity acquisitions, with the ability to resume planned acquisitions while ensuring that at least part of the initial planned area is covered.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the system performs planned acquisitions in advance according to a predefined area, then the coverage of the planned area is maximized, but the system cannot perform opportunity acquisitions without interrupting the planned process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic acquisition mode switching that allows the system to transition between planned and opportunity modes during flight. The control system dynamically adjusts the acquisition strategy based on real-time operational needs, enabling opportunity acquisitions to be performed without permanently compromising planned area coverage. The system can pause planned acquisitions, perform opportunity acquisitions, and then resume planned acquisitions with adjusted parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the planned area acquisition into multiple independent strips or zones. When an opportunity acquisition is requested, the system can temporarily suspend acquisition in one segment while continuing or resuming acquisition in other segments. This segmentation allows partial completion of planned area coverage even when opportunity acquisitions interrupt the overall process.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the system interrupts planned acquisitions to perform opportunity acquisitions, then flexibility for changing operational needs is improved, but the coverage of the initial planned area becomes incomplete
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes key acquisition parameters dynamically. When resuming planned acquisitions after an opportunity acquisition, the system adjusts parameters such as the number of images per strip, strip width, or acquisition speed to ensure that the remaining planned area can be covered within the remaining flight time. This parameter adaptation allows the system to compensate for the time lost during opportunity acquisitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary planning of multiple acquisition strips before flight. This pre-planned structure allows the system to quickly switch between strips during flight, performing opportunity acquisitions in one strip while maintaining the ability to complete other pre-planned strips, thereby ensuring overall planned area coverage is achieved despite interruptions.
3Productivity
If the system reduces acquisition time per strip to make up for delay, then productivity is improved, but the number of images per strip decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a strategy where the system acquires a reduced number of images per strip during the resumption phase, accepting partial completion of some strips rather than attempting to complete all strips fully. This partial action approach allows the system to maintain higher productivity and complete more strips overall, ensuring comprehensive coverage of the planned area even if individual strips have fewer images.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an image acquisition method (100) for performing aerial reconnaissance, implemented by an optical system on board a mobile platform (PM) and having a line of sight (LV), the optical system capturing an image of an elementary area on the ground, called thumbnail (Im), said method comprising the following steps: A. acquiring, in planned mode, a nominal planned area (ZPN) including an area of interest (ZI), B. interrupting planned mode and acquiring, in opportunistic mode, thumbnails of said opportunistic area, C. resuming planned mode, the line of sight being positioned such that the first thumbnail acquired in the resumption (Irep) belongs to the strip (B(k+1)) following the one (B(k)) containing the last thumbnail (Iint) acquired before the interruption, the acquisition time and/or the number of thumbnails per strip being reduced, so as to compensate for a delay due to the opportunistic acquisition, the thumbnails being chosen so as at least to cover said area of interest, D. once the delay has been compensated for, resuming planned mode so as to acquire thumbnails of the nominal planned area or area of interest, or again acquire thumbnails in opportunistic mode over a new opportunistic area.