Maritime Camera Control System Using Buffered Image Retrieval

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Solution Overview

Problem

Navigation of maritime vessels faces challenges due to the slow mechanical response of pan and zoom operations in camera systems, leading to frustrating delays in accessing and processing real-time marine environment data.

Innovation Solution

A display device and system for controlling a remotely controlled marine camera, which includes an image receiver, processor, and computing device that buffers image streams, allowing for the retrieval and depiction of selected buffered images in data insufficiency regions, enabling immediate display of a 3-D virtual representation of the marine environment, thereby reducing delays in panning and zooming operations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If mechanical pan and zoom operations are used in camera systems, then the camera can be controlled to change field of view, but the mechanical response is slow causing frustrating delays for the operator

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecamera response speedVSAvoidoperator waiting time
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system buffers multiple images from the camera at different positions and zoom levels in advance. When the operator requests a field of view change, the computing device can immediately retrieve and display the pre-captured buffered image corresponding to the target position, eliminating the mechanical delay. This preliminary action of capturing and storing images beforehand resolves the contradiction between mechanical response speed and operator waiting time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If buffered images are used to fill data insufficiency regions, then continuous view is provided during camera adjustment, but additional processing complexity is introduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontinuity of viewVSAvoidimage processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system introduces a buffer memory as an intermediary between the camera and display device. Buffered images are stored in this intermediary storage and retrieved to fill data insufficiency regions during camera adjustments. This intermediary buffer simplifies the processing complexity by pre-organizing images in a readily accessible format, while ensuring continuous view display without requiring complex real-time image generation or interpolation algorithms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2958080B1Maritime camera and control system
Publication Date: 2017.08.02 FURUNO ELECTRIC CO LTD
  • EP2958080B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2958080B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2958080B1 patent drawingFigure 3A~3B

AI summary

A display device for controlling a remotely controlled camera is disclosed. The display device comprising an image receiver configured to receive an image of the image stream from the camera, and a processor. The processor including a retriever configured to retrieve a selected buffered image corresponding to a data insufficiency region within a target field of view while adjusting the camera from a current field of view to the target field of view until the image stream from the camera includes the insufficiency region being depicted within the target field of view and a depicter configured to depict the selected buffered image on the display device at least in the insufficiency region.