UAV Overhead Line Imaging with Fixed Focus Distance
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Solution Overview
Problem
When using a camera mounted on an unmanned aerial vehicle to capture images of an overhead line, it is challenging to maintain focus on the line due to safety requirements for distance and the resulting thin line shape, often causing the autofocus to focus on background objects instead.
Innovation Solution
An overhead line image capturing system and method that includes an unmanned aerial vehicle equipped with a camera, an overhead line detection unit, and a control unit to automatically navigate the vehicle along the overhead line at a constant predetermined distance, ensuring the camera maintains focus on the line by setting the focal plane distance and adjusting the gimbal orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the unmanned aerial vehicle maintains a large distance from the overhead line for safety, then the safety risk is reduced, but the overhead line appears as a thin line shape and autofocus fails to focus on it
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the camera's autofocus mechanical system with an electronic control system that automatically adjusts focal length. The control unit receives image data, determines whether the overhead line is in focus, and adjusts the focal length accordingly, substituting the mechanical autofocus mechanism with an electronically controlled focusing system that maintains accurate focus at larger distances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the focal length parameter dynamically based on the detected image quality and distance. By adjusting the focal length parameter in response to the overhead line's appearance in the image, the system maintains focus accuracy despite varying distances, transforming a static focusing system into a dynamically adjustable one.
2Ease of operation
If the camera uses autofocus function to focus on the overhead line, then the focusing operation is automated, but the camera focuses on background objects instead of the overhead line
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the camera's autofocus mechanical system with an electronic control system that automatically adjusts focal length. The control unit receives image data, determines whether the overhead line is in focus, and adjusts the focal length accordingly, substituting the mechanical autofocus mechanism with an electronically controlled focusing system that maintains accurate focus at larger distances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback loop where the control unit continuously monitors the captured images, determines whether the overhead line is properly focused, and adjusts the focal length based on this feedback. This closed-loop control system ensures the camera maintains focus on the overhead line rather than background objects.
3Device complexity
If the focal length is fixed, then the camera structure is simplified, but the camera cannot adapt to different distances and maintain focus
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static focal length into a dynamic parameter that can be automatically adjusted by the control unit. The focal length becomes adaptable to different distances and conditions, allowing the camera to maintain focus on the overhead line regardless of the vehicle's distance from it, while keeping the overall system relatively simple through automated control.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-copter on which a camera with a distance to a focal plane where the camera is in focus fixed at d is mounted detects a position of an inspection overhead line when moving to an image capture start point above the inspection overhead line, and moves to a shooting end point immediately above the inspection overhead line while capturing images of the inspection overhead line at the lower side using the camera while keeping an altitude difference d with the inspection overhead line.