Detection of close encounters with obstacles by aerial vehicles
US12400350B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 18, 2022 |
| Grant date | Aug 26, 2025 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 27, 2044 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG08G5/57
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Techniques for identifying a close encounter between an aircraft and an obstacle are disclosed. The technique includes acquiring a video stream of a ground area below the aircraft with a stereovision camera system disposed onboard the aircraft. A depth perception map is generated with a stereovision processing pipeline indicating stereovision depth estimates of first image pixels from the video stream. An optical flow map is generated with an optical flow processing pipeline indicating optical flow depth estimates of second image pixels from the video stream. The depth perception and optical flow maps are compared. An encounter flag indicating that the close encounter between the aircraft and the obstacle occurred is asserted based at least on the comparing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.