Patent ID: 6747686
Filing Date: 2004-06-08
Classification: G03B,H04N

Abstract:
A method of generating continuous coverage high aspect stereo images of terrain of interest on the earth from a single camera installed in a moving vehicle, comprising the steps of:a) pointing the camera to a first camera orientation and generating an image at said first orientation; b) changing the pointing of said camera so as to point the camera to a second camera orientation and generating an image at said second orientation, wherein said first and second orientations vary about either the pitch axis of said moving vehicle or an azimuthal axis, said first and second orientations being such that the projection of the camera field of view on the ground at said first and second orientations is substantially different with little or no overlap; c) repeating steps a) and b) in a series of cycles as said moving vehicle moves past said terrain of interest; d) wherein said first and second orientations are chosen such that said terrain of interest is imaged at said first and second orientations as said moving vehicle moves past said terrain of interest, the motion of said moving and the selection of said first and second camera orientations allowing said camera to generate a sequence of images which can be combined into high aspect stereo pairs of images of said terrain which provide continuous stereo coverage of said terrain and wherein said high aspect stereo images have a stereo angle greater than the field of view of the camera.