Patent ID: 6803943
Filing Date: 2004-10-12
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A marine plant field survey method comprising the steps of:determining points defining a seabed survey area from measurements performed with a Global Positioning System (GPS); disposing acoustic transponders at the determined points defining the seabed survey area; supplying a first remote control signal to a submarine mobile video system; moving the submarine mobile video system to a survey point within the seabed survey area under control of the first remote control signal received by the submarine mobile video system; supplying a second remote control signal and a third remote control signal to the submarine mobile video system; controlling a first camera mounted on the submarine mobile video system to take first wide-field images of macrophytes as viewed from above the macrophytes under control of the second remote control signal received by the submarine mobile video system to provide an indication of the degree of coverage by the macrophytes within a prescribed region of the seabed survey area and simultaneously controlling a second camera mounted on the submarine mobile video system to take second images of the macrophytes with an orientation other than from above the macrophytes to establish a view with different orientation from the view from above the macrophytes provided by the first camera under control of the third remote control signal received by the submarine mobile video system to enable determination of a macrophyte species as to the macrophytes under observation from the second images.