Real time three dimensional geo-referenced digital orthophotograph-based positioning, navigation, collision avoidance and decision support system

Patent 5381338 Issued on January 10, 1995. Estimated Expiration Date:

November 18, 2013. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

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Inventors

Application

No. 154994 filed on 11/18/1993

US Classes:

701/207, Employing position determining equipment348/116, Direction finding or location determination701/301Collision avoidance

Examiners

Primary: Chin, Gary

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Stroud, Stroud, Willink, Thompson & Howard

International Class

G06F 015/50

Abstract

Herein is presented a positioning, navigation and collision avoidance system for ships, aircraft, land vehicles and the like, which utilizes a geo-referenced digital orthophotograph data-base and a positioning signal to display upon a computer stereo graphics device a high visibility dynamic photographic image of the user's immediate environment, including both moving and stationary obstacles. The position and temporal data along with the geo-referenced elevation data utilized to derive the digital orthophotograph(s) can serve to warn the user of nearby obstacles; and optionally, to implement semi-automatic avoidance. Substituting user generated x-y-z positions and times, the system may be used in a static mode as a flight simulator or a simulator for other modes of transportation. The system may also be used as a mobile Geographic Information Systems decision making tool with the addition of user supplied geo-referenced digital data layers.

Other References

Hurn, GPS, A Guide to the Next Utility, Trumble Navigation, Sunnyvale, Calif. (1989), pp. 1-76
Gaydos et al., The Production of Orthophotographs by Digital Image Processing Techniques, Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the ASP-ASCM Convention, vol. 4 (1986), pp. 241-249
Trumble Navigation Ltd., Sunnyvale, Calif., Specification No. TFS-91100 (Mar. 1, 1988), pp. 4-16, 37-38
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