Infrared camera systems and methods for facilitating target position acquisition

摘要

Infrared camera systems and related methods for facilitating target position acquisition are provided for various applications. For example, a system may include a portable imaging/viewing subsystem having a target position finder and may also include a fixed mount camera subsystem having a camera and a camera positioner. A communications link may be configured to communicate a signal from the target position finder to the camera positioner. The signal may be representative of a position of a target being imaged/viewed with the portable imaging/viewing subsystem. The camera positioner may aim the camera toward the target in response to the signal. The target may, for example, be a man overboard. Thus, the system and related method may be useful in search and rescue operations.

主权项

1. A system, comprising:
a fixed mount camera subsystem comprising a camera, a first target position finder, and a camera positioner, the first target position finder being configured to determine at least a heading and a range from the fixed mount camera subsystem to a first target being imaged by the camera; a portable imaging/viewing subsystem configured to be manually pointed to a chosen direction by a user to image and/or view a second target, the portable imaging/viewing subsystem comprising a second target position finder configured to determine at least a heading and a range from the portable imaging/viewing subsystem to the second target being imaged/viewed; a controller configured to determine a position of the first target based at least on the heading and the range to the first target from the fixed mount camera subsystem and to determine a position of the second target based at least on the heading and the range to the second target from the portable imaging/viewing subsystem, wherein the controller is implemented in the portable imaging/viewing subsystem, the fixed mount camera subsystem, a remote computer system, or any combination thereof; wherein the fixed mount camera subsystem further comprises a first communication interface configured to receive, over a wired or wireless communication link, a first signal representing the position of the second target determined by the controller or the heading and the range to the second target from the portable imaging/viewing subsystem determined by the second target position finder; wherein the fixed mount camera subsystem is configured to aim the camera using the camera positioner toward the second target in response to the determined position of the second target; and wherein the portable imaging/viewing subsystem further comprises:
a second communication interface configured to receive a second signal representing the position of the first target determined by the controller or the heading and the range to the first target from the fixed mount camera subsystem determined by the first target position finder; anda display configured to provide pointing cues to the user in response to the determined position of the first target to assist the user in manually pointing the portable imaging/viewing subsystem towards the first target, the pointing cues comprising at least one of directional arrows or heading and range cues.