Autonomous vehicle cameras used for near real-time imaging

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10021254-B2
Application number	US-201514602737-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2015
Priority date	Jan 22, 2015
Publication date	Jul 10, 2018
Grant date	Jul 10, 2018

Abstract

A device may receive a request for imaging of a particular location. The device may identify one or more sensors associated with imaging the particular location. The device may select a sensor, of the one or more sensors, for imaging the particular location. The sensor may be associated with an autonomous vehicle. The device may cause the autonomous vehicle to move the sensor to the particular location. The device may receive imaging of the particular location based on causing the autonomous vehicle to move the sensor to the particular location. The device may selectively combine the imaging of the particular location with archived other imaging of the particular location. The device may provide imaging of the particular location to fulfill the request for imaging of the particular location based on selectively combining the imaging of the particular location with archived imaging of the particular location.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device, comprising: one or more processors to:
identify one or more sensors associated with imaging a particular location;
select a sensor, of the one or more sensors, for imaging the particular location,
an autonomous vehicle including the sensor;

cause the autonomous vehicle to move to the particular location;
receive a first image of the particular location, from the sensor, based on causing the autonomous vehicle to move to the particular location;
receive a request for an image of the particular location,
the request including a set of criteria for a requested image;

access a set of images based on receiving the request,
the set of images including the first image;

determine scores for each image of the set of images based on accessing the set of images,
the scores indicating an extent to which each image of the set of images matches the request

selectively combine, based on determining that the scores do not satisfy a threshold, the first image with a second image of the set of images to produce a composite image of the particular location that satisfies the set of criteria,
the second image being an archived image; and

provide the composite image of the particular location to fulfill the request based on selectively combining the first image with the second image.

2. The device of claim 1 , where the one or more processors are further to:
identify a set of autonomous vehicles associated with the one or more sensors; and
determine a set of locations for the set of autonomous vehicles,
the set of autonomous vehicles including the autonomous vehicle; and

where the one or more processors, when selecting the sensor, are to:
select the sensor based on a location, of the set of locations, of the autonomous vehicle and the particular location.

3. The device of claim 1 , where the one or more processors are further to:
identify a set of autonomous vehicles associated with the one or more sensors,
the set of autonomous vehicles including the autonomous vehicle; and

determine a respective direction of travel of the set of autonomous vehicles; and
where the one or more processors, when selecting the sensor, are to:
select the sensor based on the respective direction of travel of the set of autonomous vehicles.

4. The device of claim 1 , where the one or more processors are further to:
identify a set of sensor attributes associated with the one or more sensors; and
where the one or more processors, when selecting the sensor, are to:
select the sensor based on the set of sensor attributes associated with the one or more sensors.

5. The device of claim 1 , where the one or more processors are further to:
provide an offer of compensation for performing imaging to fulfill the request; and
receive an acceptance of the offer of compensation based on providing the offer of compensation; and
where the one or more processors, when selecting the sensor, are to:
select the sensor based on receiving the acceptance of the offer of compensation.

6. The device of claim 1 , where the one or more processors are further to:
request a set of bids regarding compensation for performing imaging to fulfill the request;
receive a particular bid based on requesting the set of bids,
the particular bid being associated with the sensor; and

select the particular bid based on a set of bid criteria; and
where the one or more processors, when selecting the sensor, are to:
select the sensor based on selecting the particular bid.

7. The device of claim 1 , where the one or more processors are further to:
receive image information including contextual information associated with classifying the set of images;
process the image information to associate the contextual information with the set of images; and
store the processed image information via an archive.

8. A method, comprising:
identifying, by a device, one or more sensors associated with imaging a particular location;
selecting, by the device, a sensor of the one or more sensors for imaging the particular location,
an autonomous vehicle including the sensor;

causing, by the device, the autonomous vehicle to move to the particular location;
receiving, by the device, a first image of the particular location, from the sensor, based on causing the autonomous vehicle to move to the particular location;
receiving, by the device, a request for an image of the particular location,
the request including a set of criteria for a requested image;

accessing, by the device, a set of images based on receiving the request,
the set of images including the first image;

determining, by the device, scores for each image of the set of images based on accessing the set of images,
the scores indicating an extent to which each image of the set of images matches the request;

selectively combining, by the device and based on determining that the scores do not satisfy a threshold, the first image with a second image to produce a composite image of the particular location that satisfies the set of criteria,
the second image being an archived image; and

providing, by the device, the composite image of the particular location to fulfill the request based on selectively combining the first image with the second image.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
identifying a set of autonomous vehicles associated with the one or more sensors; and
determining a set of locations for the set of autonomous vehicles,
the set of autonomous vehicles including the autonomous vehicle; and

where selecting the sensor comprises:
selecting the sensor based on a location, of the set of locations, of the autonomous vehicle and the particular location.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
identifying a set of autonomous vehicles associated with the one or more sensors,
the set of autonomous vehicles including the autonomous vehicle; and

determining a respective direction of travel of the set of autonomous vehicles; and
where selecting the sensor comprises:
selecting the sensor based on the respective direction of travel of the set of autonomous vehicles.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
identifying a set of sensor attributes associated with the one or more sensors; and
where selecting the sensor comprises:
selecting the sensor based on the set of sensor attributes associated with the one or more sensors.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
providing an offer of compensation for performing imaging to fulfill the request; and
receiving an acceptance of the offer of compensation based on providing the offer of compensation; and
where the selecting the sensor comprises:
selecting the sensor based on receiving the acceptance of the offer of compensation.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
requesting a set of bids regarding compensation for performing imaging to fulfill the request;
receiving a particular bid based on requesting the set of bids,
the particular bid being associated with the sensor; and

selecting the particular bid based on a set of bid criteria; and
where selecting the sensor comprises:
selecting the sensor based on selecting the particular bid.

14. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
receiving image information including contextual information associated with classifying the set of images;
processing the image information to associate the contextual information with the set of images; and
storing the processed image information via an archive.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable med

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Doyle Sean
• Barfield Jr James Ronald
• Berkobin Alex D
• Taylor Thomas Steven
• Elliott Bryant
• Berkobin Eric
• Ibrahim Hamsa
• Akula Sneha
• Hartman Dwight

Classifications

• H04N7/181 Primary

  for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources · CPC title

• H04N1/00244 Primary

  with a server, e.g. an internet server (fax-servers or the like for store and forward H04N1/324) · CPC title

• H04N7/185

  from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control · CPC title