Light irradiation device and light irradiation system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10455829-B2
Application number	US-201615562494-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2016
Priority date	Apr 20, 2015
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

A light irradiation device includes: at least one imaging means that images a monitoring region to continue to accurately irradiate a moving target with light; at least one projection means that irradiates the monitoring region with signal light; a control means that controls the imaging means to image the monitoring region and controls the projection means to emit the signal light; at least one propeller that moves the own device in the air; and a flight control means that controls flight of the own device by controlling the propeller, the control means controlling, when recognizing a light irradiation target to be irradiated with the signal light on image data imaged by the imaging means, the projection means to emit the signal light toward the light irradiation target.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A light irradiation device comprising:
an imager that images a monitoring region;
a projector comprising a phase-modulation-type space modulation element,
wherein the projector irradiates the monitoring region with signal light comprising modulation light reflected by a display surface of the phase modulation element;

a controller that controls the imager to image the monitoring region and controls the projector to emit the signal light;
a propeller that moves the light irradiation device in the air; and
a flight controller that controls flight of the light irradiation device by controlling the propeller; and
at least one slave device that is detachable, the slave device being configured to be attached to a light irradiation target and comprising a light emission unit that generates guidance light for guiding a flying object,
wherein the controller controls, when recognizing the light irradiation target to be irradiated with the signal light on image data imaged by the imager, the projector to emit the signal light toward the light irradiation target,
wherein the projector displays a phase distribution, the phase distribution for displaying an objective image on a projected surface, and
wherein the projector irradiates the display surface of the phase modulation element with light.

2. The light irradiation device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller outputs, when recognizing the light irradiation target on the image data, a flight instruction for causing the light irradiation device to fly toward the light irradiation target to the flight controller, and
wherein the flight controller controls the light irradiation device to fly toward the light irradiation target in accordance with the flight instruction.

3. The light irradiation device according to claim 2 , wherein the controller comprises:
an imaging controller that controls the imager;
a projection controller that controls the projector; and
a processor that analyzes the image data obtained by imaging the monitoring region, and
wherein the processor comprises:
an image acquisition unit that acquires the image data from the imager;
an image analysis unit that analyzes the image data acquired by the image acquisition unit, detects a light irradiation candidate on the image data, and outputs information relating to the detected light irradiation candidate;
a target storage unit that stores information relating to the light irradiation target;
a target recognition unit that verifies, when acquiring the information relating to the light irradiation candidate output by the image analysis unit, whether the light irradiation candidate is the light irradiation target by referring to the information relating to the light irradiation target stored on the target storage unit and outputs, when recognizing the light irradiation target, the information relating to the light irradiation candidate;
an irradiation pattern storage unit that stores an irradiation pattern of the signal light to be emitted to the light irradiation target; and
an irradiation condition determination unit that determines, based on the information relating to the light irradiation candidate output from the target recognition unit, the irradiation pattern by referring to the irradiation pattern storage unit.

4. The light irradiation device according to claim 3 , wherein the controller comprises a target position estimation unit that estimates a position of the light irradiation target from the image data.

5. The light irradiation device according to claim 4 , wherein the controller comprises an irradiation position optimization unit that optimizes, based on the position of the light irradiation target estimated by the target position estimation unit, an irradiation position to be irradiated with signal light.

6. The light irradiation device according to claim 3 , wherein the target storage unit stores information for recognizing a bird as information relating to the light irradiation target,
wherein the target recognition unit verifies, when acquiring information relating to the light irradiation candidate output by the image analysis unit, whether the light irradiation candidate is a bird by referring to the information for recognizing a bird stored on the target storage unit and outputs, when the bird is recognized, information in which the light irradiation target is a bird,
wherein the irradiation condition determination unit determines, based on the information in which the light irradiation target is a bird output from the target recognition unit, the irradiation pattern by referring to the irradiation pattern storage unit, and
wherein the projection control unit performs control for emitting signal light toward the bird that is the light irradiation target.

7. The light irradiation device according to claim 1 , wherein the flight controller comprises:
a flight position identification unit that identifies a position where the light irradiation device is flying;
a flight condition storage unit that stores a flight condition for the light irradiation device;
an information input unit that receives information relating to the monitoring region and the light irradiation target;
an information processing unit that sets a flight condition for the light irradiation device based on the information input to the information input unit; and
a drive condition setting unit that sets a drive condition for the propeller by referring to the flight condition stored on the flight condition storage unit.

8. The light irradiation device according to claim 7 , wherein the information processing unit sets, when acquiring a flight condition from a higher-level system, a flight condition for the light irradiation device based on the flight condition acquired from the higher-level system.

9. The light irradiation device according to claim 1 , further comprising a sound wave output unit that outputs, toward the light irradiation target, a sound wave having directionality.

10. The light irradiation device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a sound wave input unit that acquires a sound wave during monitoring of the monitoring region,
wherein the controller comprises:
a waveform storage unit that stores feature data of a sound wave emitted from the light irradiation target; and
a sound wave determination unit that compares a waveform of the sound wave acquired by the sound wave input unit and the feature data of the sound wave stored on the waveform storage unit and determines a presence or absence of the feature data emitted from the light irradiation target in the waveform of the sound wave acquired during monitoring of the monitoring region.

11. The light irradiation device according to claim 1 , wherein the projector comprises:
a light source that emits light having a specific wavelength;
a light source driver that drives the light source in accordance with the control of the controller;
a phase modulator that comprises a display surface that light emitted from the light source enters and displays a phase distribution of an image to be emitted to the light irradiation target on the display surface;
a phase modulator controller that displays the phase distribution on the display surface of the phase modulator; and
a projection unit that projects signal light emitted from the display surface of the phase modulator to the light irradiation target.

12. The light irradiation device according to claim 11 , wherein the projector irradiates a plurality of the light irradiation targets of the monitoring region with signal light at the same time.

13. The light irradiation device acc

Assignees

• Nec Corp

Inventors

• Okumura Fujio

Classifications

• B64U2201/10

  autonomous, i.e. by navigating independently from ground or air stations, e.g. by using inertial navigation systems [INS] · CPC title

• H04N23/56

  provided with illuminating means · CPC title

• F41G7/2293

  using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves · CPC title

• F41G7/226

  Semi-active homing systems, i.e. comprising a receiver and involving auxiliary illuminating means, e.g. using auxiliary guiding missiles · CPC title

• F41G3/145

  using a target illuminator · CPC title