Auto-focus acquisition for remote flying targets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022377232-A1
Application number	US-202117328586-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 24, 2021
Priority date	May 24, 2021
Publication date	Nov 24, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for automatically acquiring focus of remote flying objects (RFOs) includes an interface and processor. The interface is configured to receive a radar data and a lens temperature data. The processor is configured to determine a focal setting for a lens system based at least in part on the radar data and the lens temperature data; and provide the focal setting for the lens system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system, comprising:
an interface configured to:
receive a radar data, wherein the radar data comprises an azimuth angle and an elevation angle;
receive a lens temperature data; and
receive an image taken using a focal setting for a lens system in a pointing direction for the lens system; and
a processor configured to:
determine the focal setting for the lens system based at least in part on the radar data and the lens temperature data, wherein the pointing direction is set for the lens system based at least in part on the azimuth angle and the elevation angle;
provide the focal setting for the lens system;
determine that there is an object in the image that is not in focus;
indicate that the object is not in focus; and
change the focal setting for the lens system until the object is in focus in response to determining that the image is not in focus, wherein the focal setting for the lens is determined by scanning in one direction and then in another direction.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the radar data comprises a radar range distance.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein determining the focal setting is based at least in part on the radar range distance.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein determining the focal setting is based at least in part on a look up table, a calculation, or a zoom setting.

5 . (canceled)

6 . (canceled)

7 . (canceled)

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine that there is an object in the image that is in focus and indicate that the object is in focus.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein determining that the object in the image is in focus uses a neural network classifier or an edge detection algorithm.

10 . (canceled)

11 . (canceled)

12 . (canceled)

13 . A system, comprising:
an interface configured to:
receive a radar data, wherein the radar data comprises an azimuth angle and an elevation angle;
receive a lens temperature data; and
receive an image taken using a focal setting for a lens system in a pointing direction for the lens system; and
a processor configured to:
determine the focal setting for the lens system based at least in part on the radar data and the lens temperature data, wherein the pointing direction is set for the lens system based at least in part on the azimuth angle and the elevation angle;
provide the focal setting for the lens system;
determine that an object is unable to be determined in the image; and
indicate that it is unknown whether there is the object in the image.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to change the focal setting of the lens system in response to determining that an object is unable to be determined in the image.

15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to change a zoom setting of the lens system in response to determining that an object is unable to be determined in the image.

16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to change a pointing direction of the lens system in response to determining that an object is unable to be determined in the image.

17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the pointing direction is changed in a search pattern for the object comprising one of the following: a spiral, a square spiral, a raster, an up-down sweep that alternates left of center and right of center, or a Z-shaped pattern.

18 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the focal setting is determined with a subsystem of the lens system turned off.

19 . A method, comprising:
receiving a radar data, wherein the radar data comprises an azimuth angle and an elevation angle; receiving a lens temperature data; receiving an image taken using a focal setting for a lens system in a pointing direction for the lens system; determining, using a processor, the focal setting for the lens system based at least in part on the radar data and the lens temperature and data, wherein the pointing direction is set for the lens system based at least in part on the azimuth angle and the elevation angle; providing the focal setting for the lens system; determining that there is an object in the image that is not in focus; indicating that the object is not in focus; and changing the focal setting for the lens system until the object is in focus in response to determining that the object in the image is not in focus, wherein the focal setting for the lens is determined by scanning in one direction and then in another direction.

20 . A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:
receiving a radar data, wherein the radar data comprises an azimuth angle and an elevation angle; receiving a lens temperature data; receiving an image taken using a focal setting for a lens system in a pointing direction for the lens system; determining, using a processor, the focal setting for the lens system based at least in part on the radar data and the lens temperature data, wherein the pointing direction is set for the lens system based at least in part on the azimuth angle and the elevation angle; providing the focal setting for the lens system; determining that there is an object in the image that is not in focus; indicating that the object is not in focus; and changing the focal setting for the lens system until the object is in focus in response to determining that the object in the image is not in focus, wherein the focal setting for the lens is determined by scanning in one direction and then in another direction.

21 . A method, comprising:
receiving a radar data, wherein the radar data comprises an azimuth angle and an elevation angle; receiving a lens temperature data; receiving an image taken using a focal setting for a lens system in a pointing direction for the lens system; determining, using a processor, the focal setting for the lens system based at least in part on the radar data and the lens temperature data, wherein the pointing direction is set for the lens system based at least in part on the azimuth angle and the elevation angle; providing, using the processor, the focal setting for the lens system; determining, using the processor, that an object is unable to be determined in the image; and indicating, using the processor, that it is unknown whether there is the object in the image.

22 . A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:
receiving a radar data, wherein the radar data comprises an azimuth angle and an elevation angle; receiving a lens temperature data; receiving an image taken using a focal setting for a lens system in a pointing direction for the lens system; determining the focal setting for the lens system based at least in part on the radar data and the lens temperature data, wherein the pointing direction is set for the lens system based at least in part on the azimuth angle and the elevation angle; providing the focal setting for the lens system; determining that an object is unable to be determined in the image; and
indicating that it is unknown whether there is the object in the image.

Assignees

• Anduril Industries Inc

Inventors

• Camacho Brian Marcin
• Hareng Calvin Michael
• Hass Corey Martin
• Iandola Forrest Nelson
• Subramanian Gokul Ganesh
• Ben-Haim Nadav
• Esmail Adnan
• Christensen Kevin Michael

Classifications

• H04N23/69

  Control of means for changing angle of the field of view, e.g. optical zoom objectives or electronic zooming · CPC title

• H04N23/67

  Focus control based on electronic image sensor signals · CPC title

• H04N23/62 Primary

  Control of parameters via user interfaces · CPC title

• G01S13/867 Primary

  Combination of radar systems with cameras · CPC title

• G01S13/72

  for two-dimensional [2D] tracking, e.g. combination of angle and range tracking, track-while-scan radar · CPC title