Techniques for improving the quality of images captured by a remote sensing overhead platform such as a satellite. Sensor shifting is employed in an open-loop fashion to compensate for relative motion of the remote sensing overhead platform to the Earth. Control signals are generated for the sensor shift mechanism by an orbital motion compensation calculation that uses the predicted ephemeris (including orbit dynamics) and image geometry (overhead platform to target). Optionally, the calculation may use attitude and rate errors that are determined from on-board sensors.

A tracking system tracks a target object separated from a head-mounted display (HMD). The tracking system includes a first tracking device (e.g., a camera), a second tracking device (e.g., magnetic tracking system), and a selective tracking system. The first tracking device determines a position of the target object using the first type of tracking information, and determines a tracking error that is associated with the determined position. The selective tracking system compares the tracking error to a threshold value, and based on the comparison, determines a position of the target object using the second tracking device.

The invention concerns a device (1) for locating a target, comprising: a camera (2) that can be oriented in an orientation in view of the target so that the camera acquires an image of the target, and an orientation in view of a star so that the camera acquires at least one image of the star, an inertial unit (4) configured to calculate position and orientation data of the camera (2), a resetting module (6) configured to a apply stellar resetting to the data on the basis of the image of the star, in order to produce reset data, a location module (8) configured to estimate a position of the target (T) from the image of the target (T) and the reset data, a communication interface for communicating with an operator station, the camera (2) passing from one orientation to the other in response to the reception, by the interface, of a command sent by the operator station.

In some examples, a first device includes multiple fixed first cameras and a movable second camera. A processor is configured to receive, from at least one of the fixed first cameras, a plurality of first images of an airspace corresponding to an area of operation of an unmanned aerial vehicle, and detect, based at least on the first images, a candidate object approaching or within the airspace. Based on detecting the candidate object, the processor controls a movable second camera to direct a field of view of the movable second camera toward the candidate object. Based on one or more second images from the movable second camera captured at a first location and one or more third images from a third camera captured at a second location, the processor may determine that the candidate object is an object of interest and perform at least one action.

Automatic tracking by a camera of an object such as on-air talent appearing in a television show commences by first determining whether the object lies within the camera field of view matches a reference object. If so, tracking of the object then occurs to maintain the object in fixed relationship to a pre-set location in the camera's field of view, provided the designated object has moved more than a threshold distance from the pre-set location.

There is provided an image processing apparatus. A determination unit determines a movement direction of an object. A setting unit sets, within a shooting range, a plurality of processing areas that are arranged in a different direction from the movement direction. A selection unit selects a tracking point in each processing area of a predetermined shot image. A tracking unit tracks, inside each processing area, the tracking point across one or more shot images that are shot after the predetermined shot image.

Systems and methods may be provided for operating a camera based the position, orientation, or motion of the camera. A system can include a firearm, a camera mounted to the firearm, a sensor that gathers sensor data associated with at least one of a position, an orientation, or a motion of the firearm, and a processor that receives the sensor data and operates the camera based on the sensor data. The system may be used to capture image data such as video image data in response to a detected ballistic event, to modify the power status of the camera in response to a detected position of the camera, or to operate a display of the camera in response to a non-ballistic motion of the camera.

A tracking system tracks a target object separated from a head-mounted display (HMD). The tracking system includes a first tracking device (e.g., a camera), a second tracking device (e.g., magnetic tracking system), and a selective tracking system. The first tracking device determines a position of the target object using the first type of tracking information, and determines a tracking error that is associated with the determined position. The selective tracking system compares the tracking error to a threshold value, and based on the comparison, determines a position of the target object using the second tracking device.

Techniques for improving the quality of images captured by a remote sensing overhead platform such as a satellite. Sensor shifting is employed in an open-loop fashion to compensate for relative motion of the remote sensing overhead platform to the Earth. Control signals are generated for the sensor shift mechanism by an orbital motion compensation calculation that uses the predicted ephemeris (including orbit dynamics) and image geometry (overhead platform to target). Optionally, the calculation may use attitude and rate errors that are determined from on-board sensors.

A first imaging unit according to the present embodiment acquires a wide angle image. A second imaging unit according to the present embodiment captures a part of a capturing range of the first imaging unit and comprises a drive mechanism capable of changing a capturing direction. A control unit controls a frequency of acquiring the wide angle image based on at least one of a state of the second imaging unit and information included in a detail image captured by the second imaging unit.