System and method for volume visualization in through-the-obstacle imaging system

• US 20090033548A1
• Filed: 05/07/2008
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Camero-Tech, Ltd. (SK Group)
• Original Assignee: Camero-Tech, Ltd. (SK Group)
• Inventors: Boxman, Benjamin David, Beeri, Amir
• Application Number:
  US12/149,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20090033548A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/179
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/0209 Systems with very large relative bandwidth, i.e. larger than 10 %, e.g. baseband, pulse, carrier-free, ultrawideband
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/284 using coded pulses
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/888 through wall detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/0254 Active array antenna

Abstract

Herewith disclosed a computerized method of volume visualization, a volume visualization unit and through-the-obstacle imaging system capable of volume visualization. The method of volume visualization comprises obtaining one or more volumetric data sets corresponding to physical inputs informative, at least, of a part of an imaging scene concealed by one or more obstacles and obtained by a sensor array; obtaining data informative of position and/or orientation of the sensor array corresponding to said obtained physical inputs; pre-processing one or more obtained volumetric data sets and/or derivatives thereof in accordance with said position and/or orientation informative data; volume visualization processing one or more obtained volumetric data sets and/or derivatives thereof in accordance with results of pre-processing.

Claims

1. A method of volume visualization for use with a through-the-obstacle imaging system comprising at least one sensor array configured to obtain physical inputs informative, at least, of a part of an imaging scene concealed by one or more obstacles, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining one or more volumetric data sets corresponding to the physical inputs obtained by the sensor array;

(b) obtaining data informative of position and/or orientation of the sensor array corresponding to said obtained physical inputs;

(c) pre-processing one or more obtained volumetric data sets and/or derivatives thereof in accordance with said position and/or orientation informative data;

(d) volume visualization processing one or more obtained volumetric data sets and/or derivatives thereof in accordance with results of pre-processing.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sensor array is an antenna of an ultra-wideband radar.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said position and/or orientation informative data are related to at least one item selected from a group comprising:

(a) orientation and/or position versus the gravitational vector;

(b) orientation and/or position versus certain elements of the imaging scene;

(c) orientation and/or position versus a previous orientation and/or position.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the pre-processing comprises rotating and/or shifting at least one volumetric data set in order to provide alignment with a certain reference thus giving rise to an adjusted volumetric data set, and the volume visualization processing is provided in respect of said adjusted volumetric data set.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the pre-processing comprises filtering at least one obtained volumetric data set in accordance with certain criteria thus giving rise to an adjusted volumetric data set, and the volume visualization processing is provided in respect of said adjusted volumetric data set.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the pre-processing comprises aggregating two or more obtained volumetric data sets and rotating and/or shifting the aggregated volumetric data in order to provide alignment with a certain reference thus giving rise to an adjusted volumetric data;

and the volume visualization processing is provided in respect of said adjusted volumetric data.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the pre-processing comprises rotating and/or shifting two or more obtained volumetric data sets in order to provide alignment with a common reference thus giving rise to adjusted volumetric data sets, and aggregating the adjusted volumetric data sets;

and the volume visualization processing is provided in respect of the aggregated adjusted volumetric data.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the obtained orientation and/or position data comprise data related to orientation and/or position versus a previous orientation and/or position;

the pre-processing comprises rotating and/or shifting at least one volumetric data set in order to correct the deviation in respect to the previous orientation and/or position thus giving rise to an adjusted volumetric data set, and the volume visualization processing is provided in respect of said adjusted volumetric data set.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the pre-processing of the obtained volumetric data comprises generating a visualization mode in accordance with obtained orientation and/or position informative data and certain rules, and the volume visualization processing is provided in accordance with the generated visualization mode.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein generating the visualization mode comprises selection of a certain visualization mode among one or more predefined visualization modes, such selection provided in accordance with obtained orientation and/or position informative data.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein at least one obstacle is an element of a construction and at least one predefined visualization mode is selected from a group comprising a floor/ground mode, a wall mode and a ceiling mode.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein one or more parameters characterizing the pre-defined visualization mode are calculated and/or selected in accordance with obtained orientation and/or position informative data.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising modifying one or more parameters characterizing obtaining at least one volumetric data set in accordance with results of pre-processing.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the pre-processing comprises selecting, in accordance with obtained orientation and/or position informative data, one or more perceiving image elements to be generated during volume visualization processing.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein selecting at least one perceiving image element comprises automated configuring at least one parameter characterizing the element in accordance with obtained orientation and/or position informative data.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein pre-processing comprises automated configuring parameters of volume visualization processing in accordance with obtained orientation and/or position informative data.

17. A through-the-obstacle imaging system comprising:

(a) at least one sensor array operatively coupled to a signal acquisition and processing unit, said sensor array comprising one or more image sensors configured to obtain physical inputs informative of, at least, a part of an imaging scene concealed by one or more obstacles, and to generate respective output signal, said signal and/or derivatives thereof to be transferred to said signal acquisition and processing unit configured to receive said signal and/or derivatives thereof and to generate, accordingly, at least one volumetric data set;

(b) a volume visualization unit operatively coupled to the signal acquisition and processing unit and configured to obtain one or more volumetric data sets, to provide volume visualization processing in accordance with the obtained volumetric data sets, and to facilitate displaying the resulting image;

wherein the volume visualization unit comprises a visualization adjustment block configured to provide certain pre-processing of one or more obtained volumetric data sets and/or derivatives thereof, the results of the pre-processing to be used in further volume visualization processing;

(c) at least one sensor configured to obtain data informative of position and/or orientation of the sensor array and to transfer the data and/or derivatives thereof to the visualization adjustment block;

wherein the visualization adjustment block is configured to provide said pre-processing in accordance with said position and/orientation informative data and certain rules.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the through-the-obstacle imaging system is based on an ultra-wideband radar.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein at least one sensor configured to obtain data informative of position and/or orientation of the sensor array is selected from a group comprising an accelerometer, an inclinometer, a laser range finder, a camera, an image sensor, a gyroscope, GPS, a combination thereof.

20. The system of claim 17 wherein the visualization adjustment block is operatively coupled to the signal acquisition and processing unit and configured to transfer the results of pre-processing to said unit, while the signal acquisition and processing unit is configured to modify one or more parameters characterizing generating volumetric data in accordance with received results of pre-processing.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein the pre-processing is selected from a group comprising:

(a) rotating and/or shifting at least one volumetric data set in order to provide alignment with a certain reference;

(b) filtering at least one obtained volumetric data set in accordance with certain criteria;

(c) aggregating two or more obtained volumetric data sets and rotating and/or shifting the aggregated volumetric data in order to provide alignment with a certain reference;

(d) rotating and/or shifting two or more obtained volumetric data sets in order to provide alignment with a common reference and aggregating the adjusted volumetric data sets;

(e) rotating and/or shifting at least one volumetric data set in order to correct the deviation in respect to a previous orientation and/or position;

(f) generating a visualization mode in accordance with obtained orientation and/or position informative data and certain rules;

(g) selecting, in accordance with obtained orientation and/or position informative data, one or more perceiving image elements to be generated during volume visualization processing;

(h) automated configuring parameters of volume visualization processing in accordance with obtained orientation and/or position informative data.

22. A volume visualization unit for use with a through-the-obstacle imaging system comprising at least one sensor array, the volume visualization unit configured to obtain one or more volumetric data sets, to provide volume visualization processing in accordance with the obtained volumetric data sets, and to facilitate displaying the resulting image;

wherein said volume visualization unit comprises a visualization adjustment block configured to obtain data informative of position and/or orientation of the sensor array and to provide pre-processing of the obtained one or more volumetric data sets and/or derivatives thereof, the results of the pre-processing to be used for further volume visualization processing, wherein said pre-processing to be provided in accordance with said position and/or orientation informative data and certain rules.

23. The unit of claim 22 wherein the through-the-obstacle imaging system is based on an ultra-wideband radar.

24. The unit of claim 22 wherein the pre-processing is selected from a group comprising:

(a) rotating and/or shifting at least one volumetric data set in order to provide alignment with a certain reference;

(b) filtering at least one obtained volumetric data set in accordance with certain criteria;

(c) aggregating two or more obtained volumetric data sets and rotating and/or shifting the aggregated volumetric data in order to provide alignment with a certain reference;

(d) rotating and/or shifting two or more obtained volumetric data sets in order to provide alignment with a common reference and aggregating the adjusted volumetric data sets;

(e) rotating and/or shifting at least one volumetric data set in order to correct the deviation in respect to a previous orientation and/or position;

(f) generating a visualization mode in accordance with obtained orientation and/or position informative data and certain rules;

(g) selecting, in accordance with obtained orientation and/or position informative data, one or more perceiving image elements to be generated during volume visualization processing;

(h) automated configuring parameters of volume visualization processing in accordance with obtained orientation and/or position informative data.

25. A method of volume visualization for use with a ultra-wideband radar imaging system comprising at least one antenna array, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining one or more volumetric data sets corresponding to the physical inputs obtained by the antenna array;

(b) obtaining data informative of position and/or orientation of the antenna array corresponding to said obtained physical inputs;

(c) pre-processing one or more obtained volumetric data sets and/or derivatives thereof in accordance with said position and/or orientation informative data thus giving rise to adjusted volumetric data sets;

(d) volume visualization processing in respect of the adjusted volumetric data set.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the pre-processing is selected from a group comprising:

(a) rotating and/or shifting at least one volumetric data set in order to provide alignment with a certain reference;

(b) filtering at least one obtained volumetric data set in accordance with certain criteria;

(c) aggregating two or more obtained volumetric data sets and rotating and/or shifting the aggregated volumetric data in order to provide alignment with a certain reference;

(d) rotating and/or shifting two or more obtained volumetric data sets in order to provide alignment with a common reference and aggregating the adjusted volumetric data sets;

(e) rotating and/or shifting at least one volumetric data set in order to correct the deviation in respect to a previous orientation and/or position.

27. A method of volume visualization for use with a ultra-wideband radar imaging system comprising at least one antenna array, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining one or more volumetric data sets corresponding to the physical inputs obtained by the antenna array;

(b) obtaining data informative of position and/or orientation of the antenna array corresponding to said obtained physical inputs;

(c) generating a visualization mode in accordance with obtained orientation and/or position informative data;

(d) volume visualization processing one or more obtained volumetric data sets and/or derivatives thereof in accordance with the generated visualization mode.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein generating the visualization mode comprises selection of a certain visualization mode among one or more predefined visualization modes, such selection provided in accordance with obtained orientation and/or position informative data.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein at least one obstacle is an element of a construction and at least one predefined visualization mode is selected from a group comprising a floor/ground mode, a wall mode and a ceiling mode.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein one or more parameters characterizing the pre-defined visualization mode are calculated and/or selected in accordance with obtained orientation and/or position informative data.

31. The method of claim 27 further comprising modifying one or more parameters characterizing obtaining at least one volumetric data set in accordance with the generated visualization mode.

32. The method of claim 27 wherein generating the visualization mode comprises automated selecting, in accordance with obtained orientation and/or position informative data, one or more perceiving image elements to be generated during volume visualization processing.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein selecting at least one perceiving image element comprises automated configuring at least one parameter characterizing the element in accordance with obtained orientation and/or position informative data.

34. The method of claim 27 wherein generating the visualization mode comprises automated configuring parameters of volume visualization processing in accordance with obtained orientation and/or position informative data.

35. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps of volume visualization for use with a through-the-obstacle imaging system comprising at least one sensor array configured to obtain physical inputs informative, at least, of a part of an imaging scene concealed by one or more obstacles, the method comprising:

(a) obtaining one or more volumetric data sets corresponding to the physical inputs obtained by the sensor array;

(b) obtaining data informative of position and/or orientation of the sensor array corresponding to said obtained physical inputs;

(c) pre-processing one or more obtained volumetric data sets and/or derivatives thereof in accordance with said position and/or orientation informative data;

(d) volume visualization processing one or more obtained volumetric data sets and/or derivatives thereof in accordance with results of pre-processing.

36. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein of volume visualization for use with a through-the-obstacle imaging system comprising at least one sensor array configured to obtain physical inputs informative, at least, of a part of an imaging scene concealed by one or more obstacles, the computer program product comprising:

(a) computer readable program code for causing the computer to obtain one or more volumetric data sets corresponding to the physical inputs obtained by the sensor array;

(b) computer readable program code for causing the computer to obtain data informative of position and/or orientation of the sensor array corresponding to said obtained physical inputs;

(c) computer readable program code for causing the computer to perform pre-processing of one or more obtained volumetric data sets and/or derivatives thereof in accordance with said position and/or orientation informative data;

(d) computer readable program code for causing the computer to perform volume visualization processing of one or more obtained volumetric data sets and/or derivatives thereof in accordance with results of pre-processing.