METHOD OF STRIP-MAP SYNTHETIC APERTURE RADAR AUTO-FOCUS PROCESSING
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of strip-map synthetic aperture radar auto-focus image generation, comprising the steps of:
- forming one or more batch images from batches of radar return data, said radar return data and batches of radar return data having a chronological order, wherein at least one batch image has a valid region abutted to a valid region of another batch image and an overlap region overlapped with an overlap region of another batch image;
for one or more batches of radar return data, performing the steps of;
determining an estimated first derivative of a phase error in a batch image, substantially at an end of the valid region;
determining a chronological shift corresponding to said first derivative at an end of the valid region; and
determining a start of a next batch of radar return data dependent on said chronological shift.
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Abstract
A strip-map Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) auto-focus image generation process is provided. Batches of raw radar return data are processed in order to form batch images which each have a valid region between invalid regions. The process determines an estimate of the first derivative of a phase error at an end of the valid region, determines a time-shift corresponding to that estimate and uses that information in determining a starting point for the next batch of raw radar return data.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method of strip-map synthetic aperture radar auto-focus image generation, comprising the steps of:
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forming one or more batch images from batches of radar return data, said radar return data and batches of radar return data having a chronological order, wherein at least one batch image has a valid region abutted to a valid region of another batch image and an overlap region overlapped with an overlap region of another batch image; for one or more batches of radar return data, performing the steps of; determining an estimated first derivative of a phase error in a batch image, substantially at an end of the valid region; determining a chronological shift corresponding to said first derivative at an end of the valid region; and determining a start of a next batch of radar return data dependent on said chronological shift. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A storage medium encoded with computer readable instructions, wherein said instructions when executed configure a computer to perform the steps of:
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forming one or more batch images from batches of radar return data, said radar return data and batches of radar return data having a chronological order, wherein at least one batch image has a valid region abutted to a valid region of another batch image and an overlap region overlapped with an overlap region of another batch image; for one or more batches of radar return data, performing the steps of; determining an estimated first derivative of a phase error in a batch image, substantially at an end of the valid region; determining a chronological shift corresponding to said first derivative at an end of the valid region; and determining a start of a next batch of radar return data dependent on said chronological shift.
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17. A radar apparatus to process batches of radar return data, said radar return data and batches of radar return data having a chronological order, the radar apparatus comprising:
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an image processing circuit to form one or more batch images from the batches of radar return data, wherein at least one batch image has a valid region abutted to a valid region of another batch image and an overlap region overlapped with an overlap region of another batch image; an image analysis circuit to determine an estimated first derivative of a phase error in a batch image, substantially at an end of the valid region; a time analysis circuit to determine a chronological shift corresponding to said first derivative at an end of the valid region; and a triggering circuit to determine a start of a next batch of radar return data dependent on said chronological shift.
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18. A computer apparatus operable to perform strip-map synthetic aperture radar auto-focus image generation, comprising:
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a processor coupled to a memory, wherein the processor is programmed to generate an auto-focused strip-map synthetic aperture radar image from batches of radar return data, said radar return data and batches of radar return data having a chronological order, by performing the steps of; forming one or more batch images from the batches of radar return data wherein at least one batch image has a valid region abutted to a valid region of another batch image and an overlap region overlapped with an overlap region of another batch image; for one or more batches of radar return data, performing the steps of; determining an estimated first derivative of a phase error in a batch image, substantially at an end of the valid region; determining a chronological shift corresponding to said first derivative at an end of the valid region; and determining a start of a next batch of radar return data dependent on said chronological shift.
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Specification