METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETECTING TARGET OBJECTS

• US 20110299734A1
• Filed: 01/27/2010
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: EADS Deutschland GmbH (Airbus SE)
• Inventors: Bodenmueller, Albert
• Granted Patent: US 8,712,098 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/96 Management of image or video recognition tasks

Abstract

With a method and a system for detecting target objects, which are detected by a sensor device, for example, by radar, laser or passive reception of electromagnetic waves, through an imaging electro-optical sensor with subsequent digital image evaluation, it is proposed for a rapid allocation of the image sensor with changeable direction that takes into account the different importance of the individual target objects to predefine in an assessment device different assessment criteria for a target parameter of the respective target objects and to derive therefrom a prioritization value for each individual target. Based on the prioritization values a ranking is compiled of the target objects for detection by the image sensor, and the target objects are successively detected by the image sensor in the order given by the ranking and evaluated, in particular classified, in an image evaluation device.

Claims

1. Method for detecting target objects by means of a first sensor device containing at least one first sensor and a second sensor device containing at least one second sensor, wherein the second sensor can be aligned by means of a control device in different spatial directions, with the following process steps:

a) target objects are detected by means of the first sensor device,

b) for the target objects respectively at least one first target parameter is determined,

c) at least a part of the target objects is stored with the at least one first target parameter and information on the spatial direction of the target object relative to the position of the second sensor,

d) the stored target objects are assessed based on target parameters and assessment criteria stored thereon and a highest priority target object is determined thereby,

e) the second sensor is aligned to the highest priority target object determined in step d) and a sensor signal of the second sensor to the target object is obtained,

f) by automatic evaluation of the sensor signal obtained on a target object in the second sensor at least one further target parameter is extracted,

g) the steps d) through f) are carried out repeatedly, optionally with the addition of newly added target objects according to a) through c).

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one further target parameter is used to classify the target object in one of several classes of a classification.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the direction of movement of the target object relative to the image sensor and/or the speed of the target and/or the distance of the target is determined as a first target parameter.

4. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the emission of radar or laser radiation by the target object is determined as a first target parameter.

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that a recognizable signature of a radar or laser radiation emitted by the target object is determined as a first target parameter.

6. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the target position of a target object is determined as a first target parameter.

7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that at least one angle range of the alignment of the second sensor is predefined and reviewed as an assessment criterion, whether the target direction falls in this angle range.

8. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that at least one partial area within the detection zone of the second sensor is predefined and reviewed as an assessment criterion, whether the target position lies in this partial area.

9. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the time expenditure for the realignment of the second sensor to a target object is determined and taken into account in the assessment as a criterion.

10. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a further target parameter extracted from the evaluation of the sensor signal of the second sensor to a target object is taken into account in the assessment as a criterion.

11. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one assessment criterion is adaptively changed taking into consideration the image evaluation.

12. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that respectively one prioritization value is generated in the application of the stored assessment criteria to the several target objects and the target object with the highest prioritization value is selected as the highest priority target object.

13. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least in one of the assessment criteria a first target parameter is compared to a threshold value and a binary value is generated.

14. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a multi-digit binary value is generated in at least one of the assessment criteria.

15. Method according to claim 13, characterized in that several binary values generated according to different assessment criteria are combined to form a table index and that with this table index as address, a prioritization table value is read out of a table.

16. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that a weighted prioritization value is determined by summation of weighted target parameters.

17. Method according to claim 15, characterized in that a prioritization value is determined by the combination of a prioritization table value and a weighted prioritization value.

18. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one absolute assessment criterion is applied to a first target parameter, with the non-satisfaction of which the target object is excluded from the current further processing.

19. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that an imaging electro-optical image sensor is used as a second sensor.

20. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a sensor that can be mechanically pivoted about at least one pivot axis is used as a second sensor.

21. System for detecting target objects, in particular according to a method according to claim 1, with a first sensor device containing at least one first sensor and a second sensor device with at least one second sensor, which can be aligned by means of a control device in different spatial directions, wherein

The first sensor device detects target objects and determines for them respectively a spatial direction regarding the position of the second sensor and at least one of several first target parameters

An assessment device determines a highest priority target object among several target objects on the basis of target parameters and stored assessment criteria

The control device aligns the second sensor to the highest priority target object previously determined

An evaluation device extracts at least one further target parameter from the sensor signal of the second sensor.

22. System according to claim 21, characterized in that the second sensor is arranged on a vehicle.

23. System according to claim 18, characterized in that at least one first sensor of the first sensor device is arranged at a fixed spatial assignment to the second sensor.

24. System according claim 21, characterized in that at least one sensor of the sensor device is an active radar or laser sensor.

25. System according to claim 21, characterized in that at least one sensor of the sensor device is a passive radar or laser detector.

26. System according to claim 25, characterized in that a signature recognition device is assigned to the passive sensor.

27. System according to claim 21, characterized in that the assessment device contains a binarily addressable table with prioritization table values.

28. System according to claim 21, characterized in that at least one assessment criterion can be adaptively adjusted in the assessment device.

29. System according to claim 21, characterized in that the second sensor can be changeably aligned in azimuth and/or elevation in a motor-driven manner regarding a sensor carrier.

30. System according to claim 21, characterized in that the second sensor is an image sensor.

31. System according to claim 30, characterized in that the image sensor is designed for the visible or the infrared spectral range.

32. System according to claim 30, characterized in that the focal length of an optical system of the image sensor is changeable.