MEASURING POINT INFORMATION PROVIDING DEVICE, CHANGE DETECTION DEVICE, METHODS THEREOF, AND RECORDING MEDIUM

• US 20150323665A1
• Filed: 05/05/2015
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: MURATA, Minoru
• Granted Patent: US 10,338,215 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/9023 combined with interferometric techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/9076 Polarimetric features in SAR
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/025 involving the transmission of linearly polarised waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/411 Identification of targets based on measurements of radar reflectivity G01S7/415 takes precedence

Abstract

The measuring point information providing device of the present invention inputs an SAR image set holding at least information indicative of a reflection intensity and a phase so as to be associated with each pixel corresponding to a resolution cell within a field of vision for image capturing including a specific region. The information is generated from observation data formed of four basic polarization pairs, i.e. HH, HV, VH and VV polarization pairs observed at generally the same time. The measuring point information providing device determines a polarization pair whose reflection intensity is not less than a predetermined value or the highest with respect to each target pixel by using the input SAR image set, and generates measuring point information including at least information indicative of the determined polarization pair of the target pixel based on a polarization pair determined by the polarization pair determination unit.

Claims

1. A measuring point information providing device comprising:

an SAR image set input unit which inputs an SAR image set holding, so as to be associated with each pixel corresponding to a resolution cell within a field of vision for image capturing including a specific region, at least information indicative of a reflection intensity and a phase, the information being generated from observation data formed of four basic polarization pairs, an HH polarization, an HV polarization, a VH polarization and a VV polarization which are combinations of transmission and reception polarizations observed by a synthetic aperture radar at generally the same time;

a polarization pair determination unit which determines a polarization pair whose reflection intensity is not less than a predetermined value or the highest with respect to each target pixel by using the input SAR image set; and

a measuring point information generation unit which generates, based on a polarization pair determined by the polarization pair determination unit, measuring point information including at least information indicative of the determined polarization pair of the target pixel.

2. The measuring point information providing device according to claim 1, comprising a measuring point information output unit which outputs measuring point information generated by the measuring point information generation unit or information indicating whether a spot corresponding to a target pixel is appropriate as a measuring point or not or indicating to which degree the spot is appropriate as a measuring point, the information being generated based on the measuring point information.

3. The measuring point information providing device according to claim 2, wherein as information indicating to which degree a spot corresponding to a target pixel is appropriate as a measuring point, the measuring point information output unit generates and outputs a rotational SAR image which holds at least information indicative of a reflection intensity and a phase obtained by the determined polarization pair of the pixel at least so as to be associated with the target pixel based on the input SAR image set and measuring point information.

4. The measuring point information providing device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising:

a measuring point candidate input unit which inputs a candidate for a measuring point;

a measuring point condition determination unit which determines whether the input measuring point candidate is appropriate as a measuring point or not based on the measuring point information by using at least a reflection intensity obtained by the determined polarization pair of the pixel corresponding to the candidate in question; and

a determination result output unit which outputs a determination result made by the measuring point condition determination unit, wherein

the polarization pair determination unit determines a polarization pair whose reflection intensity is not less than a predetermined value or the highest with respect to each target pixel which is a pixel corresponding to the input measuring point candidate, and

the measuring point information generation unit generates measuring point information including at least information indicative of the determined polarization pair of the target pixel and information indicative of a reflection intensity obtained by the polarization pair of the target pixel in question based on a polarization pair determination result obtained by the polarization pair determination unit.

5. A change detection device comprising:

an SAR image set input unit which inputs at least two SAR image sets holding, so as to be associated with each pixel corresponding to a resolution cell within a field of vision for image capturing including a specific region, at least information indicative of a reflection intensity and a phase, the information being generated from observation data formed of four basic polarization pairs, an HH polarization, an HV polarization, a VH polarization and a VV polarization which are combinations of transmission and reception polarizations observed by a synthetic aperture radar at generally the same time;

a polarization pair determination unit which determines a polarization pair whose reflection intensity is not less than a predetermined value or the highest with respect to each target pixel by using at least one of the input SAR image sets;

a measuring point information generation unit which generates, based on a polarization pair determined by the polarization pair determination unit, measuring point information including at least information indicative of the determined polarization pair of the target pixel;

a displacement measurement unit which measures displacement at a spot corresponding to the target pixel based on the measuring point information and the input SAR image set;

a first output unit which outputs information indicative of a measurement result obtained by the displacement measurement unit; and

a second output unit which outputs the measuring point information, or information indicating whether a spot corresponding to the target pixel is appropriate as a measuring point or not or indicating to which degree the spot is appropriate as a measuring point, the information being generated based on the measuring point information.

6. A change detection device comprising:

an SAR image set input unit which inputs at least two SAR image sets holding, so as to be associated with each pixel corresponding to a resolution cell within a field of vision for image capturing including a specific region, at least information indicative of a reflection intensity and a phase, the information being generated from observation data formed of four basic polarization pairs, an HH polarization, an HV polarization, a VH polarization and a VV polarization which are combinations of transmission and reception polarizations observed by a synthetic aperture radar at generally the same time;

a measuring point candidate input unit which inputs a candidate for a measuring point;

a polarization pair determination unit which determines a polarization pair whose reflection intensity is not less than a predetermined value or the highest with respect to each target pixel as a pixel corresponding to the input measuring point candidate by using at least one of the input SAR image sets;

a measuring point information generation unit which generates, based on a polarization pair determined by the polarization pair determination unit, measuring point information including at least information indicative of the determined polarization pair of the target pixel and information indicative of a reflection intensity obtained by the polarization pair of the target pixel in question;

a measuring point condition determination unit which determines whether the input measuring point candidate is appropriate as a measuring point or not based on the measuring point information by using at least a reflection intensity obtained by the determined polarization pair of the pixel corresponding to the candidate in question;

a determination result output unit which outputs a determination result made by the measuring point condition determination unit; and

a displacement measurement unit which uses, as a measuring point, a candidate determined to be appropriate as a measuring point by the measuring point condition determination unit to measure displacement at the measuring point based on the measuring point information and input SAR image sets.

7. A measuring point information providing method comprising the steps of:

inputting an SAR image set holding, so as to be associated with each pixel corresponding to a resolution cell within a field of vision for image capturing including a specific region, at least information indicative of a reflection intensity and a phase, the information being generated from observation data formed of four basic polarization pairs, an HH polarization, an HV polarization, a VH polarization and a VV polarization which are combinations of transmission and reception polarizations observed by a synthetic aperture radar at generally the same time;

determining a polarization pair whose reflection intensity is not less than a predetermined value or the highest with respect to each target pixel by using at least one of the input SAR image sets; and

generating, based on a polarization pair determined by the polarization pair determination unit, measuring point information including at least information indicative of the determined polarization pair of the target pixel.

8. A change detection method comprising the steps of:

inputting at least two SAR image sets holding, so as to be associated with each pixel corresponding to a resolution cell within a field of vision for image capturing including a specific region, at least information indicative of a reflection intensity and a phase, the information being generated from observation data formed of four basic polarization pairs, an HH polarization, an HV polarization, a VH polarization and a VV polarization which are combinations of transmission and reception polarizations observed by a synthetic aperture radar at generally the same time;

determining a polarization pair whose reflection intensity is not less than a predetermined value or the highest with respect to each target pixel by using input SAR image sets;

based on a polarization pair determined by the polarization pair determination unit, generating measuring point information including at least information indicative of the determined polarization pair of the target pixel;

measuring displacement at a spot corresponding to the target pixel based on the measuring point information and input SAR image sets; and

together with information indicative of a measurement result of displacement at a spot corresponding to the target pixel, outputting the measuring point information, or information indicating whether a spot corresponding to the target pixel is appropriate as a measuring point or not or indicating to which degree the spot is appropriate as a measuring point, the information being generated based on the measuring point information.

9. A change detection method comprising the steps of:

inputting at least two SAR image sets holding, so as to be associated with each pixel corresponding to a resolution cell within a field of vision for image capturing including a specific region, at least information indicative of a reflection intensity and a phase, the information being generated from observation data formed of four basic polarization pairs, an HH polarization, an HV polarization, a VH polarization and a VV polarization which are combinations of transmission and reception polarizations observed by a synthetic aperture radar at generally the same time;

inputting a candidate for a measuring point;

determining a polarization pair whose reflection intensity is not less than a predetermined value or the highest with respect to each target pixel as a pixel corresponding to the input measuring point candidate by using input SAR image sets;

generating, based on the determined polarization pair, measuring point information including at least information indicative of the determined polarization pair of the target pixel and information indicative of a reflection intensity obtained by the polarization pair of the target pixel in question;

determining whether the input measuring point candidate is appropriate as a measuring point or not based on the measuring point information by using at least a reflection intensity obtained by the polarization pair of a pixel corresponding to the candidate in question;

when determining to be inappropriate as a measuring point by the determination, outputting information to that effect; and

when determining to be appropriate as a measuring point by the determination, measuring displacement at the measuring point by using the candidate in question for a measuring point based on the measuring point information and input SAR image sets.

10. A non-transitory computer readable medium which records a program, the program causing a computer to execute:

the SAR image set input processing of inputting an SAR image set holding, so as to be associated with each pixel corresponding to a resolution cell within a field of vision for image capturing including a specific region, at least information indicative of a reflection intensity and a phase, the information being generated from observation data formed of four basic polarization pairs, an HH polarization, an HV polarization, a VH polarization and a VV polarization which are combinations of transmission and reception polarizations observed by a synthetic aperture radar at generally the same time;

the polarization pair determination processing of determining a polarization pair whose reflection intensity is not less than a predetermined value or the highest with respect to each target pixel by using the input SAR image set; and

the measuring point information generation processing of generating, based on a polarization pair determined by the polarization pair determination processing, measuring point information including at least information indicative of the determined polarization pair of a target pixel.

11. A non-transitory computer readable medium which records a program, the program causing a computer to execute:

the SAR image set input processing of inputting at least two SAR image sets holding, so as to be associated with each pixel corresponding to a resolution cell within a field of vision for image capturing including a specific region, at least information indicative of a reflection intensity and a phase, the information being generated from observation data formed of four basic polarization pairs, an HH polarization, an HV polarization, a VH polarization and a VV polarization which are combinations of transmission and reception polarizations observed by a synthetic aperture radar at generally the same time;

the polarization pair determination processing of determining a polarization pair whose reflection intensity is not less than a predetermined value or the highest with respect to each target pixel by using input SAR image sets;

the measuring point information generation processing of generating, based on a polarization pair determined by the polarization pair determination processing, measuring point information including at least information indicative of the determined polarization pair of the target pixel;

the displacement measurement processing of measuring displacement at a spot corresponding to the target pixel based on the measuring point information and input SAR image sets;

the first output processing of outputting information indicative of a measurement result of displacement at a spot corresponding to the target pixel; and

the second output processing of outputting the measuring point information, or information indicating whether a spot corresponding to the target pixel is appropriate as a measuring point or not or indicating to which degree the spot is appropriate as a measuring point, the information being generated based on the measuring point information.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium which records a program, the program causing a computer to execute:

the SAR image set input processing of inputting at least two SAR image sets holding, so as to be associated with each pixel corresponding to a resolution cell within a field of vision for image capturing including a specific region, at least information indicative of a reflection intensity and a phase, the information being generated from observation data formed of four basic polarization pairs, an HH polarization, an HV polarization, a VH polarization and a VV polarization which are combinations of transmission and reception polarizations observed by a synthetic aperture radar at generally the same time;

the measuring point candidate input processing of inputting a candidate for a measuring point;

the polarization pair determination processing of determining a polarization pair whose reflection intensity is not less than a predetermined value or the highest with respect to each target pixel as a pixel corresponding to the input measuring point candidate by using input SAR image sets;

the measuring point information generation processing of generating, based on a polarization pair determined by the polarization pair determination processing, measuring point information including at least information indicative of a determined polarization pair of the target pixel and information indicative of a reflection intensity obtained by the polarization pair of the target pixel in question;

the measuring point condition determination processing of determining whether the input measuring point candidate is appropriate as a measuring point or not based on the measuring point information by using at least a reflection intensity obtained by the determined polarization pair of a pixel corresponding to the candidate in question;

the determination result output processing of outputting a determination result made by the measuring point condition determination processing; and

the displacement measurement processing of using, as a measuring point, a candidate determined to be appropriate as a measuring point by the measuring point condition determination processing to measure displacement at the measuring point based on the measuring point information and input SAR image sets.