Method and apparatus for automatically identifying targets in sonar images
First Claim
1. An automatic target curing system for sonar images for use with a sonar image generator source which provides sonar images consisting of a matrix of pixels each pixel having a known greyness level and a control source which determines and provides information about the sonar image and how the image is generated comprising a highlight-shadow detector, a statistical cuer and a first neural network connected to the sonar image generator and the control source with each receiving input from the sonar image generator, the highlight-shadow detector, statistical cuer, and first neural network operating independently to create outputs at least some of which are detection windows and further comprising a combine output classifier which receives and combines adjacent and overlapping detection windows to form cluster windows, classifies the cluster windows as containing highlights, containing shadows and containing only background and outputs for target identification those cluster windows containing highlights and those cluster windows containing shadows.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for automatically identifying targets in sonar images utilizes three processing systems which preferably operate simultaneously. After the image has been filtered and Fourier transformed, a highlight-shadow detector classifies portions of the image as a highlight, a shadow or background according to greyness levels of pixels in such portions. A statistical cuer selects those portions which have been classified as a highlight or a shadow. A neural network then classifies the sets of highlight and shadow reports as targets or background.
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Citations
10 Claims
- 1. An automatic target curing system for sonar images for use with a sonar image generator source which provides sonar images consisting of a matrix of pixels each pixel having a known greyness level and a control source which determines and provides information about the sonar image and how the image is generated comprising a highlight-shadow detector, a statistical cuer and a first neural network connected to the sonar image generator and the control source with each receiving input from the sonar image generator, the highlight-shadow detector, statistical cuer, and first neural network operating independently to create outputs at least some of which are detection windows and further comprising a combine output classifier which receives and combines adjacent and overlapping detection windows to form cluster windows, classifies the cluster windows as containing highlights, containing shadows and containing only background and outputs for target identification those cluster windows containing highlights and those cluster windows containing shadows.
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6. A method for detecting targets in sonar images consisting of a matrix of pixels each pixel having a known greyness level comprising the steps of:
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a) filtering each of the sonar images; b) performing a Fourier transformation on each of the sonar images; c) identifying portions of at least some of the sonar images as a first set of detection windows; d) classifying with a highlight-shadow detector portions of each of the sonar images as one of a highlight, a shadow and background according to greyness levels of the pixels therein those portions containing at least one highlight or shadow and comprising a second set of detection windows; e) subjecting each of the sonar images to a statistical cuer which selects those portions of the sonar images which have been classified as one of a highlight and a shadow to form a third set of detection windows; f) recording a location for all of detection windows; g) combining all groups of adjacent and overlapping detection windows to form cluster windows; h) classifying through a neural network at least one portion of each cluster window as a target; and i) marking on each cluster window those portions of the cluster window which have been classified as targets. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for detecting targets in sonar images consisting of a matrix of pixels each pixel having a known greyness level comprising the steps of:
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a) filtering each of the sonar images; b) identifying portions of at least some of the sonar images as a first set of detection windows; c) classifying portions of the sonar images as one of a highlight, a shadow and background according to greyness levels of the pixels therein those portions containing at least one highlight or shadow and comprising a second set of detection windows; d) subjecting each of the sonar images to a statistical cuer which selects those portions of the sonar images which have been classified as one of a highlight and a shadow to form a third set of detection windows; e) recording a location for all of the detection windows; f) combining all groups of adjacent and overlapping detection windows to form cluster windows; and g) classifying through a neural network at least one portion of each cluster window as a target.
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Specification