Method and system for recognizing targets at long ranges
First Claim
1. An improved method for recognizing a target, comprising the steps of:
- (a) detecting a target relative to a sensor platform;
(b) determining a set of range and angle parameters from said sensor platform to the target;
(c) transferring said set of range and angle parameters to an imaging recognition sensor associated with said sensor platform, said imaging recognition sensor comprising a laser source and a gated television sensor;
(d) illuminating the target according to said set of range and angle parameters with an imaging laser pulse from said laser source, the target reflects at least some of the energy of the imaging laser pulse generating reflected energy from the target;
(e) collecting and highly magnifying a portion of said reflected energy;
(f) imaging said highly-magnified portion using said gated television sensor to generate a plurality of target images; and
(g) recognizing the target from at least one of said plurality of target images as the target.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved method and system (30) for recognizing targets (16) at long-ranges permits target recognition at or near the ranges at which the targets are initially detected. The method includes the steps of detecting (32) the target (16) relative to a sensor platform (12), and, in response to the detection, determining a set of range parameters (40) from the sensor platform (12) to the target (16). After transferring the set of range parameters to a gated television sensor (44) that serves as an imaging device, the method next involves illuminating the target area associated with the range parameters with a laser pulse (42) to generate reflected energy (48) from the target (16). The reflected energy (48) is then highly magnified and imaged (46) using the gated television sensor (44). The image (46) may be sent to an automatic target recognizor system (70) or displayed for operator recognition (72).
74 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An improved method for recognizing a target, comprising the steps of:
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(a) detecting a target relative to a sensor platform; (b) determining a set of range and angle parameters from said sensor platform to the target; (c) transferring said set of range and angle parameters to an imaging recognition sensor associated with said sensor platform, said imaging recognition sensor comprising a laser source and a gated television sensor; (d) illuminating the target according to said set of range and angle parameters with an imaging laser pulse from said laser source, the target reflects at least some of the energy of the imaging laser pulse generating reflected energy from the target; (e) collecting and highly magnifying a portion of said reflected energy; (f) imaging said highly-magnified portion using said gated television sensor to generate a plurality of target images; and (g) recognizing the target from at least one of said plurality of target images as the target. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An improved method for recognizing a target, comprising the steps of:
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detecting a target relative to a sensor platform; generating a set of range and angle parameters from said sensor platform to the target in response to said detecting step; passing said set of range and angle parameters to an imaging recognition sensor, said imaging recognition sensor comprising a laser-aided imaging recognition sensor (LAIRS) system, said LAIRS system comprising a laser source for generating an imaging laser pulse and a gated television sensor, said gated television sensor operating at the same wavelength as said imaging laser; illuminating the target according to said range and angle parameters with the imaging laser pulse from said laser source, the target reflects at least some of the energy of the imaging laser pulse generating reflected energy from the target; collecting and highly magnifying a portion of said reflected energy; imaging said highly-magnified portion using said gated television sensor to generate a plurality of target images; and recognizing the target from at least one of said plurality of target images. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for increasing the recognition range of a target, comprising the steps of:
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detecting a target relative to a sensor platform; generating angle coordinates associated with the target; providing said angle coordinates to a laser-aided imaging recognition sensor (LAIRS) system, said LAIRS system comprising a laser illuminator and an imaging device operating at the same wavelengths as said laser illuminator; aiming said LAIRS system in accordance with said angle coordinates; illuminating the target with a measurement laser pulse for measuring a range from said LAIRS system to the target and determining from said range a set of gating parameters associated with said imaging device; illuminating the target with an imaging laser pulse, the target reflects at least a portion of the energy of the imaging laser pulse generating reflected energy from said target; gating said imaging device in accordance with said gating parameters to receive said energy reflected from the target; collecting and highly magnifying a portion of said reflected energy; imaging said energy reflected from the target on the imaging device to form an image of the target; and recognizing said image of the target. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification