Wavelet transform of super-resolutions based on radar and infrared sensor fusion

• US 5,952,957 A
• Filed: 05/01/1998
• Issued: 09/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Szu, Harold H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lobo, Ian J.
• Application Number:
  US09/071,737
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 342/53, 342/176, 342/177, 342/179
• US Class Current: 342/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/86 Combinations of radar systems with non-radar systems, e.g. sonar, direction finder
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/04 Display arrangements

Abstract

A method of enhancing resolution of an electromagnetic image comprising steps of inputting an infrared signal, inputting a radar signal, combining the infrared signal and the radar signal to produce an image and displaying the image.

Claims

1. A method for generating and displaying an image of a target object, including the steps of:

receiving an infrared signal from an infrared sensor that is positioned to detect the target object;

receiving a radar signal from a radar sensor that is positioned to detect the target object;

processing the infrared signal to extract information concerning an interior portion of the target object, and generating a processed infrared signal representative of this extracted information;

processing the radar signal to extract information concerning the size and shape of the target object, and generating a processed radar signal representative of this extracted information;

generating a first wavelet transform by transforming the processed infrared signal into a wavelet domain;

generating a second wavelet transform by transforming the processed radar signal into the wavelet domain;

combining the first and second wavelet transforms to produce a combined wavelet signal;

inverse transforming the combined wavelet signal to produce an image; and

,

displaying the image.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of processing the infrared signal includes a sub-step of band-limiting the infrared signal.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the step of processing the infrared signal includes a sub-step of extrapolating the infrared signal based on the radar signal.

4. The method as set forth in claim 2, wherein the step of processing the infrared signal includes a sub-step of extrapolating the infrared signal based on the radar signal.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the infrared sensor includes a matrix of pixels, each of the pixels including a sensing area and a non-sensing area surrounding the sensing area; and

,

the step of processing the infrared signal includes a sub-step of extrapolating the infrared signal from the sensing area towards the non-sensing area based on the radar signal.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the infrared sensor includes a matrix of pixels, each of the pixels including a sensing area and a non-sensing area surrounding the sensing area; and

,

the step of processing the infrared signal includes a sub-step of extrapolating the infrared signal from the sensing area towards the non-sensing area using target size and shape information extracted from the radar signal.

7. The method as set forth in claim 5, wherein the step of processing the infrared signal further includes a sub-step of band-limiting the infrared signal.

8. The method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the step of processing the infrared signal further includes a sub-step of band-limiting the infrared signal.

9. A system for generating and displaying an image of a target object, including:

an infrared sensor that is positioned to detect the target object and to generate an infrared signal that constitutes an infrared image of the target object;

a radar sensor that is positioned to detect the target object and to generate a radar signal that constitutes a radar image of the target object;

a processor that;

processes the infrared signal to extract information concerning an interior portion of the target object;

that generates a processed infrared signal representative of this extracted information;

that processes the radar signal to extract information concerning the size and shape of the target object;

that generates a processed radar signal representative of this extracted information;

that generates a first wavelet transform by transforming the processed infrared signal into a wavelet domain;

that generates a second wavelet transform by transforming the processed radar signal into the wavelet domain;

that combines the first and second wavelet transforms to produce a combined wavelet signal; and

, that inverse transforms the combined wavelet signal to produce a display domain signal; and

,

a display device that displays the image in response to the display domain signal.

10. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the processor band-limits the infrared signal during the processing of the infrared signal.

11. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the processor extrapolates the infrared signal based on the radar signal during the processing of the infrared signal.

12. The system as set forth in claim 10, wherein the processor extrapolates the infrared signal based on the radar signal during the processing of the infrared signal.

13. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

the infrared sensor includes a matrix of pixels, each of the pixels including a sensing area and a non-sensing area surrounding the sensing area; and

,

the processor extrapolates the infrared signal based on the radar signal from the sensing area towards the non-sensing area based on the radar signal, during the processing of the infrared signal.

14. The system as set forth in claim 9, wherein:

the infrared sensor includes a matrix of pixels, each of the pixels including a sensing area and a non-sensing area surrounding the sensing area; and

,

the processor extrapolates the infrared signal from the sensing area towards the non-sensing area using target size and shape information extracted from the radar signal, during the processing of the infrared signal.

15. The system as set forth in claim 13, wherein the processor band-limits the infrared signal during the processing of the infrared signal.

16. The system as set forth in claim 14, wherein the processor band-limits the infrared signal during the processing of the infrared signal.

17. A system for generating and displaying an image of a target object, including:

means for receiving an infrared signal from an infrared sensor that is positioned to detect the target object;

means for receiving a radar signal from a radar sensor that is positioned to detect the target object;

means for processing the infrared signal to extract information concerning an interior portion of the target object, and generating a processed infrared signal representative of this extracted information;

means for processing the radar signal to extract information concerning the size and shape of the target object, and generating a processed radar signal representative of this extracted information;

means for generating a first wavelet transform by transforming the processed infrared signal into a wavelet domain;

means for generating a second wavelet transform by transforming the processed radar signal into the wavelet domain;

means for combining the first and second wavelet transforms to produce a combined wavelet signal;

means for inverse transforming the combined wavelet signal to produce an image; and

,

means for displaying the image.