Composite Hough transform for multitarget multisensor tracking

• US 7,054,505 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2003
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2000
• 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: Shyu, Haw-Jye
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancuso, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): GORADIA, SHEFALI DINESH
• Application Number:
  US10/662,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20050190951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 382/281, 382/103
• US Class Current: 382/281
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/726 Multiple target tracking

Abstract

A system and method for tracking multiple targets using distributed linear sensor arrays. The system includes a plurality of arrays of sensors for receiving signals from a target; a receiver for receiving signals received by the plurality of sensor arrays; an analog/digital converter for converting the signals received from the sensor arrays to a digital format, if signals are received in an analog format; a digital storage device for storing the digitized data from the sensor arrays; and a computer system for retrieving the stored digitized data from the plurality of sensor arrays and processing the data through the use of a composite Hough transform to determine a track of the target. Embodiments include a computer system and method for processing target data from sensors through the use of a composite Hough transform to determine a track of the target.

Claims

1. A method of processing data from at least two sensor arrays to determine the track of a target, each sensor array having at least two sensors, the sensor arrays being arranged non-parallel to each other, the method comprising:

computing a hypothesis reference track relative to a primary sensor array of the at least two sensor arrays;

computing a hypothesis reference track relative to a second sensor array of the at least two sensor arrays;

calculating an associated delay curve in a primary correlogram for the primary sensor array;

calculating an associated delay curve in a secondary correlogram for a secondary array;

accumulating data for the reference track by integrating a series of pixel values along the appropriate delay curve in the primary and secondary correlograms and adding integrands resulting from said integrating in the primary and secondary correlograms;

storing the accumulated pixel values in composite Hough space; and

thresholding the accumulated pixel values to detect the track.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said sensor arrays are arranged perpendicular to each other.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said sensors are acoustic sensors.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said sensors are electromagnetic sensors.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said applying the composite Hough Transform to the delay curves reduces ambiguity between the track of the target and a mirror track of the target.

6. A method of processing data from at least two pairs of sensors to determine the track of a target, the pairs of sensors including a first pair of sensors and a second pair of sensors, the pairs of sensor arrays being arranged non-parallel with each other, the method comprising:

calculating a delay curve in a primary correlogram for the first pair of sensors;

calculating an associated delay curve in a secondary correlogram for the second pair of sensors;

and combining said delay curves with a composite Hough transform by integrating a series of pixel values along the appropriate delay curve in the each of the primary and secondary correlograms and adding integrands resulting from said integrating in the primary and secondary correlograms.

7. A method of processing data from at least two pairs of sensors to determine the track of a target, the pairs of sensors including a first pair of sensors and a second pair of sensors, the pairs of sensor arrays being arranged non-parallel with each other, the method comprising:

computing a hypothesis reference track relative to the first pair of sensors;

computing a hypothesis reference track relative to the second pair of sensors;

calculating an associated delay curve in a primary correlogram for the first pair of sensors;

calculating an associated delay curve in a secondary correlogram for the second pair of sensors;

accumulating data for the reference track by integrating a series of pixel values along the appropriate delay curve in the primary and secondary correlograms and adding integrands resulting from said integrating in the primary and secondary correlograms;

storing the accumulated pixel values in composite Hough space; and

thresholding the accumulated pixel values to detect the track.