Filtering sensor data to provide estimates of structures

• US 8,102,305 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2010
• Issued: 01/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Otts, Daniel W.
• Primary Examiner(s): SOTOMAYOR, JOHN B
• Application Number:
  US12/686,862
• Publication Number:
  US 20110169683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 342 52- 55, 342/59, 342109-112, 342114-116, 342/179, 342/191
• US Class Current: 342/52
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/888 through wall detection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/2921 based on data belonging to one radar period

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a method comprises receiving sensor data generated by one or more sensors in response to sensing a structure. The sensor data is filtered to identify edge data and reverberation data each describing the same structural feature of the structure. Image data for a filtered image of the structure is generated from the edge data, but not from the reverberation data.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving sensor data generated by one or more sensors in response to sensing a structure;

filtering the sensor data, the filtering comprising;

identifying a first portion of the sensor data as edge data, the edge data describing a structural feature of the structure; and

identifying a second portion of the sensor data as reverberation data describing the same structural feature as that described by the edge data; and

generating image data for a filtered image of the structure from the sensor data, the image data generated from data identified as edge data but not from data identified as reverberation data.

2. The method of claim 1, the identifying a second portion of the sensor data further comprising:

detecting lower intensity sensor data proximate to higher intensity sensor data; and

identifying the lower intensity sensor data as reverberation data.

3. The method of claim 1, the filtering further comprising:

dividing the sensor data into a plurality of bins, the plurality of bins arranged according to a perspective of the sensors with respect to the structure; and

identifying for each bin of the plurality of bins whether the each bin comprises edge data or reverberation data.

4. The method of claim 1, the filtering further comprising:

dividing the sensor data into a plurality of bins, the plurality of bins arranged according to a perspective of the sensors with respect to the structure;

determining an intensity of each bin of the plurality of bins; and

repeating for each bin;

identifying the each bin as a bin under test;

selecting a subset of bins proximate to the bin under test as a plurality of threshold bins;

comparing the intensity of the bin under test to a mathematically-determined intensity, the mathematically-determined intensity calculated based on the intensity of one or more of the threshold bins; and

identifying the bin under test as comprising reverberation data if the intensity of the bin under test is lower than the mathematically-determined intensity.

5. The method of claim 1, the receiving the sensor data further comprising receiving radar sensor data generated by at least one sensor comprising a radar sensor.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the receiving the sensor data further comprising receiving radar sensor data generated by a sensor configured to sense electromagnetic waves; and

the filtering further comprising;

detecting lower intensity sensor data within a predetermined proximity to higher intensity sensor data, the predetermined proximity selected according to one or more reverberation properties of the electromagnetic waves; and

identifying the lower intensity sensor data as reverberation data.

7. The method of claim 1, the filtering further comprising:

detecting lower intensity sensor data within a predetermined proximity to higher intensity sensor data, the predetermined proximity selected based on a minimum corridor width; and

identifying the lower intensity sensor data as reverberation data.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a leading edge of the edge data, the leading edge describing a first portion of a first structural feature;

detecting a non-leading edge of the edge data, the non-leading edge describing a second portion of the same structural feature, the second portion further away from the sensors;

determining that an intensity of the non-leading edge exceeds an intensity of the leading edge;

increasing the intensity of the leading edge to a level equal to the intensity of the non-leading edge; and

decreasing the intensity of the non-leading edge to filter out the non-leading edge.

9. A system comprising:

an interface configured to receive sensor data generated by one or more sensors in response to sensing a structure;

a processor configured to filter the sensor data by;

identifying a first portion of the sensor data as edge data, the edge data describing a structural feature of the structure; and

identifying a second portion of the sensor data as reverberation data describing the same structural feature as that described by the edge data; and

generating image data for a filtered image of the structure, the image data generated from sensor data identified as edge data but not from data identified as reverberation data.

10. The system of claim 9, the processor further configured to:

detect lower intensity sensor data proximate to higher intensity sensor data; and

identify the lower intensity sensor data as reverberation data.

11. The system of claim 9, the processor further configured to:

divide the sensor data into a plurality of bins, the plurality of bins arranged according to a perspective of the sensors with respect to the structure; and

identify for each bin of the plurality of bins whether the each bin comprises edge data or reverberation data.

12. The system of claim 9, the processor further configured to:

divide the sensor data into a plurality of bins, the plurality of bins arranged according to a perspective of the sensors with respect to the structure;

determine an intensity of each bin of the plurality of bins; and

repeat for each bin;

identify the each bin as a bin under test;

select a subset of bins proximate to the bin under test as a plurality of threshold bins;

compare the intensity of the bin under test to a mathematically-determined intensity, the mathematically-determined intensity calculated based on the intensity of one or more of the threshold bins; and

identify the bin under test as comprising reverberation data if the intensity of the bin under test is lower than the mathematically-determined intensity.

13. The system of claim 9, the sensor data further comprising radar sensor data generated by at least one sensor comprising a radar sensor.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

the sensor data further comprising radar sensor data generated by a sensor configured to sense electromagnetic waves; and

the processor further configured to;

detect lower intensity sensor data within a predetermined proximity to higher intensity sensor data, the predetermined proximity selected according to one or more reverberation properties of the electromagnetic waves; and

identify the lower intensity sensor data as reverberation data.

15. The system of claim 9, the processor further configured to:

detect lower intensity sensor data within a predetermined proximity to higher intensity sensor data, the predetermined proximity selected based on a minimum corridor width; and

identify the lower intensity sensor data as reverberation data.

16. The system of claim 9, the processor further configured to:

detect a leading edge of the edge data, the leading edge describing a first portion of a first structural feature;

detect a non-leading edge of the edge data, the non-leading edge describing a second portion of the same structural feature, the second portion further away from the sensors;

determine that an intensity of the non-leading edge exceeds an intensity of the leading edge;

increase the intensity of the leading edge to a level equal to the intensity of the non-leading edge; and

decrease the intensity of the non-leading edge to filter out the non-leading edge.

17. A method comprising:

receiving radar sensor data generated by one or more sensors configured to sense electromagnetic waves, the electromagnetic waves describing a structure;

filtering the sensor data, the filtering comprising;

identifying a first portion of the sensor data as edge data, the edge data describing a structural feature of the structure; and

identifying a second portion of the sensor data as reverberation data describing the same structural feature as that described by the edge data, the reverberation data including;

a subset of lower intensity sensor data within a predetermined proximity to a higher intensity sensor data, the predetermined proximity selected based on a minimum corridor width; and

generating image data for a filtered image of the structure from the sensor data, the image data generated from data identified as edge data but not from data identified as reverberation data.

18. The method of claim 17, the minimum corridor width in the range of approximately 0.3 to 1 meter.

19. The method of claim 17, the filtering the sensor data further comprising identifying sensor data as edge data if the intensity of the sensor data is at least approximately 1 dB greater than the mean intensity of sensor data within the predetermined proximity.