System and method for 3D imaging using compressive sensing with hyperplane multi-baseline data

• US 9,971,031 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2015
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc. (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Inc. (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Liu, Dehong, Boufounos, Petros
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E
• Application Number:
  US14/603,460
• Publication Number:
  US 20160216372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 342 25 R- 25 F
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/904 SAR modes

Abstract

A method and system generates a three-dimensional (3D) image by first acquiring data from a scene using multiple parallel baselines and multiple different pulse repetition frequencies (PRF), wherein the multiple baselines are arranged in a hyperplane. Then, a 3D compressive sensing reconstruction procedure is applied to the data to generate the 3D image corresponding to the scene.

Claims

1. A method for generating a three-dimensional (3D) image, wherein the image is a virtual array image, comprising steps of:

acquiring data from reflectors in a scene using multiple parallel baselines, wherein the multiple parallel baselines are determined by antenna array platforms passing over the scene and multiple different pulse repetition frequencies (PRF), wherein two-dimensional coordinates of the multiple baselines are arranged in a hyperplane; and

applying a 3D compressive sensing reconstruction procedure to the data to generate the 3D virtual array image corresponding to the scene.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data are sampled uniformly for each baseline.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the baselines are predetermined to be parallel to each other.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each baseline includes multiple antenna elements, and spatial locations of antenna elements are subject to jitter.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the PRF of each baseline is independent to each other PRF.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data are collected from multiple antenna virtual array systems.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a spatial distribution of the multiple baseline is random.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein an elevation aperture is larger than a single virtual array orbit tube.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the compressive sensing method is an iterative reconstruction method.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the elevation resolution is higher than a predetermined 3D virtual array system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the total number of baselines is fewer than a predetermined 3D virtual array system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein locations of the baselines are randomly distributed on an arc of a circle centered at a scene center.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein each baseline is randomly distributed in the hyperplane with different range and elevation coordinates.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein coordinates of the baselines are (u,w) in a range-azimuth-elevation space, and the coordinates of reflectors in the scene are (x,y,z) are parallel to azimuth axis.

15. A system for generating a three-dimensional (3D) image, wherein the image is a virtual array image, comprising:

multiple parallel baselines determined by antenna array platforms passing over the scene in a hyperplane, wherein data are acquired according to the baselines from reflectors in a scene using and multiple different pulse repetition frequencies (PRF); and

a processor connected to a memory storing the data of the baselines configured to apply a 3D compressive sensing reconstruction procedure to the data to generate the 3D virtual array image corresponding to the scene.