Imaging system for obscured environments

• US 9,939,525 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2014
• Issued: 04/10/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L.H. Kosowsky & Associates, Inc.
• Original Assignee: L.H. Kosowsky & Associates, Inc.
• Inventors: Kosowsky, Lester H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Chuong P
• Application Number:
  US14/503,880
• Publication Number:
  US 20150153449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 342385, 342 25 A, 342176, 342179, 342188
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/42 Simultaneous measurement of distance and other co-ordinates indirect measurement G01S13/46
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/89 for mapping or imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/04 Display arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/24 the display being orientated or displaced in accordance with movement of object carrying the transmitting and receiving apparatus, e.g. true-motion radar

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for imaging a region of interest in an obscured environment. A millimeter band radar assembly is configured to capture a radar image of the region of interest. A data source provides a representation of at least a portion of the region of interest. A data fusion module is configured to combine the radar image and the representation of the region of interest to provide an enhanced representation of the region of interest.

Claims

1. A system for navigating an obscured environment, comprising:

a millimeter band radar assembly operating at a frequency between sixty-five gigahertz and ninety-four gigahertz and configured to capture a radar image of a region of interest within the obscured environment;

a data source providing a representation of at least a portion of the region of interest, the data source comprising a thermal imager; and

a data fusion module configured to combine the radar image and the representation of the region of interest to provide an enhanced representation of the region of interest, the enhanced representation including at least locations of walls and obstructions within the region of interest.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the data source comprises a non-transitory computer readable medium storing data representing the region of interest.

3. The system of claim 2, where the representation of the region of interest is a floor plan of a building containing the region of interest.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the millimeter band radar is a first millimeter band radar having a first polarization, the data source comprising a second millimeter band radar having a second polarization different than the first polarization.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the millimeter band radar is a first millimeter band radar having a first beamwidth, the data source comprising a second millimeter band radar having a second beamwidth different than the first beamwidth.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the data source comprises an infrared camera.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the data source comprises at least one transmitter within the region of interest.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the data source comprises at least one reflector within the region of interest, each of the at least one reflector being configured to reflect radiation of the millimeter band radar assembly.

9. A method for providing a representation of a region of interest in an obscured environment comprising:

loading a floor plan of a building containing the region of interest onto a non-transitory computer readable medium prior to imaging the region of interest to provide a representation of at least a portion of the region of interest;

imaging the region of interest with the millimeter band radar system operating at a frequency between sixty-five gigahertz and ninety-four gigahertz to provide a radar image;

fusing the radar image and the representation of at least a portion of the region of interest to provide an enhanced representation of the region of interest, wherein fusing the radar image and the representation includes comparing the radar image to the floor plan and flagging any differences between the radar image and the floor plan; and

displaying the enhanced representation of the region of interest, including the floor plan and any flagged differences between the radar image and the floor plan, to a user.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the radar image is a first millimeter band radar image captured at a first polarization, and the representation of at least a portion of the region of interest comprising a second millimeter band radar image captured with a second polarization different than the first polarization.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the radar image is a first millimeter band radar image captured with a first beamwidth, and the representation of at least a portion of the region of interest comprising a second millimeter band radar image captured with a second beamwidth different than the first beamwidth.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the representation of at least a portion of the region of interest comprises an infrared image captured by an infrared camera.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

receiving at least one microwave or radio frequency signal from a set of at least one transmitter within the region of interest; and

generating a representation of at least a portion of the region of interest from the at least one radio frequency or microwave signal.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising placing at least one reflector within the region of interest, each of the at least one reflector being configured to reflect radiation of the millimeter band radar assembly.

15. A system for navigating an obscured environment, comprising:

a millimeter band radar assembly operating at a frequency between sixty-five gigahertz and ninety-four gigahertz and configured to capture a radar image of a region of interest within the obscured environment;

a data source providing a representation of at least a portion of the region of interest;

a data fusion module configured to combine the radar image and the representation of the region of interest to provide an enhanced representation of the region of interest, the enhanced representation including at least locations of walls and obstructions within the region of interest; and

a display configured to display the enhanced image of the region of interest to a user;

wherein each of the millimeter band radar assembly, the data source, the data fusion module, and the display are wearable by the user, such that the user can utilize the enhanced representation to navigate the obscured environment.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the data source comprises a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a floor plan of a building containing the region of interest.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the millimeter band radar is a first millimeter band radar having a first polarization, and the data source is a second millimeter band radar having a second polarization different than the first polarization.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the millimeter band radar is a first millimeter band radar having a first beamwidth and the data source is a second millimeter band radar having a second beamwidth different than the first beamwidth.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the data source is an infrared camera.