Optical correlation for detection of point source objects

A system for identifying a point source energy signature, the system comprising:

• wherein a point source energy signature is smaller than a single pixel,
• at least one optical sensor having a field of view, the optical sensor comprising a focal plane array configured to:
• receive one or more ideal test point source energy signatures corresponding to a plurality of sub-pixel locations in one or more pixels of image data generated from within the field of view of the sensor, where the one or more ideal test point source energy signatures correspond to one or more ideal test point sources;
• and
• receive an observed energy signature within the one or more pixels at the sub-pixel level;
• and
• one or more processors in electrical communication with the sensor configured to:
• calculate an ideal energy value for each of the plurality of sub-pixels within the field of view of the sensor for each of the one or more ideal test point sources, based on an intensity value of the one or more ideal test point source energy signatures at the plurality of sub-pixel locations;
• calculate an observed energy value for the one or more pixels at the sub-pixel level based on the observed energy signature;
• determine a sub-pixel location for the observed energy signature within the one or more pixels;
• compare the observed energy value for the one or more pixels at the sub-pixel level against a stored ideal energy value for a sub-pixel location that corresponds to the determined sub-pixel location for the observed energy signature within the one or more pixels of the sensor;
• and
• determine whether the observed energy signature correlates to a point source based on the comparison of the observed energy value for the one or more pixels at the sub-pixel level against the stored ideal energy value for the sub-pixel location that corresponds to the determined sub-pixel location for the observed energy signature within the one or more pixels to minimize false detections caused by optical blurring;
• a memory device configured to:
• store the one or more ideal test point source energy signatures including sub-pixel blur resulting from the one or more ideal test point sources;
• and
• a visual display device configured to:
• display when the observed energy signature is the point source energy signature of a point source, wherein the point source is a launched ordnance as part of a threat detection system.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing instructions executable by a processing device of a point source detection system within a threat detection system, the instructions implementing a method for identifying a point source energy signature of a launched ordnance, wherein execution of the instructions causes the processing device to:

• obtain one or more ideal test source signatures by:
• receiving, via a focal plane array, the one or more ideal test point source energy signatures corresponding to a plurality of sub-pixel locations in one or more pixels of image data generated from within a field of view of at least one sensor wherein the processing device is in electrical communication with the sensor, where the one or more ideal test point source energy signatures correspond to one or more ideal test point sources and the sensor is part of an airborne host platform, the airborne host platform being one of a fixed wing airplane, a helicopter, or a drone;
• calculating an ideal energy value for each of the plurality of sub-pixels within the field of view of the sensor for each of the one or more ideal test point sources, based on an intensity value of the one or more ideal test point source energy signatures at the plurality of sub-pixel locations;
• and
• storing, in memory, the ideal energy value comprising normalized intensity data for each of the plurality of sub-pixels within the field of view of the sensor for each of the one or more ideal test point sources;
• receive, via the focal plane array, an observed energy signature within the one or more pixels at the sub-pixel level;
• calculate an observed energy value for the one or more pixels at the sub-pixel level based on the observed energy signature;
• determine a sub-pixel location for the observed energy signature within the one or more pixels;
• compare the observed energy value for the one or more pixels at the sub-pixel level against a stored ideal energy value for a sub-pixel location that corresponds to the determined sub-pixel location for the observed energy signature within the one or more pixels of the sensor;
• determine whether the observed energy signature correlates to a launched ordnance based on the comparison of the observed energy value for the one or more pixels at the sub-pixel level against the stored ideal energy value for the sub-pixel location that corresponds to the determined sub-pixel location for the observed energy signature within the one or more pixels to minimize false detections caused by optical blurring;
• and
• display, via a visual display device, when the observed energy signature is the point source energy signature of a launched ordnance, the visual display being in electrical communication with the processing device.