Method and system for daytime infrared space surveillance
AssigneeArianegroup SAS
InventorsMarine Pyanet, Théo Joffre, Pascal Richard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A space surveillance method for detecting space objects in orbit around the Earth in images captured during the daytime, the method including the following steps: capturing a plurality of infrared images of the daytime sky using a camera including at least one infrared sensor, detecting space objects in orbit around the Earth on the basis of the images, the detection of bright spots being implemented by a deep-learning artificial intelligence system, and identifying each object detected from a catalogue of known space objects in orbit around the Earth.
Claims8
A space surveillance method for detecting space objects in orbit around Earth in images captured during daytime, the method comprising:
- capturing a plurality of infrared shots of a daytime sky using a camera comprising at least one infrared sensor, each infrared shot comprising an array of pixels which are each associated with an intensity of light received by an infrared sensor,
- detecting space objects in orbit around the Earth on a basis of said shots,
- identifying each object detected from a catalogue of known space objects in orbit around the Earth,
- the method being characterised in that the step of detecting space objects in orbit around the Earth is implemented by a deep-learning artificial intelligence system comprising a plurality of layers of artificial neural network connected together in order to analyse information from a preceding layer of neurons, the deep-learning artificial intelligence system being based on simulation images generated in order to reproduce typical images coming from the infrared sensor and comprising a background and a background noise, spots of light corresponding either to stars or to space objects or to defects of the infrared sensor, each simulation image being associated with a truth based on positions of real objects in the image,
- and the step of detecting space objects in orbit around the Earth comprising:
- detecting bright spots in each shot,
- discriminating the detected bright spots, the discrimination comprising tracking each detected bright spot that is stationary in successive shots, and recording coordinates of the detected bright spots at possibly different positions and grouped together by this tracking, the recording being performed, for each bright spot detected, following its disappearance in the following shots.
A space surveillance system for detecting space objects in orbit around Earth, the system comprising a reflecting telescope mounted on a mechanical support with motorised displacement, a camera comprising at least one infrared sensor mounted at an output of the reflecting telescope and configured to take series of shots of a daytime sky at a frequency between 1 Hz and several hundred Hertz, and a processing unit receiving each shot captured by the camera,
- characterised in that the processing unit comprises a deep-learning artificial intelligence system comprising a plurality of layers of artificial neural network connected together to analyse information of a preceding layer of neurons, the processing unit being configured to carry out the following steps based on received images:
- detecting space objects in orbit around the Earth on a basis of the captured shots, the detection of bright spots being performed by the deep-learning artificial intelligence system, and
- identifying each object detected from a catalogue of known space objects in orbit around the Earth,
- the detecting of space objects in orbit around the Earth comprising detecting bright spots in each shot, and discriminating the detected bright spots, the discrimination comprising tracking each detected bright spot that is stationary in successive shots, and recording coordinates of the detected bright spots at possibly different positions and grouped together by this tracking, the recording being performed, for each bright spot detected following its disappearance in the following shots.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.