Method and apparatus for three dimensional tomographic image reconstruction of objects

A processing unit for processing data collected by a selected observer node in a plurality of observer nodes, the processing unit comprising:

• a filter in communication with a radar system associated with the selected observer node and capable of filtering radar data received from the radar system;
• a token bank capable of receiving tokens from a communications link with other observer nodes in the plurality of observer nodes, wherein the tokens received from a remote observer node in the plurality of observer nodes through the communications link are stored in the token bank and wherein a token identifies a position and a location of an observer node when the observer node collects the radar data;
• a sampling unit connected to the token bank, wherein the sampling unit generates a map used to identify a plurality of samples in a sampling space needed for reconstructing a three dimensional image of a target object;
• a token generation unit connected to the filter, wherein the token generation unit generates a new token in response to receiving the radar data for a sample from the radar system;
• and
• an optimization algorithm unit connected to the sampling unit in which the optimization algorithm unit is capable of generating control instructions using the map, wherein the control instructions are used to direct movement of the observer node to collect the sample in the plurality of samples.

A method for creating a three dimensional image of a target object, the method comprising:

• coordinating movement of a plurality of vehicles to collect a selected amount of radar data needed to create the three dimensional image of the target object, wherein the plurality of vehicles have radar systems for collecting the radar data about the target object;
• collecting the selected amount of the radar data from the plurality of vehicles;
• and
• combining the selected amount of the radar data received from the plurality of vehicles to create the three dimensional image of the target object.