# US 2023/0266239 A1 · Image Processing in Foggy Environments > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0266239 A1 - Document ID: US20230266239A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/676,042 - Filed: 2022-02-18 - Published: 2023-08-24 - Earliest claimed: 2022-02-18 - Assignees: Bevilacqua Research Corporation, Inc - Applicants: Bevilacqua Research Corporation, Inc - Inventors: Robert Pilgrim - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230266239A1 ## CPC - G01N 21/3554: for determining moisture content - H04N 23/11: for generating image signals from visible and infrared light wavelengths - G06T 5/70: Denoising; Smoothing - H04N 23/811: {by dust removal, e.g. from surfaces of the image sensor or processing of the image signal output by the electronic image sensor} - G01N 2021/1795: {Atmospheric mapping of gases} - G01N 2021/3531: {without instrumental source, i.e. radiometric} - H04N 17/002: {for television cameras} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract A system and method for exploiting spectral absorption properties of water is disclosed. The system and method use spectral absorption properties of water to improve Short Wave InfraRed (SWIR) sensor (camera) performance in the presence of clouds. This is achieved partly by limiting the spectral passband of a sensor to a water absorption band, thereby improving Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR). Higher SNR permits improved CSO resolution. Further, higher SNR reduces the uncertainty in matching observations in one sensor to the epipolar lines of another sensor thus reducing the time needed to achieve unambiguous matches. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of improving visibility within a fog-laden environment, comprising: arranging a Short Wave InfraRed (SWIR) camera to have a plurality of lenses, a customized filter, and a processing module; attaching the customized filter to one of the plurality of lenses of the SWIR camera thereby achieving a spectral range matching with an absorption band of water; configuring another lens of the SWIR camera to be unaltered by any filters; providing a processing module for operating and communicating with the SWIR camera; thereby capturing a first video signal which has turned off the fog as a source of scattered light; capturing a second video signal which retains the fog as a source of scattered light; and the processing module transmitting a real-time version of the first and second video signals to a computer screen that is visible to human eyesight. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: locating the customized filter within the chassis of the SWIR camera; and locating the processing module outside of the chassis of the SWIR camera. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising: calibrating the customized filter to stay as close as possible to a base band of 1400 nm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising: the processing module configuring the SWIR camera to have a window of 35 nm either side of the base band, thus achieving a window having a width of 70 nm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: configuring the customized filter and the processing module for oil fogs and sand/dust visibility, instead of fog. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: configuring the processing module for facilitating a user varying an alpha which is a fraction of pixel to pixel change that is random rather than determined by the neighbor pixels. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising: providing a slider-bar GUI such that a user can vary alpha. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising: providing a toolkit such that an end-customer can create his own slider bar fa varying alpha. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: providing upgrades to an Enhanced Regional Situation Awareness (ERSA) visual warning system using a telephoto lens systems having narrow field-of-view and a multilayer bandpass filter; and configuring the processing module for shifting one or more passbands as angle-of-incidence changes. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: utilizing empirical cloud modeling by collecting authentic cloud data in Long Wave InfraRed (LWIR) and SWIR passbands; calibrating an autoregressive model to simulate cloud interiors with matching intensity characteristics; and using a quasi-fractal model to simulate the cloud boundaries. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: utilizing autoregressive moving average modeling. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising: tracking multiple point-source targets in a high-density threat engagement utilizing a Closely-Spaced-Object (CSO) resolution algorithm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising: utilizing point-source and near-point-source target/sensor modeling. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: configuring the SWIR camera with a second filter matching with CO2 absorption band. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: exploiting a CO2 absorption band adjacent to the H2O absorption band that can be exploited to enhance SNR and reduce clutter/noise while viewing against the Earth's surface as a background.