Video-Tracking Of Sparse Geiger-Mode Data

A method for detection and ranging comprising:

• receiving scattered laser pulses via a receiver including a focal plane array;
• generating a video filter array, the video filter array including a set of estimated velocity pixel coordinate components arranged in a linear data set while representing a plurality of two-dimension arrays associated with a plurality of frames, each of the plurality of two-dimensional arrays having dimensions equal to dimensions of the focal plane array of the receiver;
• generating a plurality of detected photo events based on the received scattered laser pulses;
• filtering the plurality of detected photo events by linearly indexing each of the plurality of detected photo events based on, for each detected photo event, a vertical position in the focal plane array, a horizontal position in the focal plane array, a frame number, and the dimensions of the focal-plane array;
• mapping each detected photo events to the set of estimated velocity pixel coordinate components based on a time between receiving the scattered laser pulses and the focal-plane array vertical and horizontal positions of each of the detected photo events;
• and
• generating a motion-compensated image associated with the mapped plurality of detected photo events in a filtered two-dimensional array having dimensions equal to the dimensions of the focal plane array.

A sparse video tracking system comprising:

• a pre-processor module configured to:
• generate a video filter array, the video filter array including a set of estimated velocity pixel coordinate components arranged in a linear data set while representing a plurality of two-dimension arrays associated with
• a plurality of frames, each of the plurality of two-dimensional arrays having dimensions equal to dimensions of the focal plane array of the receiver, and
• a processor module configured to:
• receive scattered laser pulses from a LADAR receiver,
• generate a plurality of detected photo events based on the scattered laser pulses,
• filter the plurality of detected photo events by linearly indexing each of the plurality of detected photo events based on, for each detected photo event, a vertical position in the focal plane array, a horizontal position in the focal plane array, a frame number, and the dimensions of the focal- plane array,
• map each detected photo events to the set of estimated velocity pixel coordinate components based on a time between receiving the scattered laser pulses and the focal-plane array vertical and horizontal positions of each of the detected photo events, and
• generate a motion-compensated image associated with the mapped plurality of detected photo events in a filtered two-dimensional array having dimensions equal to the dimensions of the focal plane array.