Clutter rejection using connectivity
AssigneeLoral Aerospace Corp.
InventorsGregory A. Roberts, Lawrence D. Voelz, Robert C. Gardemal, Jr.
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Abstract
In a FLIR target detection system, true targets (52) are isolated from potential false target indications produced by background clutter through the use of a connectivity algorithm which attempts to find around each potential target (52) a closed path (65) of lower (or higher) intensity without exceeding a predetermined distance from the centroid (64) of the potential target. If the attempt is successful, the potential target (52) is a true target; if not, it is clutter.
Claims8
A method of clutter rejection in digitized images, comprising the steps of:
- a) locating the centroid pixel of a potential target object in an image;
- b) establishing around said centroid pixel at least one closed path of pixels;
- c) comparing the intensity of the individual pixels of said path to the intensity of said centroid pixel;
- and
- d) providing an identification of said potential target object as true if all of said individual pixels have a predetermined intensity relationship to said centroid pixel.
A method of clutter rejection in digitized images, comprising the steps of:
- a) locating the centroid pixel of a potential target object in an image;
- b) establishing a plurality of nested closed paths of pixels around said centroid pixel;
- c) comparing the intensity of the individual pixels of said paths to the intensity of said centroid pixel one path at a time, working outward from the innermost said nested paths, said path pixels being compared in a numerical sequence such that pixels having the same sequence number in successive paths form lines of pixels substantially radiating outwardly from said centroid pixel;
- d) flagging those path pixels found upon comparison to have a predetermined intensity relationship to said centroid pixel, and flagging all pixels having the same sequence number in subsequently examined paths without comparison;
- and
- e) providing an identification of said potential target object as true if all pixels in one of said nested paths are flagged.
A method of clutter rejection in digitized images, comprising the steps of:
- a) locating the centroid pixel of a potential target object in an image;
- b) determining the existence of a closed path of pixels surrounding said centroid pixel, wherein all pixels of said path have a predetermined intensity relationship to said centroid pixel, and all pixels of said path are located at no more than a predetermined distance from said centroid pixel;
- and
- c) providing an identification of said potential target object as true when such a path is determined to exist.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.