Method for fusing overhead imagery with automatic vessel reporting systems

A system for processing satellite imagery, comprising:

• a satellite for generating satellite images
• a processor connected to said satellite;
• a data remote from said processor;
• and,
• a computer readable storage medium installed on said processor, said medium storing instructions that, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to perform a method for processing said overhead images from said satellite to automatically identify ships, said method comprising the steps of:
• A) defining an Area of Interest (AOI) and a Time of Interest (TOI) for said satellite image, said satellite image having at least one imaged vessel, each said vessel having imagery position data;
• B) defining a predetermined time window around said TOI;
• C) enlarging said AOI according to said predetermined time window and an assumed maximum speed for said vessel;
• D) retrieving vessel position data from a database for all vessels within said enlarged AOI;
• E) fusing said vessel position data from said step C) to imagery position data from said step A);
• and,
• F) assigning an identity to said vessel when said step E) meets a predetermined probability threshold.