Sparse array RF imaging for surveillance applications
AssigneeApplied Physical Sciences Corp.
InventorsChristopher S. Brundick, Dwight E. Davis, David E. Norris, Ernest S. Stickels
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Abstract
Techniques are provided for sparse array RF imaging for surveillance applications. The present invention enables object image identification using a sparsely populated array of distributed radio nodes deployed and operated as a radar detection, tracking and identification application. Three-dimensional object images are formed, from which estimates of extent and shape can be extracted for objects that are detected in the vicinity of the deployed radar array. In addition, techniques are provided for the identification and/or classification of vehicles, humans and fauna through feature extraction from the formed three-dimensional images.
Claims16
A method for forming one or more three dimensional (3-D) images of one or more objects using a sparsely deployed array of antennae to collect multi-static radio frequency detection data, said method comprising the steps of:
- selecting one or more candidate detections from said detection data collected by said sparsely deployed array of antennae for generation of one or more target tracks and for target classification;
- localizing and clustering the candidate detections to form a set of candidate target clusters in an observation plane;
- associating one or more candidate target clusters with one or more of existing target tracks and new frame-to-frame moving object tracks within a field of view;
- selecting a subset of image target track points along a given track for imaging;
- conditioning the detection data for a selected image track point using one or more conditioning filters to generate an image-data-set;
- and
- identifying a target imaging locus for each selected image track point and constructing a 3-D image using the image-data, wherein each of said steps are performed by at least one processor.
A system for forming one or more three dimensional (3-D) images of one or more objects using a sparsely deployed array of antennae to collect multi-static radio frequency detection data, said system comprising:
- a memory;
- and
- at least one processor, coupled to the memory, configured to:
- select one or more candidate detections from said detection data collected by said sparsely deployed array of antennae for generation of one or more target tracks and for target classification;
- localize and clustering the candidate detections to form a set of candidate target clusters in an observation plane;
- associate one or more candidate target clusters with one or more of existing target tracks and new frame-to-frame moving object tracks within a field of view;
- select a subset of image target track points along a given track for imaging;
- condition the detection data for a selected image track point using one or more conditioning filters to generate an image-data-set;
- and
- identify a target imaging locus for each selected image track point and construct a 3-D image using the image-data.
An article of manufacture for forming one or more three dimensional (3-D) images of one or more objects using a sparsely deployed array of antennae to collect multi-static radio frequency detection data, comprising a non-transitory machine readable recordable medium containing one or more programs which when executed cause a processor to implement the steps of:
- selecting one or more candidate detections from said detection data collected by said sparsely deployed array of antennae for generation of one or more target tracks and for target classification;
- localizing and clustering the candidate detections to form a set of candidate target clusters in an observation plane;
- associating one or more candidate target clusters with one or more of existing target tracks and new frame-to-frame moving object tracks within a field of view;
- selecting a subset of image target track points along a given track for imaging;
- conditioning the detection data for a selected image track point using one or more conditioning filters to generate an image-data-set;
- and
- identifying a target imaging locus for each selected image track point and constructing a 3-D image using the image-data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.