Glint Reduction in Staring Focal Plane Array Mid-Wave Thermal Imagers Employing Microscanning Navy SBIR FY2004.2 Sol No.: Navy SBIR FY2004.2 Topic No.: N04-170 Topic Title: Glint Reduction in Staring Focal Plane Array Mid-Wave Thermal Imagers Employing Microscanning Proposal No.: N042-170-0 Firm: Torrey Pines Logic, Inc. 3525 Del Mar Heights Rd, Suite 581 San Diego, California 92130 Contact: Leo Volfson Phone: (858) 382-7200 Web Site: www.tplogic.com Abstract: The problem of efficient clutter suppression is a challenge for shipboard IRST systems that have to provide reliable detection/tracking of cruise missiles in sea glint. In such systems, reliable target tracking is impossible without clutter rejection down to the level of sensor noise. The proposal is geared towards development of novel parametric and nonparametric spatial-temporal techniques for clutter rejection and image stabilization; nonlinear filtering techniques for track-before-detect and tracking; improving performance of the clutter filtering and jitter compensation algorithms; development of a bank of clutter suppression/stabilization filters with outlier compensation and an adaptive, reconfigurable architecture; and testing/demonstrating the capabilities of the developed technology in realistic environments. It is demonstrated that the proposed spatial-temporal methods are particularly efficient for target detection/tracking in difficult scenarios when spatial-only filters completely fail. The developed software imbedded into a GUI interface will constitute a powerful tool for the optimization of operational target detection/tracking systems in conditions of interest. These software tools will be also capable of predicting the performance and reducing to a minimum the time needed to search for an "optimal" system configuration in NAVY programs/systems. Benefits: In contrast to existing spatial image processing methods, the developed spatial-temporal rejection and jitter compensation filters allow for suppression of severe clutter to the level of sensor noise in the presence of vibrations. The filters not only reject backgrounds, but also provide sub-pixel image stabilization (super-stabilization). Moreover, an important feature of the developed system is the use of a reconfigurable, adaptive structure that includes a bank of clutter rejection filters along with the auto-tuning and auto-selection procedures that allow for choosing the best possible configuration in the current environmental conditions. We anticipate that the proposed algorithms will ensure nearly optimal target detection and tracking for the most difficult clutter scenarios in the presence of jitter. Phase I development will be beneficial for NAVY early and midcourse detection and tracking systems as well as for the modeling and simulation areas for sensor trade studies. In particular, the sub-pixel jitter compensation technology can save millions in hardware costs, since there is no need for very expensive mechanical stabilizers. Clutter suppression algorithms and false alarm stabilization/prediction are important for most NAVY detection and tracking systems. Shipboard IRST systems will be major beneficiaries. Though the proposed approach is initially directed to image processing from shipboard IRST, we believe that our technology addresses a much wider range of problems. The development of technology for clutter suppression with related issues of detection and tracking is very timely for a variety of commercial and non-commercial uses. As a rule, images produced by commercial equipment have to be enhanced and processed in order to derive useful information. Whenever video information is processed, there are always undesired side effects such as background clutter, image clutter, sub glint, camera vibration, atmospheric interference, etc. There is a noticeable trend to utilize off-the-shelf commercial equipment. However, very few algorithms solve the proposed problem in a way that enables commercial application. Our technical approach will result in good commercialization prospect for the technology. In particular, it will break the cost barrier for sophisticated image processing and enhancement systems in the marketplace. Return