Computer analysis of remotely detected images for image identification

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12100128-B2
Application number	US-202217654687-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2022
Priority date	Mar 14, 2022
Publication date	Sep 24, 2024
Grant date	Sep 24, 2024

Abstract

In an approach to improve detecting and identifying objects through orbital synthetic aperture radar satellites, embodiments arrange an array of elements in a predetermined configuration, and process, by a threshold and signature analysis, detected peaks in processed image data. Further, embodiments generate a list of objects detections based on the processed peaks, and identify an object based on amplitude, polarization ratio, and polarization phase difference. Additionally, embodiments, classify the identified object based on the generated list of objects, and output, by a user interface, a list of probable object detections with position coordinates and identifications based on the classified identified objects, wherein the list of probable objects are above or within a predetermine threshold of confidence.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for remotely detecting and identifying objects through an orbital synthetic aperture radar satellite system, the computer-implemented method comprising:
processing, by a threshold and signature analysis, detected peaks in image data received from the orbital synthetic aperture radar satellite system of an object having an array of elements in a predetermined configuration;
generating a list of objects detections based on the processed peaks;
identifying the object based on amplitude, polarization ratio, and polarization phase difference of the image data;
classifying the identified object based on the generated list of objects; and
outputting, by a user interface, a list of probable object detections with position coordinates and identifications based on the classified identified objects, wherein the list of probable objects are above or within a predetermine threshold of confidence.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
outputting instructions on how to arrange the array of elements or dynamically arrange the array of elements based on received feedback or user input.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
Ingesting radar files for a region of interest, wherein the radar files comprise: horizontal transmit and horizontal receive (HH), vertical transmit and vertical receive (VV), horizontal transmit and vertical receive (HV), and vertical transmit and horizontal receive (VH) data files.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
processing images to detect and locate peaks in data based on ingested radar files.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:
creating a list of detected peaks and peak features of the ingested radar files; and
outputting, by the user interface, the list of detected peaks and peak features of the ingested radar files.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transforming detected or located peak feature location into latitude and longitude coordinates.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
processing a detected or located feature list to exclude peak data below one or more predetermined thresholds as background in both phase and amplitude.

8. A computer system for remotely detecting and identifying objects through an orbital synthetic aperture radar satellite system, the computer system comprising:
one or more computer processors;
one or more computer readable storage devices;
program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage devices for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors, the stored program instructions comprising:
program instructions to process, by a threshold and signature analysis, detected peaks in image data received from the orbital synthetic aperture radar satellite system of an object having an array of elements in a predetermined configuration;
program instructions to generate a list of objects detections based on the processed peaks;
program instructions to identify the object based on amplitude, polarization ratio, and polarization phase difference of the image data;
program instructions to classify the identified object based on the generated list of objects; and
program instructions to output, by a user interface, a list of probable object detections with position coordinates and identifications based on the classified identified objects, wherein the list of probable objects are above or within a predetermine threshold of confidence.

9. The computer system of claim 8 , further comprising:
program instructions to output instructions on how to arrange the array of elements or dynamically arrange the array of elements based on received feedback or user input.

10. The computer system of claim 8 , further comprising:
program instructions to ingesting radar files for a region of interest, wherein the radar files comprise: horizontal transmit and horizontal receive (HH), vertical transmit and vertical receive (VV), horizontal transmit and vertical receive (HV), and vertical transmit and horizontal receive (VH) data files.

11. The computer system of claim 8 , further comprising:
program instructions to process images to detect and locate peaks in data based on ingested radar files.

12. The computer system of claim 11 , further comprising:
program instructions to create a list of detected peaks and peak features of the ingested radar files; and
program instructions to output, by the user interface, the list of detected peaks and peak features of the ingested radar files.

13. The computer system of claim 8 , further comprising:
program instructions to transform detected or located peak feature location into latitude and longitude coordinates.

14. The computer system of claim 8 , further comprising:
program instructions to process a detected or located feature list to exclude peak data below one or more predetermined thresholds as background in both phase and amplitude.

15. An apparatus for remotely detecting and identifying objects through an orbital synthetic aperture radar satellite system, the apparatus comprising:
a radar retro directive assembly (RDA) arranged as an array of elements affixed to an object that modifies the amplitude and phase of a retro directed signal from a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system such that identification of the object is possible in synthetic aperture radar images using an image processing algorithm, wherein the apparatus comprises:
one or more computer readable storage devices and program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage devices, the stored program instructions comprising:
program instructions to process, by a threshold and signature analysis, detected peaks in image data received from the orbital synthetic aperture radar satellite system of an object having an array of elements in a predetermined configuration;
program instructions to generate a list of objects detections based on the processed peaks;
program instructions to identify the object based on amplitude, polarization ratio, and polarization phase difference of the image data;
program instructions to classify the identified object based on the generated list of objects; and
program instructions to output, by a user interface, a list of probable object detections with position coordinates and identifications based on the classified identified objects, wherein the list of probable objects are above or within a predetermine threshold of confidence.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:
program instructions to output instructions on how to arrange the array of elements or dynamically arrange the array of elements based on received feedback or user input.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:
program instructions to ingesting radar files for a region of interest, wherein the radar files comprise: horizontal transmit and horizontal receive (HH), vertical transmit and vertical receive (VV), horizontal transmit and vertical receive (HV), and vertical transmit and horizontal receive (VH) data files.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 , further comprising:
program instructions to process images to detect and locate peaks in data based on ingested radar files;
program instructions to create a list of detected peaks and peak features of the ingested radar files; and
program instructions to output, by the user interface, the list of detected peaks and peak

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Van Kessel Theodore G
• Lu Siyuan
• Zhou Wang
• Kalagnanam Jayant R

Classifications

• G06T2207/30242

  Counting objects in image · CPC title

• G06T2207/20104

  Interactive definition of region of interest [ROI] · CPC title

• G06T2207/10044

  Radar image · CPC title

• G01S13/75

  using transponders powered from received waves, e.g. using passive transponders {, or using passive reflectors} · CPC title

• H01Q15/22

  functioning also as polarisation filter · CPC title