The Boeing Company

David Roderick Gerwe

Paul S Idell

Friedrich Wilhelm Kunzler

Kevin R Paxton

Peter Petre

Steven Fulton Griffin

Richard B Holmes

Roy M Matic

Vikas Kukshya

Paul Damian Tarbuck

Todd Harding Tomkinson

Mark A Rivera

Harold Barry Schall

Brandoch Calef

Keith R Williams

John Lambert

William Thomas Garrison

Edward A Estrada

Jeffrey H Hunt

Robert R Rice

Yang Chen

Jose Cruz-Albrecht

Deying Zhang

Mark W Wolboldt

James Preston Stone

An image capture apparatus comprises a focal plane array having a first portion and a second portion and a plurality of detectors. The image capture apparatus further comprises a filter device coupled with the covering the first portion of the focal plane array, the filter device comprising at least a first bandpass filter, comprising a first frequency range, and a second bandpass filter, comprising a second frequency range that is different from the first frequency range. The second portion of the focal plan array is uncovered by the filter device.

Multi-spectral and panchromatic imaging apparatus and associated system and method

An image capture apparatus comprises a focal plane array and a filter device. The focal plane array comprises a plurality of detectors and the filter device is coupled with and covering the focal plane array. The filter device comprises at least one set of spectral filters, comprising at least a first spectral filter, which comprising a first wavelength range, and a second spectral filter, which comprises a second wavelength range that is different from the first wavelength range. The filter device also comprises a plurality of polarization channels, each having a polarization value that is different than the polarization value of any other of the plurality of polarization channels. The filter device further comprises a plurality of sounding filters, each operable within a spectral wavelength range and each configured to determine a characterization of atmospheric conditions.

Multi-spectral and polarization imaging apparatus with atmospheric sounding filters and associated system and method

A combined multi-spectral and polarization (CMSP) sensor is disclosed that enhances contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). The CMSP sensor comprises a multi-spectral and polarization (MSP) filter, a single focal plane array (FPA), and a controller. The FPA comprises a plurality of detectors and the MSP filter comprises at least a first bandpass filter having a first frequency range and a second bandpass filter having a second frequency range that is distinct from the first frequency range and a first polarization filter having a first polarization value and a second polarization filter having a second polarization value that is distinct from the first polarization value.

Combined multi-spectral and polarization sensor

A hyperspectral analysis computer device is provided. The hyperspectral analysis computer device includes at least one processor in communication with at least one memory device. The hyperspectral analysis computer device is configured to store a plurality of spectral analysis data, receive at least one background item and at least one item to be detected from a user, generate one or more spectral bands for analysis based on the at least one background item, the at least one item to be detected, and the stored plurality of spectral analysis data, receive one or more mission parameters from the user, and determine a probability of success based on the one or more mission parameters and the generated one or more spectral bands.

Methods and systems for hyper-spectral systems

A modular interferometric telescope including a base and an optical detector. A mounting beam has a first end, a second end, and a length, and is connected rotatably to the base at a point between the first and second end. The mounting beam is rotatable about a first axis extending in a direction of an object to be observed. A first light-collecting assembly is connected to the mounting beam proximal to the first end relative to the second end. The first light-collecting assembly directs light from the object to the optical detector. A second light-collecting assembly connected to the mounting beam is proximal to the second end relative to the first end. The second light-collecting assembly directs the light from the object to the optical detector. A first optical assembly is configured to receive the light from the object and direct the light to the optical detector.

Modular interferometric telescope

Systems, methods, and apparatus for space surveillance are disclosed herein. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed method involves scanning, by at least one sensor on at least one satellite in super-geostationary earth orbit (super-GEO), a raster scan over a field of regard (FOR). In one or more embodiments, the scanning is at a variable rate, which is dependent upon a target dwell time for detecting a target of interest. In at least one embodiment, the target dwell time is a function of a characteristic brightness of the target.

Adaptive scan rate space surveillance sensor for super-GEO orbits

Systems, methods, and apparatus for space surveillance are disclosed herein. In one or more embodiments, the disclosed method involves scanning, by at least one sensor on at least one satellite in inclined super-geostationary earth orbit (super-GEO), a raster scan over a field of regard (FOR). In one or more embodiments, the scanning is at a variable rate, which is dependent upon a target dwell time for detecting a target of interest. In at least one embodiment, the target dwell time is a function of a range from at least one sensor to the target of interest and a function of a solar phase angle. In some embodiments, the axis of inclination of the inclined super-GEO is a function of the solar phase angle.

Inclined super-GEO orbit for improved space-surveillance

Systems and methods that combine forward-model image reconstruction techniques with tomographic estimation of three-dimensional atmospheric turbulence to enable high-quality anisoplanatic imaging and beam control through the atmosphere over an extended field of view using a phased laser array. The system projects laser energy onto specific locations of extended objects in various geometries, overcomes atmospheric anisoplanatism and backscatter; estimates phase across the full aperture, and reconstructs the target object in great detail to enable high-resolution aimpoint selection and maintenance. Aimpoint maintenance is performed by sequentially analyzing a passive image and a laser spot in rapid succession, in each subaperture at high signal-to-noise ratio. As a further improvement, backscatter issues from the projected laser beam are eliminated by cycling the laser and/or sequentially lasing on different wavelengths within the laser gain bandwidth.

Laser phase diversity for beam control in phased laser arrays

Systems and methods which combine standard image reconstruction and beam-control techniques with tomographic estimation of three-dimensional atmospheric turbulence to enable high-quality anisoplanatic imaging of distant objects at long range through the atmosphere over an extended field-of-view using a large aperture. More specifically, the systems and methods combine the concepts of atmospheric tomography, forward-model image reconstruction and tip, tilt, beam-walk, and focus control techniques to produce image reconstructions of high quality for large objects that move rapidly as viewed by large apertures in weak or strong extended atmospheric turbulence.

Lenslet, beamwalk and tilt diversity for anisoplanatic imaging by large-aperture telescopes

A method and apparatus for reducing blur in an image generated by an imaging system is provided. A blur model for the image is identified with respect to an exposure time for the image using a sequence of reference images of an artificial reference point object generated during the exposure time for the image. A source of the artificial reference point object is inertially stabilized over the exposure time. The image is deconvolved with the blur model identified for the image to form a modified image having a desired reduction in blur relative to the image generated by the imaging system.

Method and apparatus for deblurring an image

A method and apparatus for processing images. A portion of a selected image in which a moving object is present is identified. The selected image is one of a sequence of images. Pixels in a region of interest are identified in the selected image. First values are identified for a first portion of the pixels using the images and first transformations. The first portion of the pixels corresponds to the background in the selected image. A first transformation is configured to align features of the background between one image in the images and the selected image. Second values are identified for a second portion of the pixels using the images and second transformations. The second portion of the pixels corresponds to the moving object in the selected image. A second transformation is configured to align features of the moving object between one image in the images and the selected image.

Enhancing video using super-resolution

A system, circuit, and methods for increasing speed of an asynchronous pulse processing based hyperspectral target detection algorithm are disclosed. Stored optimized filter coefficients are used to provide initial filter coefficients. The initial filter coefficients are optimized using an asynchronous pulse processor based hyperspectral detection algorithm to provide optimized filter coefficients, and the optimized filter coefficients are stored.

Technique to increase speed of asynchronous pulse processing based hyperspectral target detection algorithm

The system contains a plurality of sensors outputting sensor data. A processor is in communication with the sensors to receive the sensor data. A logic system is in communication with the processor. The logic system evaluates a likelihood of a plurality of hypotheses, generates a representation of the likelihood of the plurality of hypotheses in a coordinate system, and connects trajectories between a plurality of discrete hypothesis aspects of the plurality of hypotheses. An output of the processor provides at least one likely outcome and a confidence level for each of the likely outcomes. At least one likely outcome is selected based on contours of the representation of the likelihood to of the plurality of hypotheses in the coordinate system.

Growing community of inventors

West Hills, CA, United States of America

David Roderick Gerwe