Video-tracking of sparse geiger-mode data

Abstract

An apparatus, and method of operating the same locates and tracks a target in four dimensions across a FPA using GMAPD data. The apparatus includes a receiver and a processor arranged to generate a video filter array, the video filter array including a set of estimated velocity pixel coordinate components arranged in a linear data set. The processor generates detected photo events based on received scattered laser pulses, filters the detected photo events by linearly indexing each of the plurality of detected photo events based on, for each detected photo event, a vertical position in the focal plane array, a horizontal position in the focal plane array, a frame number, and the dimensions of the focal-plane array. The processor maps each detected photo event to the set of estimated velocity pixel coordinate components, and generates a motion-compensated image associated with the mapped detected photo events in a filtered two-dimensional array.