The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 17, 2005
Filed:
Jun. 29, 2001
Lloyd J. Lewins, Marina Del Rey, CA (US);
Julie R. Schacht, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
John E. Albus, Granada Hills, CA (US);
Gillian K. Groves, Torrance, CA (US);
Lloyd J. Lewins, Marina Del Rey, CA (US);
Julie R. Schacht, Redondo Beach, CA (US);
John E. Albus, Granada Hills, CA (US);
Gillian K. Groves, Torrance, CA (US);
Raytheon Company, Waltham, MA (US);
Abstract
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a system for tracking a target is provided that includes an image sensor mounted to a gimbal for acquiring an image, wherein the image includes a plurality of pixels representing the target and a background. The system further includes a motor for rotating the gimbal and an autotracker electrically coupled to the image sensor and the motor. The autotracker includes a probability map generator for computing a probability that each of the plurality of pixels having a particular intensity is either a portion of the target or a portion of the background, a pixel processor in communicative relation with the probability map generator for calculating a centroid of the target based upon the probabilities computed by the probability map generator, and a controller in communicative relation with the pixel processor for generating commands to the motor based upon the centroid.