FPGA Image Processing with Motion Compensation for Celestial Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Celestial navigation on moving platforms faces challenges due to image variations caused by platform movement, leading to inaccuracies and high computational latency, making it difficult to process pixel data quickly and maintain navigation accuracy, especially in GPS-denied environments.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid image processing system that offloads image processing to a field programmable gate array (FPGA), implementing a firmware architecture for motion compensation and region of interest processing, reducing power consumption and latency, and enhancing celestial navigation by compensating for both object and vehicle motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If image processing is performed using traditional software-based systems, then navigation accuracy can be maintained, but power consumption is high and latency is excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional software-based image processing with a hardware-based Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) system. This substitution of computational mechanics enables parallel processing of pixel data, achieving sub-millisecond latency and 86% power reduction while maintaining navigation accuracy through deterministic hardware execution of motion compensation algorithms
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the image processing pipeline into distinct hardware modules within the FPGA, including pixel data reception, motion compensation, and celestial object identification stages. This segmentation enables concurrent processing of different image regions and operations, reducing overall processing latency while maintaining accuracy
2Measurement precision
If full-frame image processing is performed, then navigation accuracy is maintained, but processing latency increases and power consumption rises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and processes only the region of interest containing celestial objects from the full-frame image data using FPGA-based motion compensation. By taking out and selectively processing only relevant pixel data rather than the entire frame, the system achieves sub-millisecond latency while maintaining navigation accuracy through focused computational effort on critical regions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by processing only the necessary portion of image data required for navigation accuracy. The FPGA system performs motion compensation and object identification on selected regions rather than exhaustive full-frame processing, achieving sufficient navigation precision with reduced processing time and power consumption
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional inertial instruments are used to maintain vertical reference, then navigation can function when horizon is obscured, but inherent drift limits measurement accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using the FPGA-based image processing system to continuously monitor and identify celestial objects, providing real-time correction data that compensates for inertial drift. The system processes pixel data to detect stellar objects and uses this feedback to maintain accurate vertical reference despite platform motion or obscured horizon conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite navigation system combining traditional inertial instruments with FPGA-based celestial object identification. This hybrid approach merges the adaptability of inertial navigation in obscured conditions with the precision of optical celestial reference, achieving both versatility and measurement accuracy through integrated hardware processing
Data Source
AI summary
A method for localization of a platform includes receiving, at a region of interest processor, region of interest data representing less than an entire focal plane array of an image sensor and comprising a number of regions of the focal plane array of the image sensor, where the number of regions includes a first region containing a first stellar object, for each time of a number of successive times, processing the region of interest data, including extracting image data from the focal plane array of the image sensor for the number of regions, processing the image data for the first region to update a track of movement of the first stellar object through said first region. For at least a first time of the number of successive times, the method includes determining that the first stellar object will move out of the first region and updating a location in the imaging sensor of the first region at the first time according to the track of the first stellar object, for use in processing the region of interest data at subsequent times.