Joint Minimum Entropy Method for Multi-Physics Data Fusion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods struggle to effectively fuse and process multi-physics data from different sensors, lacking a unified approach for integrating data from sensors with varying physical properties, which is crucial for applications like medical imaging, remote sensing, and geological exploration.

Innovation Solution

A joint minimum entropy method is employed to calculate a nonnegative joint entropy functional as a weighted average of model parameters, using smoothing or focusing stabilizing functionals to enforce consistency and sharp boundaries, and solve a minimization problem with linear or nonlinear optimization to achieve simultaneous imaging and data fusion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If multiple multi-physics sensors are used to capture data from different physical properties, then the quantity and diversity of information about the target is improved, but the complexity of data processing and fusion increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation completenessVSAvoiddata processing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple multi-physics datasets into a single joint inversion framework, merging seismic, gravity, magnetic, and other physical property data to simultaneously image subsurface structures and physical properties, thereby reducing processing complexity while maintaining information completeness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The joint inversion method serves multiple functions simultaneously: it images subsurface geometry, determines physical properties (density, magnetic susceptibility, electrical conductivity), and integrates diverse sensor data types through a unified mathematical framework, eliminating the need for separate processing pipelines

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If joint inversion of multiple datasets is performed to image both geometry and physical properties, then the accuracy of subsurface characterization is improved, but the computational cost and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesubsurface characterization accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary regularization constraints and prior geological models to guide the joint inversion process, pre-defining acceptable ranges for physical properties and structural configurations to reduce the solution space and accelerate convergence without sacrificing accuracy

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The method iteratively adjusts inversion parameters including regularization weights, damping factors, and physical property bounds during the processing sequence, optimizing computational efficiency at different stages while maintaining high accuracy in the final subsurface model

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If separate processing of different sensor data is performed, then the simplicity of individual processing workflows is maintained, but the consistency and integration of multi-physics information deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing workflow simplicityVSAvoiddata consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple datasets into a single objective function with unified regularization constraints, ensuring that seismic, gravity, magnetic, and other data types are processed together to maintain consistency in subsurface geometry and physical properties across all derived models

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4179437B1Joint minimum entropy method for simultaneous processing and fusion of multi-physics data and images
Publication Date: 2026.03.18 TECHNOIMAGING LLC
  • EP4179437B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4179437B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4179437B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

A method for the simultaneous imaging of different physical properties of an examined medium from multi-physics datasets and for digital enhancement and restoration of multiple multidimensional digital images is described. The method introduces nonnegative joint entropy determined as a joint weighted average of the logarithm of the corresponding density of the model parameters and/or images and/or their attributes. The joint entropy measures are introduced as additional constraints, and their minimization results in enforcing of the order and consistency between the different model parameters and/or multiple images and/or their transforms. The method does not require a priori knowledge about specific physical, or analytical, or empirical, or statistical relationships between the different model parameters and/or multiple images and their attributes, nor does the method require a priori knowledge about specific geometric or structural relationships between different model parameters, images, and/or their attributes.