Speckle Correlation Object Detection in Obscured Environments
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current imaging systems struggle to detect objects in obscured environments, such as those affected by smoke, fog, and heavy rain, and fail to distinguish man-made objects from natural ones, especially in cluttered and camouflaged conditions, due to limitations in wavelength range, resolution, size, weight, and power requirements of existing technologies like infrared and radar systems.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a broadband laser to project light and receives the reflected light, dispersing it by wavelength and return angle to create an image, allowing for the measurement of correlations between wavelength and return angle to determine the presence and type of objects, utilizing a dispersive element and defocuser to analyze speckle patterns for object detection and categorization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If infrared imaging systems are used to detect objects in obscured environments, then detection capability in smoke and fog is improved, but the systems become physically massive and power-hungry with poor resolution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical infrared detection systems with a simplified optical system using a broadband laser, dispersive element, and camera. This substitution maintains detection capability in obscured environments while dramatically reducing system size, weight, and power requirements by eliminating the need for bulky infrared sensors and complex signal processing hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the operational parameters by using visible or near-infrared broadband laser light instead of thermal infrared wavelengths. This parameter change allows the system to penetrate smoke and fog effectively while using compact, low-power components rather than requiring the high-power, large-scale infrared systems traditionally needed for such detection.
2Reliability
If radar systems are used to penetrate obscurants, then penetration capability is improved, but resolution becomes poor and the systems are physically massive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes radar's radio wave-based detection with an optical detection system using broadband laser light. This substitution achieves superior spatial resolution compared to radar while maintaining penetration capability through scattering media, and dramatically reduces system size by using optical components rather than large radar antennas and transmitters.
3Reliability
If range-gated LIDAR is used to see through scattering atmosphere, then detection capability is improved, but the process becomes slow and performance degrades in high scatterer density
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs continuous broadband laser illumination rather than pulsed illumination with gating. This continuous illumination allows the camera to capture scattered light from targets at any range simultaneously, eliminating the sequential range-gating process and enabling real-time detection without performance degradation in high scatterer density environments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds spectral dimension by using broadband laser light and capturing wavelength-dispersed images. This spectral information provides additional discrimination capability that enables target detection and classification without requiring time-based range gating, thereby achieving both high detection capability and fast processing speed simultaneously.
4Reliability
If longer wavelengths are used for Rayleigh scattering to improve penetration, then scattering cross section decreases, but current technology becomes more expensive with lower resolution and higher size, weight, and power requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses broadband laser light that spans multiple wavelengths (visible to near-infrared), making the system universally effective against various scatterer sizes and compositions. This multi-wavelength approach provides the scattering penetration benefits of longer wavelengths while maintaining the high resolution and low cost of silicon-based cameras, eliminating the need to choose between wavelength advantages and system practicality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables effective detection and categorization of objects in obscured conditions by analyzing correlations in speckle patterns, distinguishing between natural and man-made objects, even in highly scattering environments, by exploiting differences in angle-wavelength correlations from solid and volume scatterers.
Implementation Method 1
The received light is dispersed by wavelength across a first axis at a dispersive element
Implementation Method 2
The received light is dispersed by return angle across a second axis at a defocuser
Implementation Method 3
Most low-visibility atmospheres are scattering rather than absorbing
Implementation Method 4
For very small particles, the scattering cross section decreases with the optical wavelength (Rayleigh scattering)
Implementation Method 5
For Mie scattering, that is, scattering from particles of a size comparable to the optical wavelength
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for provided for determining the presence of an object within a region of interest. A broadband laser is projected at a selected location in the region of interest. Reflected light from the selected location in the region of interest is received at a receiver. The received light is dispersed by wavelength across a first axis at a dispersive element. The received light is dispersed by return angle across a second axis at a defocuser. The received light is imaged to provide an image, and a metric representing a correlation between the wavelength and the return angle is measured in the image to determine the presence of the object.