Visually Correlated Radar Imagery for Mobile Structures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional radar systems fail to provide intuitive and high-quality imagery by correlating radar data with visible features, leading to user confusion about object identification in navigation, particularly for mobile structures like watercraft.
Innovation Solution
A visually correlated radar imagery system that integrates imaging devices, radar systems, and logic devices to determine the horizontal field of view of image data and render radar data spatially or vertically above/below image data, using orientation, position, and other sensors to adjust operational systems of mobile structures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If radar data is displayed separately from image data, then device complexity is reduced, but user understanding and interpretation of radar imagery becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines radar data and image data into a single integrated display. The radar imagery is overlaid or merged with the visual field of view, allowing users to interpret radar returns in the context of visible features. This merging resolves the contradiction by making radar data intuitive to understand while maintaining manageable system complexity through shared processing infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an image processing system as an intermediary between the radar system and the user. The image data serves as a mediator that provides spatial context for radar returns, making the radar imagery interpretable without requiring the user to directly process raw radar data. This intermediary approach enables easy operation while distributing system complexity across multiple specialized components.
2Loss of information
If radar data is visually correlated with image data, then user understanding improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a multi-functional processing system that handles both image data and radar data through shared computational resources. The same processing platform performs image acquisition, radar signal processing, and integrated display generation. This universal approach reduces overall device complexity while maintaining comprehensive information correlation between radar and visual data.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a spatial dimension to radar data presentation by correlating it with the visual field of view. Instead of displaying radar data in abstract coordinate systems, the system maps radar returns onto the two-dimensional image plane, creating a three-dimensional understanding of spatial relationships. This dimensional transformation preserves information correlation while managing processing complexity through efficient coordinate mapping.
3Ease of operation
If conventional radar systems are used, then device complexity is low, but imagery quality and intuitiveness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges conventional radar systems with imaging devices to create an integrated navigation system. The radar and camera are physically and computationally combined, allowing the simple, reliable radar technology to benefit from the added context of visual imagery without requiring complete system redesign. This merging improves imagery interpretation while maintaining the simplicity of conventional radar operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a visual copy or representation of the radar field of view using image data. This optical copy provides an intuitive reference frame that users can immediately understand, while the radar data is mapped onto this familiar visual framework. This copying approach enhances interpretation ease without requiring complex new display technologies.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide visually correlated radar imagery for mobile structures. A visually correlated radar imagery system includes a radar system, an imaging device, and a logic device configured to communicate with the radar system and imaging device. The radar system is adapted to be mounted to a mobile structure, and the imaging device may include an imager position and/or orientation sensor (IPOS). The logic device is configured to determine a horizontal field of view (FOV) of image data captured by the imaging device and to render radar data that is visually or spatially correlated to the image data based, at least in part, on the determined horizontal FOV. Subsequent user input and/or the sonar data may be used to adjust a steering actuator, a propulsion system thrust, and/or other operational systems of the mobile structure.