Water Surface Object Detection Using Radar and Laser Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current radio detection and ranging (radar) devices struggle to detect small objects on a water surface due to non-stationary propagation scenarios and clutter, limiting their ability to distinguish small objects from undesired reflections.
Innovation Solution
A dual-mode detection system combining a radio detection and ranging (radar) device for coarse detection with a laser detection and ranging (ladar) device for precise detection within a target water surface area, utilizing a laser transmitter and detector to identify objects based on reflected laser beams, allowing for high precision and resolution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a radio detection and ranging device is used to detect objects on water surface, then large objects with high reflectivity can be detected, but small objects cannot be distinguished from clutter due to non-stationary propagation scenario
Solution Approach 1:
The detection process is segmented into two stages: first, a radar device performs coarse detection to identify a target water surface area; second, a laser detection and ranging device performs precise detection within that identified area. This segmentation allows the system to overcome the radar's inability to detect small objects by using the laser device's higher precision capabilities on a focused region.
Solution Approach 2:
The radar device acts as an intermediary that identifies and delimits a target water surface area, which then serves as the focused search region for the laser detection and ranging device. This intermediary step resolves the contradiction by using the radar's ability to handle non-stationary propagation to guide the laser's high-precision detection.
2Quantity of substance
If a radar device operates in X-band to detect objects on water surface, then detection range is achieved, but clutter from water surface reflections impedes detection of small objects
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the target water surface area from the overall detection scene using radar coarse detection, then applies laser detection only to this extracted region. This extraction removes the harmful clutter from the majority of the water surface, allowing small objects to be detected without interference from widespread water reflections.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of applying uniform detection across the entire water surface, the system applies different detection qualities to different regions: radar provides broad coverage with lower precision, while the laser provides high-precision detection localized to the identified target area. This local quality approach reduces clutter interference by concentrating high-precision detection only where needed.
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 the detection of small objects on a water surface with improved precision and resolution, overcoming the limitations of radar devices in non-stationary propagation scenarios and clutter, by using a ladar system to differentiate objects from unwanted reflections.
Implementation Method 1
detecting a reflected laser beam, the reflected laser beam forming a reflected version of the transmitted laser beam
Implementation Method 2
transmitting an electromagnetic wave towards the object, and detecting an electromagnetic wave which has been reflected by the object
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a detection system (100) for detecting an object on a water surface, the detection system (100) comprising a radio detection and ranging device (101) for coarsely detecting a target water surface area with the object, and a laser detection and ranging device (103) for detecting the object within the target water surface area, wherein the laser detection and ranging device (103) comprises a laser transmitter (105) for transmitting a laser beam towards the target water surface area, a laser detector (107) for detecting a reflected laser beam, the reflected laser beam forming a reflected version of the transmitted laser beam, and a processor (109) for detecting the object within the target water surface area upon the basis of the reflected laser beam.