14-06-2012, 06:05 PM
Infrared Technology and Applications
[attachment=24502]
Simulator of IRST system with ATR embedded functions
This paper presents a soft-real time simulator of IRST (InfraRed Search
and Track) systems with ATR (Automatic Target Recognition) embedded
functions to test performance airborne applications. The IR camera
model includes detector, optics, available Field-of-Regard, etc., and it is
integrated with the motion platform local stabilization system to consider
all factors impacting IR images. The atmosphere contributions are taken
into account by means of a link to ModTran computer program. Sensor
simulation allows derivation and assessment of IR Figures of Merit (NEI,
NETD, SNR...). IR signatures of targets derive both from data collected in
specific trial campaigns and from laboratory built models. The simulation
of the scan procedure takes into account different policies (ground points
paths or defined angular volume) and different platform motion strategies
(continuous or step steering scan). The scan process includes Interacting
Multiple Model (IMM) technique to face unexpected variations of aircraft
motion. Track and ATR processors are simulated and run consistently on
the output of the sensor model. The simulator functions are developed in
MatLab and SIMULINK and then exported in C code to be integrated in
soft real-time environment.
New generation of naval IRST: example of EOMS NG
Nowadays, Naval Combat Systems (NCS) have to deal with different
kinds of threats including air targets and surface targets such as
missiles and warships. Plus, current asymmetric targets such as fast
moving rubber boats for suicide actions have to be taken into account.
Eventually, modern warship missions have to cope with “blue” and
“brown” water missions e.g. backgrounds including sea, sky but also
coastal lands observed at very short range.
Connected to the NCS, IRST systems provide Contact Reports located
in angles while being fully covert. Of course, they have to detect, lockon,
track and classify multiple threats on various backgrounds and
atmospheric conditions.
In this paper, an application of new IRST generation at sea is described.
The EOMS NG from SAGEM is presented. More precisely, the article
is divided into three parts. The first part puts forward the requirements
of the new IRST generation in terms of scenarios to deal with. They
combine classic targets and new asymmetric ones. Background
requirements have also evolved during the last decade linked directly to
new missions. In the second part, the system architecture of EOMS NG
is described including Image & Tracking Processes. They are challenging
by providing as soon as possible accurate Target Indications to NCS
according to Lock-on time requirements while having very low false
alarms rates in heavy clutter (solar glint...).
Passive shortwave infrared technology and hyperspectral imaging for maritime applications
We present image data and discuss naval sensing applications of SWIR
and Hyperspectral SWIR imaging in littoral and marine environments
under various light conditions. These environments prove to be
challenging for persistent surveillance applications as light levels may
vary over several orders of magnitude within and from scene to scene,
imaging over long water paths where marine haze and turbulence tend
to degrade radiation transmission, and discrimination of low contrast
objects under low-light and night imaging. Image data obtained from two
separate passive sensor systems, both of which are built around an RVS
large format (1280 x 1024) InGaAs FPA with high dynamic range and low
noise electronics, are presented. The SWIR camera imager is equipped
with a custom 300 mm focal length f/2 narrow field-of-view (6° diagonal)
refractive telescope. The Hyperspectral imager has a custom selectable
900/1800 mm focal length telescope with corresponding 1.55°/0.79°
field-of-view and f-numbers of 3/6 respectively. The sensor uses 1280
pixels in the spatial direction and a window of 192 are used for the
spectral and operates at a nominal frame rate of 120 Hz. To assess field
performance of the SWIR/Hyperspectral imagers, comparison is made
to output from a scientific grade VNIR camera and two state-of-the-art
low-light sensors.
Innovative optronics for the new PUMA tank
The new PUMA tank is equipped with a fully stabilized 360° periscope
with different magnification stages. The motion of the hull relative to
the turret is compensated by an innovative joined direct optical channel
in the center of the turret. It provides a direct optical view either to the
commander or to the gunner. The periscope contains a cooled thermal
imager and a visible camera to provide a digital image parallel to the
direct view optical channel. The fully optronical stabilized gunner sight is
coaxial mounted to the main gun and is equipped with a visible camera,
Wide-band imaging for enhanced day and night vision
Visible-band cameras using silicon imagers provide excellent video under
daylight conditions, but become blind at night. The night sky provides
illumination from 1-2 μm which cannot be detected with a silicon sensor.
Adding short-wave infrared detectors to a CMOS imager would enable a
camera which can be used day or night.
A germanium-enhanced CMOS imager (TriWave) has been developed
with broadband sensitivity from 0.4 μm to 1.6 μm. A 744 x 576 format
imager with 10 μm pixel pitch provides a large field of view without
incurring a size and weight penalty in the optics. The small pixel size
is achieved by integrating a germanium detector into a mainstream
CMOS process. A sensitive analog signal chain provides a noise floor
of 7 electrons. Hundreds of VGA-format imagers are fabricated on each
200 mm wafer, allowing performance characterization at wafer probe.
The imagers are hermetically packaged with a thermo-electric cooler in
a windowed metal package of volume 5 cm3. A compact (<650 cm3)
camera core has been designed around the imager. Camera functions
implemented include correlated double sampling, dark frame subtraction
and non-uniformity corrections.
[attachment=24502]
Simulator of IRST system with ATR embedded functions
This paper presents a soft-real time simulator of IRST (InfraRed Search
and Track) systems with ATR (Automatic Target Recognition) embedded
functions to test performance airborne applications. The IR camera
model includes detector, optics, available Field-of-Regard, etc., and it is
integrated with the motion platform local stabilization system to consider
all factors impacting IR images. The atmosphere contributions are taken
into account by means of a link to ModTran computer program. Sensor
simulation allows derivation and assessment of IR Figures of Merit (NEI,
NETD, SNR...). IR signatures of targets derive both from data collected in
specific trial campaigns and from laboratory built models. The simulation
of the scan procedure takes into account different policies (ground points
paths or defined angular volume) and different platform motion strategies
(continuous or step steering scan). The scan process includes Interacting
Multiple Model (IMM) technique to face unexpected variations of aircraft
motion. Track and ATR processors are simulated and run consistently on
the output of the sensor model. The simulator functions are developed in
MatLab and SIMULINK and then exported in C code to be integrated in
soft real-time environment.
New generation of naval IRST: example of EOMS NG
Nowadays, Naval Combat Systems (NCS) have to deal with different
kinds of threats including air targets and surface targets such as
missiles and warships. Plus, current asymmetric targets such as fast
moving rubber boats for suicide actions have to be taken into account.
Eventually, modern warship missions have to cope with “blue” and
“brown” water missions e.g. backgrounds including sea, sky but also
coastal lands observed at very short range.
Connected to the NCS, IRST systems provide Contact Reports located
in angles while being fully covert. Of course, they have to detect, lockon,
track and classify multiple threats on various backgrounds and
atmospheric conditions.
In this paper, an application of new IRST generation at sea is described.
The EOMS NG from SAGEM is presented. More precisely, the article
is divided into three parts. The first part puts forward the requirements
of the new IRST generation in terms of scenarios to deal with. They
combine classic targets and new asymmetric ones. Background
requirements have also evolved during the last decade linked directly to
new missions. In the second part, the system architecture of EOMS NG
is described including Image & Tracking Processes. They are challenging
by providing as soon as possible accurate Target Indications to NCS
according to Lock-on time requirements while having very low false
alarms rates in heavy clutter (solar glint...).
Passive shortwave infrared technology and hyperspectral imaging for maritime applications
We present image data and discuss naval sensing applications of SWIR
and Hyperspectral SWIR imaging in littoral and marine environments
under various light conditions. These environments prove to be
challenging for persistent surveillance applications as light levels may
vary over several orders of magnitude within and from scene to scene,
imaging over long water paths where marine haze and turbulence tend
to degrade radiation transmission, and discrimination of low contrast
objects under low-light and night imaging. Image data obtained from two
separate passive sensor systems, both of which are built around an RVS
large format (1280 x 1024) InGaAs FPA with high dynamic range and low
noise electronics, are presented. The SWIR camera imager is equipped
with a custom 300 mm focal length f/2 narrow field-of-view (6° diagonal)
refractive telescope. The Hyperspectral imager has a custom selectable
900/1800 mm focal length telescope with corresponding 1.55°/0.79°
field-of-view and f-numbers of 3/6 respectively. The sensor uses 1280
pixels in the spatial direction and a window of 192 are used for the
spectral and operates at a nominal frame rate of 120 Hz. To assess field
performance of the SWIR/Hyperspectral imagers, comparison is made
to output from a scientific grade VNIR camera and two state-of-the-art
low-light sensors.
Innovative optronics for the new PUMA tank
The new PUMA tank is equipped with a fully stabilized 360° periscope
with different magnification stages. The motion of the hull relative to
the turret is compensated by an innovative joined direct optical channel
in the center of the turret. It provides a direct optical view either to the
commander or to the gunner. The periscope contains a cooled thermal
imager and a visible camera to provide a digital image parallel to the
direct view optical channel. The fully optronical stabilized gunner sight is
coaxial mounted to the main gun and is equipped with a visible camera,
Wide-band imaging for enhanced day and night vision
Visible-band cameras using silicon imagers provide excellent video under
daylight conditions, but become blind at night. The night sky provides
illumination from 1-2 μm which cannot be detected with a silicon sensor.
Adding short-wave infrared detectors to a CMOS imager would enable a
camera which can be used day or night.
A germanium-enhanced CMOS imager (TriWave) has been developed
with broadband sensitivity from 0.4 μm to 1.6 μm. A 744 x 576 format
imager with 10 μm pixel pitch provides a large field of view without
incurring a size and weight penalty in the optics. The small pixel size
is achieved by integrating a germanium detector into a mainstream
CMOS process. A sensitive analog signal chain provides a noise floor
of 7 electrons. Hundreds of VGA-format imagers are fabricated on each
200 mm wafer, allowing performance characterization at wafer probe.
The imagers are hermetically packaged with a thermo-electric cooler in
a windowed metal package of volume 5 cm3. A compact (<650 cm3)
camera core has been designed around the imager. Camera functions
implemented include correlated double sampling, dark frame subtraction
and non-uniformity corrections.