JP2000121732A - Underwater object detection identification - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately and securely detect and identify an object that exists in water or on the surface of the water in a wide range by comparing an object whose image is picked up with the information of a database regarding the shape of the object. SOLUTION: A laser scope part 5 receives a command from a laser radar signal-processing part 2 that recognizes three-dimensional coordinates where a target exists and is pointed to a direction where the target exists and emits the command onto the surface of water or in water where a target exists through a mirror 10 from a laser oscillator 9. Exposure is made by the reflection light by opening a shutter 11 at time corresponding to a range gate that is matched to distance where the target exists on the surface of the water or in water from a laser radar part 4, thus performing spot image pick-up with a scope (camera) 12. Further, an image that is picked up by the laser scope part 5 is compared with a database that is owned by an image identification part 3, thus identifying the target and outputting the image and identification information of the target.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a detection device for searching for, finding, and identifying objects such as mines and submarines existing underwater or on the surface of water.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As one of applications of a detection device using a laser, there is a detection of an object in water or on a water surface by a blue-green laser having good water permeability. As the detection method, there are roughly two types, a laser radar method and a laser scope method.

In the laser radar system, the coordinates of the object can be recognized by processing the echo from the object received by the laser radar unit in the signal processing unit. However, obtaining the resolution required for identifying the shape of an object requires fine scanning, and has the disadvantage of poor operation efficiency.

Further, the laser scope system has a laser scope portion capable of scanning on the water surface, and this laser scope portion can capture an image with a high two-dimensional resolution. In order to suppress a decrease in contrast, an image is taken with the shortest range gate. For this reason, it is difficult to take an image in accordance with the exact position of the object, and it is necessary to set a plurality of range gates in the same depth direction in order to expand the detection range in the depth direction, and perform detection processing by capturing a plurality of images. Has the disadvantage that the system becomes complicated and enormous.

[0005]

As described above, in the conventional blue-green laser for detecting an object, it is difficult to identify the shape in the case of the laser radar system, and irregular reflection and backscattering in the case of the laser scope system. Due to the effects of such factors, and the difficulty in obtaining a large detection range in the depth direction, sufficient performance could not be demonstrated. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a detection device capable of detecting and identifying an object existing in a wide range of water or on the water surface with high accuracy and reliability.

[0006]

According to the present invention, there is provided an underwater object detecting and discriminating apparatus mounted on a flying object for identifying an object in the water or on the water surface. And a laser radar unit for specifying the position of the target is provided, and spot imaging is performed on the target whose position is specified, and the imaged object is compared with information in a database relating to the shape of the object. The method is characterized in that an object is identified. As a result, detection and identification of an object existing in a wide range of underwater or on the water surface can be performed accurately and reliably.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an underwater object detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the configuration, and FIG. 3 is detection when the underwater object detection device is mounted on a flying object such as a helicopter. It is a figure showing the state of. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the underwater object detection device includes a laser radar sensor unit 1 including a laser radar unit 4 and a laser scope unit 5, a laser radar signal processing unit 2, and an image identification unit 3.

In the laser radar unit 1, a pulse laser oscillator 6
The laser beam oscillated from the pulse radar oscillator 5 is scanned by the drive mirror 8 and emitted toward an underwater target. The laser light reflected by the target is input to the receiver 7 via the driving mirror 8.

Further, a reception signal from the receiver 7 is input to the laser radar signal processing unit 2. The laser radar signal processing unit 2 receives the received signal output from the receiver 7 and its own position information from the outside, and determines the position of the object from the distance to the target corresponding to the time and the directivity angle of the mirror 8 at that time. Is calculated as three-dimensional information. Based on this information, self-position change is corrected based on self-position information, and a control signal for accurately directing a mirror 9 of a laser scope unit 5 to an object direction to be described later, a signal for controlling laser emission, and a range gate of the scope Output a signal that controls

That is, the laser radar signal processing unit 2
Is means for directing the laser scope unit 5 in the direction in which the target exists so that the laser reflected light from the target is imaged in the detection area of the laser scope.

The scanning of the laser beam is a means for making it easy to search for a wide range of objects, and is also for obtaining distance information from the water surface and the underwater objects. An example of laser scanning is shown in FIGS. Shown in

Further, the laser scope unit 5 recognizes the three-dimensional coordinates where the target exists, and the laser radar signal processing unit 3
The laser beam is directed from the laser oscillator 9 to the direction in which the target exists, and is emitted from the laser oscillator 9 through the mirror 10 to the surface of the water where the target exists or into water. The shutter 11 is opened and exposed to the reflected light at a time corresponding to the range gate that is adjusted to the distance from the laser radar unit 4 to the surface of the water and the target in the water, and the scope (camera) 12 performs spot imaging.

That is, the laser scope section 5 is a means for acquiring an image in which the influence of disturbance light from areas other than the area where the target exists is suppressed.

Further, the image picked up by the laser scope unit 5 is compared with a database owned by the image identification unit 3, the target is identified, and the target image and the identification information are output.

Next, the operation of the underwater object detection device based on the above configuration will be further described with reference to FIG. This underwater object detection device is mounted on a flying object 14, such as a helicopter or an airplane, and identifies an object on the water surface or underwater from the flying object 14.

As an initial detection, the laser radar unit 4 generates a laser which is conically scanned (scanned) as shown in FIG. 4, and receives a reflected wave from a target on the water surface or underwater. In this conical scan, the laser spot scans while rotating in a circular shape on the coordinate plane, and the laser spot moves in the moving direction when the flying object 14 moves, so that the entire area can be scanned.

The laser radar signal processing unit 2 calculates the three-dimensional coordinates of the position on the water surface and the position where the object exists from the information of the reflected waves. The three-dimensional coordinates are determined by calculating the angle of the mirror gimbal 8 and the reflection time from the target. The reflection time from the target does not need to be corrected when the target is on the water surface, but is corrected according to a change in the reflection time due to refraction of the laser in the water when the target is underwater.

Also, since the flying object 14 is moving,
The self-position information of the flying object is specified using 13 and the like, and the position of the target is determined by performing position correction by moving the flying object 14 using the self-position information.

Further, the initially detected laser radar unit 4
From the three-dimensional information of the target, the laser scope unit 5 directs the laser from the laser oscillator 9 in the target direction by controlling the rotation of the mirror 10, and if the target is on the water surface, adjusts the range gate on the water surface. The shutter 11 is opened at the time when the reflected light from the target arrives, and spot imaging is performed so that exposure of the scope is performed.

Alternatively, if the target exists in the water, the range gate is adjusted to the target, and the shutter 11 is opened during the time when the reflected light from the target arrives to perform spot imaging so that exposure of the scope is performed.

According to this, since the position of the target is known from the initial detection, the time required for the laser scope unit 5 to reflect from the irradiation of the target on the target and return to the scope is known. In this case, an image of a two-dimensional high-detailed clear object having no adverse effects such as diffuse reflection or backscattering on the water surface or in the water is acquired.

Further, the image identification section 3 identifies the target by comparing the acquired image with the database of the shape of the target based on the acquired image.

As described above, in the underwater object detection apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, the laser radar unit 4 performs initial detection, and the laser scope unit 5 obtains detailed image information of the initially detected object. Therefore, detection and identification of an object existing in a wide range of water or on the water surface can be performed accurately and reliably.

As the scope (camera) 12 of the laser scope section 5, a method using an image intensifier for controlling the exposure time by a range gate with a high-sensitivity image sensor, an image dissector without image deletion, a fiber array It can be realized by, for example, an array of a large number of attached photodiodes. Although the laser beam from the laser radar section is conical scanned, it may be reciprocally scanned as shown in FIG.

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, high-speed and high-efficiency search and initial detection are performed by the laser radar unit, and detailed image information of the object initially detected by the laser scope unit. Can be obtained. As a result, detection and identification of an object existing in a wide range of water or on the water surface can be performed accurately and reliably.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an underwater object detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an underwater object detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a detection state of the underwater object detection device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing cone scanning of the underwater object detection device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing reciprocal scanning of the underwater object detection device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Laser radar sensor part 2 ... Laser radar signal processing part 3 ... Image identification part 4 ... Laser radar part 5 ... Laser scope part 13 ... GPS

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing on the front page (72) Ryuichi Horie 1st in Komukai Toshiba-cho, Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa F term in the Toshiba Komukai Plant 5J084 AA04 AA14 AB17 AB20 AC04 AD01 AD03 AD05 AD20 BA03 BA11 BA15 BA34 BA36 BA40 BA50 BB28 BB35 CA03 CA12 CA19 CA22 CA65 CA67 CA68 CA70 DA01 DA07 EA02 EA04 EA07 EA11

Claims (8)

[Claims] An underwater object detection and identification device mounted on a flying object for identifying an object underwater or on the surface of a water, a laser radar unit that emits a laser, receives reflection from the object, and specifies a target position; A laser scope unit that performs spot imaging on the target whose position is specified, and an image processing unit that compares information of a database relating to the shape of the object and the object captured by the laser scope unit and identifies the object. Underwater object detection knowledge device equipped with. 2. A detecting unit provided on the flying object, for detecting position information of the flying object with respect to the earth, and a target position from the laser radar unit based on position information from the detecting unit. 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the correction is performed. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein a time of arrival of a laser beam reflected from said target is obtained based on a signal received by said laser radar unit, and said laser scope unit performs spot imaging exposure at said time of arrival. Item 2. The underwater object detection knowledge classification device according to Item 1. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the laser emitted toward the water surface is scanned in a conical shape. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the laser beam emitted toward the water surface is reciprocally scanned. 6. The underwater object detection method according to claim 1, wherein said spot imaging camera includes an image intensifier for controlling exposure time by a range gate using a high-sensitivity imaging device. apparatus. 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the camera capable of picking up the spot uses an image dissector to control the exposure time. 8. The camera capable of picking up spots comprises a large number of photodiodes with a fiber array arranged therein, can take three-dimensional images, has a database relating to three-dimensional shapes, and can identify floating objects and underwater objects on the water surface. 3 you can
The underwater object detection knowledge classification apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is provided with a three-dimensional image identification unit and can perform target identification.