Method and apparatus for sighting and targeting a controlled system from a common three-dimensional data set

Abstract

A method and apparatus for sighting and targeting a controlled system from a common three-dimensional data set are disclosed. The method includes sighting a position correlated to at least a subset of a three-dimensional data set representing a field of view; and targeting a controlled system to the position from the three-dimensional data set. The apparatus includes a program storage medium, a controller, and a controller interface. The program storage medium is capable of storing a three-dimensional data set representing a field of view. The controller is capable of generating a presentation of the three-dimensional data set. A position represented by at least a subset of the three-dimensional data can be sighted and the position can be targeted from the subset through the controller interface.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A method, comprising: 
 sighting a position correlated to at least a subset of a three-dimensional data set representing a field of view; and    targeting a controlled system to the position from the three-dimensional data set.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the three-dimensional data comprises LADAR data.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of: 
 acquiring the three-dimensional data;    processing the three-dimensional data;    displaying a representation of the three-dimensional data;    displaying a projected target point after the controlled system is targeted; and    taking an action responsive to targeting the position.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein acquiring the three-dimensional data includes: 
 transmitting a plurality of LADAR pulses; and    receiving the LADAR pulses after they are reflected.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein processing the three-dimensional data includes generating a three-dimensional image from the three-dimensional data.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the three-dimensional image is the representation.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein generating the three-dimensional image includes: 
 pre-processing the three-dimensional data;    detecting a target represented by a subset of the three-dimensional data;    segmenting the subset from the remainder of the three-dimensional data;    extracting features of the target from the segmented data; and    classifying the segmented subset as including a particular kind of target based on the extracted features.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein sighting the position indicating a portion of a displayed image generated from the three-dimensional data.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein targeting the controlled system includes aiming a weapon system at the sighted position.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein targeting the controlled system includes aiming a weapon system at the sighted position.  
     
     
         11 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 a program storage medium capable of storing a three-dimensional data set representing a field of view;    a controller capable of generating a presentation of the three-dimensional data set;    a controller interface through which a position represented by at least a subset of the three-dimensional data can be sighted and through which the position can be targeted from the subset.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the program storage medium comprises a magnetic program storage medium or an optical program storage medium.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the magnetic program storage medium comprises a floppy disk, a zip disk, or a hard disk.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the optical program storage medium comprises an optical disk.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the controller comprises a digital processor.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the digital processor is a microprocessor or a digital signal processor.  
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the controller interface includes a display.  
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the display is a helmet-mounted display or a rack-mounted display.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the display includes a touch screen.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the controller interface includes at least one peripheral input/output device.  
     
     
         21 . A controlled system, comprising: 
 a data acquisition system capable of acquiring a three-dimensional data set representing a field of view;    a sighting and targeting subsystem, including: 
 a program storage medium capable of storing the three-dimensional data set;  
 a controller capable of generating a presentation of the three-dimensional data set; and  
 a controller interface through which a position represented by at least a subset of the three-dimensional data can be sighted and through which the position can be targeted from a presentation of the subset;  
   a control subsystem capable of implementing instructions from the sighting and targeting subsystem.    
     
     
         22 . The controlled system of  claim 21 , wherein the data acquisition system includes a LADAR system.  
     
     
         23 . The controlled system of  claim 21 , wherein the LADAR system comprises a direct diode LADAR system.  
     
     
         24 . The controlled system of  claim 21 , wherein the control subsystem comprises a weapon pointing system.  
     
     
         25 . A method, comprising: 
 acquiring a three-dimensional data set representing the content of a field of view;    generating a three-dimensional representation of the content from the three-dimensional data set;    displaying the three-dimensional representation;    sighting a position within the field of view from the three-dimensional representation; and    targeting the sighted position using the three-dimensional data set.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein acquiring the three-dimensional data set includes: 
 transmitting a plurality of light pulses; and    receiving a plurality of the transmitted light pulses upon their reflection by an object in the field of view.    
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 extracting the three-dimensional data from the received light pulses; and    storing the received light pulses in a row column format.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein generating the three-dimensional representation includes: 
 detecting a region of interest in the three-dimensional image;    segmenting a target in the region of interest from the three-dimensional image;    extracting features of the segmented target; and    classifying the target from the extracted features.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising pre-processing the three-dimensional data.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 25 , further comprising transmitting the generated three-dimensional image to a remote location before displaying the three-dimensional image.  
     
     
         31 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 means for sighting a position correlated to at least a subset of a three-dimensional data set representing a field of view; and    means for targeting a controlled system to the position from the three-dimensional data set.    
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein the three-dimensional data comprises LADAR data.  
     
     
         33 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , further comprising at least one of: 
 means for acquiring the three-dimensional data;    means for processing the three-dimensional data;    means for displaying a representation of the three-dimensional data;    means for displaying a projected target point after the controlled system is targeted; and    means for taking an action responsive to targeting the position.    
     
     
         34 . The apparatus of  claim 31 , wherein targeting the controlled system includes aiming a weapon system at the sighted position.  
     
     
         35 . An apparatus, comprising: 
 means for storing a three-dimensional data set representing a field of view;    means for generating a presentation of the three-dimensional data set;    means for sighting a position represented by at least a subset of the three-dimensional data and for targeting the position from the subset.    
     
     
         36 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the storing means comprises a magnetic program storage medium or an optical program storage medium.  
     
     
         37 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the generating means comprises a digital processor.  
     
     
         38 . The apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the sighting and targeting means includes a display.  
     
     
         39 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the program storage medium comprises a magnetic program storage medium or an optical program storage medium.  
     
     
         40 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the magnetic program storage medium comprises a floppy disk, a zip disk, or a hard disk.  
     
     
         41 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the controller comprises a digital processor.  
     
     
         42 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the controller interface includes a display.  
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 21 , wherein the display includes a touch screen.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein sighting the position indicating a portion of a displayed image generated from the three-dimensional data.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein targeting the controlled system includes aiming a weapon system at the sighted position.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein targeting the controlled system includes aiming a weapon system at the sighted position.