Infrared small target enhancement via phase spectrum of Quaternion Fourier Transform

Small target enhancement is one of the crucial stages in infrared small target detection. In this paper, we propose a new method using phase spectrum of Quaternion Fourier Transform to enhance small targets while suppressing backgrounds for infrared images. This is inspired by the property that regularly Gaussian-like shape small targets could be considered as attractively salient signal in infrared images and the location information of such signal is implicitly contained in the phase spectrum from frequency domain. Formally, in the proposed method, we adopt the phase spectrum of Quaternion Fourier Transform instead of using traditional Fourier Transform to enhance the targets since the quaternion provides at most four data channels than only one for the latter, which could be helpful to broad types of background clutters by adding more information. For the construction of the quaternion, we present a second-order directional derivative filter via facet model to compute four second order directional derivative maps from four directions respectively as the four data channels. This filter is used to suppress noises and distinguish the targets and backgrounds into separably different textures so that it would boost the robustness of small target enhancement. In experiments, some typical infrared images with various scenes are tested to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The results demonstrate that our method actually has good performance and outperforms several state-of-the-art methods, which can be further used for infrared small target detection and tracking.     

基于核各向异性扩散的红外小目标检测

为了减少红外图像中背景边缘对检测的影响,提出了一种具有鲁棒性的弱小目标检测算法,该算法利用核各向异性扩散模型进行背景预测,再与原图像差分实现弱小目标检测。为了提高算法的自适应能力,提出了一种鲁棒性扩散系数,能够根据图像背景的起伏程度自适应调整扩散系数曲线的陡峭程度。实验结果表明,与现有的检测算法相比,该算法能够在不同类型的复杂背景下有效抑制背景及其边缘,保留目标大小,降低虚警率,具有更强的鲁棒性。     

红外小目标图像的背景杂波量化方法

分析了背景杂波对红外小目标检测的影响,研究了一种针对红外小目标图像的背景杂波定量描述方法.提出了背景杂波定量描述方法需要满足的三个条件:与主观判断的结果一致、对于不同的红外图像具有适应性和能够辅助改进目标检测算法.综合考虑了目标与背景的特征,融合了4种特征,提出了一种新的红外背景杂波量化方法.首先采用支持向量机对背景杂...     

层次卷积滤波红外弱小目标检测方法

针对单帧复杂背景红外图像点目标检测算法存在复杂背景下处理效果不理想、处理时间长的问题,提出了一种层次卷积滤波检测算法。主要分为两个部分：第一,根据红外小目标特性,设计一种层次卷积滤波的算子,对图像进行滤波处理,实现图像中小目标的增效和背景抑制的效果;第二,采用基于最大值的自适应阈值方法,对图像进行二值化操作,过滤背景杂波,最终提取到待检测的目标。在大量不同背景红外图像中进行实验,论文算法在背景抑制因子和信噪比增益的性能量化结果上优于现有5种典型红外弱小目标检测算法的性能结果,且平均处理时间仅为高斯拉普拉斯（Laplacian of Gaussian,LoG）滤波算法的30.42%。通过实验对比,表明该层次卷积滤波算法可以有效解决在不同复杂背景下的红外图像中对小目标检测的问题。     

A fast-saliency method for real-time infrared small target detection

Infrared small target detection plays an important role in applications including military reconnaissance, early warning and terminal guidance. In this paper, we present a fast method, called fast-saliency, with very low computational complexity, for real-time small target detection in single image frame under various complex backgrounds. Different from traditional algorithms, the proposed method is inspired by a recent research on visual saliency detection indicating that small salient signals could be well detected by a gradient enhancement operation combined with Gaussian smoothing, which is able to delineate regions of small targets in infrared images. Concisely, there are only four simple steps contained in fast-saliency. In order, they are gradient operation, square computation, Gaussian smoothing and automatic thresholding, representing the four procedures as highpass filtering, target enhancement, noise suppression and target segmentation, respectively. Especially, for the most crucial step, gradient operation, we innovatively propose a 5 × 5 facet kernel operator that holds the key for separating the small targets from backgrounds. To verify the effectiveness of our proposed method, a set of real infrared images covering typical backgrounds with sea, sky and ground clutters are tested in experiments. The results demonstrate that it outperforms the state-of-the-art methods not only in detection accuracy, but also in computation efficiency.     

Automatic detection of small objects from their infrared state-of-polarization vectors

A technique for automatic detection of targets from their infrared signature's state-of-polarization vector is described. The bounds on the Bayesian total probability of errors are estimated from the observed Stokes vector imagery and used as metrics for separating targets from background clutter. The performance of the proposed approach for objects under various geometries is studied in terms of receiver operating characteristic curves. The new results, which have been obtained from data from the U.S. Air Force's Infrared Modeling and Analysis polarimetric infrared simulation tool, indicate the usefulness of polarimetric infrared signatures for the automatic detection of small targets.     

Small Target Detection Algorithm Based on Average Absolute Difference Maximum and Background Forecast

Detecting small targets in clutter scene and low SNR (Signal Noise Ratio) is an important and challenging problem in infrared (IR) images. In order to solve this problem, we should do works from two sides: enhancing targets and suppressing background. Firstly, in this paper, the system utilizes the average absolute difference maximum (AADM) as the dissimilarity measurement between targets and background region to enhance targets. Secondly, it uses a predictor to suppress the background clutter. Finally, our approach extracts the interested small target with segment threshold. Experimental results show that the algorithm proposed has better performance with respect to probability of detection and less computation complexity. It is an effective small infrared target detection algorithm against complex background.     

Infrared small target tracking based on sample constrained particle filtering and sparse representation

Infrared search and track technology for small target plays an important role in infrared warning and guidance. In view of the tacking randomness and uncertainty caused by background clutter and noise interference, a robust tracking method for infrared small target based on sample constrained particle filtering and sparse representation is proposed in this paper. Firstly, to distinguish the normal region and interference region in target sub-blocks, we introduce a binary support vector, and combine it with the target sparse representation model, after which a particle filtering observation model based on sparse reconstruction error differences between sample targets is developed. Secondly, we utilize saliency extraction to obtain the high frequency area in infrared image, and make it as a priori knowledge of the transition probability model to limit the particle filtering sampling process. Lastly, the tracking result is brought about via target state estimation and the Bayesian posteriori probability calculation. Theoretical analyses and experimental results show that our method can enhance the state estimation ability of stochastic particles, improve the sparse representation adaptabilities for infrared small targets, and optimize the tracking accuracy for infrared small moving targets.     

基于多特征的快速红外弱小目标检测算法

为了从全向红外搜索和跟踪系统采集的海量大视场高分辨率红外图像中快速准确地检测出红外弱小目标,本文提出了一种基于由粗到细的分阶段检测策略和时空域特征融合的红外弱小目标检测算法.首先,通过引入基于频域的快速显著性检测算法预先检测出目标可能存在的候选区域;其次,对候选区域进行角点检测以判定是否存在候选目标;最后,通过结合帧间时空域特征对候选目标进行进一步判定,以提取真实目标、删除虚假目标.多种实际场景的实验结果表明,该目标检测算法不仅运算量小而且探测概率高、虚警率低,是一种工程实用性能很好的红外弱小目标检测算法.     

A new infrared small and dim target detection algorithm based on multi-directional composite window

This work presents a new method based on gray characteristic analysis for infrared dim small target detection under complex backgrounds. Firstly, an improved detection window with eight directions and three layers is introduced to investigate the gray distribution characteristic of different structure in an infrared image. Secondly, we adopt a pretreatment process based on morphology filter and mean filter to reduce the running time and propose a detection rule on characteristic analysis for infrared targets. Meanwhile a new parameter optimization algorithm based on fuzzy control theory is employed so that the detection rule could be independent of the initial parameters. Finally, experimental results indicate that the proposed method can effectively detect the dim small targets and has better tracking performance.     

INFRARED SMALL TARGET DETECTION ALGORITHM BASED ON SELF-ADAPTIVE BACKGROUND FORECAST

A background forecast filter is presented to detect a small target under an infrared (IR) nature scene. By calculating the correlation of image pixels, the background around the small target could be forecasted. Subtracting the forecast background from original scene, the small targets would become outstanding. Experimental results show that the algorithm proposed has better performance with respect to probability of detection and less computation complexity.     

基于运动方向估计的管道滤波算法

管道滤波算法提出了从时域角度解决弱小目标检测问题的思路,对于红外强起伏天空背景中弱点目标的检测问题,管道内强噪音的干扰以及低信噪比的条件会导致检测概率降低的情况出现.本文提出了一种运动方向估计的管道滤波算法,分析了红外弱点目标的运动特性,依据弱点目标在相邻帧间位置具有连贯性的特征,建立了弱点目标的运动方向估计模型.在模型中利用弱点目标逐帧检测的先验位置信息,估计弱点目标的运动方向和轨迹,根据估计结果去除管道内噪音对弱点目标的干扰.仿真结果表明,该方法能够很好地抑制管道内噪音的影响,提高弱点目标的检测概率,增强弱点目标抗管道内噪音干扰的能力.     

基于回形窗的弱小多目标图像分割方法

提出一种红外弱小多目标图像分割方法,用一个回形窗口和对比度阈值分割图像.对天空背景下低信噪比的红外弱小多目标图像序列能够有效的分割,抑制噪音干扰.将该方法与传统的图像分割方法做了比较,并对用不同阈值,不同窗口分割时的分割结果进行了分析.实验表明,该算法在执行效率和检测概率上能够取得满意的结果.     

红外序列图像多运动目标检测

针对背景不动情况下提取红外图像运动目标,提出了一种基于连续四帧序列图像精确检测多运动目标的算法,并用软件仿真了该算法处理图像的效果并与其他方法进行了对比。经试验证明该方法算法简单,实时性好。对单目标、多目标、室内、室外、简单和复杂背景的红外序列都可以得到较好的检测效果。能够有效地去除背景和噪声,精确地确定运动目标位置,有利于后续的目标跟踪,算法适于实时应用。     

Infrared small target detection based on directional zero-crossing measure

Infrared small target detection under complex background and low signal-to-clutter ratio (SCR) condition is of great significance to the development on precision guidance and infrared surveillance. In order to detect targets precisely and extract targets from intricate clutters effectively, a detection method based on zero-crossing saliency (ZCS) map is proposed. The original map is first decomposed into different first-order directional derivative (FODD) maps by using FODD filters. Then the ZCS map is obtained by fusing all directional zero-crossing points. At last, an adaptive threshold is adopted to segment targets from the ZCS map. Experimental results on a series of images show that our method is effective and robust for detection under complex backgrounds. Moreover, compared with other five state-of-the-art methods, our method achieves better performance in terms of detection rate, SCR gain and background suppression factor.     

A robust infrared dim target detection method based on template filtering and saliency extraction

Dim target detection in infrared image with complex background and low signal-clutter ratio (SCR) is a significant and difficult task in the infrared target tracking system. A robust infrared dim target detection method based on template filtering and saliency extraction is proposed in this paper. The weighted gray map is obtained from the infrared image to highlight the target which is brighter than its neighbors and has weak correlation with its background. The target saliency map is then calculated by phase spectrum of Fourier Transform, so that the dim target detection could be converted to salient region extraction. The potential targets are finally extracted by combining the two maps. Moreover, position discrimination between targets in the two maps is used to exclude the false alarms and extract the targets. Experimental results on measured images indicate that our method is feasible, adaptable and robust in different backgrounds. The ROC (Receiver Operating Characteristic) curves obtained from the simulated images demonstrate the proposed method outperforms some existing typical methods in both detection rate and false alarm rate, for target detection with low SCR.     

A Generative Adversarial Network for Infrared and Visible Image Fusion Based on Semantic Segmentation

This paper proposes a new generative adversarial network for infrared and visible image fusion based on semantic segmentation (SSGAN), which can consider not only the low-level features of infrared and visible images, but also the high-level semantic information. Source images can be divided into foregrounds and backgrounds by semantic masks. The generator with a dual-encoder-single-decoder framework is used to extract the feature of foregrounds and backgrounds by different encoder paths. Moreover, the discriminator’s input image is designed based on semantic segmentation, which is obtained by combining the foregrounds of the infrared images with the backgrounds of the visible images. Consequently, the prominence of thermal targets in the infrared images and texture details in the visible images can be preserved in the fused images simultaneously. Qualitative and quantitative experiments on publicly available datasets demonstrate that the proposed approach can significantly outperform the state-of-the-art methods.     

Hit-or-miss transform based infrared dim small target enhancement

To efficiently enhance a dim infrared small target embedded in heavy clutter, a hit-or-miss transform based method is proposed in this paper. First, the gray level hit-or-miss transform is given and discussed. Then, by analyzing the structuring elements used in the hit-or-miss transform following the purpose of infrared small target enhancement, a simple infrared small target enhancement method is proposed by using flat structuring elements and a threshold parameter. The threshold imports the properties of infrared small target into the gray level hit-or-miss transform, which improves the performance of the hit-or-miss transform for infrared small target enhancement. Experimental results on infrared dim small target images with different clutter backgrounds verified that the proposed method was efficient for infrared small target enhancement.     

Infrared dim and small target detecting and tracking method inspired by Human Visual System

Detecting and tracking dim and small target in infrared images and videos is one of the most important techniques in many computer vision applications, such as video surveillance and infrared imaging precise guidance. Recently, more and more algorithms based on Human Visual System (HVS) have been proposed to detect and track the infrared dim and small target. In general, HVS concerns at least three mechanisms including contrast mechanism, visual attention and eye movement. However, most of the existing algorithms simulate only a single one of the HVS mechanisms, resulting in many drawbacks of these algorithms. A novel method which combines the three mechanisms of HVS is proposed in this paper. First, a group of Difference of Gaussians (DOG) filters which simulate the contrast mechanism are used to filter the input image. Second, a visual attention, which is simulated by a Gaussian window, is added at a point near the target in order to further enhance the dim small target. This point is named as the attention point. Eventually, the Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) algorithm is first introduced to predict the attention point of the next frame of an image which simulates the eye movement of human being. Experimental results of infrared images with different types of backgrounds demonstrate the high efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method to detect and track the dim and small targets.     

红外凝视系统下的多规则航迹起始算法

针对传统航迹起始算法在红外凝视跟踪系统应用中存在的弊端,提出了一种适用于凝视跟踪系统的多规则快速航迹起始算法.该方法通过深入分析红外凝视系统中目标自身特点及其运动特性,给出了能够对低速甚至静止的大威胁概率目标和断续点迹目标进行威胁概率判断和航向方差判断的起始规则,实现了凝视系统下对大威胁概率目标和断续点迹目标航迹的快速...