Device for recognizing far-away electro-magnetically radiating objects

Claim 1

Method of recognizing, at distances beyond the resolution of optical imaging systems, randomly shaped objects from which electromagnetic radiation emanates, comprising the steps of (a) two-dimensionally arranging, in fixed relative positions, a plurality of detectors responding to radiation of an object, each of the detectors representing a discrete point of no particular shape, (b) providing a known object at a large distance from said detectors, (c) exposing each detector directly to radiation emanating from said known object toward said detector, whereby said detectors provide first signals indicative of said radiation from the known object, (d) correlating said first signal provided by each detector with each one of first signals provided by a plurality of associated other ones of said detectors to provide a first pattern of correlation signals indicative of said known object, (e) storing said first pattern of correlation signals, (f) exposing each detector directly to radiation emanating from an unknown object towards said detector, whereby said detectors provide second signals indicative of said radiation from the unknown object, (g) correlating said second signal provided by each detector with each one of second signals provided by said plurality of associated other ones of said detectors to provide a second pattern of correlation signals indicative of said unknown object, and (h) comparing said second pattern with said stored first pattern to determine whether said known and unknown objects are similar.

Claim 3

A device for recognizing, at distances beyond the resolution of optical imaging systems, randomly shaped objects from which electromagnetic radiation emanates, comprising (a) a plurality of detectors (D 1 . . . D n ) responding to radiation of an object and arranged two-dimensionally in fixed relative positions, each of the detectors representing a discrete point (P 1 . . . P n ) and having no particular shape, (b) means for exposing each detector directly to radiation emanating from a known object, whereby said detectors provide first signals indicative of radiation from said known object, said means for exposing including a target object measurement circuit, (c) means in said target object measurement circuit to correlate the first signal provided by each said detector with each one of the first signals provided by a plurality of associated other ones of said detectors to provide a first pattern of correlation signals indicative of a known object, (d) storage means for retaining said first pattern of correlation signals, (e) means for exposing each said detector directly to radiation emanating from an unknown object toward each said detector, said detectors providing second signals indicative of radiation from the unknown object, (f) means in said target object measurement circuit to correlate said second signal provided by each said detector with each one of said second signals provided by the other of said detectors to provide a second pattern of correlation signals indicative of the unknown object, and (g) means in said target object measurement circuit to compare said second pattern with said stored first pattern to determine any relationship between said first pattern of correlation signals and said second pattern of correlation signals.

Claim 4

A device for recognizing, at distances beyond the resolution of optical imaging systems, randomly shaped objects from which electromagnetic radiation emanates, comprising (a) a plurality of detectors (D 1 . . . D n ) responding to radiation of an object and arranged two-dimensionally in fixed relative positions, each of the detectors representing a discrete point (P 1 . . . P n ) and having no particular shape, (b) means for exposing each detector directly to radiation emanating from a known object, whereby said detectors provide first signals indicative of radiation from said known object, said means for exposing including a target object measurement circuit, (c) means in said target object measurement circuit to correlate the first signal provided by each said detector with each one of the first signals provided by a plurality of associated other ones of said detectors to provide a first pattern of correlation signals indicative of a known object, (d) storage means for retaining said first pattern of correlation signals, (e) means for exposing each said detector directly to radiation emanating from an unknown object toward each said detector, said detectors providing second signals indicative of radiation from the unknown object, (f) means in said target object measurement circuit to correlate said second signal provided by each said detector with each one of said second signals provided by the other of said detectors to provide a second pattern of correlation signals indicative of the unknown object, and (g) means in said target object measurement circuit to compare said second pattern with said stored first pattern to determine any relationship between said first pattern of correlation signals and said second pattern of correlation signals.