Year
1982
Abstract
Recent encouraging developments in infrared staring arrays with CCD readouts and in real time image processors on and off the focal plane have suggested that technologies suitable for infrared security surveillance may be available in a twoto- five year time frame. In anticipation of these emerging technologies, an investigation has been undertaken to establish the design potential of a passive IR perimeter security system incorporating both detection and verification capabilities. To establish the desion potential, it is necessary to characterize the interactions between the scene and the sensor. To this end, theoretical and experimental findings were employed to document (1) the emission properties of scenes to include an intruder, (2) the propagation and emission characteristics of the intervening atmosphere, and (3) the reception properties of the imaging sensor. The impact of these findings are summarized in the light of the application constraints. Optimal wavelenaths, intruder and background emission characteristics, weather limitations, and basic sensor design considerations are treated. Although many system design features have been identified to this date, continued efforts are reouired to complete a detailed system design to include the identifying processing requirements. A program to accomplish these objectives is presented.