Automatic Target Recognition Algorithm for High Resolution Multi-band Sonar Imagery

An improved automatic target recognition processing string has been developed. The overall processing string consists of pre-processing, subimage adaptive clutter filtering, normalization, detection, data regularization, feature extraction, optimal subset feature selection, feature orthogonalization and classification processing blocks. The classified objects of 3 distinct strings are fused using the classification confidence values and their expansions as features, and using "summing" or log-likelihood-ratio-test (LLRT) based fusion rules. The utility of the overall processing strings and their fusion was demonstrated with new high-resolution three-frequency band sonar imagery. The ATR processing strings were individually tuned to the corresponding three-frequency band data. Two significant fusion algorithm improvements were made. First, a nonlinear 2nd order (Volterra) feature LLRT fusion algorithm was developed. Second, a repeated application of a subset Volterra feature selection / feature orthogonalization / LLRT fusion block was utilized. It was shown that cascaded Volterra feature LLRT fusion of the ATR processing strings outperforms baseline "summing" and single-stage Volterra feature LLRT algorithms, yielding significant improvements over the best single ATR processing string results, and providing the capability to correctly call the majority of targets while maintaining a very low false alarm rate.