IP Library Granted Patent US 12710361
Granted Patent B2
US 12710361 · App. 17/929,304 · Granted Aug 18, 2026

Estimating gas quantity in a pixel based on spectral matched filtering

Inventors: Joseph Christy (Ann Arbor, MI); Andreas Hayden (Ann Arbor, MI)
Assignee: Maxar Technologies Holdings Inc.
G01N21/3504G01J3/2823G01J2003/2826G01J2003/2836
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12710361
App. No.
17/929,304
Granted
Aug 18, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Gas quantity in a pixel may be estimated based on spectral matched filtering. Image data associated with a scene may be received. The scene may comprise a plurality of pixels. Next, a spectral matched filter may be constructed for a predetermined gas and based on the image data. A quantity of the predetermined gas may then be estimated in at least one of the plurality of pixels by applying the spectral matched filter to the image data.

Claims (400)

1 . A method comprising:

receiving image data associated with a scene, wherein the scene comprises a plurality of pixels;

constructing a spectral matched filter for a predetermined gas based on a scene average spectrum L and a scene spectral covariance C from the image data; and

estimating a quantity of the predetermined gas in at least one of the plurality of pixels by applying the spectral matched filter to the image data,

wherein the spectral matched filter f comprises:

f

=

α

(

L

¯

-

L

)

C

-

1

α

(

L

¯

-

L

)

C

-

1

[

α

(

L

¯

-

L

)

]

T

;

and

wherein α is a spectral absorption of the gas and L ↑ is atmospheric scattered light in the scene.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the scene average spectrum in a spectral band i comprises:

L

¯

i

=

k

=

all

pixels

L

i

,

k

number

of

pixels

.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the scene spectral covariance comprises:

C

i

,

j

=

1

number

of

pixels

k

=

all

pixels

(

L

i

,

k

-

L

¯

i

)

(

L

j

,

k

-

L

¯

j

)

.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein constructing the spectral matched filter comprises constructing the spectral matched filter based on in-scene statistics optimally aligned with spectral features of the predetermined gas relative to the scene spectral covariance.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the quantity of the predetermined gas comprises:

n

c

=

-

1

2

f

(

L

-

L

)

T

.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the image data comprise spectral quantities representing spectral features in a Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) spectral range.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the image data comprise spectral quantities representing spectral features in at least one of the following ranges: 1195 nm-1225 nm, 1550 nm-1590 nm, 1640 nm-1680 nm, 1710 nm-1750 nm, 2145 nm-2185 nm, 2185 nm-2225 nm, 2235 nm-2285 nm, and 2295 nm-2365 nm.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined gas is methane.

9 . A system comprising:

a memory storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the memory storage, wherein the processing unit is operative to:

receive image data associated with a scene, wherein the scene comprises a plurality of pixels;

construct a spectral matched filter for a predetermined gas based on a scene average spectrum L and a scene spectral covariance C from the image data; and

estimate a quantity of the predetermined gas in at least one of the plurality of pixels by applying the spectral matched filter to the image data,

wherein the spectral matched filter f comprises:

f

=

α

(

L

¯

-

L

)

C

-

1

α

(

L

¯

-

L

)

C

-

1

[

α

(

L

¯

-

L

)

]

T

;

and

wherein α is a spectral absorption of the gas and L ↑ is atmospheric scattered light in the scene.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the scene average spectrum in a spectral band i comprises:

L

¯

i

=

k

=

all

pixels

L

i

,

k

number

of

pixels

.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the scene spectral covariance comprises:

C

i

,

j

=

1

number

of

pixels

k

=

all

pixels

(

L

i

,

k

-

L

¯

i

)

(

L

j

,

k

-

L

¯

j

)

.

12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the processing unit is operative to construct the spectral matched filter based on in-scene statistics optimally aligned with spectral features of the predetermined gas relative to the scene spectral covariance.

13 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the quantity of the predetermined gas comprises:

n

c

=

-

1

2

f

(

L

-

L

)

T

.

14 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the image data comprise spectral quantities representing spectral features in a Shortwave Infrared (SWIR) spectral range.

15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium that stores a set of instructions which, when executed, perform a method comprising:

receiving image data associated with a scene, wherein the scene comprises a plurality of pixels;

constructing a spectral matched filter for a predetermined gas based on a scene average spectrum L and a scene spectral covariance C from the image data; and

estimating a quantity of the predetermined gas in at least one of the plurality of pixels by applying the spectral matched filter to the image data,

wherein the spectral matched filter f comprises:

f

=

α

(

L

¯

-

L

)

C

-

1

α

(

L

¯

-

L

)

C

-

1

[

α

(

L

¯

-

L

)

]

T

;

and

wherein α is a spectral absorption of the gas and L ↑ is atmospheric scattered light in the scene.

16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the scene average spectrum in a spectral band i comprises:

L

¯

i

=

k

=

all

pixels

L

i

,

k

number

of

pixels

.

17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the scene spectral covariance comprises:

C

i

,

j

=

1

number

of

pixels

k

=

all

pixels

(

L

i

,

k

-

L

¯

i

)

(

L

j

,

k

-

L

¯

j

)

.

18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein constructing the spectral matched filter comprises constructing the spectral matched filter based on in-scene statistics optimally aligned with spectral features of the predetermined gas relative to the scene spectral covariance.

19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the quantity of the predetermined gas comprises:

n

c

=

-

1

2

f

(

L

-

L

)

T

.

20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the image data comprise spectral quantities representing spectral features in at least one of the following ranges: 1195 nm-1225 nm, 1550 nm-1590 nm, 1640 nm-1680 nm, 1710 nm-1750 nm, 2145 nm-2185 nm, 2185 nm-2225 nm, 2235 nm-2285 nm, and 2295 nm-2365 nm.