Edge-based correlation image registration for multispectral imaging

1. A method of obtaining registration information indicative of a misregistration between first and second images of a target, comprising:

edge filtering the first image to produce a first edge-filtered image;

edge filtering the second image to produce a second edge-filtered image;

phase correlating the first and second edge filtered images to produce a phase correlation image; and

using the phase correlation image to determine the registration information.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said edge filtering steps include partially differentiating the image relative to respective along-track and cross-track directions of the image.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said using step includes identifying a maximum value of the phase correlation image.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said using step includes filtering the phase correlation image to produce a filtered phase correlation image.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said step of filtering the phase correlation image includes edge filtering the phase correlation image.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said step of edge filtering the phase correlation image includes edge filtering the phase correlation image in only one of a cross-track direction and an along-track direction of the phase correlation image.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein said using step includes identifying a mid-point between maximum and minimum values of the filtered phase correlation image.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second images are respectively obtained from first and second spectral bands that differ from one another.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first spectral band is a MWIR band, and wherein the second spectral band is one of a VNIR band and a TIR band.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second images are obtained from a common spectral band.

11. The method of claim 1 , including edge filtering a third image of the target to produce a third edge filtered image, phase correlating the first and third edge filtered images to produce a further phase correlation image, and using the further phase correlation image to determine registration information indicative of a misregistration between the first and third images.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first, second and third images are obtained respectively from first, second and third spectral bands that each differ from one another.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first, second and third spectral bands are MWIR, VNIR and TIR bands, respectively.

14. A method of obtaining registration information for use in registering images of a target produced by a plurality of separate sensor arrangements, comprising:

providing sets of images of the target, each set of images produced by a respectively corresponding one of the sensor arrangements;

for each set of images, edge filtering each of the images to produce respectively corresponding edge-filtered images, phase correlating a plurality of pairs of the edge-filtered images to produce a corresponding plurality of phase correlation images, and using the phase correlation images to determine registration information indicative of misregistrations between images of the set; and

selecting from each of the sets of images a portion of that set of images, edge filtering each of the portions to produce respectively corresponding edge-filtered portions, phase correlating a plurality of pairs of the edge-filtered portions to produce a corresponding plurality of phase correlation portions, and using the phase correlation portions to determine registration information indicative of misregistrations between the sets of images.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein each said portion is a portion of one of the images of the associated set of images.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the images of each set are obtained from respective spectral bands that differ from one another, and wherein all of said image portions are obtained from a common spectral band.

17. An apparatus for obtaining registration information indicative of a misregistration between first and second images of a target, comprising:

an edge filter for edge filtering the first and second images to produce first and second edge-filtered images;

a phase correlator coupled to said edge filter for phase correlating the first and second edge-filtered images to produce a phase correlation image; and

a registration determiner coupled to said phase correlator for determining the registration information based on the phase correlation image.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , including a filter coupled between said phase correlator and said registration determiner for filtering the phase correlation image to produce a filtered phase correlation image, said registration determiner for determining the registration information in response to the filtered phase correlation image.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein said last-mentioned filter is an edge filter.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the first and second images are respectively obtained from first and second spectral bands that differ from one another.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 , wherein the first spectral band is a MWIR band, and wherein the second spectral band is one of a VNIR band and a TIR band.

22. A method of obtaining registration information indicative of a misregistration between first and second images of a target, comprising:

edge filtering the first image to produce a first edge-filtered image;

edge filtering the second image to produce a second edge-filtered image;

phase correlating the first and second edge filtered images to produce a phase correlation image; and

determining the registration information by edge filtering the phase correlation image in only one of a cross-track direction and an along-track direction of the phase correlation image to produce a filtered phase correlation image.