System and method for overlaying computer generated highlights in a display of millimeter wave imagery

1. A system for overlaying computer-generated highlights in a display of millimeter wave computer imagery, comprising:

a user interface configured to display millimeter wave imagery and visible spectrum imagery, wherein the visible spectrum images are spatially and temporally relative to the millimeter wave imagery;

a processing module configured to generate algorithmically created images and provide the algorithmically created images to the user interface, wherein the algorithmically created images are spatially and temporally relative to the millimeter wave imagery;

a synchronization module configured to synchronize the millimeter wave imagery, the visible spectrum images and the algorithmically created images to a substantially identical time base; and

a highlighting module coupled with the processing module, synchronization module, and user interface, the highlighting module configured to overlay at least one or more of the visible spectrum images, algorithmically created images, and millimeter wave imagery with a computer generated highlight coinciding with a location of a detected threat.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the processing module is further configured to detect the threat using the millimeter wave imagery.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the highlighting module is further configured to generate a warning highlight that coincides with a warning condition of the detected threat.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the warning highlight comprises a high alert highlight that coincides with a high alert condition of the detected threat.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the shape of the warning highlight changes from a first shape to a different second shape when the threat is detected.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer generated highlight is a shape.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the shape is at least one of a point, a line a “x”, a square, a rectangle, a polygon, a circle or an ellipse.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the highlighting module is further configured to visually fill the shape based on a probability of a feature match.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the highlighting module is further configured to provide a transparency of the shape that corresponds to a probability of a feature match.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the highlighting module is further configured to provide a border around at least a portion of the computer generated highlight, a characteristic of the border visually indicating data to a user.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the threat is a detected explosive object, threat object, contraband object, stolen object or otherwise concealed object.

12. An apparatus for overlaying computer-generated highlights in a display of millimeter wave computer imagery, the system comprising:

an imaging system configured to output millimeter wave imagery and visible spectrum imagery;

a display system coupled with the imaging system and configured to display the visible spectrum imagery and the millimeter wave imagery, the visible spectrum imagery being spatially and temporally relative to the millimeter wave imagery; and

a processing module coupled with the imaging system and display system, and configured to:

receive the millimeter wave imagery and visible spectrum imagery,

generate algorithmically created images for display on the display system, the algorithmically created images being spatially and temporally relative to the millimeter wave imagery,

determine a location of a detected threat based on the millimeter wave imagery, visible spectrum imagery, and algorithmically created images,

generate an image overlay highlight to be overlayed with the display of one or more of the visible spectrum imagery, the millimeter wave imagery, or algorithmically created images, the image overlay highlight coinciding with a location of a detected threat, and

output the algorithmically created images and image overlay highlight to the display system for display to a user.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising:

a synchronization module coupled with the display system and processing module, and configured to synchronize the millimeter wave imagery, the visible spectrum images and the algorithmically created images to a substantially identical time base.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising:

a memory configured to record the millimeter wave imagery and corresponding algorithmically created images and visible spectrum images.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the processing module is configured to detect the threat based on the millimeter wave imagery.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the threat is a detected explosive object or otherwise concealed object.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a user interface configured to receive input identifying a characteristic of the detected threat.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the processing module is further configured to generate a warning highlight that coincides with a warning condition of the detected threat.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the image overlay highlight is a shape that is displayed at the location of the detected threat.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the shape is at least one of a point, a line a “x”, a square, a rectangle, a polygon, a circle or an ellipse.