Patents by Inventor Christopher M. Pilcher

Christopher M. Pilcher has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230419640
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for machine learning (ML) automatic target recognition (ATR) decision explanation are provided. A method can include receiving an object specification matrix from an object model database that indicates, for each of a plurality of physical portions of an object, whether each of a plurality of features are present or absent in a physical portion of the physical portions of the object and a proportional physical displacement between the features in the object, receiving feature data indicating for an image of a portion of the object, a likelihood whether each of features are present in the image, determining based on the object specification matrix and the feature data, a probability and corresponding uncertainty that the image corresponds to the object, and providing the probability and corresponding uncertainty of the object to help classify the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2022
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Suhail Shabbir Saquib, Christopher M. Pilcher, John R. Goulding
  • Patent number: 11756287
    Abstract: An automatic target recognizer system including: a database that stores target recognition data including multiple reference features associated with each of multiple reference targets; a pre-selector that selects a portion of the target recognition data based on a reference gating feature of the multiple reference features; a preprocessor that processes an image received from an image acquisition system which is associated with an acquired target and determines an acquired gating feature of the acquired target; a feature extractor and processor that discriminates the acquired gating feature with the reference gating feature and, if there is a match, extracts multiple segments of the image and detects the presence, absence, probability or likelihood of one of multiple features of each of the multiple reference targets; a classifier that generates a classification decision report based on a determined classification of the acquired target; and a user interface that displays the classification decision report.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Christopher M. Pilcher, Christopher Harris, John R. Goulding, William D. Weaver
  • Publication number: 20230244756
    Abstract: An automatic target recognizer system including: a database that stores target recognition data including multiple reference features associated with each of multiple reference targets; a pre-selector that selects a portion of the target recognition data based on a reference gating feature of the multiple reference features; a preprocessor that processes an image received from an image acquisition system which is associated with an acquired target and determines an acquired gating feature of the acquired target; a feature extractor and processor that discriminates the acquired gating feature with the reference gating feature and, if there is a match, extracts multiple segments of the image and detects the presence, absence, probability or likelihood of one of multiple features of each of the multiple reference targets; a classifier that generates a classification decision report based on a determined classification of the acquired target; and a user interface that displays the classification decision report.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2022
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Applicant: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Christopher M. Pilcher, Christopher Harris, John R. Goulding, William D. Weaver
  • Publication number: 20230143374
    Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for machine learning model generation. A method can include generating image chips of an image. The image chips can each provide a view of a different extent of an object in the image. Based on an object definition that indicates respective features of the object and a location of the respective features along a length of the object, it can be determined whether any of the image chips include any of the respective features. Each image chip of the image chips can be labeled to include an indication of any of the features included in the image chip resulting in labelled image chips. The method can include training an ensemble classifier based on the labelled image chips resulting in a trained ensemble classifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2021
    Publication date: May 11, 2023
    Inventors: Crystal D. Rhodes, John R. Goulding, Christopher M. Pilcher, Christopher R. Harris
  • Patent number: 11222245
    Abstract: An automatic target recognizer system including: a database that stores target recognition data including multiple reference features associated with each of multiple reference targets; a pre-selector that selects a portion of the target recognition data based on a reference gating feature of the multiple reference features; a preprocessor that processes an image received from an image acquisition system which is associated with an acquired target and determines an acquired gating feature of the acquired target; a feature extractor and processor that discriminates the acquired gating feature with the reference gating feature and, if there is a match, extracts multiple segments of the image and detects the presence, absence, probability or likelihood of one of multiple features of each of the multiple reference targets; a classifier that generates a classification decision report based on a determined classification of the acquired target; and a user interface that displays the classification decision report.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: RAYTHEON COMPANY
    Inventors: Christopher M. Pilcher, Christopher Harris, John R. Goulding, William D. Weaver
  • Publication number: 20210374485
    Abstract: An automatic target recognizer system including: a database that stores target recognition data including multiple reference features associated with each of multiple reference targets; a pre-selector that selects a portion of the target recognition data based on a reference gating feature of the multiple reference features; a preprocessor that processes an image received from an image acquisition system which is associated with an acquired target and determines an acquired gating feature of the acquired target; a feature extractor and processor that discriminates the acquired gating feature with the reference gating feature and, if there is a match, extracts multiple segments of the image and detects the presence, absence, probability or likelihood of one of multiple features of each of the multiple reference targets; a classifier that generates a classification decision report based on a determined classification of the acquired target; and a user interface that displays the classification decision report.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2020
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Christopher M. Pilcher, Christopher Harris, John R. Goulding, William D. Weaver
  • Patent number: 8917199
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a subterranean imaging apparatus comprises at least two receive channels configured on a land-based vehicle and a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system. The at least two receive channels are operable to generate electrical signals according to electromagnetic radiation reflected from a subterranean target below a ground surface. The SAR system is operable to receive the electrical signals from the at least two receive channels, generate raw images from the received electrical signals, generate a weighting according to phase statistics of pixels in the raw images, and combine the raw images using the weighting to generate a refined image of the subterranean target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Raymond Samaniego, Christopher M. Pilcher, John L. Tomich
  • Publication number: 20120262324
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a subterranean imaging apparatus comprises at least two receive channels configured on a land-based vehicle and a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system. The at least two receive channels are operable to generate electrical signals according to electromagnetic radiation reflected from a subterranean target below a ground surface. The SAR system is operable to receive the electrical signals from the at least two receive channels, generate raw images from the received electrical signals, generate a weighting according to phase statistics of pixels in the raw images, and combine the raw images using the weighting to generate a refined image of the subterranean target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Raymond Samaniego, Christopher M. Pilcher, John L. Tomich