Abstract: Methods and systems for managing and/or processing a blockchain to maintain data security for confidential and/or personal data are provided. According to certain aspects, the disclosed data security techniques may enable access sharing functionality utilizing the blockchain. For example, access sharing may be utilized to file documents, share policy information, and/or comply with an audit. The data security techniques disclosed herein also enable the use of smart contracts to transfer funds associated with payment obligations and/or other forms of blockchain based payments, comply with anti-money laundering requirements, report industry data, validate interest payments and/or maintain agent sales data. Data security may be achieved through the use of public key/private key encryption techniques.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing and/or processing a blockchain to maintain data security for confidential and/or personal data are provided. According to certain aspects, the disclosed data security techniques may enable access sharing functionality utilizing the blockchain. For example, access sharing may be utilized to share policy information. The policy information may be associated with a smart contract. Accordingly, the policy information may be encrypted using a public key for the smart contract and compiled into a block of the blockchain. In response to a request to provide access to the information to a particular node, the private key for the smart contract may be encrypted using the public key for the particular node and compiled into a block of the blockchain.

Abstract: Methods and systems for processing a blockchain comprising a plurality of immutable sales records corresponding to sales made by agents of an entity are provided. According to certain aspects, a transaction request indicating a sale made by an agent of the entity may be received at a first node. A block including a sales record indicating the sale made by the agent may be added to a blockchain and transmitted to another node for validation. The first node may add the block to a copy of the blockchain, where the block may be identified by a hash value that references a previous block in the blockchain that includes at least one additional sales record.

Abstract: Methods and systems for managing and/or processing a blockchain to maintain data security for confidential and/or personal data are provided. According to certain aspects, the disclosed data security techniques may enable access sharing functionality utilizing the blockchain. For example, access sharing may be utilized to file documents, share policy information, and/or comply with an audit. The data security techniques disclosed herein also enable the use of smart contracts to transfer funds associated with payment obligations and/or other forms of blockchain based payments, comply with anti-money laundering requirements, report industry data, validate interest payments and/or maintain agent sales data. Data security may be achieved through the use of public key/private key encryption techniques.

Abstract: A method for segmenting an object within an image including extracting an edge image containing a first set of pixels from the image, generating a second set of pixels from the first set of pixels using mathematical morphology, and identifying a segment corresponding to the object.

Abstract: A method for identifying potential targets as far away as possible is disclosed. In a simple background scene such as a blue sky, a target may be recognized from a relatively long distance, but for some high clutter situations such as mountains and cities, the detection range is severely reduced. The background clutter may also be non-stationary further complicating the detection of a target. To solve these problems, target detection (recognition) of the present invention is based upon temporal fusion (integration) of sensor data using pre-detection or post-detection integration techniques, instead of using the prior art technique of fusing data from only a single time frame. Also disclosed are double-thresholding and reversed-thresholding techniques which further enhance target detection and avoid the shortcomings of the traditional constant false alarm rate (CFAR) thresholding technique.

Abstract: A multi-stage infrared (IR) image-based tracking system is provided that accurately identifies and tracks targets across a variety of different situations and environmental conditions. The system includes primary and secondary trackers. The secondary tracker supports the primary tracker by identifying and tracking targets when the primary tracker loses or fails to identify one or more targets, and helps the primary tracker reacquire valid targets. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the primary tracker is a correlation-based tracker, and the secondary tracker is a feature-based tracker. A prescreener is also included, which operates concurrently with the correlation-based and feature-based trackers to generate a list of possible targets. The list can be used to provide a confidence level for the probable targets identified by each of the primary and secondary trackers.

Abstract: A method and system provide a multi-sensor data fusion system capable of adaptively weighting the contributions from each one of a plurality of sensors using a plurality of data fusion methods. During a predetermined tracking period, the system receives data from each individual sensor and each data fusion method is performed to determine a plurality of reliability functions for the system based on combining each sensor reliability function which are individually weighted based on the S/N (signal-to-noise) ratio for the received data from each sensor, and a comparison of predetermined sensor operation characteristics for each sensor and a best performing (most reliable) sensor. The system may dynamically select to use one or a predetermined combination of the generated reliability functions as the current (best) reliability function which provides a confidence level for the multi-sensor system relating to the correct classification (recognition) of targets and decoys.

Abstract: A system and method for estimating noise using measurement based parametric fitting non-uniformity correction is disclosed. Fixed pattern noise (“FPN”) is estimating from an overall noise component within a detection system to enhance candidate target detection and tracking. A sensor in the detection system receives energy, such as radiant flux, that is converted to a digital image. A non-uniformity correction device generates an estimated FPN according to an applicable temperate range and integration time. A memory storing an array of coefficients is accessed to determine the estimated FPN. The valves within the array of coefficients are based on actual FPN measurements that are parametrically fitted.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for tracking an object in an image. An image of a scene comprising an object is received. The image is processed with a first tracker to produce a first estimate of a position of the object in the image and a first confidence value. The image is processed with a second tracker to produce a second estimate of the position of the object in the image and a second confidence value. The second tracker processes the image concurrently with the first tracker. An estimate of the position of the object in the image is selected using the first and second confidence values. The object is then tracked using the selected estimate.

Abstract: A method for segmenting an object within an image including extracting an edge image containing a first set of pixels from the image, generating a second set of pixels from the first set of pixels using mathematical morphology, and identifying a segment corresponding to the object.