Detection algorithm of targets for infrared search system based on area infrared focal plane array under complicated background

Infrared Search and Track (IRST) system is a wide field of view surveillance system, meant for autonomous search, detection, acquisition, and cue of potential targets. The first and second generation IRSTs utilized detectors with multiple elements followed by discrete preamplifiers for signal read-out. They have many performance limitations. With the advent of infrared focal plane array (IRFPA) sensors, the present trend is to build IRSTs based on line FPA sensors to achieve higher sensitivity and resolution. This article describes a new IRST system, different from other systems with area infrared focal plane array (IRFPA), using area infrared focal plane array (AFPA). This system has the simple and reliable structure. First this paper described the surveillance system based on AFPA. And the Point Scattering Function (PSF) of degradation model images blurred by AFPAs’ rotations and the imaging feature of the targets is presented. And the target detection algorithm is described and analyzed, the maximum filter and center filter is advanced. Finally the experiment results have proved that the IRST system using AFPA has high detection ratio and low false alarm ratio.