DSMAC stands for Digital Scene Matching Area Correlation (DSMAC). The premise of operation essentially boils down to running binary correlations on sequential binary converted greyscale images. Images are stored in binary array formats. This image represents a typical reference frame image before it is processed and converted to the correct correlation format.

The image on the left is the processed version of the image above, after all the steps have been performed to obtain a usable relatable image, with useful accuracy. The conversion involves spatial averaging, accounting for geometric distortion/errors and potential issues with brightness levels post-capture that can degrade accuracy of the correlation algorithm.

This image corresponds to the process of generating reference imagery for use in DSMAC. High altitude cameras take a variety of images at different points which are synthesized into one reference image to account for distortion, weather, spectral response to the sun, noise in the sensor to generate a clean image that offers good feature geometry and contrast.

What does guidance even represent? Navigation answers "Where am I?" Guidance answers "How do I get there?" and control answers "How do I make it happen?"

This image shows how the position fix looks when graphed versus crosstrack and downtrack. The correlation factor is the height of the z-axis. 75% positive correlation is common over the entire trip.

This is the first stage of the onboard guidance system. The Block II version of this system is an analog celling and high-pass filtering of the input imaging before conversion to a binary format. The Block IIA version of this system relies on a digitally based celling/filtering system that has a higher degree of accuracy and performance.

This is the second stage of the guidance system. The binary format is fed into either a voting system(consensus) where the guidance system compares a series of 3 frames of binary data to determine the inertial relationship between 3 frames. The Block IIA version of this system relies on comparing the shift over a wider range of frames to maintain a better sense of accuracy.

This represents another typical input image that would be fed into the first stage component of the DSMAC system from the solid state image intensifier camera.

This image represents the previous image run through the first stage of the filtering system and converted into a binary format. This is an image representation of the stored binary information after it has been processed, corrected and stored for comparison.

Conversion Factors

Example Reference Imagery

Converted Imagery

Reference imagery generation

Photo Gallery

Fundamental guidance concepts

Live Mapping Phase Process

First phase of algorithm

Second Phase of Algorithm

Additional input reference image

Filtering through first algorithm phase

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