Optical correlator and method of optical correlation.

摘要

The present invention provides an optical correlator for identifying an object automatically from among two dimensional images. The correlator comprises means (2 to 6) for generating coherent images representing two sets of pictorial information to be compared, and means (3 to 15) for generating Fourier transformation images from the coherent images for use for correlation. The means for generating the Fourier transformation images comprise means (12) for generating a phase conjugate wave formation in respect of each of the coherent images, means (3 to 11) for deriving from the phase conjugate wave formations pictorial patterns representing respectively the sum of and the difference between the two sets of pictorial information, and means (14, 15) for transforming the pictorial patterns into respective Fourier transformation images.