Patent ID: 7006031

Claim:
A radar for acquiring a synthetic aperture image from a sequence of periodic pulse returns, said sequence of periodic pulse returns interspersed with interrupts, said interrupts marking the start and end of one or more segments, said segments containing said periodic pulse returns, said radar comprising: analog to digital converter for converting said pulse returns into a digital stream; a computer for: receiving said digital stream; performing an azimuth deskew on said digital stream to obtain a deskewed digital stream; forming a forward-backward data matrix from said deskewed digital stream for said one or more segments; forming an average segment covariance from said forward-backward data matrix; computing a model order for said average segment covariance; computing one or more linear prediction coefficients using data contained in said forward backward data matrix, and said model order; using said one or more linear prediction coefficients to compute missing pulse returns belonging within said interrupts.