Patent ID: 7561261

Claim:
A method for processing a Ladar data stream comprising the steps of: (a) scanning a target to obtain pixel data from said target which identifies characteristics of a plurality points on a surface for said target, wherein a Ladar sensor is used to scan said target to obtain said pixel data including said characteristics of said target which include range and intensity data for a scan of said target; (b) generating a plurality of Ladar Sensor messages in a Ladar Sensor Format which include said pixel data, wherein said Ladar sensor generates said plurality of Ladar Sensor messages; (c) transmitting said plurality of Ladar Sensor messages from said Ladar sensor to a digital processor; (d) processing each of said Ladar Sensor messages including said pixel data to calculate X, Y, and Z coordinates for a three dimensional position for each of said plurality of pixel points on the surface of said target scanned by said Ladar sensor, wherein said digital processor processes each of said Ladar Sensor messages; (e) processing each of said X, Y, and Z coordinates for each of said plurality of pixel points, and said range and intensity data to a scan image array having five image planes for said X, Y, and Z coordinates and said range and intensity data for each of said plurality of pixel points on the surface of said target; and (f) constructing each of said Ladar Sensor messages provided by said Ladar sensor to have an informational hierarchy which consist of a plurality of Ladar Scan messages and a plurality of Ladar Flash messages within each of said Ladar Scan Messages wherein one of said Ladar Scan messages is generated for each scan of said target by said Ladar sensor.