Swarm intelligent readout integrated circuit pixel array for advanced infrared search and track

In conventional IRST systems, hot targets are periodically searched in a wide field of view cold background and any threats identified are then tracked using very narrow field of view windows. This sequential and discontinuous search-now track-later, track-now search-later operation is effective only for relatively fixed background scenes with very few threats. In the proposed ROIC pixel array for advanced IRST, individual pixels communicate potential threats locally in a swarm intelligent manner to accomplish simultaneous and continuous search and track globally across the entire field of view. This search-now track-now operation of the swarm intelligent ROIC pixel array for advanced IRST is demonstrated using simulations and processed imagery.