Decentralized detection, localization, and tracking utilizing distributed sensors
First Claim
1. A decentralized tracking system, comprising:
- a plurality of computational nodes distributed within an environment, including nodes operative to perform the following functions;
a) sense the local environment, b) receive a message from a neighboring node, and c) transmit a message to a neighboring node; and
wherein at least a subset of the nodes can collectively determine the presence and/or movement of a target and communicate this information to a user.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A swarming agent architecture provides a distributed, decentralized, agent-based computing environment applicable to ground-based surveillance. The approach, called Sensor Network Integration through Pheromone Fusion, or “SNIPF,” provides an end-to-end demonstration that integrates self-contained sensor/communication nodes with novel swarming algorithms to detect foot and vehicular movement through a monitored area with minimal configuration and maintenance. A plurality of computational nodes distributed within the environment and, depending upon the way in which they are deployed, the various nodes are operative to sense the local environment, receive a message from a neighboring node, and transmit a message to a neighboring node. Given these capabilities, the nodes can collectively determine the presence and/or movement of a target and communicate this information to a user. Though not required, the system may include nodes that are capable of collectively determining the speed and heading of a target, and the gathered intelligence may be communicated to users within, and external to, the environment. A particularly useful configuration may include one or more ‘free’ nodes having relatively limited communications and computational power, and one or more anchor nodes equipped with GPS and/or long-distance communications capabilities.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A decentralized tracking system, comprising:
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a plurality of computational nodes distributed within an environment, including nodes operative to perform the following functions;
a) sense the local environment, b) receive a message from a neighboring node, and c) transmit a message to a neighboring node; and
wherein at least a subset of the nodes can collectively determine the presence and/or movement of a target and communicate this information to a user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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7. A method of tracking the movement of a target within an environment, comprising the steps of:
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distributed a plurality of self-contained computational nodes within the environment, including free nodes having limited relatively limited communications capabilities;
sensing target information using local interactions among the free nodes. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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Specification