Process for tracking vehicles

• US 20060097910A1
• Filed: 11/08/2004
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: McMillan, Donald R., Bottone, Rick, Collins, Noel
• Granted Patent: US 7,167,127 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/160
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/723 by using numerical data

Abstract

The invention is process for tracking a moving targeted vehicle from a remote sensor platform comprising the steps of 1) tracking the targeted vehicle and periodically recording its radar signature until its identity becomes ambiguous, 2) tracking the target after it has left its ambiguous state and periodically recording its radar signature; and 3) comparing the recorded radar signatures prior to the targeted vehicle becoming ambiguous to the recorded radar signature taken after the targeted vehicle has left its ambiguous state and determining that the targeted vehicle now tracked is the same as the targeted vehicle being tracked prior to becoming ambiguous.

Claims

1. A process for tracking a moving targeted vehicle from a remote sensor platform comprising the steps of:

tracking the targeted vehicle and periodically recording its radar signature until its identity becomes ambiguous and;

tracking the target after it has left its ambiguous state and periodically recording its radar signature; and

comparing the recorded radar signatures prior to the targeted vehicle becoming ambiguous to the recorded radar signature taken after the targeted vehicle has left its ambiguous state and determining that the targeted vehicle now tracked is the same as the targeted vehicle being tracked prior to becoming ambiguous.

2. The process as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

the step of tracking the targeted vehicle and periodically recording its radar signature until its identity becomes ambiguous includes step of recording its aspect to the sensor platform; and

comparing the recorded radar signatures prior to the targeted vehicle becoming ambiguous to the recorded radar signatures taken after the targeted vehicle has left its ambiguous state and determining that the targeted vehicle now tracked is the same as the targeted vehicle being tracked prior to becoming ambiguous includes the step comparing recorded signatures only at similar aspects to the platform.

3. The process as set forth in claim 1, wherein there is at least one other vehicle moving in proximity to the targeted vehicle, the process including the additional steps of:

tracking and periodically recording its radar signature of the at least one other vehicle until its identity becomes ambiguous with the targeted vehicle;

tracking the at least one other vehicle after it has left its ambiguous state and periodically recording its radar signature and comparing the recorded radar signatures prior to the at least one other vehicle becoming ambiguous to the recorded radar signature taken after the at least one other vehicle has left its ambiguous state and determining that the at least one other vehicle now tracked is the same as the at least one other vehicle being tracked prior to becoming ambiguous.

4. A process for tracking a moving targeted vehicle and at least one other moving vehicle from a remote sensor platform comprising the steps of:

tracking the targeted vehicle and at least one other targeted vehicle until their identities becomes ambiguous with each other and periodically recording their radar signatures;

tracking the target vehicle and at least one other vehicle after they have left their ambiguous states and periodically recording their radar signatures;

determining the identity of the targeted vehicle and at least one other vehicle after they have left their ambiguous states by comparing the recorded radar signatures of the targeted vehicle and at least one other targeted vehicle prior to their becoming ambiguous with each other to the recorded radar signatures of the targeted vehicle and at least one other vehicle after they have left their ambiguous states in order to find a match.

5. The process as set forth in claim 4 including the steps of:

recording the aspect of the targeted vehicle and the at least one other vehicle when recording all radar signatures; and

comparing the recorded radar signatures only when the aspects of the vehicles are similar.

7. The process as set forth in claim 5 wherein:

the step of tracking the targeted vehicle and periodically recording its radar signature until its identity becomes ambiguous includes step of recording its aspect to the sensor platform; and

comparing the recorded radar signatures prior to the targeted vehicle becoming ambiguous to the recorded radar signatures taken after the targeted vehicle has left its ambiguous state and determining that the targeted vehicle now tracked is the same as the targeted vehicle being tracked prior to becoming ambiguous includes the step comparing recorded signatures only at similar aspects to the platform.

8. The process as set forth in claim 5, wherein there is at least one other vehicle moving in proximity to the targeted vehicle, the process including the additional steps of:

tracking and periodically recording its radar signature of the at least one other vehicle until its identity becomes ambiguous with the targeted vehicle;

tracking the at least one other vehicle after it has left its ambiguous state and periodically recording its radar signature and comparing the recorded radar signatures prior to the at least one other vehicle becoming ambiguous to the recorded radar signature taken after the at least one other vehicle has left its ambiguous state and determining that the at least one other vehicle now tracked is the same as the at least one other vehicle being tracked prior to becoming ambiguous.

10. The process as set forth in claim 4 including the steps of:

recording the aspect of the targeted vehicle and the at least one other vehicle when recording all radar signatures; and

comparing the recorded radar signatures only when the aspects of the vehicles are similar.

6. A process for tracking a moving targeted vehicle by radar from a from a remote sensor platform comprising the steps of:

determining if the targeted vehicle is likely to become ambiguous as to its identification by the radar;

if the targeted vehicle is likely to become ambiguous, tracking the targeted vehicle and periodically recording its radar signature until its identity becomes ambiguous and;

tracking the target after it has left its ambiguous state and periodically recording its radar signature; and

comparing the recorded radar signatures prior to the targeted vehicle becoming ambiguous to the recorded radar signature taken after the targeted vehicle has left its ambiguous state and determining that the targeted vehicle now tracked is the same as the targeted vehicle being tracked prior to becoming ambiguous.

9. A process for tracking a moving targeted vehicle and at least one other moving vehicle by radar from a remote sensor platform comprising the steps of:

determining if the targeted vehicle is likely to become ambiguous as to its identification by the radar;

if the targeted vehicle is likely to become ambiguous with the at least one other targeted vehicle, tracking the targeted vehicle and at least one other targeted vehicle periodically recording their radar signatures until their identities becomes ambiguous with each other and;

tracking the target vehicle and at least one other vehicle after they have left their ambiguous states and periodically recording their radar signatures;

determining the identity of the targeted vehicle and at least one other vehicle after they have left their ambiguous states by comparing the recorded radar signatures of the targeted vehicle and at least one other targeted vehicle prior to their becoming ambiguous with each other to the recorded radar signatures of the targeted vehicle and at least one other vehicle after they have left their ambiguous states in order to find a match.