System and method for distributed engagement

• US 20070168117A1
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Payton, David, Howard, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,912,631 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/04 for dispersing fire from a battery ; for controlling spread of shots; for coordinating fire from spaced weapons
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/007 Preparatory measures taken before the launching of the guided missiles
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/2206 using a remote control station
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/2233 Multimissile systems

Abstract

The disclosed system for cooperative engagement generally includes a control system in communication with an actuation system, an effector system, a sensor system and a comunications interface. Disclosed features and specifications may be variously controlled, adapted or otherwise optionally modified to realize improved distributed designation and/or engagement function. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention generally provide cooperative designation and engagement of targets for air-, land-, sea- or space-based weapon systems.

Claims

1. A method for distributive coordination of a plurality of agents to affect at least one target, said method comprising the steps of:

composing a target list, said target list comprising a plurality of targets;

ranking targets within said target list;

selecting a target for engagement;

communicating a reservation of the selected target to at least one other agent; and

affecting the reserved target.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said agent comprises at least one of a sensor and a detector to locate at least one target of interest.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of said detector and said sensor is configured to locate at least one target that is closer than a maximum sensing range.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing location information to said agent, said location information corresponding to at least one target located outside at least one of said detector and said sensor maximum sensing range.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said agent further comprises at least one onboard effector.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of employing said effector when a target is in range.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein said effector comprises at least one of a weapon and a agentic arm.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving a reservation communication from another distributed coordination agent.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said distributed coordination agent at least one of tracks a target and designates a target while deploying a weapon, and said agent maintains said tracking and designation until the weapon hits the target.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein target selection criteria includes at least one of a target reservation and a target valuation based on at least one of a scoring function and a prioritization scheme.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said scoring function comprises a linear combination of a plurality of metrics.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said metrics comprise a weighting function that may be adjusted to at least one of increase and decrease said metric'"'"'s contribution to the scoring function.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein a metric to be minimized is the distance between the agent and the target.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein a metric to be minimized is the distance between the target and an engagement goal of the target.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein a metric to be maximized is the distance from a target to the nearest reserved target.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein a first agent predicts the scores a second agent will obtain for each target, and said first agent chooses a target whose predicted score of said second agent is not the highest of said scores.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of:

said agent has a range corresponding to a maximum firing range of a weapon;

said agent is configured to reserve at least one of a single target at a time and at least a plurality of targets at once;

said agent affects said target when said target is in range;

said agent affects said target when any valid target enters a predetermined perimeter; and

said agent releases its reservation.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing an actuation system, said actuation system response to a control system that is suitably configured to maneuver said agent.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a communications interface, said communications interface suitably configured to communication at least one of reservation and positioning data.

20. A method for distributive cooperative engagement of a target, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a sensor system suitably adapted to collect targeting information;

providing a control system in communication with said sensor system, said control system suitably adapted to select a target based on at least one of said targeting information and a set of at least one of targeting and engagement criteria;

providing a communications interface in communication with said control system, said communications interface suitably adapted to communicate at least one of target reservation and target position data; and

providing an effector system in communication with said control system, said effector system suitably adapted to affect a target.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of providing an actuation system, said actuation system responsive to the control system and suitably adapted to maneuver a cooperative engagement agent.