SENSOR SCAN PLANNER

• US 20070269077A1
• Filed: 05/17/2006
• Published: 11/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Neff, Michael G., Cheng, Shirley N., Johnson, Ted L., Lee, Chang-Shaung R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,676,064 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/103
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/00 Means of attack or defence not otherwise provided for details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/41 using analysis of echo signal for target characterisation; Target signature; Target cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/107 specially adapted for missiles
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202

Abstract

Sensor scan planner methods and systems are described. In an embodiment, a sensor scan schedule can be generated by a sensor scan schedule generator to optimize the scan schedules of multiple sensors based on optimal capabilities of each sensor and autonomous target recognition algorithm processing. A search manager can then assign an evaluation criteria value to the generated sensor scan schedule based on sensor scan schedule evaluation criteria, and compare the evaluation criteria value to other evaluation criteria values corresponding to respective previously generated sensor scan schedules to determine an optimal sensor scan schedule. The search manager can then determine whether to generate additional sensor scan schedules and assign additional evaluation criteria values for comparison to determine the optimal sensor scan schedule.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a sensor scan schedule to optimize scan schedules of multiple sensors based on optimal capabilities of each sensor and corresponding autonomous target recognition algorithm processing;

assigning an evaluation criteria value to the sensor scan schedule based on sensor scan schedule evaluation criteria, the evaluation criteria value being comparable to one or more evaluation criteria values corresponding to respective previously generated sensor scan schedules to determine an optimal sensor scan schedule; and

determining whether to generate one or more additional sensor scan schedules and assign additional evaluation criteria values for comparison to determine the optimal sensor scan schedule.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising determining that the optimal sensor scan schedule meets a conditional probability threshold based on the sensor scan schedule evaluation criteria.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the optimal sensor scan schedule is determined to meet the conditional probability threshold based on the sensor scan schedule evaluation criteria which includes commit logic that indicates whether to commit to at least one relocatable target.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor scan schedule is generated to optimize the scan schedules of the multiple sensors along a current velocity vector of an airborne platform to search and locate at least one relocatable target.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the sensor scan schedule is generated to optimize the scan schedules of the multiple sensors based on an autonomous target recognition algorithm dependency factor which indicates a statistical dependency of autonomous target recognition results.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising generating a probability map from previous sensor scans combined with a projected target location of one or more relocatable targets in a target area, and wherein the sensor scan schedule is generated based at least in part on the probability map.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a targeting input as at least one of;

a sensor scan input;

a data link input;

determining a previously known target location of the one or more relocatable targets from the targeting input; and

developing the projected target location based on target characteristics combined with the previously known target location projected into the future by a future time input.

8. A sensor scan planner system, comprising:

a sensor scan schedule generator configured to generate a sensor scan schedule to optimize scan schedules of multiple sensors based on optimal capabilities of each sensor and autonomous target recognition algorithm processing;

a search manager configured to;

initiate the sensor scan schedule generator to generate the sensor scan schedule;

assign an evaluation criteria value to the sensor scan schedule based on sensor scan schedule evaluation criteria;

compare the evaluation criteria value to one or more evaluation criteria values corresponding to respective previously generated sensor scan schedules to determine an optimal sensor scan schedule; and

determine whether to generate one or more additional sensor scan schedules and assign additional evaluation criteria values for comparison to determine the optimal sensor scan schedule.

9. A sensor scan planner system as recited in claim 8 incorporated into an airborne platform, and wherein the sensor scan schedule generator is further configured to generate the sensor scan schedule to optimize the scan schedules of the multiple sensors along a current velocity vector of the airborne platform to search and locate the least one relocatable target.

10. A sensor scan planner system as recited in claim 8, wherein the search manager is further configured to determine whether the optimal sensor scan schedule meets a conditional probability threshold based on the sensor scan schedule evaluation criteria.

11. A sensor scan planner system as recited in claim 10, wherein the search manager is further configured to determine whether the optimal sensor scan schedule meets the conditional probability threshold based on the sensor scan schedule evaluation criteria which includes commit logic that indicates whether to commit to at least one relocatable target.

12. A sensor scan planner system as recited in claim 8, wherein the sensor scan schedule is generated to optimize the scan schedules of the multiple sensors based on an autonomous target recognition algorithm dependency factor which indicates a statistical dependency of autonomous target recognition results.

13. A sensor scan planner system as recited in claim 8, further comprising a probability map generated at least in part from previous sensor scans and a projected target location of one or more relocatable targets in a target area, and wherein the sensor scan schedule is generated based at least in part on the probability map.

14. A sensor scan planner system as recited in claim 13, wherein the sensor scan schedule generator is further configured to generate a future time input to develop the projected target location from which the probability map is at least in part generated, the projected target location being based on target characteristics combined with a previously known target location projected into the future by the fixture time input.

15. A sensor scan planner system as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

a fusion track manager configured to receive a targeting input as at least one of;

a sensor scan input;

a data link input; and

wherein the previously known target location is determined from the targeting input.

16. One or more computer readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct a computing-based system of an airborne platform to:

generate probability maps from previous sensor scans of a target area combined with a projected target location of one or more relocatable targets in the target area; and

generate sensor scan schedules to optimize scan schedules of multiple sensors for the airborne platform to search for at least one of the relocatable targets, the sensor scan schedules being generated based at least in part on the probability maps and evaluated based on sensor scan schedule evaluation criteria.

17. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 16, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing-based system to generate the sensor scan schedules based on optimal capabilities of each sensor and corresponding autonomous target recognition algorithm processing.

18. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 16, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing-based system to generate the sensor scan schedules to optimize the scan schedules of the multiple sensors along a current velocity vector of the airborne platform.

19. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 16, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing-based system to assign an evaluation criteria value to each of the sensor scan schedules, the evaluation criteria values being comparable to determine an optimal sensor scan schedule.

20. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 16, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the computing-based system to generate the sensor scan schedules until an optimal sensor scan schedule is determined to meet a conditional probability threshold based on sensor scan schedule evaluation criteria.