Methods and Apparatus for Target Identification

• US 20090074422A1
• Filed: 07/20/2007
• Published: 03/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stewart, Jerry
• Granted Patent: US 8,457,498 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 398/118
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/78 discriminating between different kinds of targets, e.g. IFF-radar, i.e. identification of friend or foe G01S13/75, G01S13/79 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/74 Systems using reradiation of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. IFF, i.e. identification of friend or foe
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/786 the desired condition being maintained automatically
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1123 Bidirectional transmission

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for target identification are disclosed. An example method for target identification disclosed herein comprises establishing an optical communication link with a potential target, transmitting a first signal encoded with a first code to the potential target using the optical communication link, receiving a second signal from the potential target using the optical communication link, extracting a second code from the second signal, and identifying the potential target as a friendly asset based on the second code.

Claims

1. A method for target identification comprising:

establishing an optical communication link with a potential target;

transmitting a first signal encoded with a first code to the potential target using the optical communication link;

receiving a second signal from the potential target using the optical communication link;

extracting a second code from the second signal; and

identifying the potential target as a friendly asset based on the second code.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein establishing the optical communication link with the potential target comprises aligning an optical transceiver of the potential target with an optical transceiver of a target detector.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein identifying the potential target as the friendly asset further comprises removing the potential target from a target list.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising identifying the potential target as an enemy asset when the second signal is not received within a first time after transmitting the first signal.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising transmitting a third signal encoded with a third code to the potential target when the second signal is not received within a first time after transmitting the first signal.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising identifying the potential target as an enemy asset when the second code is not received in the second signal.

12. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising transmitting a third signal encoded with a third code to the potential target when the second code is not received in the second signal.

13. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising identifying the potential target as an enemy asset based on the second code.

16. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising transmitting a third signal encoded with a third code to the potential target based on the second code.

4. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

10. (canceled)

11. (canceled)

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

17. An apparatus for target identification comprising:

a signal encoder to establish an optical communication link with a potential target, to determine a first code, to encode the first code into a first signal, and to transmit the first signal;

a signal detector to receive a second signal and to validate a second code in the second signal; and

a target identifier to identify the potential target as a friendly asset based on the second code.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the signal encoder is configured to establish the optical communication link by outpulsing an optical signal for aligning an optical transceiver of the potential target.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the target identifier is further configured to remove the potential target from a target list when the potential target is identified as the friendly asset.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the target identifier is further configured to identify the potential target as an enemy asset when the second signal is not received within a first time after transmitting the first signal.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the signal encoder is further configured to transmit a third signal to the potential target when the second signal is not received within a first time after transmitting the first signal.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the target identifier is further configured to identify the potential target as an enemy asset when the second code is not received in a second signal.

26. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the signal encoder is further configured to transmit a third signal to the potential target when the second code is not received in the second signal.

27. An apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the target identifier is further configured to identify the potential target as an enemy asset based on the second code.

20. (canceled)

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28. (canceled)

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30. An article of manufacture storing machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to:

establish an optical communication link with a potential target;

transmit a first signal encoded with a first code to the potential target using the optical communication link;

receive a second signal from the potential target using the optical communication link;

extract a second code from the second signal; and

identify the potential target as a friendly asset based on the second code.

31. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 30, wherein the machine readable instructions further cause the machine to establish the optical communication link with the potential target by aligning an optical transceiver of the potential target with an optical transceiver of a target detector.

34. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 30, wherein the machine readable instructions further cause the machine to identify the potential target as an enemy asset when the second signal is not received within a first time after transmitting the first signal.

32. (canceled)

33. (canceled)

35-48. -48. (canceled)