METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR USE IN SELECTING TARGETS FOR DIRECTION FINDING SYSTEMS

• US 20130307729A1
• Filed: 05/17/2012
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Stensland, Benjamin Alan, Mace, Kevin Luke, McClelland, David Mark
• Granted Patent: US 9,523,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/386
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/14 Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction aerial arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00; combinations of different interacting aerial units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q21/29; aerials or aerial systems providing at least two radiation patterns H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/782 Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/802 Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A first user device transmits a first signal, and a second user device transmits a second signal. A processing unit receives the first signal and the second signal. The processing unit identifies the first user device as an active target and the second user device as an active tracking device based on a predefined rule set including a plurality of selection criteria.

Claims

1. A method for selecting a target, said method comprising:

receiving a first signal associated with a first user device;

receiving a second signal associated with a second user device;

identifying the first user device as an active target based on a predefined rule set including a plurality of selection criteria; and

identifying the second user device as an active tracking device based on the predefined rule set.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein identifying the first user device further comprises identifying the first user device as the active target based on at least one of a signal strength of the first signal, an angle of arrival of the first signal, a location of the first user device, an orientation of the first user device, a motion of the first user device, a condition of the first user device, a condition of the second user device, a priority of the first user device, and a priority of the second user device.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein identifying the first user device further comprises identifying the first user device as the active target based on at least one of a signal strength of the second signal, an angle of arrival of the second signal, a location of the second user device, an orientation of the second user device, a motion of the second user device, a condition of the second user device, and a priority of the second user device.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein identifying the second user device further comprises identifying the second user device as the active tracking device based on at least one of a signal strength of the second signal, an angle of arrival of the second signal, a location of the second user device, an orientation of the second user device, a motion of the second user device, a condition of the first user device, a condition of the second user device, a priority of the first user device, and a priority of the second user device.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein identifying the second user device further comprises identifying the second user device as the active tracking device based on at least one of a signal strength of the first signal, an angle of arrival of the first signal, a location of the first user device, an orientation of the first user device, a motion of the first user device, a condition of the first user device, and a priority of the first user device.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

determining a first target location associated with the first user device; and

transmitting positional data associated with the first target location to the second user device.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6 further comprising:

receiving a third signal associated with a third user device;

identifying the third user device as an active tracking device based on the predefined rule set; and

transmitting data associated with the first target location to the third user device.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7 further comprising:

receiving a fourth signal associated with a third user device;

identifying the third user device as an active target based on the predefined rule set;

determining a second target location associated with the third user device; and

transmitting data associated with the second target location to the second user device.

9. A method in accordance with claim 6 further comprising:

receiving a third signal associated with a third user device;

identifying the third user device as an active target based on the predefined rule set;

determining a second target location associated with the third user device;

receiving a fourth signal associated with a fourth user device;

identifying the fourth user device as an active tracking device based on the predefined rule set; and

transmitting data associated with the second target location to the fourth user device.

10. A computing system for selecting a target, said computing system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer-readable storage device having encoded thereon computer readable instructions that are executable by the processor to perform functions comprising receiving a first signal associated with a first user device, receiving a second signal associated with a second user device, identifying the first user device as an active target based on a predefined rule set including a plurality of selection criteria, and identifying the second user device as an active tracking device based on the predefined rule set.

11. A computing system in accordance with claim 10, wherein the functions performed by the processor further comprise identifying the first user device as the active target based on at least one of a signal strength of the first signal, an angle of arrival of the first signal, a location of the first user device, an orientation of the first user device, a motion of the first user device, a condition of the first user device, a condition of the second user device, a priority of the first user device, and a priority of the second user device.

12. A computing system in accordance with claim 10, wherein the functions performed by the processor further comprise identifying the second user device as the active tracking device based on at least one of a signal strength of the second signal, an angle of arrival of the second signal, a location of the second user device, an orientation of the second user device, a motion of the second user device, a condition of the first user device, a condition of the second user device, a priority of the first user device, and a priority of the second user device.

13. A computing system in accordance with claim 10, wherein the computing system is activated upon receiving at least one of the first signal and the second signal.

14. A computing system in accordance with claim 10, wherein the functions performed by the processor further comprise determining a first target location associated with the first user device, and transmitting data associated with the first target location to the second user device.

15. A computing system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the functions performed by the processor further comprise receiving a third signal associated with a third user device, identifying the third user device as an active tracking device based on the predefined rule set, and transmitting data associated with the first target location to the third user device.

16. A computing system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the functions performed by the processor further comprise receiving a third signal associated with a third user device, identifying the third user device as an active target based on the predefined rule set, determining a second target location associated with the third user device, receiving a fourth signal associated with a fourth user device, identifying the fourth user device as an active tracking device based on the predefined rule set, and transmitting data associated with the second target location to the fourth user device.

17. A system for selecting a target, said system comprising:

a first user device configured to transmit a first signal;

a second user device configured to transmit a second signal;

a processing unit programmed to receive the first signal and the second signal, identify the first user device as an active target based on a predefined rule set including a plurality of selection criteria, and identify the second user device as an active tracking device based on the predefined rule set.

18. A system in accordance with claim 17, wherein the processing unit is further programmed to determine a first target location associated with the first user device, and transmit data associated with the first target location to the second user device.

19. A system in accordance with claim 18 further comprising a third user device configured to transmit a third signal, wherein the processing unit is further programmed to receive the third signal, identify the third user device as an active target based on the predefined rule set, determine a second target location associated with the third user device, and transmit data associated with the second target location to the second user device.

20. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the processing unit is further programmed to receive a fourth signal associated with the third user device after receiving the third signal, re-identify the third user device as an active tracking device based on the predefined rule set, and transmit data associated with the first target location to the third user device.