Complementary threat sensor data fusion method and apparatus

• US 5,287,110 A
• Filed: 11/17/1992
• Issued: 02/15/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Honeywell Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Tran, My
• Primary Examiner(s): Sotomayor, John B.
• Application Number:
  US07/977,321
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 342/13, 342/14, 342/15, 342/16, 342/17, 342/18, 342/19, 342/20
• US Class Current: 342/13
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/021 Auxiliary means for detecting or identifying radar signals or the like, e.g. radar jamming signals
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/38 Jamming means, e.g. producing false echoes

Abstract

A complementary threat sensor data fusion capability for an aircraft survivability equipment system. A set of aircraft survivability sensors provides a threat sensor data fusion control process with status data. The control process controls whether or not a threat ambiguity detector receives radar warning receiver data or a radar emitter ID conversion apparatus receives pulsed radar jammer data or continuous wave radar jammer data. The threat sensor data fusion control process also determines whether missile approach detector data is sent to a countermeasures analyzing apparatus. The threat ambiguity detector provides ambiguity data to a threat ambiguity resolving apparatus. The radar emitter ID conversion apparatus provides converted jammer data to a functional sensor back-up apparatus. The radar emitter ID conversion process receives a common radar emitter ID data base. The threat sensor data fusion process controller also provides fusion process control to the complementary threat data apparatus. Complementary threat data is provided to the pilot through various presentation methods and to the jammers for electronic countermeasures. Also, threat ambiguity resolution data is provided and back-up data is provided. The presentation methods include video and voice and a tactical electronics countermeasures command is automatically initiated. A multi-pass sensor data correlation algorithm and a threat prioritization algorithm share information with the threat ambiguity resolving algorithm, complementary threat data algorithm, functional sensor back-up apparatus, and electronic countermeasures apparatus. The direction of jamming is determined by data correlation between the radar warning receiver and the CW Jammer.

Claims

1. Complementary threat sensor data fusion apparatus comprising:

(a) a threat sensor data fusion process control means having a logical control processor, a sensor status input, a sensor data control output, and a fusion process control output;

(b) a threat ambiguity detector means having a control input connected to the sensor data control output and a radar warning receiver data input from a radar warning receiver, having an ambiguity data signal output wherein the sensor data control output switches the radar warning receiver data input;

(c) a radar emitter ID conversion process means having a pulsed radar jammer data input from a pulsed radar jammer, and a continuous wave radar data input from a continuous wave radar, controlled by the sensor data control output, having a converted jammer data output wherein the radar emitter ID conversion process means receives radar emitter IDs from a common radar emitter ID data base;

(d) a missile approach detector input from a missile approach detector, controlled by the sensor data control output having a missile approach detector output;

(e) a complementary threat data means having an input connected to the fusion process control output and a complementary threat data output;

(f) a threat ambiguity resolving means having an ambiguity input connected to the ambiguity data signal output and a threat ambiguity resolution data output;

(g) a functional sensor back-up means having an input connected to the converted jammer data output having a back-up data output; and

(h) an electronic countermeasures/countermeasures analyzer means having an input connected to the missile approach detector output and having a tactical electronic countermeasures/countermeasures command output.

2. The complementary threat sensor data fusion apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a multi-pass sensor data correlation means connected to receive data from the pulsed radar jammer, the continuous wave radar jammer, the missile approach detector, and the radar warning receiver.

3. A complementary threat sensor data fusion apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a threat prioritization means to prioritize the complementary threats.

4. The complementary threat sensor data fusion apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a threat video generator connected to receive the complementary threat data, the threat ambiguity resolution data output and the back-up data output having a threat warning video data output.

5. The complementary threat data fusion apparatus of claim 4 wherein the threat data is prioritized by a threat priority means.

6. The complementary threat sensor data fusion apparatus of claim 1 further including a threat voice generator for annunciating the threats.

7. The complementary threat sensor data fusion apparatus of claim 1 wherein the complementary threat data, the threat ambiguity resolution data, and the back-up data are stored in a voice and message data base.

8. A threat ambiguity resolution method comprising the steps of:

(a) reading a radar warning receiver threat ambiguity list of data from a radar warning receiver;

(b) reading a threat data list from a radar jammer list;

(c) determining whether there is a match between the radar warning receiver threat ambiguity list of data and the radar jammer list based on a radar image ID and if there is not a list determining if the radar jammer list has any more threats to be analyzed, if they do not then ending the method;

(d) determining whether there is a close match in frequency between the radar warning receiver and radar jammer and if there is correcting an associated threat display symbol and resolving the threat ambiguity;

(e) checking if there is a close match in pulse repetition frequency and if there is correcting the an associated threat display symbol and resolving the threat ambiguity;

(f) checking if there is a close match in pulse repetition interval and if there is correcting the an associated threat display symbol and resolving the threat ambiguity; and

(g) determining if this threat is the last threat in the jammer list and if it is ending, and if it is not repeating from step (a).

9. A method for electronic countermeasures/countermeasures analysis for a radar jammer having at least one jamming strategy, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) reading electronic countermeasures jamming data from a jammer threat list having at least one threat;

(b) determining the elapsed time since applying a last jamming strategy for the at least one threat;

(c) evaluating the effectiveness of the jamming strategy based on a predetermined criteria;

(d) determining if the jamming strategy was effective and if it was not effective repeating step (a); and

(e) storing in an evaluation data base the type of threat and the jamming strategy for evaluating the effectiveness of the jamming strategy based on the at least one threat.

10. The method of determining a best jamming technique for a electronic countermeasures/countermeasures aircraft survivability system having a radar jammer having at least one jamming strategy, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) reading the current threat being jammed from a set of jammer data;

(b) comparing the current jammer threat with an electronic countermeasures queueing data base wherein the electronic countermeasures queueing data base contains the at least one jamming strategy;

(c) determining whether or not the threat is in an emitter ID list and if it is not then reading in the next threat and starting at step (a); and

(d) generating an electronic countermeasures queueing command to switch to a next best jamming strategy.

11. An integrated aircraft survivability equipment apparatus comprising:

(a) data bus means having a data bus control input;

(b) means for aircraft survivability integration having a multifunction display output, a data bus control output connected to the data bus control input, a radar warning receiver control output, a pulsed radar jammer control output, a continuous wave radar jammer control output, and a missile approach detector control output;

(c) radar warning receiver means connected to the data bus means and having a radar warning receiver control input connected to the radar warning receiver control output;

(d) pulsed radar jammer means connected to the data bus means having a pulsed radar jammer control input connected to the pulsed radar jammer control output;

(e) continuous wave radar jammer means connected to the data bus means having a continuous wave radar jammer control input connected to the continuous wave radar jammer control output;

(f) missile approach detector means connected to the data bus means having a missile approach detector control input connected to the missile approach detector control output;

(g) complementary threat sensor data fusion means connected to the data bus having a complementary threat output; and

(h) multifunction display means having a multifunction display input connected to the multifunction display output, the multifunction display means further connected to a keyboard control unit.

12. The integrated aircraft survivability equipment apparatus of claim 11 wherein the complementary threat sensor data fusion means further comprising:

(a) a threat sensor data fusion process control means having a logical control processor, a sensor status input, a sensor data control output, and a fusion process control output;

(b) a threat ambiguity detector means having a control input connected to the sensor data control output and a radar warning receiver data input from the radar warning receiver, having an ambiguity data signal output wherein the sensor data control output switches the radar warning receiver data input;

(c) a radar emitter ID conversion process means having a pulsed radar jammer data input from the pulsed radar jammer, and a continuous wave radar data input from a continuous wave radar, controlled by the sensor data control output, having a converted jammer data output wherein the radar emitter ID conversion process means receives radar emitter IDs from a common radar emitter ID data base;

(d) a missile approach detector input from a missile approach detector, controlled by the sensor data control output having the missile approach detector output;

(e) a complementary threat data means having an input connected to the fusion process control output and a complementary threat data output;

(f) a threat ambiguity resolving means having an ambiguity input connected to the ambiguity data signal output and a threat ambiguity resolution data output;

(g) a functional sensor back-up means having an input connected to the converted jammer data output having a back-up data output; and

(h) an electronic countermeasures/countermeasures analyzer means having an input connected to the missile approach detector output and having a tactical electronic countermeasures/countermeasures command output.

13. The integrated aircraft survivability equipment apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a multi-pass sensor data correlation means connected to receive data from the pulsed radar jammer, the continuous wave radar jammer, the missile approach detector, and the radar warning receiver.

14. The integrated aircraft survivability equipment apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a threat prioritization means to prioritize the complementary threats.

15. The integrated aircraft survivability equipment apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a threat video generator connected to receive the complementary threat data, the threat ambiguity resolution data output and the back-up data output having a threat warning video data output.

16. The complementary threat data fusion apparatus of claim 15 wherein the threat data is prioritized by a threat priority means.

17. The integrated aircraft survivability equipment apparatus of claim 12 further including a threat voice generator for annunciating the threats.

18. The integrated aircraft survivability equipment apparatus of claim 12 wherein the complementary threat data, the threat ambiguity resolution data, and the back-up data are stored in a voice and message data base.

19. The integrated aircraft survivability equipment apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means for aircraft survivability integration further includes a decoy dispenser control output and the integrated aircraft survivability equipment state machine apparatus further comprises a decoy dispenser means having a decoy dispenser input connected to the decoy dispenser control output.

20. The integrated aircraft survivability equipment apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means for aircraft survivability integration further includes a communication means for communicating to other aircraft survivability equipment, satellites and ground stations.