Minefield reconnaissance and detector system
First Claim
1. A method for determining the presence of objects on or under the surface of the ground, comprising the steps of:
- a. obtaining a plurality of response signals from a plurality of sensor devices;
b. digitizing each of the response signals such that the response signals can be stored in a digital computer and further such that calculations can be performed using the response signals as data within the digital computer;
c. analyzing each of the response signals to detect anomalous signal characteristics, if present in the response signal, and assigning a score to each of the response signals, which score is proportional to an estimated probability that any such anomalous signal characteristic present in the response signal is indicative of the presence of an anomalous object;
d. combining the scores into score sets and comparing the score sets with a known outcome given historical incidence of identical score sets;
e. repeating steps a. through e. incrementally as the sensor devices are moved over the surface of the ground; and
f. applying a decision rule to produce a decision based upon historical data and a determination of the relative cost of a false negative decision versus the cost of a false positive decision.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A multi-sensor system (10) for detecting the presence of objects on the surface of the ground or buried just under the surface, such as anti-personnel or anti-tank mines or the like. A remote sensor platform (12) has a plurality of metal detector sensors (22) and a plurality of short pulse radar sensors (24). The remote sensor platform (12) is remotely controlled from a processing and control unit (14) and signals from the remote sensor platform (12) are sent to the processing and control unit (14) where they are individually evaluated in separate data analysis subprocess steps (34, 36) to obtain a probability "score" for each of the pluralities of sensors (22, 24). These probability scores are combined in a fusion subprocess step (38) by comparing score sets to a probability table (130) which is derived based upon the historical incidence of object present conditions given that score set. A decision making rule is applied to provide an output which is optionally provided to a marker subprocess (40) for controlling a marker device (76) to mark the location of found objects.
-
Citations
14 Claims
-
1. A method for determining the presence of objects on or under the surface of the ground, comprising the steps of:
-
a. obtaining a plurality of response signals from a plurality of sensor devices; b. digitizing each of the response signals such that the response signals can be stored in a digital computer and further such that calculations can be performed using the response signals as data within the digital computer; c. analyzing each of the response signals to detect anomalous signal characteristics, if present in the response signal, and assigning a score to each of the response signals, which score is proportional to an estimated probability that any such anomalous signal characteristic present in the response signal is indicative of the presence of an anomalous object; d. combining the scores into score sets and comparing the score sets with a known outcome given historical incidence of identical score sets; e. repeating steps a. through e. incrementally as the sensor devices are moved over the surface of the ground; and f. applying a decision rule to produce a decision based upon historical data and a determination of the relative cost of a false negative decision versus the cost of a false positive decision. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
-
-
5. A mine detection device for detecting the presence of land mines and similar objects, comprising:
-
a self propelled mobile platform for propelling, under remote control, a plurality of sensor devices over the surface of the ground; a control unit from which the mobile platform is remotely steered and controlled and to which a plurality of signals from said sensor devices are provided; and signal conducting means for conducting signals between said mobile platform and said control unit, wherein; said plurality of sensor devices is arranged in a plurality of sensor arrays with each of said sensor arrays having therein a like number of said sensors, each of said sensor arrays being a linear array with said linear array positioned perpendicular to a direction of travel of the mobile platform; and each of said signals from each of said sensors is separately analyzed to determine if it includes an aberration indicative of a mine and a score is established for each of said signals to indicate the probability of a mine present condition. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
Specification