System and method for rapidly tracking vehicles of special utility in low signal-to-noise environments
First Claim
1. A system for facilitating the tracking of a target vehicle in an ocean environment in connection with successively-received acoustic sensor signal data items representative of the motion of said target vehicle, said system comprising:
- fast Fourier transform means for performing a fast Fourier transform operation in connection with each successive acoustic sensor signal data item to generate a phase and amplitude beam map reflecting spectral signal energy in the received acoustic sensor signal data item;
signal detector means for determining whether the beam map generated by said fast Fourier transform means for a acoustic sensor signal data item indicates that the acoustic sensor signal data item represents a signal having a signal-to-noise ratio above a first predetermined threshold value;
a beam map regions bound module for, in response to a positive determination by said signal detector means, using a beam map generated by the fast Fourier transform means for at least the acoustic sensor signal data item immediately proceeding the acoustic sensor signal data item for the signal having a signal-to noise ratio above a predetermined threshold value to generate a bounded beam map, and determining whether the bounded beam map represents a signal having a second predetermined signal-to-noise ratio; and
processing means responsive to a positive determination by said beam map regions bound module for using both the beam map for the acoustic sensor signal data item representing the signal having a signal-to-noise ratio above the first predetermined threshold value and the beam map for the acoustic sensor signal data item whose bounded beam map represents a signal having a second predetermined signal-to-noise ratio to generate tracking information for said target vehicle.
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Abstract
A system for facilitating the tracking of a target vehicle in connection h successively-received acoustic sensor signal data items. A fast Fourier transform operation is performed in connection with each successive acoustic sensor signal data item to generate a phase and amplitude beam map reflecting spectral signal energy in the received acoustic sensor signal data item. If the beam map for a acoustic sensor signal data item indicates that the item represents a signal having a signal-to-noise ratio above a first predetermined threshold value, a beam map generated for a previous acoustic sensor signal data item is used to generate a bounded beam map, a determination is made as to whether the bounded beam map represents a signal having a second predetermined signal-to-noise ratio. In response to a positive determination for the latter signal-to-noise determination, both the beam maps are used to generate tracking information for the target vehicle.
13 Citations
4 Claims
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1. A system for facilitating the tracking of a target vehicle in an ocean environment in connection with successively-received acoustic sensor signal data items representative of the motion of said target vehicle, said system comprising:
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fast Fourier transform means for performing a fast Fourier transform operation in connection with each successive acoustic sensor signal data item to generate a phase and amplitude beam map reflecting spectral signal energy in the received acoustic sensor signal data item; signal detector means for determining whether the beam map generated by said fast Fourier transform means for a acoustic sensor signal data item indicates that the acoustic sensor signal data item represents a signal having a signal-to-noise ratio above a first predetermined threshold value; a beam map regions bound module for, in response to a positive determination by said signal detector means, using a beam map generated by the fast Fourier transform means for at least the acoustic sensor signal data item immediately proceeding the acoustic sensor signal data item for the signal having a signal-to noise ratio above a predetermined threshold value to generate a bounded beam map, and determining whether the bounded beam map represents a signal having a second predetermined signal-to-noise ratio; and processing means responsive to a positive determination by said beam map regions bound module for using both the beam map for the acoustic sensor signal data item representing the signal having a signal-to-noise ratio above the first predetermined threshold value and the beam map for the acoustic sensor signal data item whose bounded beam map represents a signal having a second predetermined signal-to-noise ratio to generate tracking information for said target vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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Specification