Self compensating target acquisition system for minimizing areas of threat
First Claim
1. A method of automated scan compensation in a target acquisition system for reducing areas of potential threat surrounding an aircraft, the target acquisition system being located on the aircraft and adapted to receive data from a plurality of sensors, the target acquisition system including a device for scanning a desired area in the vicinity of the aircraft, the device having adjustable scan limits, the method comprising the steps of:
- determining the aircraft'"'"'s current position;
determining the aircraft'"'"'s current altitude;
determining the aircraft'"'"'s current heading;
scanning the terrain in the vicinity of the aircraft;
determining a line of sight between the aircraft and the scanned terrain;
determining changes in the terrain which prevent other areas of the terrain in the vicinity of the aircraft from being scanned;
determining adjustments to the scan limits on the target acquisition system to reduce the size of the unscanned areas; and
adjusting the scan limits as the aircraft flies over the terrain.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of automated scan compensation in a target acquisition system for reducing areas of potential threat surrounding an aircraft. The target acquisition system is located on an aircraft and adapted to receive data from a plurality of sensors. The target acquisition system includes a scanning device with adjustable scan limits for scanning a desired area in the vicinity of the aircraft. The method involves determining the aircraft'"'"'s current position, altitude, and heading. The terrain in the vicinity of the aircraft is then scanned and a line of sight between the aircraft and the scanned terrain is determined. Changes in the terrain which prevent other areas of the terrain in the vicinity of the aircraft from being scanned are also determined. The method then involves determining adjustments to the scan limits on the target acquisition system to reduce the size of the unscanned areas, and adjusting the scan limits as the aircraft flies over the terrain.
69 Citations
12 Claims
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1. A method of automated scan compensation in a target acquisition system for reducing areas of potential threat surrounding an aircraft, the target acquisition system being located on the aircraft and adapted to receive data from a plurality of sensors, the target acquisition system including a device for scanning a desired area in the vicinity of the aircraft, the device having adjustable scan limits, the method comprising the steps of:
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determining the aircraft'"'"'s current position;
determining the aircraft'"'"'s current altitude;
determining the aircraft'"'"'s current heading;
scanning the terrain in the vicinity of the aircraft;
determining a line of sight between the aircraft and the scanned terrain;
determining changes in the terrain which prevent other areas of the terrain in the vicinity of the aircraft from being scanned;
determining adjustments to the scan limits on the target acquisition system to reduce the size of the unscanned areas; and
adjusting the scan limits as the aircraft flies over the terrain. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of automated scan compensation in a target acquisition system for reducing areas of potential threat surrounding an aircraft, the target acquisition system being located within a computer on the aircraft and adapted to receive data from a plurality of sensors, the target acquisition system including a device for scanning a desired area in the vicinity of the aircraft, the device having adjustable scan limits, the method comprising the steps of:
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selecting data from a digital terrain database representing the terrain in the vicinity of the aircraft;
determining the aircraft'"'"'s current position;
determining the aircraft'"'"'s current altitude;
determining the aircraft'"'"'s current heading;
determining a line of sight between the aircraft and the terrain data from the terrain database;
determining changes in the terrain in the vicinity of the aircraft which prevent areas of the terrain in the vicinity of the aircraft from being scanned because of terrain obstructions;
determining adjustments to the scan limits on the target acquisition system to reduce the size of the unscanned areas; and
adjusting the scan limits as the aircraft flies over the terrain. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification