Real-time route and sensor planning system with variable mission objectives

• US 6,985,810 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2003
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Szczerba, Robert J., Moitra, Abha, Didomizio, Virginia A., Yamrom, Boris, Hoebel, Louis J., Mattheyses, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US10/628,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20040073341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 701/200, 701/202, 701/208, 701/209, 340/988
• US Class Current: 701/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/047 Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem

Abstract

A method routes an entity (200) through a predetermined area for scanning the content of the predetermined area. The method comprises the steps of: partitioning the predetermined area into cells (100); determining a starting cell for the entity (200); initiating a scan of a number of the cells from the starting cell and determining the content of each of the number of cells; and determining a total cost for the entity (200) to travel to each of the scanned cells and to perform a scan from each of the scanned cells.

Claims

1. A system for scanning a target portion of a predefined search area, said system comprising:

a sensor for scanning a first part of the predefined search area from a starting point; and

a device for analyzing output from said sensor and determining a destination point within the predefined search area for said sensor,

said sensor scanning a second part of the predefined search area from the destination point, the first part and the second part together comprising a part of the predefined search area at least as large as the target portion of the predefined search area.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said device is a computer.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said device partitions the predefined search area into cells, said device determining a starting cell for the sensor.

4. The system as set forth in claim 3 wherein said device initiates a scan of a number of the cells from the starting cell, said sensor determining the content of each of the number of cells.

5. The system as set forth in claim 4 wherein said device determines a total cost for said sensor to travel to each of the scanned cells, said sensor performing a scan from each of the scanned cells.

6. The system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said device determines a next scan cell with a minimum cost.

7. The system as set forth in claim 6 wherein said device redesignates the next scan cell as the starting cell.