Automated intel data radio

• US 7,243,008 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Issued: 07/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Bodenhorn, Chris A., Botzenhart, Mark P., Stockdale, Sandra Erich
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Thu V.
• Application Number:
  US10/459,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20040030463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,490 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701 3- 4, 701 9- 11, 701/14, 701/120, 701300-302, 244220-221, 342/29, 342/32, 342 36- 38
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0202 specially adapted to aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2340/12 Overlay of images, i.e. displayed pixel being the result of switching between the corresponding input pixels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/12 Avionics applications

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system for automating mission related tasks in a tactical environment. The system includes a receiver component configured to receive intelligence data. The intelligence data describes the tactical environment in real-time, or in near real-time. A computer is coupled to the receiver component. The computer is programmed to process the intelligence data, identify mission adjustments based on the processed intelligence data, and to effect the mission adjustments by automatically implementing the mission related tasks. A display component is coupled to the computer. The display component is configured to display at least a portion of the tactical environment and provide at least one visual indicator corresponding to the mission adjustments and/or the mission related tasks.

Claims

1. A system disposed in a single platform vehicle operating in a tactical environment, the system being configured to automatically change a route of only said single platform vehicle during the execution of a mission by said vehicle, said route consisting of a plurality of route segments, the system comprising:

a receiver component configured to receive intelligence data from at least one of a satellite intelligence source, a ground-based source, an air-based intelligence source, and an intelligence source disposed on an under-sea platform, the intelligence data describing the tactical environment in real-time or in near real-time, said intelligence data including at least one of threat track data, targeting data, friendly forces track data, and combat survivor location data as descriptors of the tactical environment;

a computer coupled to the receiver component, the computer being programmed to process the intelligence data, assess the impact of the intelligence data upon a current route segment and at least one immediately subsequent route segment, which collectively do not comprise the entire planned route, and, if necessary, automatically and dynamically change said route by changing only said current route segment and said at least one immediately subsequent route segment during the execution of a mission by said vehicle; and

a display component coupled to the computer, the display component being configured to display at least a portion of the tactical environment and provide at least one visual indicator corresponding to at least one of said changed route segments.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the computer is coupled to at least one vehicle sensor system.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an avionics system configured to provide the computer with aircraft state data and provide an aircraft with route implementation commands; and

the computer being further programmed to,

calculate a new route in response to the intelligence data and the aircraft state data, and provide the avionics system with the new route.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the threat track data includes at least one of identification data, location data, threat detection radius, weapons status data, heading data, and speed data.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the display component displays the threat track data and at least a portion of the tactical environment on a digital map.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the new route is calculated to engage a threat.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the avionics system includes at least one electromagnetic sensor detection system configured to detect contact entities in the tactical environment.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the electromagnetic sensor detection system includes radar.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the computer is further programmed to:

receive an initial electronic order of battle (EOB) data and initial route data from an external source;

fuse the threat track data, friendly track data, and combat survivor location data with the electromagnetic sensor detection system track data and operator entered track data; and

calculate a new threat scenario and a new route in response to the initial EOB, initial route data, and the fused threat track data, friendly track data, combat survivor location data, electromagnetic sensor detection system track data, and operator entered track data.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the display component is configured to display in real-time, or in near real-time, the new route and the fused threat track data, friendly track data, and combat survivor location data.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer is programmed to filter the fused threat track data, friendly track data, and combat survivor location data based on filter parameters such that fused threat track data, friendly track data, and combat survivor location data excluded by the filter are not provided to the display component.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the filter parameters include geographic filter parameters, pop-up threat filter parameters, moving filter parameters, and corridor filter parameters.

13. The system of claim 3, wherein the computer is programmed to calculate threat intervisibility based on aircraft position data, threat position data, threat detection radius, and terrain data.

14. The system of claim 3, further comprising a computer readable medium having instructions disposed thereon, the instructions being executable by the computer, the instructions including a set of modular application programs comprising:

a receiver management application configured to manage receiver parameters in response to aircraft state data, threat data, and electronic order of battle (EOB);

a mission plan monitor application configured to compare the aircraft state data with the EOB and the threat data;

a route planning application configured to compute the new route in response to the intelligence data, the EOB, and aircraft state data; and

a digital mapping application configured to provide the display component with a digital map that overlays a graphical depiction of the intelligence data, aircraft state data, and new route data on a digital representation of the tactical environment.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the receiver parameters include receiver tuning data.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the tuning data include broadcast satellite channel data.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the digital representation of the tactical environment includes digitized terrain elevation data.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the graphical depiction of the intelligence data includes at least one graphical symbol depicting hostile force entities, at least one graphical symbol depicting friendly force entities, and at least one graphical symbol depicting combat survivors.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the graphical symbols depicting hostile force entities and friendly force entities are configured to provide identification data, location data, threat detection radius, weapons status data, heading data, and/or speed data.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the digital mapping application is configured to provide the display component with route waypoints and flight plans.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the digital mapping application is configured to provide the display component with avionic system status data.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the digital mapping application is configured to provide the display component with aircraft location data, threat detection radius, weapons status data, heading data, and speed data.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the friendly forces track data includes at least one of identification data, location data, weapons status data, heading data, and speed data.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the display component displays the friendly forces track data and at least a portion of the tactical environment on a digital map.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the display component displays combat survivor locations and at least a portion of the tactical environment on a digital map.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the new route intercepts a combat survivor location.

27. A method automatically and dynamically changing a route of only a single military vehicle during the execution of a mission in a tactical environment, wherein said route includes a plurality of individual route segments, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving intelligence data from a intelligence broadcast, the intelligence data being received from at least one of a satellite intelligence source, a ground-based intelligence source, an air-based intelligence source, and an intelligence source disposed on an under-sea platform, the intelligence data describing the tactical environment in real-time, or in near real-time, the intelligence data including at least one of threat track data, targeting data, friendly forces track data, and combat survivor location data as descriptors of the tactical environment;

processing the intelligence data and assessing the impact of the intelligence data upon a current route segment and at least one immediately subsequent route segment which collectively do not comprise the entire route, and, if necessary, automatically and dynamically changing said route of said single military vehicle by changing only said current route segment and said at least one immediately subsequent route segment during the execution of a mission in a tactical environment;

performing the mission related tasks to effect the mission adjustments; and

displaying at least one visual indicator corresponding to at least one of said changed route segments.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the intelligence data includes targeting data, such that the new route is specifically calculated to engage a threat.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the threat track data includes at least one of identification data, location data, threat detection radius, weapons status data, heading data, and speed data.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of displaying includes displaying at least one of the threat track data, friendly forces track data, combat survivor location data, and at least a portion of the tactical environment on a digital map.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the at least a portion of the tactical environment includes terrain data.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising the steps of:

receiving an initial electronic order of battle plan and initial route data from an external command entity;

obtaining contact data from at least one user entered report and at least one electromagnetic sensor detection system;

fusing threat track data, friendly track data, and combat survivor location data with the contact data; and

calculating a new threat scenario and a new route in response to the initial EOB, initial route data, and the fused threat track data, friendly track data, combat survivor location data, and the contact data.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the displaying step includes displaying in real-time, or in near real-time, the new route and the fused threat track data, friendly track data, and combat survivor location data.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising the step of filtering the correlated threat track data, friendly track data, and combat survivor location data based on filter parameters such that correlated threat track data, friendly track data, and combat survivor location data excluded by the filter are not provided to the display component.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the filter parameters include geographic filter parameters, pop-up threat filter parameters, moving filter parameters, and corridor filter parameters.

36. The method of claim 27, further comprising the step of calculating threat intervisibility based on aircraft position data, threat position data, threat detection radius, and terrain data.

37. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of displaying includes providing a digital representation of the tactical environment.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the digital representation of the tactical environment includes digitized terrain elevation data.

39. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of displaying further comprises providing a graphical depiction of the intelligence data.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the graphical depiction of the intelligence data includes at least one graphical symbol depicting hostile force entities, at least one graphical symbol depicting friendly force entities, and at least one graphical symbol depicting combat survivors.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the graphical symbols depicting hostile force entities and friendly force entities are configured to provide at least one of identification data, location data, threat detection radius, weapons status data, heading data, and speed data.

42. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of displaying further comprises the step of displaying route waypoints and flight plans.

43. The method of claim 27, wherein the step of displaying further comprises the step of displaying avionic system status data.

44. The method of claim 27, wherein said receiving and processing steps, including the steps of automatically changing only the current route segment and at least one route segment based on the assessed intelligence data is performed irrespective of whether said single vehicle has an autopilot function.