Multi-target-tracking optical sensor-array technology

• US 7,551,121 B1
• Filed: 03/14/2005
• Issued: 06/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oceanit Laboratories, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Oceanit Laboratories, Inc.
• Inventors: O'Connell, Daniel G., Cheung, Ken C. K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory; Bernarr E
• Application Number:
  US11/079,145
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 89/11.1, 244 31- 33, 342/27, 342/28, 342 52- 62, 342/175, 342/195, 342450-465, 342 13- 20, 342 73- 81, 342104-115, 342/118, 342128-147, 356 3- 515, 235400-418
• US Class Current: 342/54
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 5/08 Ground-based tracking-systems for aerial targets
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/87 Combinations of radar systems, e.g. primary radar and secondary radar
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/66 Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/86 Combinations of lidar systems with systems other than lidar, radar or sonar, e.g. with direction finders
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations

Abstract

The multi-target tracking and discrimination system (MOST) fuses with and augments existing BMDS sensor systems. Integrated devices include early warning radars, X-band radars, Lidar, DSP, and MOST which coordinates all the data received from all sources through a command center and deploys the GBI for successful interception of an object detected anywhere in space, for example, warheads. The MOST system integrates the optics for rapid detection and with the optical sensor array delivers high-speed, high accuracy positional information to radar systems and also identifies decoys. MOST incorporates space situational awareness, aero-optics, adaptive optics, and Lidar technologies. The components include telescopes or other optical systems, focal plane arrays including high-speed wavefront sensors or other focal plane detector arrays, wavefront sensor technology developed to mitigate aero-optic effects, distributed network of optical sensors, high-accuracy positional metrics, data fusion, and tracking mounts. Field applications include space monitoring, battlefield artillery, battlefield management, ground defense, air defense, space protection, missile defense, gunfire detection, and the like.

Claims

1. A multi-target tracking and discrimination system comprising at least one central station for receiving and processing information, at least one optical sensor station communicating with the at least one central station for detecting and relaying information about objects in space, optical stations distributed around the planet communicating with the central station for providing space surveillance orbital metrics data, a plurality of detectors communicating with the central station for providing information relative to the objects in space, and at least one command center communicating with the central station for coordinating and responding to data and information processed by the central station and launching responsive action reactive to the information and data, wherein the detectors comprise early warning radars, X-band radars, detector radars, lidar, and infrared space-based detectors and the command center integrates and coordinates data from the detectors and optical stations transmitted by the central station and positional information from the optical stations is sent by the central station to the radar and lidar, wherein the at least one optical sensor station comprises at least one focal-plane-array and at least one commercial off-the-shelf product.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical stations comprise optical sensor arrays for delivering positional information and for identifying decoys.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the optical sensor arrays comprise 20 kHz real-time or faster sample rate wavefront sensors.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein each wavefront sensor is comprises an array of lateral-effect detectors for 20 kHz real-time or faster sample rate wavefront sensing.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the objects are selected from the group consisting of warheads, decoys, space debris, missiles, satellites, and combinations thereof.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one processor for data acquisition, processing, analysis, and outputting intelligible information, and wherein the communicating comprises communicating via a communication medium.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor further comprises algorithms for processing data and for computing positional metrics and for tracking and discriminating objects in space.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the system is disposed in fields selected from the group consisting of space monitoring, battlefield artillery, battlefield management, ground defense, air defense, space protection, missile defense, gunfire detection, and combinations thereof.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a telescope using all spherical optics with a five degree or greater field of view and single-pixel resolution over the entire focal plane.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the optical stations distributed around the planet further comprises a plurality of optical stations forming a global optical network.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising shipboard directional Lidar.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one focal-plane-array has a substrate with a back plane on which analog circuitry is built and infrared capability.

13. A method for multi-target tracking and discrimination comprising providing at least one central station, disposing optical detection systems around the planet, communicating the optical systems with the at least one central station, providing space surveillance orbital metrics with the optical systems, providing plural detectors including early warning radars, X-band radars, detector radars, lidar, and infrared space-based detectors, communicating the detectors with the central station, providing 20 kHz real time or faster sample rate wavefront sensor, mitigating aero-optic effects with the wavefront sensor, providing positional data with the wavefront sensor, providing a command center, communicating the command center with the at least one central station, receiving and processing information via the central station, conveying processed information to the command center, coordinating and integrating data received from all sources at the command center, initiating responses from the command center reactive to the processed information, sending positional information from the optical systems to the radar or lidar, and launching actions responsive to the initiating from the command center.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the launching actions from the command center comprises deploying interceptions of object in space.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the deploying interceptions comprises intercepting warheads.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the communicating with the central station comprises integrating optics for rapid detection received from the optical systems, delivering positional information, tracking, detecting and identifying objects in space, discriminating the objects, and providing intelligible data to the command center thereby initiating appropriate response to detected objects.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising processing information from the central station with a processor.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the processing comprises acquiring data, analyzing the acquired data, computing positional metrics, tracking and discriminating objects detected.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the communicating comprises communicating via a communication medium.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the acquiring data comprises acquiring data from fields selected from the group consisting of space monitoring, battlefield artillery, battlefield management, ground defense, air defense, space protection, missile defense, gunfire detection, and combinations thereof.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the acquiring data comprises acquiring data for battlefield artillery and gun locators.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising imaging enemy lines, horizons, ground, air, battlefield environment, and combinations thereof.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising attaching the wavefront sensor to a wide field imager and imaging the enemy lines or horizon and calculating trajectory for rapid annihilation of enemy artillery.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the acquiring data comprises acquiring data for providing battlefield management.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising tracking multiple missile launches from selective locations complementary to missile locations.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising providing acquisition and tracking of multiple objects, augmenting radar shield and providing defense shield.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising preventing friendly fire by providing accurate target tracking and discrimination.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the acquiring data comprises acquiring data for providing air defense.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising tracking and battle-field shielding of shoulder launched surface to air missiles or rocket propelled grenades.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising tracking trajectory of ground based air defense guns.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising providing location information to aircraft, pinpoint targeting, and eliminating threats with adequate counter measures.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the acquiring data comprises acquiring data for space based global protection.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising detecting nuclear or conventional missiles launched globally.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising providing rapid threat assessment, determining range of missiles and determining destination of all ground launch vehicles in boost phase, disseminating data determined and initiating actions to counter the missiles.

35. The method of claim 13, further comprising coordinating data received from early warning radars, X-band radars, and DSP to deploy a ground-based interceptor.