Reducing scattering center data using multi-volume aggregation

• US 7,602,332 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2008
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Simmons, Andrew P., Lee, Chul J., Harkins, Brian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bythrow; Peter M
• Application Number:
  US12/138,814
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 342/169, 342/175, 342/195, 342/197, 345/421, 345/423, 345/426, 707/100, 707/101, 702/189
• US Class Current: 342/169
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4052 by simulation of echoes
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/4082 using externally generated reference signals, e.g. via remote reflector or transponder
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/54 Simulation of radar G09B9/40 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

In one example, a method to reduce scattering centers (SC) includes receiving a set of SC data points associated with an object in three-dimensional space, partitioning the SC data points into a plurality of volumes, aggregating the SC data points within each volume based on an aggregate threshold and combining the aggregated SC data points associated with each volume to form a reduced set of SC data points. The method also includes comparing the reduced set of SC data points with the received set of SC data points to determine if the reduced set of SC data points meets a set of comparison metrics and if the reduced set of SC data points meets the set of comparison metrics, increasing the size of the volumes and performing another iteration of reducing the SC data points by volume.

Claims

1. A method to reduce scattering centers (SC) comprising:

receiving a set of SC data points associated with an object in three-dimensional space;

using a computer processor for;

partitioning the SC data points into a plurality of volumes;

aggregating the SC data points within each volume based on an aggregate threshold;

combining the aggregated SC data points associated with each volume to form a reduced set of SC data points;

comparing the reduced set of SC data points with the received set of SC data points to determine if the reduced set of SC data points meets a set of comparison metrics; and

if the reduced set of SC data points meets the set of comparison metrics, increasing the size of the volumes and performing another iteration of reducing the SC data points by volume.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, for each volume:

determine if the aggregated SC data points for a volume conforms to a second set of metrics; and

if the aggregated SC data points for a volume does not conform to the second set of metrics, increase the aggregate threshold.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein determining if the reduced set of SC data points for each volume conforms to a second set of metrics comprises determining if the reduced set of SC data points for each volume conforms to a second set of metrics comprising:

a similarity metric;

a maximum amplitude metric; and

a length metric.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein comparing the reduced set of SC data points with the received set of SC data points based on a set of comparison metrics comprises comparing the reduced set of SC data points with the received set of SC data points based on a set of comparison metrics comprising:

a similarity metric;

a maximum amplitude metric;

a length metric; and

a relative maximum amplitude metric.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving a set of SC data points comprises receiving a set of SC data points from a radar signature modeling tool.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

partitioning the reduced SC data into ranges; and

reducing the SC data by range based on the magnitude of intensity of the SC data points.

7. An article comprising a machine-readable medium that stores executable instructions to reduce scattering centers (SC), the instructions causing a machine to:

receive from a radar signature modeling tool a set of SC data points associated with an object in three-dimensional space;

partition the SC data points into a plurality of volumes;

aggregate the SC data points within each volume based on an aggregate threshold;

combine the aggregated SC data points associated with each volume to form a reduced set of SC data points;

compare the reduced set of SC data points with the received set of SC data points to determine if the reduced set of SC data points meets a set of comparison metrics; and

if the reduced set of SC data points meets the set of comparison metrics, increase the size of the volumes and performing another iteration of reducing the SC data points by volume.

8. The article of claim 7, further comprising, for each volume, instructions causing a machine to:

determine if the aggregated SC data points for a volume conforms to a second set of metrics; and

if the aggregated SC data points for a volume does not conform to the second set of metrics, increase the aggregate threshold.

9. The article of claim 8 wherein the instructions causing a machine to determine if the reduced set of SC data points for each volume conforms to a second set of metrics comprises instructions causing a machine to determine if the reduced set of SC data points for each volume conforms to a second set of metrics comprising:

a similarity metric;

a maximum amplitude metric; and

a length metric.

10. The article of claim 7 wherein the instructions causing a machine to compare the reduced set of SC data points with the received set of SC data points based on a set of comparison metrics comprises comparing the reduced set of SC data points with the received set of SC data points based on a set of comparison metrics comprising:

a similarity metric;

a maximum amplitude metric;

a length metric; and

a relative maximum amplitude metric.

11. The article of claim 7, further comprising instructions causing a machine to:

partition the reduced SC data into ranges; and

reduce the SC data by range based on the magnitude of intensity of the SC data points.

12. An apparatus comprising:

circuitry to;

receive a set of SC data points associated with an object in three-dimensional space;

partition the SC data points into a plurality of volumes;

aggregate the SC data points within each volume based on an aggregate threshold;

combine the aggregated SC data points associated with each volume to form a reduced set of SC data points;

compare the reduced set of SC data points with the received set of SC data points to determine if the reduced set of SC data points meets a set of comparison metrics; and

if the reduced set of SC data points meets the set of comparison metrics, increase the size of the volumes and performing another iteration of reducing the SC data points by volume.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the circuitry comprises at least one of a processor, a memory, programmable logic and logic gates.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising, for each volume, circuitry to:

determine if the aggregated SC data points for a volume conforms to a second set of metrics; and

if the aggregated SC data points for a volume does not conform to the second set of metrics, increase the aggregate threshold.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the circuitry to determine if the reduced set of SC data points for each volume conforms to a second set of metrics comprises circuitry to determine if the reduced set of SC data points for each volume conforms to a second set of metrics comprising:

a similarity metric;

a maximum amplitude metric; and

a length metric.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the circuitry to compare the reduced set of SC data points with the received set of SC data points based on a set of comparison metrics comprises circuitry to compare the reduced set of SC data points with the received set of SC data points based on a set of comparison metrics comprising:

a similarity metric;

a maximum amplitude metric;

a length metric; and

a relative maximum amplitude metric.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising circuitry to:

partition the reduced SC data into ranges; and

reduce the SC data by range based on the magnitude of intensity of the SC data points.

18. A method to reduce scattering centers (SC) comprising:

receiving from a radar signature modeling tool a set of SC data points associated with an object in three-dimensional space;

using a computer processor for;

partitioning the SC data points into a plurality of volumes;

aggregating the SC data points within each volume based on an aggregate tlreshold;

combining the aggregated SC data points associated with each volume to form a reduced set of SC data points;

comparing the reduced set of SC data points with the received set of SC data points to determine if the reduced set of SC data points meets a set of comparison metrics based on a set of comparison metrics comprising;

a similarity metric;

a maximum amplitude metric;

a length metric; and

a relative maximum amplitude metric; and

if the reduced set of SC data points meets the set of comparison metrics, increasing the size of the volumes and performing another iteration of reducing the SC data points by volume.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising, for each volume:

determining if the aggregated SC data points for a volume conforms to a second set of metrics; and

if the aggregated SC data points for a volume does not conform to the second set of metrics, increasing the aggregate threshold,

wherein determining if the reduced set of SC data points for each volume conforms to a second set of metrics comprises determining if the reduced set of SC data points for each volume conforms to a second set of metrics comprising;

a similarity metric;

a maximum amplitude metric; and

a length metric.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

partitioning the reduced SC data into ranges; and

reducing the SC data by range based on the magnitude of intensity of the SC data points.