RCS signature generation for closely spaced multiple objects using N-point models

• US 7,652,620 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2007
• Issued: 01/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Harkins, Brian J., Lee, Chul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tarcza; Thomas H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brainard; Timothy A
• Application Number:
  US11/889,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20090040098A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• Field of Search: 342/169, 342/175, 342/195
• US Class Current: 342/195
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/412 based on a comparison between measured values and known or stored values

Abstract

A method and system for analyzing the RCS of an object using N Point signature prediction models is provided. N-point signature prediction models are created for each object in a scenario and stored in lookup tables. Shooting and Bounce trace back techniques are used to determine RCS signatures of multiple objects in modeled scenarios to account for blockage by and coupling phenomena of a scattered field.

Claims

1. A computer comprising:

a database including individual RCS data corresponding to each object from a plurality of objects, the computer system being programmed to determine the combined RCS signatures of the plurality of objects in a scene from the integration of individual RCS data, the computer system being further programmed to employ a ray tracing scheme to determine ray blockage and ray coupling as a result of object interaction from radar pulses scattering off of two or more objects.

2. A computer as recited in claim 1 wherein said database is organized using Binary Space partitioning (BSP).

3. A computer as recited in claim 1 wherein said database is accessible using a KD-tree transversal.

4. A computer as recited in claim 1 wherein said database is accessible using a fast KD transversal.

5. A computer as recited in claim 1 wherein said RCS data comprises a plurality of N-point models, N being an integer.

6. A method, comprising:

determining a combined RCS signature for multiple objects in a scene comprising;

deterministically integrating RCS data corresponding to the multiple objects;

performing ray tracing simulations to determine obstructed views from a radar illuminating source to one or more objects; and

performing ray tracing simulations to determine ray bounce interactions among the multiple objects from radar pulses scattering off of two or more objects.

7. A method as recited in claim 6 wherein said ray bounce interactions include single bounce interactions and multi-bounce interactions.

8. A computer programmable medium, comprising:

computer-executable instructions for performing a method comprising;

receiving individual RCS data corresponding to a plurality of vehicles;

determining a path, traced along one or more modeled rays, of a return radar signal from one or more vehicles to a point of origin of a radar signal incident upon one or more of said vehicles;

determining whether the computed path would be obscured from one or more vehicles by one or more other vehicles from said the plurality of vehicles;

determining magnitude and phase data from a scattered field as presented by the return radar signal; and

performing ray tracing simulations to determine ray bounce interactions among the multiple objects from radar pulses scattering off of two or more of the multiple objects.

9. A computer programmable medium as recited in claim 8 wherein determining whether the computed path would be obscured includes performing ray tracing simulations to determine obstructed views from a radar illuminating source to one or more objects.

10. A computer programmable medium as recited in claim 8 wherein said ray bounce interactions include single bounce interactions and multi-bounce interactions.

11. A computer programmable medium as recited in claim 8 wherein said medium includes storage capability for said individual RCS data.

12. A computer programmable medium as recited in claim 11 wherein individual RCS data is organized using Binary Space partitioning (BSP).

13. A computer programmable medium as recited in claim 11 wherein RCS data is accessible using a KD-tree transversal.

14. A computer programmable medium as recited in claim 11 wherein RCS data is accessible using a fast KD transversal.

15. A computer programmable medium as recited in claim 11 wherein said RCS data comprises a plurality of N-point models, N being an integer.