System and method for aggregating information

• US 8,566,271 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2010
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Siebecker, David B., Blyth, Barbara J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaffin, Jeffrey A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Paulinho E
• Application Number:
  US12/713,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20110213747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,334 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 706/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models

Abstract

A method for allocating resources includes receiving one or more parameters associated with an object of interest. At least one of the parameters corresponds to a probability that the object of interest is participating in a predetermined situation of interest. The method also includes calculating a plurality of values, based at least in part on the parameters, and selecting, based at least in part on the calculated values, one or more operations to be performed involving the object of interest. In addition the method includes generating an instruction based at least in part on the operation to be performed transmitting the instruction to an operational resource.

Claims

1. A method for aggregating information, comprising:

receiving information defining a first valuation, wherein the first valuation indicates a level of support for each of a first set of configurations;

generating a configuration identifier for each of the first set of configurations;

storing the configuration identifiers for the first set of configurations in a first ordered list;

receiving information defining a second valuation, wherein the second valuation indicates a level of support for each of a second set of configurations;

generating a configuration identifier for each of the second set of configurations;

storing the configuration identifiers for the second set of configurations in a second ordered list;

comparing the first ordered list to the second ordered list;

identifying, based on the comparison of the first ordered list and the second ordered list, a third set of configurations that are included in both the first set of configurations and the second configurations;

generating a third valuation based on the third set of configurations, wherein the third valuation indicates a level of support for each of the third set of configurations;

storing at least a portion of the third valuation in an electronic memory;

selecting a target variable frame from among a first variable frame associated with the first valuation and a second variable frame associated with the second valuation;

determining a joint variable frame based on an intersection of the first variable frame and the second variable frame, and wherein;

generating a configuration identifier for each of the first set of configurations comprises generating a configuration identifier for each of the first set of configurations based on the joint variable frame;

generating a configuration identifier for each of the second set of configurations comprises generating a configuration identifier for each of the second set of configurations based on the joint variable frame; and

generating the third valuation comprises generating the third valuation over the target variable frame.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first set of configurations and the second set of configurations include variables that are associated with an object of interest, and further comprising determining a characteristic of the object of interest based on the third valuation.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising indicating the determined characteristic to a user.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein one of the first set of configurations and the second set of configurations include a variable associated with a number of engines the object of interest has.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein one of the first set of configurations and the second set of configurations include a variable associated with an engine type 30 of the object of interest.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein one of the first set of configurations and the second set of configurations include a variable associated with a size of the object of interest.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the object of interest comprises a potential target for a weapon system, and determining a characteristic of the object comprises determining a nationality associated with the target.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein storing at least a portion of the third valuation comprises storing at least a portion of the third valuation in a binary join tree.

9. An intelligence-gathering system, comprising;

a plurality of sensors, each sensor operable to generate evidence regarding an object of interest and transmit the evidence to an information aggregator; and

the information aggregator operable to;

generate a first valuation based on evidence received from the plurality of sensors, wherein the first valuation indicates a level of support for each of a first set of configurations;

generate a configuration identifier for each of the first set of configurations;

store the configuration identifiers for the first set of configurations in a first ordered list;

generate a second valuation based on evidence received from the plurality of sensors, wherein the second valuation indicates a level of support for each of a second set of configurations;

generate a configuration identifier for each of the second set of configurations;

store the configuration identifiers for the second set of configurations in a second ordered list;

compare the first ordered list to the second ordered list;

identify, based on the comparison of the first ordered list and the second ordered list, a third set of configurations that are included in both the first set of configurations and the second configurations;

generate a third valuation based on the third set of configurations, wherein the third valuation indicates a level of support for each of the third set of configurations;

store at least a portion of the third valuation in an electronic memory;

select a target variable frame from among a first variable frame associated with the first valuation and a second variable frame associated with the second valuation;

determine a joint variable frame based on an intersection of the first variable frame and the second variable frame, and wherein the information aggregator is operable to

generate a configuration identifier for each of the first set of configurations by generating a configuration identifier for each of the first set of configurations based on the joint variable frame;

generate a configuration identifier for each of the second set of configurations by generating a configuration identifier for each of the second set of configurations based on the joint variable frame; and

generating the third valuation by generating the third valuation over the target variable frame.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein:

the first set of configurations and the second set of configurations include variables that are associated with an object of interest, and

the information aggregator is further operable to determine a characteristic of the object of interest based on the third valuation.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the information aggregator is further operable to indicate the determined characteristic to a user.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein one of the first set of configurations and the second set of configurations include a variable associated with a number of engines the object of interest has.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein one of the first set of configurations and the second set of configurations include a variable associated with an engine type of the object of interest.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein one of the first set of configurations and the second set of configurations include a variable associated with a size of the object of interest.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein:

the object of interest comprises a potential target for a weapon system; and

the information aggregator is further operable to determine a characteristic of the object by determining a nationality associated with the target.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the information aggregator is further operable to store at least a portion of the third valuation by storing at least a portion of the third valuation in a binary join tree.

17. A computer software product comprising non-transitory computer-readable media encoded with instructions, the instructions operable, when executed, to:

receive information defining a first valuation, wherein the first valuation indicates a level of support for each of a first set of configurations;

generate a configuration identifier for each of the first set of configurations;

store the configuration identifiers for the first set of configurations in a first ordered list;

receive information defining a second valuation, wherein the second valuation indicates a level of support for each of a second set of configurations;

generate a configuration identifier for each of the second set of configurations;

store the configuration identifiers for the second set of configurations in a second ordered list;

compare the first ordered list to the second ordered list;

identify, based on the comparison of the first ordered list and the second ordered list, a third set of configurations that are included in both the first set of configurations and the second configurations;

generate a third valuation based on the third set of configurations, wherein the third valuation indicates a level of support for each of the third set of configurations;

store at least a portion of the third valuation in an electronic memory;

select a target variable frame from among a first variable frame associated with the first valuation and a second variable frame associated with the second valuation;

determine a joint variable frame based on an intersection of the first variable frame and the second variable frame, and wherein;

generate a configuration identifier for each of the first set of configurations by generating a configuration identifier for each of the first set of configurations based on the joint variable frame;

generate a configuration identifier for each of the second set of configurations by generating a configuration identifier for each of the second set of configurations based on the joint variable frame; and

generating the third valuation by generating the third valuation over the target variable frame.

18. A system for aggregating information, comprising:

means for receiving information defining a first valuation, wherein the first valuation indicates a level of support for each of a first set of configurations;

means for generating a configuration identifier for each of the first set of configurations;

means for storing the configuration identifiers for the first set of configurations in a first ordered list;

means for receiving information defining a second valuation, wherein the second valuation indicates a level of support for each of a second set of configurations;

means for generating a configuration identifier for each of the second set of configurations;

means for storing the configuration identifiers for the second set of configurations in a second ordered list;

means for comparing the first ordered list to the second ordered list;

means for identifying, based on the comparison of the first ordered list and the second ordered list, a third set of configurations that are included in both the first set of configurations and the second configurations;

means for generating a third valuation based on the third set of configurations, wherein the third valuation indicates a level of support for each of the third set of configurations;

means for storing at least a portion of the third valuation in an electronic memory;

means for selecting a target variable frame from among a first variable frame associated with the first valuation and a second variable frame associated with the second valuation;

means for determining a joint variable frame based on an intersection of the first variable frame and the second variable frame, and wherein;

means for generating a configuration identifier for each of the first set of configurations comprises generating a configuration identifier for each of the first set of configurations based on the joint variable frame;

means for generating a configuration identifier for each of the second set of configurations comprises generating a configuration identifier for each of the second set of configurations based on the joint variable frame; and

means for generating the third valuation comprises generating the third valuation over the target variable frame.