Methods and systems for use in tracking targets for use in direction finding systems

• US 9,523,758 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2012
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Stensland, Benjamin Alan, Mace, Kevin Luke, McClelland, David Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): McGue, Frank J
• Application Number:
  US13/473,963
• Publication Number:
  US 20130307729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,678 Days
• Field of Search: 342/417, 342/463, 342/464, 342/465, 342/386, 342/457, 4554561- 6, 455/456.6, 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/14 Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction aerial arrangements for changing or varying the orientation or the shape of the directional pattern H01Q3/00; combinations of different interacting aerial units for giving a desired directional characteristic H01Q21/29; aerials or aerial systems providing at least two radiation patterns H01Q25/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/782 Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/802 Systems for determining direction or deviation from predetermined direction
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A first user device transmits a first signal, and a second user device transmits a second signal. A processing unit receives the first signal and the second signal. The processing unit identifies the first user device as an active target and the second user device as an active tracking device based on a predefined rule set including a plurality of selection criteria.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for tracking a target, said method implemented using a direction finding (DF) device and a control module, said method comprising:

receiving, at the DF device, a first signal associated with a first user device;

transmitting, by the DF device, a DF device signal to the control module, wherein the DF device signal is associated with the first signal;

receiving, at the control module, the DF device signal;

receiving, at the control module, a second signal associated with a second user device, wherein neither the first user device nor the second user device are predefined as either an active target or an active tracking device;

identifying, at the control module, the first user device as an active target when one or more characteristics of the first signal matches a first selection criteria in a predefined rule set;

identifying, at the control module, the second user device as an active tracking device when one or more characteristics of the second signal matches a second selection criteria in the predefined rule set and;

determining, by the control module, positional data associated with the first user device based on at least one of the first signal, the second signal, and the DF device signal.

2. A computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 1, wherein identifying the first user device further comprises identifying the first user device as the active target based on at least one of a signal strength of the first signal, an angle of arrival of the first signal, a location of the first user device, an orientation of the first user device, a motion of the first user device, an operating condition of the first user device, an operating condition of the second user device, a target priority of the first user device, and a target priority of the second user device.

3. A computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 1, wherein identifying the first user device further comprises identifying the first user device as the active target based on at least one of a signal strength of the second signal, an angle of arrival of the second signal, a location of the second user device, an orientation of the second user device, a motion of the second user device, an operating condition of the second user device, and a target priority of the second user device.

4. A computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 1, wherein identifying the second user device further comprises identifying the second user device as the active tracking device based on at least one of a signal strength of the second signal, an angle of arrival of the second signal, a location of the second user device, an orientation of the second user device, a motion of the second user device, a condition of the first user device, an operating condition of the second user device, a target priority of the first user device, and a target priority of the second user device.

5. A computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 1, wherein identifying the second user device further comprises identifying the second user device as the active tracking device based on at least one of a signal strength of the first signal, an angle of arrival of the first signal, a location of the first user device, an orientation of the first user device, a motion of the first user device, an operating condition of the first user device, and a target priority of the first user device.

6. A computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

determining a first target location associated with the first user device; and

transmitting positional data associated with the first target location to the second user device.

7. A computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 6 further comprising:

receiving a third signal associated with a third user device;

identifying the third user device as an active tracking device based on the predefined rule set; and

transmitting positional data associated with the first target location to the third user device.

8. A computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 6 further comprising:

receiving a third signal associated with a third user device;

identifying the third user device as an active target based on the predefined rule set;

determining a second target location associated with the third user device; and

transmitting positional data associated with the second target location to the second user device.

9. A computer-implemented method in accordance with claim 6 further comprising:

receiving a third signal associated with a third user device;

identifying the third user device as an active target based on the predefined rule set;

determining a second target location associated with the third user device;

receiving a fourth signal associated with a fourth user device;

identifying the fourth user device as an active tracking device based on the predefined rule set; and

transmitting positional data associated with the second target location to the fourth user device.

10. A computing system for tracking a target, said computing system comprising:

a direction finding (DF) device configured to receive a first signal associated with a first user device, and transmit a DF device signal to a control module, wherein the DF device signal is associated with the first signal;

the control module configured to receive a second signal associated with a second user device, wherein neither the first user device nor the second user device are predefined as either an active target or an active tracking device, identify the first user device as an active target when one or more characteristics of the first signal matches a first selection criteria in a predefined rule set, identify the second user device as an active tracking device when one or more characteristics of the second signal matches a second selection criteria in the predefined rule set, and determine positional data associated with the first user device based on at least one of the first signal, the second signal, and the DF device signal.

11. A computing system in accordance with claim 10, wherein the control module further identifies the first user device as the active target based on at least one of a signal strength of the first signal, an angle of arrival of the first signal, a location of the first user device, an orientation of the first user device, a motion of the first user device, an operating condition of the first user device, an operating condition of the second user device, a target priority of the first user device, and a target priority of the second user device.

12. A computing system in accordance with claim 10, wherein the control module further identifies the second user device as the active tracking device based on at least one of a signal strength of the second signal, an angle of arrival of the second signal, a location of the second user device, an orientation of the second user device, a motion of the second user device, an operating condition of the first user device, an operating condition of the second user device, a target priority of the first user device, and a target priority of the second user device.

13. A computing system in accordance with claim 10, wherein the computing system is activated upon receiving at least one of the first signal and the second signal.

14. A computing system in accordance with claim 10, wherein the control module further determines a first target location associated with the first user device, and transmits positional data associated with the first target location to the second user device.

15. A computing system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the control module further receives a third signal associated with a third user device, identifies the third user device as an active tracking device based on the predefined rule set, and transmits positional data associated with the first target location to the third user device.

16. A computing system in accordance with claim 14, wherein the control module further receives a third signal associated with a third user device, identifies the third user device as an active target based on the predefined rule set, determines a second target location associated with the third user device, receives a fourth signal associated with a fourth user device, identifies the fourth user device as an active tracking device based on the predefined rule set, and transmits positional data associated with the second target location to the fourth user device.

17. A system for tracking a target, said system comprising:

a first user device configured to transmit a first signal;

a second user device configured to transmit a second signal;

a direction finding (DF) device configured to receive a first signal associated with a first user device and transmit a DF device signal to a control module, wherein the DF device signal is associated with the first signal;

the control module configured to;

receive at least one of the first signal, the second signal, and the DF device signal, wherein neither the first user device nor the second user device are predefined as either an active target or an active tracking device;

identify the first user device as an active target when one or more characteristics of the first signal matches a first selection criteria in a predefined rule set, and identify the second user device as an active tracking device when one or more characteristics of the second signal matches a second selection criteria in the predefined rule set; and

determining positional data associated with the active target based on at least one of the first signal, the second signal, and the DF device signal.

18. A system in accordance with claim 17, wherein the control module is further configured to determine a first target location associated with the first user device, and transmit positional data associated with the first target location to the second user device.

19. A system in accordance with claim 18 further comprising a third user device configured to transmit a third signal, wherein the control module is further configured to receive the third signal, identify the third user device as an active target based on the predefined rule set, determine a second target location associated with the third user device, and transmit positional data associated with the second target location to the second user device.

20. A system in accordance with claim 19, wherein the control module is further configured to receive a fourth signal associated with the third user device after receiving the third signal, re-identify the third user device as an active tracking device based on the predefined rule set, and transmit positional data associated with the first target location to the third user device.