Methods and apparatus for target identification

• US 9,537,569 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2013
• Issued: 01/03/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stewart, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): WOLDEKIDAN, HIBRET ASNAKE
• Application Number:
  US13/907,175
• Publication Number:
  US 20150256255A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 398/112, 398118-131, 398/108, 398169-172, 398/107
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/78 discriminating between different kinds of targets, e.g. IFF-radar, i.e. identification of friend or foe G01S13/75, G01S13/79 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/74 Systems using reradiation of electromagnetic waves other than radio waves, e.g. IFF, i.e. identification of friend or foe
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 3/786 the desired condition being maintained automatically
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 10/1123 Bidirectional transmission

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for target identification are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein to respond to a target identification interrogation include aligning an optical transceiver based on a detected optical signal to establish an optical communication link with a target detector, receiving a first signal from the target detector using the optical communication link, extracting a first code from the first signal, and transmitting a second signal using the communication link, wherein the second signal is encoded with a second code based on the first code of the first signal.

Claims

1. A method to respond to an interrogation from a remote device, the method comprising:

decoding, by executing an instruction with a processor, both a first code and a request for a description of supported voice capabilities included in a same first signal received at a first time from the remote device via an optical communication link;

when the first code is determined to match a handshake code, determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, a second signal to send via the optical communication link in response to the first signal, the second signal sent at a second time later than the first time, the second signal including a second code responsive to the first code and a response including the description of the supported voice capabilities; and

after the second signal is sent via the optical communication link, exchanging voice communications with the remote device via the optical communication link.

2. The method of claim 1, further including:

aligning an optical transceiver with an outpulsed optical signal from the remote device to increase an amount of received optical energy; and

after determining the optical transceiver is aligned with the outpulsed optical signal, establishing the optical communication link with the remote device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the outpulsed optical signal is detected with a passive optical detector aligned with the optical transceiver.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the establishing of the optical communication link includes opening a diaphragm to permit the optical transceiver to communicate with the remote device.

5. The method of claim 1, further including generating a warning to indicate that the remote device is hostile when the first code does not match the handshake code.

6. The method of claim 1, further including generating the second code based on the first code when the first code is determined to match the handshake code.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the request is a first request, and the second signal includes location information responsive to a second request included in the first signal.

8. A machine readable memory including machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a processor to perform operations comprising:

decoding both a first code and a request for a description of supported voice capabilities included in a same first signal received at a first time from a remote device via an optical communication link;

when the first code is determined to match a handshake code, determining a second signal to send via the optical communication link in response to the first signal, the second signal to be sent at a second time later than the first time, the second signal including a second code responsive to the first code and a response including the description of the supported voice capabilities; and

after the second signal is sent via the optical communication link, exchanging voice communications with the remote device via the optical communication link.

9. The machine readable memory of claim 8, wherein the operations further comprise include:

aligning an optical transceiver with an outpulsed optical signal from the remote device to increase an amount of received optical energy; and

after determining the optical transceiver is aligned with the outpulsed optical signal, establishing the optical communication link with the remote device.

10. The machine readable memory of claim 9, wherein the outpulsed optical signal is detected with a passive optical detector aligned with the optical transceiver.

11. The machine readable memory of claim 9, wherein the establishing of the optical communication link includes opening a diaphragm to permit the optical transceiver to communicate with the remote device.

12. The machine readable memory of claim 8, wherein the operations further include generating a warning to indicate that the remote device is hostile when the first code does not match the handshake code.

13. The machine readable memory of claim 8, wherein the operations further include generating the second code based on the first code when the first code is determined to match the handshake code.

14. The machine readable memory of claim 8, wherein the request is a first request, and the second signal includes location information responsive to a second request included in the first signal.

15. An apparatus to respond to an interrogation from a remote device, the apparatus comprising:

memory having machine readable instructions stored thereon; and

a processor to execute the instructions to perform operations including;

decoding both a first code and a request for a description of supported voice capabilities included in a same first signal received at a first time from a remote device via an optical communication link;

when the first code is determined to match a handshake code, determining a second signal to send via the optical communication link in response to the first signal, the second signal to be sent at a second time later than the first time, the second signal including a second code responsive to the first code and a response including the description of the supported voice capabilities; and

after the second signal is sent via the optical communication link, exchanging voice communications with the remote device via the optical communication link.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the operations further include:

aligning an optical transceiver with an outpulsed optical signal from the remote device to increase an amount of optical energy received by a passive optical detector aligned with the optical transceiver; and

after determining the optical transceiver is aligned with the outpulsed optical signal, establishing the optical communication link with the remote device.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the establishing of the optical communication link includes opening a diaphragm to permit the optical transceiver to communicate with the remote device.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the operations further include generating a warning to indicate that the remote device is hostile when the first code does not match the handshake code.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the operations further include generating the second code based on the first code when the first code is determined to match the handshake code.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the request is a first request, and the second signal includes location information responsive to a second request included in the first signal.