Apparatus and method for improvised explosive device (IED) network analysis

• US 9,552,391 B1
• Filed: 05/23/2013
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Government Of The United States Of America, As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy, the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Taylor, John G., Childress, Deak C.
• Primary Examiner(s): ASPINWALL, EVAN S
• Application Number:
  US13/901,308
• Time in Patent Office: 1,342 Days
• Field of Search: 707/758
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2455 Query execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/444 Spatial browsing, e.g. 2D maps, 3D or virtual spaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/206 Drawing of charts or graphs
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text

Abstract

Tools and apparatus are presented for identification and analysis of improvised explosive device (IED) networks, including data acquisition tools and techniques providing structured prompting and predefined answers for acquiring structured IED data reports in a streamlined fashion using uniform terminology with respect to IED components and/or structure, as well as analysis methodologies employing IED component level analysis with adjustable similarity correlation and IED attribute filtering to expeditiously identify likely IED networks using graphical renderings of IED locations in a given geolocation range of interest and connection indicators.

Claims

1. An improvised explosive device network analysis apparatus for acquiring and assembling improvised explosive device (IED) data, comprising:

at least one processor operatively coupled with and configured to operate a user interface and to receive geolocation information associated with a current position of the apparatus;

an electronic memory operatively coupled with the at least one processor, the electronic memory storing an IED network analysis component including prompting information including predefined questions and corresponding predefined answers with respect to at least one of IED components and IED structure and including instructions for displaying prompting information and receiving user inputs and geolocation information and for generating and storing IED reports;

a user interface operated by the at least one processor rendering at least some of the prompting information to a user and receiving user selected predefined answers to at least some of the predefined questions;

the at least one processor executing instructions included in the IED network analysis component to convert the geolocation information associated with the given IED and user selected answers associated with the given IED into a predetermined uniform terminology;

the at least one processor executing instructions included in the IED network analysis component to generate one or more IED reports individually associated with a given IED, wherein individual IED reports include the geolocation information associated with the given IED and user selected answers associated with the given IED in the predetermined uniform terminology; and

the at least one processor storing the one or more IED reports in the electronic memory, and outputting the IED reports to an external system.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a camera operatively coupled with the at least one processor, and wherein the at least one processor renders a prompt on the user interface to prompt the user to take a photo of an IED site, and stores the corresponding image data as part of the IED report associated with an IED corresponding to the photographed IED site.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface allows a user to draw a sketch, and wherein the at least one processor renders a prompt on the user interface to prompt the user to draw a sketch, and stores the corresponding image data as part of the IED report associated with an IED corresponding to the sketch.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface allows a user to enter text, and wherein the at least one processor renders a prompt on the user interface to prompt the user to enter text in association with a given IED, and stores the entered text as part of the IED report associated with the given IED.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the user interface allows a user to enter and record audio information, and wherein the at least one processor renders a prompt on the user interface to prompt the user to enter audio information in association with a given IED, and stores the entered audio information as part of the IED report associated with the given IED.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the prompting information includes at least one predefined question and a corresponding plurality of predefined answers with respect to IED type.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the prompting information includes at least one predefined question and a corresponding plurality of predefined answers with respect to at least one IED activation component.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the prompting information includes at least one predefined question and a corresponding plurality of predefined answers with respect to at least one IED explosive component.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the prompting information includes at least one predefined question and a corresponding plurality of predefined answers with respect to at least one IED projectile component.

10. A computer-implemented method for acquiring and assembling improvised explosive device (IED) data, comprising executing on a processor in accordance with instructions of an IED network analysis component stored in an electronic memory the steps of:

prompting a user on a user interface operated by the processor with predefined questions and corresponding predefined answers with respect to at least one of IED components and IED structure;

receiving user selected answers input by the user via the user interface to at least some of the predefined questions;

receiving geolocation information associated with a current position of the apparatus;

converting the geolocation information associated with the given IED and user selected answers associated with the given IED into a predetermined uniform terminology;

generating one or more IED reports individually associated with a given IED, wherein individual IED reports include the geolocation information associated with the given IED and user selected answers associated with the given IED in the predetermined uniform terminology; and

storing the one or more IED reports in an electronic memory.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing one or more IED reports to a structured database.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein prompting a user on a user interface operated by the processor with predefined questions and corresponding predefined answers comprises prompting the user with at least one predefined question and a corresponding plurality of predefined answers with respect to IED type.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein prompting a user on a user interface operated by the processor with predefined questions and corresponding predefined answers comprises prompting the user with at least one predefined question and a corresponding plurality of predefined answers with respect to at least one IED activation component.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein prompting a user on a user interface operated by the processor with predefined questions and corresponding predefined answers comprises prompting the user with at least one predefined question and a corresponding plurality of predefined answers with respect to at least one IED explosive component.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein prompting a user on a user interface operated by the processor with predefined questions and corresponding predefined answers comprises prompting the user with at least one predefined question and a corresponding plurality of predefined answers with respect to at least one IED projectile component.

16. A computer-implemented method of analyzing improvised explosive device (IED) data, comprising executing on a processor the steps of:

(a) receiving a selection of a geolocation range for analysis in a computer with the processor;

(b) accessing a structured database having multiple IED records associated with the selected geolocation range, each IED record corresponding to a single IED in the selected geolocation range;

(c) receiving a selection of one or more attributes associated with at least one of IED components and IED structure for analysis;

(d) receiving a selection of a similarity correlation percentage value;

(e) comparing IED records for each IED against IED records for each other IED in the selected geolocation range based on the selected one or more attributes;

(f) for each pair of IEDs compared, determining a percentage of matching selected one or more attributes;

(g) for each pair of IEDs compared whose percentage of matching selected one or more attributes is greater than or equal to the selected similarity correlation percentage value, identifying the pair of IEDs compared as related;

(h) generating a visual rendering of each compared IED at a corresponding geolocation within the selected geolocation range, including lines connecting all pairs of IEDs compared identified as related;

(i) receiving a selection of at least one of an adjusted similarity correlation percentage value and one or more adjusted attributes; and

(j) repeating steps (e)-(h) using at least one adjusted similarity correlation percentage value or at least one of the one or more adjusted attributes.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

(k) receiving a selection of one or more different colors for visually rendered IEDs for subsets of selected attributes.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

(l) overlaying the visual rendering of compared IEDs over a map or satellite image corresponding to the rendered geolocation range in the visual rendering.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

(l) overlaying the visual rendering of compared IEDs over a map or satellite image corresponding to the geolocation range.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving a selection of one or more attributes associated with at least one of IED components and IED structure for analysis comprises receiving a selection of at least one of IED type, IED activation component, IED explosive component, and IED projectile component.