Three dimensional direction finder with one dimensional sensor array
First Claim
1. A direction finding system for tracking a target comprising:
- a linear sensor array configured to be attached to a structure;
one or more data storage devices for storing sensor measurements from the linear sensor array, a cone intersection algorithm, and an angular motion model configured to determine a best fit arc path, a true target angle estimate, and a target angular velocity corresponding to the target;
a command and decision unit including one or more computer processors in communication with the one or more data storage devices; and
a memory storing program instructions which, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause the one or more computer processors to;
receive first sensor measurements from the linear sensor array relating to the target including a first time of capture, a first cone angle, and a first linear sensor array axis orientation;
receive one or more additional sensor measurements from the linear sensor array relating to the target including at least one or more additional times of capture, one or more additional cone angles, and one or more additional linear sensor array axis orientations;
determine whether a location of the target can be identified based on the cone intersection algorithm;
responsive to a determination that the location of the target can be identified based on the cone intersection algorithm, apply the first sensor measurements and the one or more additional sensor measurements to the cone intersection algorithm to identify the location of the target and the true target angle corresponding to the target, wherein the location of the target corresponds to an intersection between the first cone angle and the one or more additional cone angles determined by the cone intersection algorithm;
responsive to a determination that the location of the target cannot be identified based on the cone intersection algorithm, apply the first sensor measurements and the one or more additional sensor measurements to the angular motion model to determine;
the best fit arc path corresponding to the target; and
the true target angle estimate and the target angular velocity for the target based on the determined best fit arc path; and
output one or both of the true target angle estimate and the target angular velocity corresponding to the target for determining target location.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tracking computer system may track a target using a single linear array. The system may receive first sensor measurements and one or more additional sensor measurements from the linear array. The system may determine whether a location of the target can be identified based on a cone intersection algorithm. When the target location can be identified based on the cone intersection algorithm, the first and the one or more additional sensor measurements may be applied to the cone intersection algorithm to identify the target location. When target location cannot be identified based on the cone intersection algorithm, the first and the one or more additional sensor measurements may be applied to an angular motion model to determine a best fit arc path corresponding to the target. A true target angle estimate and a target angular velocity may be determined based on the determined best fit arc path.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A direction finding system for tracking a target comprising:
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a linear sensor array configured to be attached to a structure; one or more data storage devices for storing sensor measurements from the linear sensor array, a cone intersection algorithm, and an angular motion model configured to determine a best fit arc path, a true target angle estimate, and a target angular velocity corresponding to the target; a command and decision unit including one or more computer processors in communication with the one or more data storage devices; and a memory storing program instructions which, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause the one or more computer processors to; receive first sensor measurements from the linear sensor array relating to the target including a first time of capture, a first cone angle, and a first linear sensor array axis orientation; receive one or more additional sensor measurements from the linear sensor array relating to the target including at least one or more additional times of capture, one or more additional cone angles, and one or more additional linear sensor array axis orientations; determine whether a location of the target can be identified based on the cone intersection algorithm; responsive to a determination that the location of the target can be identified based on the cone intersection algorithm, apply the first sensor measurements and the one or more additional sensor measurements to the cone intersection algorithm to identify the location of the target and the true target angle corresponding to the target, wherein the location of the target corresponds to an intersection between the first cone angle and the one or more additional cone angles determined by the cone intersection algorithm; responsive to a determination that the location of the target cannot be identified based on the cone intersection algorithm, apply the first sensor measurements and the one or more additional sensor measurements to the angular motion model to determine; the best fit arc path corresponding to the target; and the true target angle estimate and the target angular velocity for the target based on the determined best fit arc path; and output one or both of the true target angle estimate and the target angular velocity corresponding to the target for determining target location. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for tracking a target using a linear sensor array of a direction finding system comprising:
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storing, in a computer memory, a cone intersection algorithm, and an angular motion model configured for determining a best fit arc path, a true target angle estimate, and a target angular velocity corresponding to the target; receiving with a command and decision unit, first sensor measurements from a linear sensor array of the direction finding system corresponding to a target including a first time of capture, a first cone angle, and a first linear sensor array axis orientation; receiving with the command and decision unit, one or more additional sensor measurements from the linear sensor array corresponding to the target including one or more additional times of capture, one or more additional cone angles, and one or more additional linear sensor array axis orientations; determining, by one or more computer processors of the command and decision unit, whether a location of the target can be identified based on the cone intersection algorithm; responsive to a determination that the location of the target can be identified based on the cone intersection algorithm, applying, by the one or more computer processors of the command and decision unit, the first sensor measurements and the one or more additional sensor measurements to the cone intersection algorithm to identify the location of the target and a true target angle corresponding to the target, wherein the location of the target corresponds to an intersection between the first cone angle and the one or more additional cone angles determined by the cone intersection algorithm; responsive to a determination that the location of the target cannot be identified based on the cone intersection algorithm, applying, by the one or more computer processors of the command and decision unit, the first sensor measurements and the one or more additional sensor measurements to the angular motion model to determine; the best fit arc path corresponding to the target; and the true target angle estimate and a target angular velocity for the target based on the determined best fit arc path; and outputting, by the one or more computer processors of the command and decision unit based on application of the first sensor measurements and the one or more additional sensor measurements to the angular motion model, one or both of the true target angle estimate and the target angular velocity corresponding to the target for determining target location. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A tracking computer system for actively tracking a target using a linear sensor array mounted to a structure:
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one or more data storage devices for storing sensor measurements from the linear sensor array, a cone intersection algorithm, and an angular motion model configured to determine a best fit arc path, a true target angle estimate, and a target angular velocity corresponding to the target; one or more tracking computer processors in communication with the one or more data storage devices; a memory storing program instructions which, when executed by the one or more tracking computer processors, cause the one or more computer processors to; receive first sensor measurements from the linear sensor array relating to the target including a first time of capture, a first cone angle, and a first linear sensor array axis orientation; receive one or more additional sensor measurements from the linear sensor array relating to the target including one or more additional times of capture, one or more additional cone angles, and one or more additional linear sensor array axis orientations; determine whether a location of the target can be identified based on the cone intersection algorithm based on whether an angle between the first linear sensor array axis orientation and one of the one or more additional linear sensor array axis orientations is greater than a threshold angle; responsive to a determination that the location of the target can be identified based on the cone intersection algorithm, apply the first sensor measurements and the one or more additional sensor measurements to the cone intersection algorithm to identify the location of the target and a true target angle corresponding to the target, wherein the location of the target corresponds to an intersection between the first cone angle and the one or more additional cone angles determined by the cone intersection algorithm; responsive to a determination that the location of the target cannot be identified based on the cone intersection algorithm, apply the first sensor measurements and the one or more additional sensor measurements to the angular motion model to determine; the best fit arc path corresponding to the target; and the true target angle estimate and the target angular velocity for the target based on the determined best fit arc path; and output, based on application of the first sensor measurements and the one or more additional sensor measurements to the angular motion model, one or both of the true target angle estimate and the target angular velocity corresponding to the target for determining target location. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification