Network-centric processing

• US 8,140,289 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2008
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Morris, Timothy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tsai, Carol
• Application Number:
  US12/256,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20090113028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 702/108, 714/32, 714/42, 714/E11.193, 714/E11.202, 434/265, 607/5, 701/1, 701/3, 701/14, 701/16, 709/217, 709/227, 705/7, 705/8, 705/9, 705/10, 703/2, 703/13, 703/21, 703/23, 703/24, 379/221.08, 379/221.09, 379/221.1, 379/221.12
• US Class Current: 702/108
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/1316 Service observation, testing

Abstract

In one aspect, a network-centric processing (NCP) system includes sensors configured to monitor activities associated with testing of an asset, a first system configured to provide the testing on the asset, a second system configured to provide training of personnel using the asset, a third system configured to record problems associated with the testing and the training of the asset as input for an acquisition process and a network connected to the first system, the second system, the third system and the sensors.

Claims

1. A network-centric processing (NCP) system, comprising:

sensors configured to monitor activities associated with testing of a non-human asset;

a first system configured to provide the testing on the non-human asset;

a second system configured to provide training of personnel using the non-human asset;

a third system configured to record problems associated with the testing and the training of the non-human asset as input for an acquisition process;

a network connecting the first system, the second system, the third system and the sensors; and

a protocol used by the first system, the second system and the third system to facilitate communications, the protocol comprising a first portion to support distributed node interactions and synchronization and a second portion to support visibility into the internal information flows of the non-human asset.

2. The NCP system of claim 1 wherein the first system is configured to provide data to support a research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&

E) process.

3. The NCP system of claim 1, further comprising an injector configured to provide test data to the NCP system.

4. The NCP system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is one of:

a radio frequency (RF) spectrum usage sensor;

an infrared sensor;

a radar;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) system;

a satellite;

a Deployable Force-on-Force Instrumented Range System (DFIRST™

) individual position locator;

or

a camera.

5. The NCP system of claim 1 wherein a first sensor of the sensors is assigned to one of the first system, the second system or the third system;

and

wherein the first sensor is shared by another system than the one assigned system through an allocation process.

6. The NCP system of claim 5, wherein the allocation process is an auction process.

7. A method of network centric processing, comprising:

processing data from sensors configured to monitor activities associated with testing of a non-human asset,

processing data from a first system configured to provide the testing on the non-human asset;

processing data from a second system configured to provide training of personnel using the non-human asset;

processing data from a third system configured to record problems associated with the testing and the training of the non-human asset as input for an acquisition process; and

processing the data using a protocol used by the first system, the second system and the third system to facilitate communications,

wherein the protocol comprising a first portion to support distributed node interactions and synchronization and a second portion to support visibility into the internal information flows of the non-human asset, and

wherein a network connects the first system, the second system, the third system and the sensors.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein processing data from a first system configured to provide the testing on the asset comprises processing data to support a research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&

E) process.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising processing data from an injector configured to provide test data to the NCP system.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein processing data from sensors comprises processing data from sensors comprising at least one:

a radio frequency (RF) spectrum usage sensor;

an infrared sensor;

a radar;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) system;

a satellite;

a Deployable Force-on-Force Instrumented Range System (DFIRST™

) individual position locator;

or

a camera.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein a first sensor of the sensors is assigned to one of the first system, the second system or the third system;

and

further comprising performing an allocation process to determine whether the sensor may be shared with another system than the one assigned.

12. The NCP system of claim 11, wherein performing an allocation process comprises performing an auction process.

13. An article comprising:

a non-transitory machine-readable medium that stores executable instructions to provide a network-centric process, the instructions causing a machine to;

process data from sensors configured to monitor activities associated with testing of a non-human asset,

process data from a first system configured to provide the testing on the non-human asset;

process data from a second system configured to provide training of personnel using the non-human asset;

process data from a third system configured to record problems associated with the testing and the training of the non-human asset as input for an acquisition process; and

process the data using a protocol used by the first system, the second system and the third system to facilitate communications,

wherein the protocol comprises a first portion to support distributed node interactions and synchronization and a second portion to support visibility into the internal information flows of the non-human asset, and

wherein a network connects the first system, the second system, the third system and the sensors.

14. The article of claim 13 wherein instructions causing a machine to process data from a first system configured to provide the testing on the asset comprises instructions causing a machine to process data to support a research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&

E) process.

15. The article of claim 13, further comprising instructions causing a machine to process data from an injector configured to provide test data to the NCP system.

16. The article of claim 13 wherein instructions causing a machine to process data from sensors comprises instructions causing a machine to process data from sensors comprising at least one:

a radio frequency (RF) spectrum usage sensor;

an infrared sensor;

a radar;

a radio frequency identification (RFID) system;

a satellite;

a Deployable Force-on-Force Instrumented Range System (DFIRST™

) individual position locator;

or

a camera.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein a first sensor of the sensors is assigned to one of the first system, the second system or the third system;

and

further comprising instructions causing a machine to perform an allocation process to determine whether the first sensor may be shared with another system than the one assigned,

wherein instructions causing a machine to perform an allocation process comprises instructions causing a machine to perform an auction process.