Coherent aggregation from multiple diverse sources on a single display

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9429643-B2
Application number	US-201313859643-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2013
Priority date	Apr 9, 2013
Publication date	Aug 30, 2016
Grant date	Aug 30, 2016

Abstract

A system for tracking objects. Objects such as aircraft, ground vehicles, or vessels may be sensed with various sensors, including an Integrated Broadcast Service (IBS) ( 220 ), an Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) ( 225 ), a network ( 230 ) of airborne radar sensors, a network ( 235 ) of aircraft each reporting its own position, a Blue Force Tracker (BFT) ( 240 ), and a network ( 245 ) of ground-based mobile radar sensors. Data from each sensor or network of sensors may also be fed, via a display interface layer ( 250 ), to a display. A tracker which may be referred to as a coherent aggregator ( 120 ) receives input from sensors or other trackers and also from an operator. The operator monitors the display and provides input to the coherent aggregator ( 120 ) to assist the coherent aggregator ( 120 ) in inferring tracks from measurement reports. Multiple coherent aggregators, in communication with each other and loosely coupled, may be operated simultaneously.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for tracking a plurality of objects, comprising:
a data interface configured to receive a plurality of data elements, each data element selected from the group consisting of:
measurement reports comprising data about objects; and
tracks, comprising inferred trends in data about objects;

a user interface comprising a display and a user input device, the user interface coupled to the data interface and configured to display measurement reports and tracks; and
a first coherent aggregator, coupled to the data interface and to the user interface, the first coherent aggregator being configured to:
receive at least one data element;
receive user input from the user input device;
generate a revised track in response to the data element and the user input; and
provide the revised track to the display,

wherein the first coherent aggregator is configured to receive user input comprising an instruction selected from the group consisting of:
an instruction to treat a track as two separate tracks,
an instruction to merge two tracks into one track, and
an instruction to interchange two tracks.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data interface is configured to receive data from an Integrated Broadcast Service (IBS) sensor.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data interface is configured to receive data from an Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System (AFATDS) system.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data interface is configured to receive data from an airborne radar sensor.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data interface is configured to receive data from an aircraft transmitting its position.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data interface is configured to receive data from a Blue Force Tracker (BFT) system.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the data interface is configured to receive data from a ground-based mobile radar sensor.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first coherent aggregator is a battle control system (BCS).

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first coherent aggregator is an Enhanced-OASIS Fusion Capability (E-OFC) system.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is configured to enable a user to designate two icons corresponding to two tracks to be merged into one track.

11. The system of claim 1 , comprising a second coherent aggregator, loosely coupled to the first coherent aggregator, and configured to communicate with the first coherent aggregator.

12. A method for tracking a plurality of objects, comprising:
receiving, by a coherent aggregator, a data element selected from the group consisting of:
measurement reports comprising data about objects; and
tracks, comprising inferred trends in data about objects;

receiving, by the coherent aggregator, user input comprising an instruction selected from the group consisting of:
an instruction to treat a track as two separate tracks,
an instruction to merge two tracks into one track, and
an instruction to interchange two tracks;

generating, by the coherent aggregator, a revised track in response to the data element and the user input; and
providing, by the coherent aggregator, the revised track to a display.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the receiving of user input comprises:
displaying a plurality of tracks on the display;
enabling, by the coherent aggregator and a user input device, a user to select two tracks; and
enabling, by the coherent aggregator and the user input device, a user to provide, as user input, an instruction to merge the two selected tracks.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the enabling of the user to select two tracks comprises enabling the user to left click with a mouse on a first one of the two tracks and enabling a user to right click with the mouse on a second one of the two tracks.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the enabling of the user to select two tracks comprises enabling the user to drag a rectangle, with a mouse, containing the two tracks.

16. The method of claim 12 , comprising displaying, with the display, information about an object of the plurality of objects.

Assignees

• Raytheon Co
• Thales-Raytheon Systems Company Llc

Inventors

• Booher Jim L
• Eck Christopher R
• Badstuebner Stefan
• Williamson Ron C
• Schlundt John A
• Mueller Annette R

Classifications

• G08G5/727

  from a ground station · CPC title

• G08G5/723

  from the aircraft · CPC title

• G08G5/21

  located onboard the aircraft · CPC title

• G01S13/66

  Radar-tracking systems; Analogous systems · CPC title

• G01S7/22

  Producing cursor lines and indicia by electronic means · CPC title