초록 ▼

An airport surface target detection, classification and tracking system using a network of multilateration (SSR) sensors and W-band radar sensors is used to provide automatic location and tracking information about ground moving aircraft or targets. The information from the distributed sensors are c

An airport surface target detection, classification and tracking system using a network of multilateration (SSR) sensors and W-band radar sensors is used to provide automatic location and tracking information about ground moving aircraft or targets. The information from the distributed sensors are coordinated to provide accurate location and tracking information for coordination of surface traffic and navigation within an airport.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An airport surface target surveillance and tracking system, comprising: a plurality of distributed, miniaturized W-band radar scanning sensors to detect aircraft targets within an airport; at least one low-range multilateration sensor to interrogate aircraft targets and recei

What is claimed is: 1. An airport surface target surveillance and tracking system, comprising: a plurality of distributed, miniaturized W-band radar scanning sensors to detect aircraft targets within an airport; at least one low-range multilateration sensor to interrogate aircraft targets and receive respective tail numbers and range data therefrom; a data fusion center, connected to the W-band radar scanning sensors and the multilateration sensor via a communication link, to receive W-band and multilateration sensor data, to determine aircraft target model based on W-band sensor data, to determine aircraft identity based on tail number, and to track aircraft targets based on W-band sensor data and, optionally, multilateration sensor data. 2. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, further comprising a communication connection between the plurality of W-band sensors and the multilateration sensor. 3. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the communication link further comprises, communication between neighboring W-band sensors of the plurality of W-band sensors using a W-band transmission. 4. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the communication link is an Internet Protocol (IP) network. 5. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of W-band sensors and multilateration sensor is assigned a communication link identifier address. 6. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 5, wherein the communication link identifier address is an IP address. 7. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of W-band sensors has 2-D Doppler capability. 8. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of W-band sensors has a range of approximately 250 meters. 9. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of W-band sensors has a target resolution of approximately 1 meter. 10. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of W-band sensors uses an edge detection technique to determine an edge of a detected target. 11. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of W-band sensors scan a limited sector. 12. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein at least the scan angle of the W-band sensors is controllable by the data fusion center. 13. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein there are a plurality of multilateration sensors distributed within the airport. 14. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the multilateration sensor utilizes a Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) protocol. 15. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the multilateration sensor utilizes L-band energy. 16. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the multilateration sensor operates in a low range mode. 17. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the multilateration sensor utilizes time-difference-of-arrival measurements to determine a range of the responding tail number aircraft. 18. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the multilateration sensors operate within Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) idle windows of other SSR equipment on the airport. 19. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the data fusion center further determines a geometry of the target and respective orientation on the airport. 20. The airport surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the data fusion center further determines an imminent incursion. 21. The airport surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 20, wherein the data fusion center signals a control tower crew as to the imminent incursion. 22. The airport surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 20, wherein the data fusion center signals a crew of the target as to the imminent incursion. 23. The airport surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 22, wherein the data fusion center activates airport indicators to signal the crew of the target as to the imminent incursion. 24. The airport surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the data fusion center is a distributed system of networked computers. 25. The airport surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the data fusion center determines positions of structures of the target on the airport. 26. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the low-range multilateration sensor is configured to determine an interrogation-free time window and synchronize an interrogation within the window. 27. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the low-range multilateration sensor is configured to transmit an interrogation to the aircraft target at a rate substantially greater than once every five seconds. 28. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the low-range multilateration sensor is colocated with one of the W-band radar scanning sensors. 29. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 1, wherein the determining a type of the aircraft target comprises performing an azimuthal scan. 30. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 29, wherein the determining a type of the aircraft target comprises performing a vertical scan. 31. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 30, wherein the determining a type of the surface target comprises cross-referencing dimensions and aspects of known surface targets. 32. An airport surface target surveillance and tracking system, comprising: a plurality of distributed, miniaturized W-band energy emitting means to detect aircraft targets within an airport; at least one multilateration sensing means to interrogate aircraft targets and receive respective tail numbers and range data therefrom; a data fusion means, connected to the W-band energy emitting means and the multilateration sensing means via a communications networking means, to determine aircraft target model based on W-band energy emitting means data, and to determine aircraft target location, speed and orientation based on W-band sensor data and, optionally, multilateration sensing means data. 33. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 32, further comprising a data exchange means for exchanging data between neighboring W-band energy emitting means of the plurality of W-band energy emitting means, the exchanging means using a W-band transmission. 34. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 32, wherein at least one of the plurality of W-band energy emitting means has 2-D Doppler capability. 35. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 32, wherein at least one of the plurality of W-band energy emitting means has a range of approximately 250 meters. 36. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 32, wherein at least one of the plurality of W-band energy emitting means has a target resolution of approximately 1 meter. 37. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 32, wherein at least one of the plurality of W-band energy emitting means uses an edge detection technique to determine an edge of a detected target. 38. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 32, wherein at least one of the plurality of W-band energy emitting means scan a limited sector. 39. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 32, wherein at least the scan angle of the W-band energy emitting means is controllable by the data fusion means. 40. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 32, wherein there are a plurality of multilateration means distributed within the airport. 41. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 32, wherein the interrogating sensing means utilizes a Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) protocol. 42. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 32, wherein the interrogating sensing means utilizes L-band energy. 43. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 32, wherein the interrogating sensing means operates in a low range mode. 44. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 32, wherein the interrogating sensing means utilizes time-difference-of-arrival measurements to determine a range of the responding tail number aircraft. 45. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 32, wherein the interrogating sensing means operate within Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) idle time windows of other SSR equipment on the airport. 46. The airport surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 32, wherein the data fusion means further determines a geometry of the target and respective orientation on the airport. 47. The airport surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 32, wherein the data fusion means further determines an imminent incursion. 48. The airport surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 47, wherein the data fusion means signals a control tower crew as to the imminent incursion. 49. The airport surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 47, wherein the data fusion center means signals a crew of the target as to the imminent incursion. 50. The airport surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 49, wherein the data fusion means activates airport indicators to signal the crew of the target as to the imminent incursion. 51. The airport surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 32, wherein the data fusion means utilizes is a distributed system of networked computers. 52. The airport surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 32, wherein the data fusion means determines positions of structures of the target on the airport. 53. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 32, wherein the determining a type of the aircraft target comprises performing an azimuthal scan. 54. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 53, wherein the determining a type of the aircraft target comprises performing a vertical scan. 55. The surface target surveillance and tracking system according to claim 54, wherein the determining a type of the surface target comprises cross-referencing dimensions and aspects of known surface targets. 56. A method for airport surface target surveillance and tracking, comprising: detecting a surface target utilizing a plurality of distributed, miniaturized W-band radar scanning sensors within an airport; determining an interrogation-free time window; interrogating the surface target using a multilateration sensor; acquiring an ID of, and a range to, the surface target during the interrogation-free time window; determining information of the detected surface target from at least one of the W-band radar scanning sensors; conveying the information, ID and range to a data processing center; evaluating the conveyed information and ID; quantifying the target based on the conveyed information and ID, including determining a target model based on the W-band sensor information; controlling at least two of the W-band sensors to obtain respective, overlapping scans of the target; and tracking the target based on the W-band sensor scans and, optionally, the range. 57. The method for airport surface target surveillance and tracking according to claim 56, wherein the conveying the information is accomplished with a wireless network. 58. The method for airport surface target surveillance and tracking according to claim 57, wherein the wireless network utilizes an Internet Protocol (IP). 59. The method for airport surface target surveillance and tracking according to claim 56, wherein the determining information utilizes 2-D Doppler capabilities. 60. The method for airport surface target surveillance and tracking according to claim 56, wherein the determining information utilizes an edge detection technique. 61. The method for airport surface target surveillance and tracking according to claim 56, wherein the controlling is performed by the data processing center. 62. The method for airport surface target surveillance and tracking according to claim 56, wherein the ID is acquired using a low power Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) protocol signal. 63. The method for airport surface target surveillance and tracking according to claim 56, further comprising determining the range of the target using time-difference-of-arrival techniques. 64. The method for airport surface target surveillance and tracking according to claim 62, wherein the low power SSR signal is operated within idle time windows of other SSR equipment on the airport. 65. The method for airport surface target surveillance and tracking according to claim 56, wherein the quantifying the target involves determining a geometry of the target. 66. The method for airport surface target surveillance and tracking according to claim 56, further comprising determining an imminent incursion. 67. The method for airport surface target surveillance and tracking according to claim 66, further comprising signaling a control tower as to the imminent incursion. 68. The method for airport surface target surveillance and tracking according to claim 66, further comprising signaling a crew of the target as to the imminent incursion. 69. The method for airport surface target surveillance and tracking according to claim 68, further comprising activating airport indicators to signal the crew of the target as to the imminent incursion. 70. The method for airport surface target surveillance and tracking according to claim 65, wherein quantifying the target involves determining positions of structures of the target on the airport. 71. The method for airport surface target surveillance and tracking according to claim 56, wherein the determining a type of the surface target comprises performing an azimuthal scan. 72. The method for airport surface target surveillance and tracking according to claim 71, wherein the determining a type of the surface target comprises performing a vertical scan. 73. The method for airport surface target surveillance and tracking according to claim 72, wherein the determining a type of the surface target comprises cross-referencing dimensions and aspects of known surface targets. 74. The method for airport surface target surveillance and tracking according to claim 73, wherein the surface targets comprise aircrafts, fire trucks, and baggage trucks.