초록 ▼

In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a method for estimating and predicting a target emitter's kinematics, the method including the steps of: (a) passively sampling, at a first sampling rate, an emitter signal to obtain at least one passively measured signal attribute for estimating the targ

In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a method for estimating and predicting a target emitter's kinematics, the method including the steps of: (a) passively sampling, at a first sampling rate, an emitter signal to obtain at least one passively measured signal attribute for estimating the target kinematics; (b) inputting the passively measured signal attribute to an estimator at a first sampling rate; (c) determining a radar duty cycle for active radar measurements as a multiple of the first sampling rate, the multiple defining a duration between radar transmissions; (d) directing a radar system to make active target measurements at the determined duty cycle; (e) inputting to the estimator the active target measurements at the determined duty cycle, while continuously inputting the passively measured signal attributes.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method for estimating and predicting a target emitter's kinematics, the method comprising the steps of: (a) passively sampling, at a first sampling rate, an emitter signal to obtain at least one passively measured signal attribute for estimating the target kinematics; (b) i

What is claimed is: 1. A method for estimating and predicting a target emitter's kinematics, the method comprising the steps of: (a) passively sampling, at a first sampling rate, an emitter signal to obtain at least one passively measured signal attribute for estimating the target kinematics; (b) inputting the passively measured signal attribute to an estimator at a first sampling rate; (c) determining a radar duty cycle for active radar measurements as a multiple of the first sampling rate, the multiple defining a duration between radar transmissions; (d) directing a radar system to make active target measurements at the determined duty cycle; and (e) inputting to the estimator the active target measurements at the determined duty cycle, while continuously inputting the passively measured signal attributes to the estimator. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein with the first sampling rate defines an average measurement rate supporting target kinematics estimation. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the multiple is greater than 1. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the passive sampling is made by an intercept receiver. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one signal attribute comprises direction of arrival characteristics. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein an emitter bearing or an azimuth is derived from the direction of arrival characteristics. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimator is a bearings-only estimator. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the active target measurements are adapted for communication with bearings-only estimator kinematics model. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the active target measurements include target range measurements. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the radar active measurements include both target range and range rate measurements. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein both target range and range rate measurements are adapted for communication with bearing-only estimator kinematics model. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the transformed radar measurement is combined with a passive azimuth measurement to form a single input to the estimator. 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the determined radar duty cycle defines a first transmission time for the active target measurement. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the estimator provides a preliminary target position estimate. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the preliminary target position is used to adjust the radar transmitted power and transmitted signal characteristics as a function of the passively estimated target kinematics. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein data including at least one of the target azimuth or elevation is extracted from the preliminary target position estimate. 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the target kinematics estimated from the passive bearing measurements directs active target measurement. 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal attribute identifies the target as belonging to a restricted class of emitters. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the target is further associated with a most probable set of platforms. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein a signal intercept capability of the most probable set of platforms is used to determine the minimum period between radar transmissions or the minimum duty cycle. 21. The method of claim 19, wherein a maneuver capability of the most probable set of platforms is used to determine the maximum possible period between radar transmissions or the maximum duty cycle. 22. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) further comprises: (1) predicting a first target position with the passively measured signal attribute; (2) determining from the predicted position if the emitter will be in a field of view and detection range of the radar system; (3) generating a radar system update request consistent with the duty cycle if the emitter is within the field of view and detection range of the radar system; (4) increasing the associated duty cycle measurement interval if the emitter is not within the field of view or detection range of the radar system; and (5) repeating steps 1-3. 23. An apparatus for estimating an emitter's kinematical state, the apparatus comprising: a primary control circuit having at least one microprocessor configured with instructions to control a passive measurement system and an active measurement system and to: (a) passively sample, at a first sampling rate, an emitter signal to obtain at least one passively measured signal attribute for estimating the target kinematics; (b) input the passively measured signal attribute to an estimator at a first sampling rate; (c) determine a radar duty cycle for the active measurements system, the duty cycle defining a duration between emitter detection by the active measurement system; (d) direct the active measurement system to detect emitter consistent with the duty cycle; and (e) input the active target measurements to an estimator consistent with the duty cycle while continuously inputting the passively measured signal attributes to the estimator. 24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the duty cycle is a multiple of the first sampling rate. 25. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising an intercept receiver for passive signal measurement. 26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the intercept receiver further comprises a memory circuit and a microprocessor in communication with a passive measurement control circuit. 27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the passive measurement control circuit repetitively tunes the intercept receiver to an emitter frequency for achieving the first sampling rate. 28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the at least one signal attribute comprises at least one of direction of arrival characteristics or azimuth. 29. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the estimator is a bearings-only estimator. 30. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the active measurement system comprises a radar system for transmitting a radar signal to the emitter. 31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the measurement made by the radar system comprises at least one of an emitter range or a rate of change in the emitter range. 32. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising an active measurement control circuit for adjusting the radar signal power or radar signal characteristic as a function of a passively-estimated emitter position. 33. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising a primary control circuit for directing the radar signal toward a passively-estimated emitter position. 34. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the duty cycle defines a first transmission time for the active measurement. 35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein the kinematics estimator utilizes the signal attribute to estimate emitter position before the first active detection. 36. A device for determining emitter kinematics, comprising: a passive measurement system for passively sampling an emitter signal and determining at least one emitter bearing from a sampled signal; a filter circuit for determining at least one of an emitter velocity or an emitter position; an active measurement system for actively measuring at least one of an emitter range or a radial range rate; and an augmented measurement controller in communication with the passive measurement system and the active measurement system, the augmented measurement controller receiving data from the passive measurement system and deriving a control signal for the active measurement system, the control signal defining a set of radar transmission times as a function of the passive measurement system. 37. The device of claim 36, wherein the passive measurement system determines an emitter bearing for each sampled signal. 38. The device of claim 36, wherein the filter circuit further comprises a kinematics estimator configured to provide estimated emitter kinematics including an emitter velocity or an emitter position. 39. The device of claim 38, wherein the emitter velocity or the emitter position are derived from an emitter bearings or a passive emitter bearing measurements augmented by an active target measurement. 40. The device of claim 36, wherein the active measurement system periodically transmits a signal and determines at least one of the target range or the radial range rate from the signal transmission. 41. The device of claim 40, wherein the active measurement system communicates the target range and the radial range rate with the filter circuit. 42. The device of claim 36, wherein the augmented measurement controller determines the control signal for establishing an emitter bearing input rate to the filter circuit. 43. The device of claim 36, wherein the augmented measurement controller causes the emitter signal to be sampled at least at the emitter bearing input rate by a passive measurement circuit. 44. The device of claim 36, wherein the augmented measurement controller instructs the filter circuit to accept measurements from active measurement system. 45. The device of claim 36, wherein the augmented measurement controller determines an input rate for an augmented data as a function of the filter circuit, a bearing data rate, and data from the passive measurement system. 46. The device of claim 45, wherein the augmented measurement controller instructs the active measurement system to update active measurement using the control signal having an augmented input rate. 47. The device of claim 36, wherein the modified passive tracker circuit further comprises a passive emitter tracking sub-circuit, a first circuit for generating augmented measurements, and an input modifying circuit to estimate emitter kinematics from the target bearing measurements alone, or from range data communicated from the active measurement system in an augmented measurement. 48. The device of claim 36, wherein the measurement controller further comprises a system clock for synchronizing an input of the filter circuit with an output of the active measurement system. 49. The device of claim 48, wherein the clock enables synchronization of passively-made bearing measurements and at least one of range, and range rate. 50. The device of claim 36, wherein the active measurement system further comprises a transmitter, a mode controller, a receiver and a signal processor. 51. The device of claim 36, wherein the passive measurement system further comprises a passive signal sensors, an intercept receiver, an emitter correlation circuit, database, and emitter-to-platform identification circuit.