초록 ▼

The present invention includes, in its various aspects and embodiments, a method and apparatus for determining whether a moving target is maneuvering. The method comprises determining an expected motion for the target assuming the target is not maneuvering; determining an upper bound and a lower bou

The present invention includes, in its various aspects and embodiments, a method and apparatus for determining whether a moving target is maneuvering. The method comprises determining an expected motion for the target assuming the target is not maneuvering; determining an upper bound and a lower bound for the expected motion; and determining whether the actual motion exceeds at least one of the upper and lower bounds of the expected motion. In one aspect, the apparatus is a program storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computing apparatus, perform such a method. In another aspect, the apparatus is a computing apparatus programmed to perform such a method.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed: 1. A computer-implemented method for determining whether a moving target is maneuvering, comprising: determining an expected motion for the target assuming the target is not maneuvering; determining an upper bound and a lower bound for the expected motion; and determining whether t

What is claimed: 1. A computer-implemented method for determining whether a moving target is maneuvering, comprising: determining an expected motion for the target assuming the target is not maneuvering; determining an upper bound and a lower bound for the expected motion; and determining whether the actual motion exceeds at least one of the upper and lower bounds of the expected motion; wherein the above-recited acts are performed by a processor. 2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the target's expected motion includes: resolving the target's acceleration along the velocity frame of the target; and determining the expected acceleration of the target from aerodynamic drag and gravity. 3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein determining whether the actual motion exceeds at least one of the upper and lower bounds includes determining whether the target's actual acceleration exceeds the expected acceleration due to aerodynamic drag and gravity. 4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the upper and lower bounds includes determining the upper and lower bounds for the expected acceleration of the target from aerodynamic drag and gravity. 5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein determining the upper and lower bounds includes determining the upper and lower bounds from filter measurement uncertainties. 6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein determining whether the actual motion exceeds at least one of the upper and lower bounds includes determining whether the target's actual acceleration exceeds the expected acceleration due to aerodynamic drag and gravity. 7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the target's expected motion includes determining the expected flight path angular rates due to gravity. 8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein determining the upper and lower bounds includes adding and subtracting the filter measurement uncertainties to and from, respectively, the expected flight path angular rates due to gravity. 9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein determining whether the actual motion exceeds at least one of the upper and lower bounds includes determining whether the actual flight path angular rates exceed the expected flight path angular rates. 10. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein determining whether the actual motion exceeds at least one of the upper and lower bounds includes determining whether the actual flight path angular rates exceed the expected flight path angular rates. 11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the upper and lower bounds includes combining a plurality of errors. 12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the upper and lower bounds includes examining the gradient of the expected motion in a North-East-Down frame. 13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein examining the gradient of the expected motion includes examining the gradient of the target's acceleration in the velocity frame. 14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein examining the gradient of the expected motion includes examining the gradient of the flight path angular rates. 15. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the actual motion exceeds at least one of the upper and lower bounds of the expected motion includes a direct numerical comparison. 16. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising receiving data generated from a sensor sensing the actual motion of the target over time. 17. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the target is a ballistic target. 18. A computer readable program storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computing apparatus, perform a method for determining whether a moving target is maneuvering, the method comprising: determining an expected motion for the target assuming the target is not maneuvering; determining an upper bound and a lower bound for the expected motion; and determining whether the actual motion exceeds at least one of the upper and lower bounds of the expected motion. 19. The computer readable program storage medium of claim 18, wherein determining the target's expected motion in the method includes: resolving the target's acceleration along the velocity frame of the target; and determining the expected acceleration of the target from aerodynamic drag and gravity. 20. The computer readable program storage medium of claim 19, wherein determining the upper and lower bounds in the method includes determining the upper and lower bounds for the expected acceleration of the target from aerodynamic drag and gravity. 21. The computer readable program storage medium of claim 18, wherein determining the target's expected motion in the method includes determining the expected flight path angular rates due to gravity. 22. The computer readable program storage medium of claim 21, wherein determining the upper and lower bounds in the method includes adding and subtracting the filter measurement uncertainties to and from, respectively, the expected flight path angular rates due to gravity. 23. The computer readable program storage medium of claim 18, wherein determining the upper and lower bounds in the method includes combining a plurality of errors. 24. The computer readable program storage medium of claim 18, wherein determining the upper and lower bounds in the method includes examining the gradient of the expected motion in a North-East-Down frame. 25. A computer-implemented method for determining whether a moving target is maneuvering, comprising: resolving the target's acceleration along the velocity frame of the target assuming the target is not maneuvering; determining the expected acceleration of the target from aerodynamic drag and gravity; determining an upper bound and a lower bound for the expected acceleration of the target from aerodynamic drag and gravity of the expected motion; and determining whether the actual motion exceeds at least one of the upper and lower bounds of the expected motion; wherein the above-recited acts are performed by a processor. 26. The computer-implemented method of claim 25, wherein determining the upper and lower bounds includes determining the upper and lower bounds from filter measurement uncertainties. 27. The computer-implemented method of claim 25, wherein determining the upper and lower bounds includes combining a plurality of errors. 28. The computer-implemented method of claim 25, wherein determining the upper and lower bounds includes examining the gradient of the expected motion in a North-East-Down frame. 29. A computer-implemented method for determining whether a moving target is maneuvering, comprising: determining the expected flight path angular rates due to gravity assuming the target is not maneuvering; adding and subtracting the filter measurement uncertainties to and from, respectively, the expected flight path angular rates due to gravity to determine an upper bound and a lower bound for the expected motion; and determining whether the actual motion exceeds at least one of the upper and lower bounds of the expected motion; wherein the above-recited acts are performed by a processor. 30. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, wherein determining whether the actual motion exceeds at least one of the upper and lower bounds includes determining whether the actual flight path angular rates exceed the expected flight path angular rates. 31. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, wherein determining the upper and lower bounds includes combining a plurality of errors. 32. The computer-implemented method of claim 29, wherein determining the upper and lower bounds includes examining the gradient of the expected motion in a North-East-Down frame. 33. An apparatus, comprising: a processor; a bus system; a storage communicating with the processor over the bus system; and a software application residing on the storage that, when invoked by the processor, performs a method for determining whether a moving target is maneuvering, the method comprising: determining an expected motion for the target assuming the target is not maneuvering; determining an upper bound and a lower bound for the expected motion; and determining whether the actual motion exceeds at least one of the upper and lower bounds of the expected motion. 34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein determining the target's expected motion in the method includes: resolving the target's acceleration along the velocity frame of the target; and determining the expected acceleration of the target from aerodynamic drag and gravity. 35. The apparatus of claim 34, wherein determining the upper and lower bounds in the method includes determining the upper and lower bounds for the expected acceleration of the target from aerodynamic drag and gravity. 36. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein determining the target's expected motion in the method includes determining the expected flight path angular rates due to gravity. 37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein determining the upper and lower bounds in the method includes adding and subtracting the filter measurement uncertainties to and from, respectively, the expected flight path angular rates due to gravity. 38. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein determining the upper and lower bounds in the method includes combining a plurality of errors. 39. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein determining the upper and lower bounds in the method includes examining the gradient of the expected motion in a North-East-Down frame. 40. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a software component residing on the storage that receives command responsive to the determination. 41. The apparatus of claim 40, wherein the software component comprises either a guidance navigation control component or a targeting algorithm. 42. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a sensor for generating data on which the software application operates. 43. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a flight control mechanism controlled responsive to the determination by the software application. 44. The apparatus of claim 33, further comprising a weapon. 45. The apparatus of claim 44, wherein the weapon comprises a directed energy weapon.