Adaptive dwell timing for radar tracking
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorVincent E. Schirf
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an air traffic control radar system, a processor is described for correlating primary target data received from a target with a target report and a target track, wherein the processor has a search acquisition time that is adapted to the distance of the target from the radar site. The search acquisition time is shorter for more distant targets. The processor can employ a shorter cycle time (time quantum) to establish a correlation between target data and target reports than would otherwise be possible with conventional fixed search acquisition times. The average total dwell time may be reduced while complying with the mandated maximum processing time for more difficult radar reports.
Claims20
A radar system comprising:
- an antenna acquiring radar signals from a target, said radar signals providing target data representing spatial coordinates of the target, and
- a processor producing a target report corresponding to the target by correlating with the target during a search acquisition time one of the target data having coordinates within a predetermined range of the target,
- wherein the search acquisition time for the target data having coordinates within the predetermined range is adjusted depending on the distance of the target from the radar site.
In a radar system, a processor for correlating target data with a target track comprising:
- input means obtaining target data of radar target, said target data having spatial coordinates,
- processing means producing within a processing time period a target report corresponding to the target by correlating with the target one of the target data having coordinates within a predetermined range of the target,
- output means providing displayable signals associated with the target report,
- wherein said processing time period is determined according to at least one of the spatial coordinates of the target.
A method of radar tracking of a target having a distance from a radar site, the method comprising:
- providing a radar acquisition system with at least one antenna, the system producing target data from at least the target, said target data having coordinates,
- determining a search acquisition time based on at least one of the coordinates of the target and a search range, and
- correlating during said search acquisition time target data obtained during successive scans of the antenna and located within the search range to form a target track.
A computer program, residing on a computer-readable medium, comprising instructions for causing a computer to:
- accept radar target data representing spatial coordinates of a target and acquired during successive scans of a radar antenna;
- select form a subsequent scan target data having coordinates within a predetermined range of the spatial coordinates of the target determined during a previous scan;
- compute a search acquisition time based on the predetermined range;
- and
- correlate during the search acquisition time the target data with a target track,
- wherein the search acquisition time is shorter for targets that are more distant from the radar antenna than for targets that are closer to the radar antenna.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.