Target-tracking radar and method for responding to fluctuations in target SNR
AssigneeRaytheon Company
InventorsDamon C. Turner, Brett J. Young
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Embodiments of a target-tracking radar and methods for responding to fluctuations in target SNR are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the target-tracking radar may be configured to determine whether a target can be considered a point target based on the SNR of received signals and off-boresight error estimates. Measurement-variance estimates generated from the SNR are provided to a target-state estimator when the target is determined to be a point target. When the target is determined not to be a point target, the measurement-variance estimates generated from SNR are not used by the target-state estimator. This may allow targets to be engaged at increased range.
Claims21
A target-tracking radar comprising point-target determinator configured to:
- determine whether a target can be considered a point target based on a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of received signals and off-boresight error estimates;
- provide measurement-variance estimates generated from the SNR to a target-state estimator when the target is determined to be a point target;
- and
- refrain from providing the measurement-variance estimates to the target-state estimator when the target is determined not to be a point target.
A method performed by a target-tracking radar for responding to fluctuations in target SNR for target tracking comprising:
- determining, by a point-target determinator, whether a target can be considered a point target based on a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of received radar signals and off-boresight error estimates;
- and
- providing, by the point-target determinator, measurement-variance estimates generated from the SNR to a target-state estimator when the target is determined to be a point target.
A point target determinator comprising:
- a variable-threshold calculator configured to generate a variable threshold based on a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of received radar signals;
- a glint detector configured to compare the variable threshold with off-boresight error estimates;
- a Markov-chain counter configured to count a number of times that the off-boresight error estimates exceed the variable threshold based on an output from the glint detector;
- a monopulse variance estimator configured to generate measurement-variance estimates from the SNR;
- and
- a point target classifier configured to provide the measurement-variance estimates to a target-state estimator based on an output of the Markov-chain counter indicating that the target is a point target.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to determine whether a target is a point target by performing the following operations:
- generating a variable threshold based on a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of received radar signals;
- comparing the variable threshold with off-boresight error estimates;
- counting a number of times that the off-boresight error estimates exceed the variable threshold based on an output from the comparing;
- generating measurement-variance estimates from the SNR;
- and
- providing the measurement-variance estimates to a target-state estimator based on an output of the counting indicating that the target is a point target.
A target-tracking radar comprising:
- a point-target determinator;
- a target-state estimator;
- and
- a tracking controller configured to provide tracking control signals to control one or more antennas of the target-tracking radar,
- wherein the target-state estimator is configured to calculate target position updates for use by the tracking controller to track the target with one or more antennas,
- wherein the point-target determinator comprises:
- a variable-threshold calculator configured to generate a variable threshold based on a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of received signals;
- a glint detector configured to compare the variable threshold with off-boresight error estimates;
- a Markov-chain counter configured to count a number of times that the off-boresight error estimates exceed the variable threshold based on an output from the glint detector;
- a monopulse variance estimator configured to generate measurement-variance estimates from the SNR;
- and
- a point target classifier configured to provide the measurement-variance estimates to a target-state estimator based on an output of the Markov-chain counter indicating that the target is a point target, and
- wherein the output of the glint detector indicates when the off-boresight error estimates exceed the variable threshold, and
- wherein the point target classifier is configured to refrain from providing the measurement-variance estimates to the target-state estimator when the target is determined not to be a point target.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.