Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation

Anthony L Luk

James J Reis

David D Garber

Antonio B Lucero

Method and apparatus for guiding a projectile to a target in a scene using a scene imaging sensor in which the projectile has a guidance and control system for aiming the projectile. A first tracker analyzes the scene and selects a first track point representative of a target and a first confidence value serving as a reliability measure of the first selected track point. A second tracker analyzes the scene and selects a second track point representing the target and a second confidence value which serves as a reliability measure of the second selected track point. Each of said trackers are constructed and arranged to operate independently in a manner that is substantially statistically uncorrelated with respect to each other. A joint confidence value based on track point proximity, convergence and divergence is generated from the tracker data and a composite confidence index is calculated from the first and second confidence values and the joint confidence value. The first and second track points are linearly combined pursuant to one of a set of rules selected by the confidence index to provide a new track point which is outputted to the projectile guidance and control system and new start track points are generated that are specially suited to restart the trackers in a new operation cycle.

Hierarchical tracker and method

An automatic target acquisition and tracking system has been developed for a focal plane array seeker. The automatic target acquisition is achieved by three independent target acquisition algorithms, viz., the maximum likelihood classification, the video spatial clustering, and the target-to-interference ratio. Each algorithm operates asynchronously and provides independent target detection results. Target information is then combined hierarchically in a probabilistic fashion and prioritized. The highest priority target is handed off to a dual mode tracker consisting of a minimum absolute difference correlation tracker and a centroid tracker. The dual mode tracker subsequently provides a feedback signal to a proportional navigation system or other guidance/control system for directing the flight path of a munition.

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Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, United States of America

Anthony L Luk