International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation

Itt Gilfillan, a Division of Itt Corporation

George William Grantham

John M Milan

Electronic priority map storage and control for prioritizing radar detections for fire control or monitoring purposes relative to batteries of mortars or artillery or other projectile sources. Use of a priority map to increase probability of location of at least one weapon in each battery is desired. The theory is based upon the premise that all guns in a battery are firing at the same target and, consequently, all projectiles from a battery will be detected within a relatively small area. By distributing track initiations over a large area of detection, the probability of tracking projectiles from all batteries is increased. The use of the priority map to accomplish this function is made in order to save time in a general purpose data processing computer employed additionally for other functions. A group of priority map cells are combined to form a track initiation cell. That is, a second map is formed with coarser granularity for the purpose of controlling the priority of track initiations. Each of the track initiation cells maintains a two-bit (four-state) count indicating the priority of track initiation for targets detected within the cell. A count of zero indicates the highest priority, while a count of three indicates the lowest priority. At the start of operation, the count in each is set to zero. When a target track is initiated as a result of a detection within a given track initiation cell, the priority count is incremented by one. When the track rate exceeds a predetermined value, the data processor instructs the signal processor to ignore detections from low track initiation cells (cells with a count greater than zero). When the track rate diminishes, the count in all cells having a count greater than zero are decremented by one. If the track rate remains acceptable over a predetermined period of time, the decrementation process is repeated.

Priority mapper for initiation of radar tracking of projectiles

A frequency scan radar system is provided which scans in groups of nine contemporaneous beams which partially overlap in angular coverage in the plane of scan, such that any given target is illuminated by at least two of the beams. Receiving means separates echoes according to frequency (which relates to angle) in nine corresponding channels. Logic circuitry is employed to determine presence of signal in one or more channels. Bona fide echo signals occur in not less than two adjacent channels, whereas limited spectrum interference or jamming signals occur in only one channel. Video blanking means are controlled to blank out video corresponding to such single beam reception.

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West Covina, CA, United States of America

George William Grantham