Atlas Elektronik Gmbh

Ulrich Steimel

Hans-Joachim Steiner

Jörg Hurka

Ralf Meyer

Frank Volkmer

A method and apparatus for passive determination of target data (R, K, V) associated with a target from measured and estimated bearing angles. The measured bearing angles () are determined by a sonar receiving installation () by directionally selective reception of sound waves which are emitted or sent from a target, and the estimated bearing angles are determined from estimated positions of the target. The bearing angle differences from estimated and measured bearing angles are minimized iteratively over a plurality of processing cycles, and a position of the target, on which the minimum is based, is determined as the optimized solution (). Furthermore, limit values () are defined for the target data (R, K, V) to be determined, in order to exclude unrealistic target data as solutions. However, because the optimized solution () from the optimization method () does not converge with the actual solution if the limit values () are chosen erroneously, an error handling process () for identification and correction of incorrect limit values () is carried out.

Method and apparatus for passive determination of target data

A method and an apparatus for passive determination of target parameters by directionally selective reception of sound waves emitted or transmitted from a target, by an arrangement () of underwater sound sensors of a sonar receiving installation from estimated bearing angles determined from estimated positions of the target, and bearing angles measured at the measurement point by the arrangement (). A bearing angle difference between measured and estimated bearing angles is iteratively minimized and, when the minimum is reached, the target parameters are used for an optimized solution for outputting target position, course, range and/or velocity and they are updated during each processing cycle in a series of successive processing cycles. To estimate the reliability of this optimized solution, during each processing cycle a multiplicity of different target tracks Z(i,j) are calculated from possible solutions for the target parameters to be determined, specifically an assumed target course C, an assumed target range Rand/or an assumed target velocity V. Associated bearing angles Bare assumed for each of the possible solutions, and the assumed bearing angles Bare used to calculate a quality measure.

Method and apparatus for passive determination of target parameters

A test method for a method used for passively obtaining target data regarding a moving target, wherein bearing angles are measured as real target data from the bearing of the target using an on-board bearing system at successive path positions of a vehicle that determines its path positions using a compound navigation system, and distance, speed, course, and/or position of the target are determined therefrom. To verify this method, target and vehicle positions are measured using a GPS at the time the bearings of the target are taken. Target bearing angle and distances are calculated from the respectively associated positions of the vehicle and the target and are allocated to the path positions measured using compound navigation. A reference target path is estimated therefrom, and from associated pairs of values of the bearing angle and the target distance, and reference target data is derived therefrom and directly compared to the real target data.

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Oyten, Germany

Ulrich Steimel