Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Navigation – Employing position determining equipment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-11
2001-01-16
Lobo, Ian J. (Department: 3662)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Navigation
Employing position determining equipment
C701S200000, C701S201000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06175804
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the use of computers for performing at least a part of tasks currently performed by humans, and more particularly to the computation or determination of routes for the members of a team which alternate bounding and overwatch operations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The coordination of vehicle teams on the ground, in the air, or on water, is an important problem for a variety of military and quasi-military applications. One of the more important of these functions is that of bounding overwatch operations. Such bounding overwatch operations occur when an entity (which may be a multi-vehicle entity) moves under the observation and protection afforded by a second entity. The benefit of movement under the protection of an overwatch entity which is stationed at a fixed location is that a stationary overwatch entity can usually be so situated that it can better watch for danger and engage an enemy than the moving entity can. Most bounding overwatch operations involve the alternating movement of team members from one fixed waypoint location to another, in the general direction of the location of the objective. More particularly, one team member moves or bounds from his (or its) location to the next overwatch location, while the other team member remains on watch at the first overwatch location. When the bounding team member arrives at his next overwatch location, he becomes the overwatch team member, and the team member at the first overwatch location then moves toward the third overwatch location.
The determination of overlook locations and the routes from the present locations of the entities is a difficult problem in bounding overwatch operations. In general, the problem can be divided into two parts, one of which is the determination of the location of overwatch location, and the other of which is determination of the most efficient path from the present location of the bounding entity to the next overwatch location. In this context, the term “efficiency” or “accuracy” is used broadly, to include such matters as the relative difficulty of the various possible alternate routes, the relative danger anticipated for each of the routes, the amount of concealment available to the bounding vehicle during traversal of the route, and any other relevant considerations. The selection of the overwatch location from which the overwatching vehicle will protect the bounding vehicle is subject to mutually inconsistent considerations; an exposed, high vantage point provides a good view of the surrounding area, but being exposed, becomes observable to an enemy, and may provide little concealment.
Most bounding overwatch problems are currently solved by manual methods. The manual methods are time-consuming and subject to error. As the battlefield becomes more complex, the time consumed by manual determinations, and the possibility of error, especially that attributable to haste, may not be acceptable.
Improved bounding overwatch location determination techniques are desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A computer method determines the routes of at least first and second entities, which operate as a team, or as at least part of a team, toward an objective location in a threat environment. The threat environment has topological features which aid in concealment and in providing vantage points for observation. The method includes the step of obtaining a data representation of the environment in a region which includes the present locations of the first and second entities, and which also includes a particular objective location in the environment. The data representation should include any known threats lying within the environment. A coarse route is selected through the environment, as by a human operator, The data representing the coarse route is read. Data relating to some characteristics of the first and second entities is obtained. This data may include such matters as the types of communication devices and weapons with which each entity is fitted, which are surrogates for the information which is actually required, which includes the range and other characteristics of the communication system, the nature of the entity forces which can be expected to be in the area, and the range and accuracy of their various weapons. According to an aspect of the invention, one of the first and second entities is designated to be the bounding entity, and the other one of the first and second entities to be the overwatching entity. The computer program determines the next overwatch location, and determines the route which the bounding entity should take to the next overwatch location. Movement of the bounding entity toward the next overwatch location is then commanded or suggested. If the overwatch location is not the location of the objective, the other one of the first and second entities is redesignated to be the bounding entity and the one of the first and second entities to be the overwatching entity. The procedure is partially repeated until the objective is reached or the objective is changed, by repeating the steps of determining the next overwatch location, determining the route, commanding the movement, and redesignating.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5170353 (1992-12-01), Verstraete
patent: 5187667 (1993-02-01), Short
patent: 5475598 (1995-12-01), Fushimi et al.
patent: 5521826 (1996-05-01), Matsumoto
patent: 5559520 (1996-09-01), Barzegar et al.
patent: 5712788 (1998-01-01), Liaw et al.
patent: 5798733 (1998-08-01), Etheridge
Cogan R. P.
Lobo Ian J.
Lockheed Martin Corp.
Meise W. H.
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