US4030096A — Automatic target detector

Claim 1

Independent Claim 91 words

Automatic target detection apparatus comprising: A. means providing a plurality of repetitive line scanned signals indicative of a target area of interest; B. said signals being subject to signal levels above a first predetermined threshold (highlight) and below a second predetermined threshold (shadow); C. first circuit means responsive to said signals for determining the presence of a highligh; and D. second circuit means responsive to said signals for determining the presence of a shadow and for determining the duration of said shadow as a function of its position in said signal.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 91 words

Automatic target detection apparatus comprising: A. means providing a plurality of repetitive line scanned signals indicative of a target area of interest; B. said signals being subject to signal levels above a first predetermined threshold (highlight) and below a second predetermined threshold (shadow); C. first circuit means responsive to said signals for determining the presence of a highligh; and D. second circuit means responsive to said signals for determining the presence of a shadow and for determining the duration of said shadow as a function of its position in said signal.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 50 words

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: A. said signals are divided into a plurality of corresponding range cells; and which includes B. first storage means having a plurality of storage locations corresponding to said range cells; C. means for storing signal highlight indications at corresponding ones of said storage locations.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 50 words

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein: A. said signals are divided into a plurality of corresponding range cells; and which includes B. second storage means having a plurality of storage locations corresponding to said range cells; C. means for storing signal shadow indications at corresponding one of said storage locations.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 35 words

Apparatus according to claim 1 which includes, A. means for indicating the presence of a target only when both said (a) highlight and (b) said shadow exceeding a predetermined duration are present in a signal.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 42 words

Apparatus according to claim 1 which includes, A. means for indicating the presence of a target only when both said (a) highlight and (b) said shadow exceeding a predetermined duration are present in a plurality of sequential ones of said repetitive signals.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 48 words

Apparatus according to claim 1 which includes, A. means for indicating the presence of a target only when both said (a) highlight and (b) said shadow exceeding a predetermined duration are present in a plurality of sequential ones of said repetitive signals and over a predetermined range window.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 98 words

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second circuit means includes: A. a range counter operable to provide a running output signal corresponding to a plurality of range cells; B. a second counter; C. means for transferring the count in said range counter to said second counter in the absence of a shadow; D. means for inhibiting said transfer with the presence of a shadow and for counting down the existing count in said second counter; and E. means for indicating the presence of a valid shadow if said second counter is counted down to a predetermined value.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 53 words

Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said means for counting down includes: A. an oscillator having a frequency A/H times the frequency of said range counter where A is the operating altitude and H a chosen minimum target height to be detected; B. said oscillator providing its output signal to said second counter.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 88 words

An automatic target detector for side-looking energy apparatus of the type which travels over a target area at an operating altitude and provides repetitive side-looking energy signals indicative of siad target area, comprising: A. means responsive to a side-looking energy signal for determining the presence of a target highlight and shadow, indicative of a possible target; and B. means for indicating the presence of said possible target only when the equivalent length S of said shadow is proportional to the range to said shadow by a predetermined factor.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 88 words

An automatic target detector for side-looking energy apparatus of the type which travels over a target area at an operating altitude and provides repetitive side-looking energy signals indicative of siad target area, comprising: A. means responsive to a side-looking energy signal for determining the presence of a target highlight and shadow, indicative of a possible target; and B. means for indicating the presence of said possible target only when the equivalent length S of said shadow is proportional to the range to said shadow by a predetermined factor.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 50 words

Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein: A. said predetermined factor is H/A, where H is a chosen minimum target height and A is the side-looking energy operating altitude, and wherein the range is bottom range measured from a point on the target area below said apparatus out to said shadow.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 97 words

An automatic target detector for a side-looking sonar system of the type which travels over a target area and forms a plurality of adjacent receiver beams during said travel, to provide side-looking sonar signals, comprising: A. means for examining said signals in successive periods of time corresponding to range cells, for determining the presence of signal highlight and shadows; B. means for indicating the presence of a target only when said signal highlight and shadow are present in a predetermined plurality of adjacent receiver beams and within a range window of a predetermined plurality of range cells.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 97 words

An automatic target detector for a side-looking sonar system of the type which travels over a target area and forms a plurality of adjacent receiver beams during said travel, to provide side-looking sonar signals, comprising: A. means for examining said signals in successive periods of time corresponding to range cells, for determining the presence of signal highlight and shadows; B. means for indicating the presence of a target only when said signal highlight and shadow are present in a predetermined plurality of adjacent receiver beams and within a range window of a predetermined plurality of range cells.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 86 words

Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said system is a multibeam system which forms a plurality of adjacent receiver beams and which includes: A. first storage means for storing highlight indications at predetermined locations corresponding to said range cells; B. second storage means for storing shadow indications at predetermined locations corresponding to said range cells; C. said first and second storage means being divided into N similar sections for an N beam system; and D. means for sequentially enabling said sections for the storage of information.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1980-06-13	1980-12-13	1981-06-14	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1984-06-13	1984-12-13	1985-06-14	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1988-06-13	1988-12-13	1989-06-14	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Automatic target detector

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