Patents by Inventor Robert H. Benner

Robert H. Benner has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7019692
    Abstract: A system and method for narrowband pre-detection signal processing in passive coherent location applications is disclosed. A receiving subsystem receives a reference signal and a target signal from an uncontrolled transmitter. The target signal is reflected from a target. The passive coherent location system includes subprocessors that perform pre-detection operations on the reference and target signals. The functions include zero-doppler cancellation, quadrature demodulation, reference beam regeneration, coherent processing interval selection, power spectral density estimation, cross ambiguity function formation, and the like. Within these operations, the reference signal is filtered with respect to the target signal to form a first output reference signal. The first output reference signal is combined with the first target signal to form a first output target signal. The output target signal then is used for subsequent passive coherent location processing operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin W. Baugh, Robert H. Benner
  • Patent number: 6839026
    Abstract: A system and method for narrowband pre-detection signal processing in passive coherent location applications is disclosed. A receiving subsystem receives a reference signal and a target signal from an uncontrolled transmitter. The target signal is reflected from a target. The passive coherent location system includes sub-processors that perform pre-detection operations on the reference and target signals. The functions include zero-doppler cancellation, quadrature demodulation, reference beam regeneration, coherent processing interval selection, power spectral density estimation, cross ambiguity function formation, and the like. Within these operations, the reference signal is filtered with respect to the target signal to form a first output reference signal. The first output reference signal is combined with the first target signal to form a first output target signal. The output target signal then is used for subsequent passive coherent location processing operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2005
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin W. Baugh, Robert H. Benner
  • Publication number: 20040233102
    Abstract: A system and method for narrowband pre-detection signal processing in passive coherent location applications is disclosed. A receiving subsystem receives a reference signal and a target signal from an uncontrolled transmitter. The target signal is reflected from a target. The passive coherent location system includes subprocessors that perform pre-detection operations on the reference and target signals. The functions include zero-doppler cancellation, quadrature demodulation, reference beam regeneration, coherent processing interval selection, power spectral density estimation, cross ambiguity function formation, and the like. Within these operations, the reference signal is filtered with respect to the target signal to form a first output reference signal. The first output reference signal is combined with the first target signal to form a first output target signal. The output target signal then is used for subsequent passive coherent location processing operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Kevin W. Baugh, Robert H. Benner
  • Publication number: 20040233105
    Abstract: A system and method for central association and tracking for PCL applications is disclosed. Detection reports are received at a target tracking processing system. The detection reports include measurements correlating to line tracks associated with target echoes in earlier processing operations. In addition, other information, such as parameters and observables, are received by the target track processing system. The target track processing system performs a line track association function and a track filtering function on the line tracks according to the measurements within the detection reports. These operations also predict and estimate target parameters for tracking. Target parameters are extrapolated from the propagated and updated target tracks, and fed to a display for a user, or back into the PCL system for further processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Applicant: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Robert H. Benner, Gregory Baker, Jon S. Rucker
  • Patent number: 6801163
    Abstract: A system and method for wideband pre-detection signal processing for PCL applications is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin W. Baugh, Robert H. Benner
  • Patent number: 6798381
    Abstract: A system and method for measurement domain data association in a passive coherent location system is disclosed. According to the system and method, detection reports are received and associated with line tracks. The detection reports correlate to target signals received at the passive coherent location system. Measurements of the detection report correlate to the data of the target signals. A line track state estimation function associates new detection reports with the line tracks and estimates update states for the line tracks. A signal type is determined. Kalman filters are selected for the measurements according to the signal type. Measurement residuals are computed for the detection reports according to the Kalman filters. The detection reports are selected for association with the line tracks according to the residuals. The line tracks can be merged or terminated during updates according to specific criteria. Further, new line tracks are initialized as new targets are detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Robert H. Benner, Joseph Sawyer
  • Patent number: 6738021
    Abstract: A system and method for detection and feature extraction in a passive coherent location system is disclosed. During a coherent processing interval, detection and feature extraction operations are performed to determine peak detections and target parameters for targets. The system forms an ambiguity surface that has ambiguity surface data or the coherent processing interval. Bins from a previous ambiguity surface are associated with the ambiguity surface data. New bins are identified for new target echoes within the ambiguity surface. Peak detections are formed from the bins. The peak detections correlate to the target echoes of the coherent processing interval. Target parameters for the targets are estimated from the peak detections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Robert H. Benner, Kevin W. Baugh
  • Patent number: 6710743
    Abstract: A system and method for central association and tracking for PCL applications is disclosed. Detection reports are received at a target tracking processing system. The detection reports include measurements correlating to line tracks associated with target echoes in earlier processing operations. In addition, other information, such as parameters and observables, are received by the target track processing system. The target track processing system performs a line track association function and a track filtering function on the line tracks according to the measurements within the detection reports. These operations also predict and estimate target parameters for tracking. Target parameters are extrapolated from the propagated and updated target tracks, and fed to a display for a user, or back into the PCL system for further processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Robert H. Benner, Gregory Baker, Jon Rucker
  • Publication number: 20030085840
    Abstract: A system and method for central association and tracking for PCL applications is disclosed. Detection reports are received at a target tracking processing system. The detection reports include measurements correlating to line tracks associated with target echoes in earlier processing operations. In addition, other information, such as parameters and observables, are received by the target track processing system. The target track processing system performs a line track association function and a track filtering function on the line tracks according to the measurements within the detection reports. These operations also predict and estimate target parameters for tracking. Target parameters are extrapolated from the propagated and updated target tracks, and fed to a display for a user, or back into the PCL system for further processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2002
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Applicant: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Robert H. Benner, Gregory Baker, Jon S. Rucker
  • Publication number: 20030048224
    Abstract: A system and method for measurement domain data association in a passive coherent location system is disclosed. According to the system and method, detection reports are received and associated with line tracks. The detection reports correlate to target signals received at the passive coherent location system. Measurements of the detection report correlate to the data of the target signals. A line track state estimation function associates new detection reports with the line tracks and estimates update states for the line tracks. A signal type is determined. Kalman filters are selected for the measurements according to the signal type. Measurement residuals are computed for the detection reports according to the Kalman filters. The detection reports are selected for association with the line tracks according to the residuals. The line tracks can be merged or terminated during updates according to specific criteria. Further, new line tracks are initialized as new targets are detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Applicant: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Robert H. Benner, Joseph Sawyer
  • Publication number: 20030020653
    Abstract: A system and method for narrowband pre-detection signal processing in passive coherent location applications is disclosed. A receiving subsystem receives a reference signal and a target signal from an uncontrolled transmitter. The target signal is reflected from a target. The passive coherent location system includes sub-processors that perform pre-detection operations on the reference and target signals. The functions include zero-doppler cancellation, quadrature demodulation, reference beam regeneration, coherent processing interval selection, power spectral density estimation, cross ambiguity function formation, and the like. Within these operations, the reference signal is filtered with respect to the target signal to form a first output reference signal. The first output reference signal is combined with the first target signal to form a first output target signal. The output target signal then is used for subsequent passive coherent location processing operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Applicant: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin W. Baugh, Robert H. Benner
  • Publication number: 20030001778
    Abstract: A system and method for detection and feature extraction in a passive coherent location system is disclosed. During a coherent processing interval, detection and feature extraction operations are performed to determine peak detections and target parameters for targets. The system forms an ambiguity surface that has ambiguity surface data or the coherent processing interval. Bins from a previous ambiguity surface are associated with the ambiguity surface data. New bins are identified for new target echoes within the ambiguity surface. Peak detections are formed from the bins. The peak detections correlate to the target echoes of the coherent processing interval. Target parameters for the targets are estimated from the peak detections.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Publication date: January 2, 2003
    Applicant: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Robert H. Benner, Kevin W. Baugh
  • Publication number: 20020198650
    Abstract: A system and method for wideband pre-detection signal processing for PCL applications is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2002
    Publication date: December 26, 2002
    Applicant: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Kevin W. Baugh, Robert H. Benner
  • Patent number: 5525995
    Abstract: In a system for detecting the position and trajectory of a target, Doppler measurements from a bistatic continuous wave radar system are used exclusively to provide information about the target. Radar signals are transmitted to the target by a plurality of transmitters and at least one receiver is provided to receive the signals from the target and make Doppler measurements. A nonlinear least squares estimator is used to estimate the initial target position and a Kalman filter is used to predict the target trajectory from the initial position assumed by the NLS estimator and from the Doppler measurements. The Kalman filter also generates a set of predicted Doppler measurements from the predicted trajectory. The nonlinear least squares estimator is used to compute a correction to the estimated initial position from partial differentials of the initial position and from the differences between the predicted and actual Doppler measurements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1996
    Assignee: Loral Federal Systems Company
    Inventor: Robert H. Benner