Method and apparatus for passive determination of target data

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for passive determination of target data Rest , Vest, γest by directionally selective reception of sound waves which are emitted or transmitted from a target Z, having an arrangement of waterborne sound sensors 11, 13 in a sonar receiving installation, in particular on a carrier vehicle 10, from measured bearing angles φca, φfa to one or more targets Z, with at least one target data item Rest, Vest , γest being estimated in each processing cycle from measured bearing angles φca,φfa in successive processing cycles, with measured bearing angles φca, φfa from a number of previous processing cycles, referred to as the filter length FLn, being included in the estimation of each target data item. In order to obtain rapidly convergent target data from targets without the need for the carrier vehicle to manoeuvre itself, even when these targets are carrying out target manoeuvres and / or are rapidly approaching targets or targets moving rapidly away, the invention provides that the filter length FLn is determined automatically and dynamically, individually for a target Z as a function of an estimated range to the target Z, and is decreased for an approaching target Z and increased for a target Z moving away and adjusted in accordance with the filter length FLn determined in this way. The invention also relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method.