Rear-end collision device

Abstract

To provide a tracking device that can also estimate an angle of attack of a target flying object by utilizing conventional sensors.SOLUTION: A tracking device 1 comprises a sensor unit 2 that obtains information indicating an azimuth and temperature of a flying object of a target T at each point in time of day, a state quantity calculation unit 3 that calculates the position, speed and temperature change rate of the target T on the basis of the information obtained by the sensor unit 2, a class identification determination unit 4 that selects a class identification database to be used on the basis of calculation results obtained by the state quantity calculation unit 3 and an angle of attack estimation unit 6 that calculates an estimation value of the temperature change rate of the target T obtained by the state quantity calculation unit 3 for each angle of attack by referring to the class identification database selected by the class identification determination unit 4, and after performing the calculation, estimates the angle of attack of the target T on the basis of the calculation results and the temperature change rate of the target T obtained by the state quantity calculation unit 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a tracking device used to track a flying object. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventional tracking system for tracking a flying object estimates state quantities such as the position, velocity, and acceleration of the flying object based on observation information obtained from an infrared sensor. Patent Document 1 discloses a device for recognizing a specific part of a flying object such as the warhead of a ballistic missile. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-296999 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In conventional tracking systems for tracking missiles, the axis direction relative to the target missile is assumed to be the same as the velocity vector, and the attitude angle and angle of attack relative to the velocity vector are not taken into account. When using an image sensor, if the target missile is located far away, a high-resolution sensor is required to observe the target's attitude angle and angle of attack. Conventional missile guidance systems cannot achieve the requirements for the meeting angle in terminal guidance, such as in head-on collisions.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above, and aims to provide a tracking device that can also estimate the angle of attack of a target flying object by utilizing conventional sensors. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems and achieve the object, the tracking device according to the present disclosure is characterized by having a sensor unit that acquires information indicating the orientation and temperature of a target flying object at each time; a state quantity calculation unit that calculates the position, speed, and temperature change rate of the target based on the information acquired by the sensor unit; a class identification determination unit that selects a class identification database to be used based on the calculation results obtained by the state quantity calculation unit; and an angle-of-attack estimation unit that calculates, for each angle of attack, a predicted value of the temperature change rate of the target obtained by the state quantity calculation unit by referring to the class identification database selected by the class identification determination unit, and after the calculation, estimates the angle of attack of the target based on the calculation results and the temperature change rate of the target obtained by the state quantity calculation unit. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The tracking device according to the present disclosure has the advantage of being able to estimate the angle of attack of the target flying object by utilizing conventional sensors. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a tracking device according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 1 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the angle-of-attack estimation operation performed by the tracking device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a processor in a case where some of the functions of a sensor unit, a state quantity calculation unit, a class discrimination determination unit, an angle of attack estimation unit, and a communication unit included in a tracking device according to an embodiment are realized by the processor. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a processing circuit in the case where some functions of a sensor unit, a state quantity calculation unit, a class discrimination determination unit, an angle of attack estimation unit, and a communication unit included in a tracking device according to an embodiment are realized by the processing circuit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A tracking device according to an embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0010] Embodiment First, the configuration of a tracking device 1 according to an embodiment will be described. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the tracking device 1 according to the embodiment. The tracking device 1 has a sensor unit 2 that acquires information about a flying object of a target T, and is a device that estimates the position, velocity, etc. of the target T based on the information acquired by the sensor unit 2. The tracking device 1 has the sensor unit 2, a state quantity calculation unit 3, a class identification determination unit 4, a class identification database storage unit 5, an angle-of-attack estimation unit 6, an angle-of-attack database storage unit 7, and a communication unit 8.

[0011] The sensor unit 2 observes the target T using an infrared sensor or the like, and acquires, at regular time intervals, information on the azimuth and elevation angle of the target T, and information on the heat emitted from the target T or the radiance generated by the heat. The sensor unit 2 outputs the acquired information to the state quantity calculation unit 3.

[0012] The state quantity calculation unit 3 receives and accumulates the information output from the sensor unit 2, and performs calculation processing of state quantities regarding the position, velocity, and temperature change rate of the target T at each time the information was acquired, based on the information acquired by the sensor unit 2. The position includes flight altitude. More specifically, the state quantity calculation unit 3 calculates the position, velocity, and temperature change rate of the target T based on the information acquired by the sensor unit 2. The state quantity calculation unit 3 outputs information indicating the smoothed state quantities regarding the position, velocity, and temperature change rate of the target T to the class identification determination unit 4 and the angle of attack estimation unit 6.

[0013] The class discrimination determination unit 4 receives information output from the state quantity calculation unit 3 and generates a flight path for the target T based on information indicating smoothed state quantities for the position and velocity of the target T. As described above, the position includes flight altitude. The class discrimination determination unit 4 performs class discrimination determination based on the generated flight path, referring to the class discrimination database stored in the class discrimination database storage unit 5. Furthermore, the class discrimination determination unit 4 selects the class discrimination database to be used based on the calculation results obtained by the state quantity calculation unit 3.

[0014] The class discrimination determination unit 4 estimates the shape of the target T and the characteristics of the surface material of the target T based on the result of referring to the selected class discrimination database, and outputs information indicating the shape of the target T and information indicating the characteristics of the surface material of the target T to the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6. Alternatively, the class discrimination determination unit 4 uses the class discrimination determination result output from the communication unit 8 and refers to the selected class discrimination database to estimate the shape of the target T and the characteristics of the surface material of the target T, and outputs the information indicating the shape of the target T and the information indicating the characteristics of the surface material of the target T to the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6. Furthermore, the class discrimination determination unit 4 performs a class discrimination determination for the target T based on the calculation result obtained by the state quantity calculation unit 3, and outputs the information indicating the shape of the target T and the information indicating the characteristics of the surface material of the target T as the class discrimination determination result to the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6.

[0015] The communication unit 8 has the function of communicating wirelessly or wired with devices external to the tracking device 1, and can output class identification judgment results received from external devices to the class identification judgment unit 4. The class identification judgment results are obtained by a higher-level system of the external device. The class identification database stored in the class identification database storage unit 5 is a database having an information table that can identify the shape of the target T and the characteristics of the surface material of the target T corresponding to the referenced information using tables of altitude, speed, and launch point.

[0016] The angle-of-attack estimator 6 receives information output from the state quantity calculator 3 and the class discrimination determiner 4, and estimates the angle of attack using information indicating the speed, altitude, and temperature change rate of the target T, and information indicating the shape of the target T and the characteristics of the surface material of the target T. The angle-of-attack estimator 6 calculates a predicted value of the temperature change rate of the target T for each angle of attack based on the speed, altitude, and aerodynamic heating generated at the target T obtained from the characteristics of the surface material, and accumulates the calculation results in an angle-of-attack database stored in the angle-of-attack database storage unit 7.

[0017] Upon receiving information indicating the updated temperature change rate from the state quantity calculation unit 3, the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6 compares the updated temperature change rate with the predicted value of the temperature change rate stored in the angle-of-attack database, estimates the angle-of-attack value of the target T corresponding to the predicted value of the temperature change rate that is closest to the updated temperature change rate in the angle-of-attack database as the angle-of-attack of the target T, and outputs information indicating the estimated angle-of-attack of the target T. In this way, the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6 calculates the predicted value of the temperature change rate of the target T obtained by the state quantity calculation unit 3 for each angle of attack by referring to the class discrimination database selected by the class discrimination determination unit 4, and after performing the calculation, estimates the angle-of-attack of the target T based on the calculation result and the temperature change rate of the target T obtained by the state quantity calculation unit 3. Furthermore, the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6 performs aerodynamic heating calculation of the target T based on the calculation result and the class discrimination determination result obtained by the state quantity calculation unit 3, and estimates the angle-of-attack of the target T using the calculation result. The class discrimination determination result is obtained by the class discrimination determination unit 4 or the communication unit 8.

[0018] The angle-of-attack database stored in the angle-of-attack database storage unit 7 is a database capable of storing information indicating the predicted value of the temperature change rate output from the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6 and information indicating the angle of attack.

[0019] Next, an angle-of-attack estimation method according to the embodiment, i.e., the operation of the tracking device 1 according to the embodiment, will be described. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing the procedure of the angle-of-attack estimation operation performed by the tracking device 1 according to the embodiment. The state quantity calculation unit 3 receives observation information output from the sensor unit 2, calculates the azimuth angle of the target T at each time based on the observation information, calculates the azimuth angle associated with the time difference from the elevation angle using existing technology, and calculates the position and velocity of the target T from the change in the elevation angle using coordinate transformation. The state quantity calculation unit 3 performs a smoothing process on the calculated position and velocity of the target T using a Kalman filter or the like, and generates state quantities for the target T (S1). That is, in step S1, the state quantity calculation unit 3 generates state quantities based on the observation information.

[0020] The class identification determination unit 4 determines whether or not a class identification determination result for the target T already exists (S2). If the class identification determination unit 4 determines that a class identification determination result for the target T does not exist (No in S2), it accumulates information indicating the state quantities output from the state quantity calculation unit 3, and generates a flight path including information indicating the position, speed, and estimated launch point of the target T at each time point based on the state quantities (S3).

[0021] The class identification determination unit 4 compares the generated trajectory with the class identification database stored in the class identification database storage unit 5, determines the class identification of the target T from the matching information, and outputs information indicating the shape of the target T and information indicating the characteristics of the surface material of the target T (S4). In FIG. 2, the operation of step S4 is indicated by the phrase "output class identification determination result based on trajectory." After the operation of step S4 is performed, the operation of step S1 is performed.

[0022] If the class discrimination determination unit 4 determines that a class discrimination determination result for the target T already exists (Yes in S2), the angle-of-attack estimator 6 performs the operation of step S5. That is, the angle-of-attack estimator 6 performs an aerodynamic heating calculation using the state quantities indicated by the information output from the state quantity calculation unit 3 and the class discrimination determination result output from the class discrimination determination unit 4. The angle-of-attack estimator 6 performs an aerodynamic heating calculation using the angle of attack as a parameter and generates multiple predicted values ​​of temperature change rates. The angle-of-attack estimator 6 accumulates information indicating the generated multiple predicted values ​​of temperature change rates and the angles of attack corresponding to each predicted value in an angle-of-attack database stored in the angle-of-attack database storage unit 7. In FIG. 2, the operation of step S5 is indicated by the phrase "calculate the temperature change rate for each angle of attack of the target based on the state quantities."

[0023] At the next time, the angle-of-attack estimator 6 compares the updated temperature change rate indicated by the information output from the state quantity calculator 3 with the predicted value of the temperature change rate indicated by the information stored in the angle-of-attack database in step S5 (S6). The angle-of-attack estimator 6 extracts, from among the multiple predicted values ​​of the temperature change rate indicated by the information stored in the angle-of-attack database, the predicted value of the temperature change rate that is most similar to the updated temperature change rate indicated by the information output from the state quantity calculator 3. The angle-of-attack estimator 6 references the angle-of-attack database and outputs information indicating the angle of attack corresponding to the predicted value of the temperature change rate extracted in step S6 (S7). That is, in step S7, the angle-of-attack estimator 6 outputs information indicating the angle of attack corresponding to the predicted value of the temperature change rate that is most similar to the updated temperature change rate indicated by the information output from the state quantity calculator 3.

[0024] As described above, the tracking device 1 according to the embodiment includes a sensor unit 2 that acquires information indicating the orientation and temperature of the flying object of the target T at each time, and a state quantity calculation unit 3 that calculates the position, velocity, and temperature change rate of the target T based on the information acquired by the sensor unit 2. The tracking device 1 further includes a class discrimination determination unit 4 that selects a class discrimination database to be used based on the calculation results obtained by the state quantity calculation unit 3, and an angle-of-attack estimation unit 6 that calculates, for each angle of attack, a predicted value of the temperature change rate of the target T obtained by the state quantity calculation unit 3 with reference to the class discrimination database selected by the class discrimination determination unit 4, and, after the calculation, estimates the angle of attack of the target T based on the calculation result and the temperature change rate of the target T obtained by the state quantity calculation unit 3. In other words, the tracking device 1 can also estimate the angle of attack of the flying object of the target T by utilizing the sensor unit 2, which is a conventional sensor.

[0025] 3 is a diagram showing a processor 91 in a case where some of the functions of the sensor unit 2, the state quantity calculation unit 3, the class identification determination unit 4, the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6, and the communication unit 8 of the tracking device 1 according to the embodiment are realized by the processor 91. In other words, some of the functions of the sensor unit 2, the state quantity calculation unit 3, the class identification determination unit 4, the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6, and the communication unit 8 may be realized by the processor 91 that executes a program stored in a memory 92. The processor 91 is a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a processing system, an arithmetic system, a microprocessor, or a DSP (Digital Signal Processor). The memory 92 is also shown in FIG.

[0026] When some of the functions of the sensor unit 2, the state quantity calculation unit 3, the class identification and determination unit 4, the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6, and the communication unit 8 are realized by the processor 91, the functions are realized by the processor 91 and software, firmware, or a combination of software and firmware. The software or firmware is written as a program and stored in the memory 92. The processor 91 reads out and executes the program stored in the memory 92, thereby realizing some of the functions of the sensor unit 2, the state quantity calculation unit 3, the class identification and determination unit 4, the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6, and the communication unit 8.

[0027] When some of the functions of the sensor unit 2, the state quantity calculation unit 3, the class discrimination determination unit 4, the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6, and the communication unit 8 are realized by the processor 91, the tracking device 1 has a memory 92 for storing a program that results in the execution of some of the steps executed by the sensor unit 2, the state quantity calculation unit 3, the class discrimination determination unit 4, the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6, and the communication unit 8. It can also be said that the program stored in the memory 92 causes a computer to execute some of the procedures or methods executed by the sensor unit 2, the state quantity calculation unit 3, the class discrimination determination unit 4, the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6, and the communication unit 8.

[0028] The memory 92 may be, for example, a non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), flash memory, EPROM (Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory), EEPROM (registered trademark) (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), a magnetic disk, a flexible disk, an optical disk, a compact disk, a mini disk, or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk).

[0029] 4 is a diagram illustrating a processing circuit 93 in a case where some of the functions of the sensor unit 2, the state quantity calculation unit 3, the class discrimination determination unit 4, the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6, and the communication unit 8 included in the tracking device 1 according to the embodiment are realized by the processing circuit 93. In other words, some of the functions of the sensor unit 2, the state quantity calculation unit 3, the class discrimination determination unit 4, the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6, and the communication unit 8 may be realized by the processing circuit 93.

[0030] The processing circuitry 93 is dedicated hardware, and may be, for example, a single circuit, a composite circuit, a programmed processor, a parallel programmed processor, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), or a combination thereof.

[0031] Some of the functions of the sensor unit 2, the state quantity calculation unit 3, the class identification determination unit 4, the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6, and the communication unit 8 may be realized by dedicated hardware separate from the hardware that realizes the remaining functions of the sensor unit 2, the state quantity calculation unit 3, the class identification determination unit 4, the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6, and the communication unit 8.

[0032] With regard to the plurality of functions possessed by the sensor unit 2, the state quantity calculation unit 3, the class identification and determination unit 4, the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6, and the communication unit 8, some of the plurality of functions may be realized by software or firmware, and the remaining plurality of functions may be realized by dedicated hardware. In this way, the plurality of functions possessed by the sensor unit 2, the state quantity calculation unit 3, the class identification and determination unit 4, the angle-of-attack estimation unit 6, and the communication unit 8 can be realized by hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof.

[0033] For example, a part of each of the state quantity calculation unit 3 and the class identification determination unit 4 is realized by a semiconductor memory. For example, each of the class identification database storage unit 5 and the angle of attack database storage unit 7 is realized by a semiconductor memory.

[0034] The configurations shown in the above embodiments are merely examples, and may be combined with other known technologies, and parts of the configurations may be omitted or modified without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0035] 1 Tracking device, 2 Sensor unit, 3 State quantity calculation unit, 4 Classification discrimination judgment unit, 5 Classification discrimination database storage unit, 6 Attack angle estimation unit, 7 Attack angle database storage unit, 8 Communication unit, 91 Processor, 92 Memory, 93 Processing circuit, T Target.

Claims

1. a sensor unit that acquires information indicating the direction and temperature of a target flying object at each time; a state quantity calculation unit that calculates the position, velocity, and temperature change rate of the target based on the information acquired by the sensor unit; a class identification determination unit that selects a class identification database to be used based on the calculation results obtained by the state quantity calculation unit; an angle-of-attack estimating unit that calculates a predicted value of a temperature change rate of the target obtained by the state quantity calculating unit for each angle of attack by referring to a class discrimination database selected by the class discrimination determining unit, and after the calculation, estimates an angle of attack of the target based on the calculation result and the temperature change rate of the target obtained by the state quantity calculating unit; A tracking device comprising:

2. The class discrimination determination unit determines the class discrimination of the target based on the calculation result obtained by the state quantity calculation unit, and outputs information indicating the shape of the target and information indicating the characteristics of the surface material of the target as class discrimination determination results to the angle of attack estimation unit.

2. The tracking device according to claim 1.

3. The angle-of-attack estimator performs aerodynamic heating calculation of the target based on the calculation result obtained by the state quantity calculator and the class discrimination determination result, and estimates the angle of attack of the target using the calculation result.

2. The tracking device according to claim 1.

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