Deployable Sensor Network for Aircraft Tracking in Coastal Areas

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current aircraft and vessel tracking systems face challenges in coastal and mountainous areas due to limitations in signal coverage and accuracy, particularly over water, and require complex equipment installations and maintenance, which can lead to delays in search and rescue operations and inefficient surveillance.

Innovation Solution

A deployable multilateration and triangulation system that combines flight tracking data with noise and electronic fingerprinting to provide accurate location and identification of aircraft and vessels, using a network of ground, airborne, and marine-based sensors to create a redundant tracking system that can validate ADS-B data and support search and rescue operations without requiring extensive equipment installation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If passive broadband tracking systems using TDOA processing are deployed, then aircraft tracking capability is improved, but signal coverage and accuracy deteriorate in coastal and mountainous areas

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetracking capabilityVSAvoidlocation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple tracking methodologies (passive broadband TDOA tracking, active radar tracking, and acoustic tracking) into a unified hybrid system. This merging allows the system to leverage the strengths of each method while compensating for their individual weaknesses, particularly improving accuracy in coastal and mountainous areas where single-method systems fail

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The hybrid tracking system is designed to perform multiple functions: it can operate in passive mode for covert surveillance, switch to active radar mode for enhanced detection in difficult terrains, and use acoustic sensors for low-altitude or water-based targets. This multi-functionality ensures reliable tracking across diverse environmental conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Area of stationary object

If complex equipment installations are implemented for tracking systems, then tracking coverage is improved, but deployment time and maintenance complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetracking coverageVSAvoiddeployment time

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The tracking system is divided into modular, independently deployable sensor units that can be distributed across the coverage area. Each unit contains integrated sensors and processing capabilities, allowing them to be deployed separately and then networked together, significantly reducing overall deployment time while maintaining extensive coverage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system employs dynamically deployable sensor nodes that can be rapidly deployed or repositioned based on operational requirements. The modular architecture allows the system to scale coverage area by adding or removing individual units without requiring complex reconfiguration of the entire system

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system enhances tracking accuracy and reliability over diverse terrains, reduces the need for complex equipment installations, and provides rapid deployment capabilities for search and rescue, while integrating multiple data sources to verify location and identification, thus improving homeland security and coastal defense.

Implementation Method 1

Passive Broadband Tracking may include triangulation or multilateration systems using time difference of arrival (TDOA) processing to track aircraft

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTime difference of arrival (TDOA): Time of Flight

Implementation Method 2

Passive Broadband Tracking may include triangulation or multilateration systems using time difference of arrival (TDOA) processing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTriangulation:

Implementation Method 3

Passive Broadband Tracking may include triangulation or multilateration systems using time difference of arrival (TDOA) processing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMultilateration:

Data Source

PatentEP1942351B1Deployable intelligence and tracking system for homeland security and search and rescue

Publication Date: 2013.08.07 OMNIPOL

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AI summary

This invention builds on previous industry techniques to correlate data (110,400,550) from a variety of sources for the purposes of tracking and identifying aircraft (100), vehicles, and marine vessels in real time over a variety of different areas including oceans and mountainous terrain. Passive broadband tracking of aircraft emitters, and electronic fingerprinting of emitters, correlated with audio, video, infrared, primary radar and other information is employed to provide a comprehensive assessment of an vehicle's position, track and identification for a variety of applications including homeland security and search and rescue.