Moving Target of Interest Predictive Locating, Reporting, and Alerting

Abstract

Systems and corresponding methods are provided for moving object predictive locating, reporting, and alerting. An example method includes receiving moving object data corresponding to a moving object; receiving sensor data from a sensor; and merging the received moving object data and the received sensor data into a set of merged data. The example method further includes based on the set of merged data, automatically determining one or more of a predicted location or range of locations for the moving object, a potential path of travel for the moving object, an an alert concerning the moving object, and providing the alert. The automatically determining may be further based on one or more historical traits concerning the object, and the geographic medium the object is moving through. The geographic medium may include one or more of terrain, air, water, and space. The object may be a soldier, vehicle, drone, or ballistic.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computer-implemented method for predicting the potential path and movement of an object, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving moving object data corresponding to a moving object;   receiving sensor data from a sensor;   merging the received moving object data and the received sensor data into a set of merged data;   based on the set of merged data, automatically determining one or more of:
 a predicted location or range of locations for the moving object, and 
 a potential path of travel for the moving object. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the automatically determining is further based on:
 one or more historical traits concerning the object; and   the medium that the object is moving through.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , based on the set of merged data, automatically determining a potential for interaction between the moving object and one or more other objects. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising, based on the set of merged data, determining an alert concerning the moving object, and providing the alert. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the object is a soldier, vehicle, drone, or ballistic. 
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein for the automatically determining, different weights are applied for the historical data, and the medium. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the medium includes one or more of terrain, air, water, and space. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein the medium changes over the potential path, the automatically determining being adjusted as a function of change in the medium that the moving object will potentially move through over the potential path. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the one or more historical traits include statistical movement characteristics of the object. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 9 , wherein the statistical movement characteristics include acceleration and speed ability of the moving object. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein the automatically determining of the predicted location or range of locations and the potential path are based on predicting acceleration and speed of the moving object as a function of the medium that the object is moving through. 
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 7 , wherein the automatically determining of the predicted location or range of locations and the potential path further includes automatically adjusting maximum acceleration and maximum speed of the moving object as a function of the medium that the object is moving through. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is included in a drone launched in response to a report of the moving object, wherein the drone is launched from a moving vehicle, stationary location, or roving vehicle. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein based on the set of merged data, the automatically determining is of both the predicted location or range of locations for the moving object, and the potential path of travel for the moving object. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a user interface for information entry via a mobile device or a built-in display; wherein at least some of the moving object data received is based on input from one or more users using the user interface. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is located on a mobile device or a remote device, and the sensor data includes at least location information. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the automatic determining comprises calculating an area from the predicted location or range of locations for the moving object, and determining whether one or more other objects are located within the area. 
     
     
         18 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 17 , further comprising determining potential for interaction of the moving object with the other or more other objects, comparing the potential to a threshold, using a result of the comparing to determine a level of notification to provide for an alert, and providing the alert at the determined level of notification. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising configuring a graphical user interface for displaying to a user at least the predicted location or range of locations for the moving object, and the potential path of travel for the moving object, the configuring of the graphical user interface being for one or more of:
 three dimensions;   virtual reality interaction; and   augmented reality interaction.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor data included one or more descriptors for the moving object, the method further comprising identifying the moving object based on at least the one or more descriptors. 
     
     
         21 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 20 , wherein at least one of the one or more descriptors comprises a unique identifier for the moving object, the method including tracking the moving object based on the unique identifier. 
     
     
         22 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , wherein the automatically determining of the predicted location or range of locations for the moving object and the potential path of travel for the moving object is based at least in part on a predicted destination for the moving object. 
     
     
         23 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 22 , wherein the destination is predicted based on one or more of:
 (a) the one or more historical traits which include historical data showing a pattern of the moving object having certain destinations at the time and the place of the movement;   (b) past destinations for the potential path of travel of the moving object; and   (c) a calendar having entries concerning the moving object;   
       wherein different weights are given to each of (a), (b), and (c) in predicting the destination, wherein the different weight given to the historical data in (a) varies at least in part as a function of how recent the historical data occurred. 
     
     
         24 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 2 , further comprising receiving one or more reports from one or more observers concerning observing the moving object at a particular time;
 wherein the automatically determining includes triangulating a predicted location or range of positions and the potential path as a function of:   the one or more reports from the one or more observers;   the received moving object data; and   the receiving sensor data from the sensor.   
     
     
         25 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 24 , wherein for the triangulating greater relative weight is given when the one or more reports includes multiple reports in a limited geographic area. 
     
     
         26 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 23 , further comprising receiving additional sensor data from other sensors, wherein the triangulating is further a function the additional sensor data. 
     
     
         27 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
 configuring the receiving of the sensor data and the moving object data to enable point to point communication in a mesh of the sensor data and the moving object data.   
     
     
         28 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor data comprises accelerometer data or gyroscope data from a mobile device. 
     
     
         29 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor data includes Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) data. 
     
     
         30 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 causing display of a plurality of projections/reachable range polygons as a function of potential methods of movement for the moving object.   
     
     
         31 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 30 , wherein the potential methods of movement for the moving object include:
 in a vehicle on land;   in a vehicle in air;   in a vehicle in water; and   other than in a vehicle.   
     
     
         32 . A computer-implemented method for moving object predictive locating, reporting, and alerting, the computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving moving object data corresponding to a moving object;   receiving sensor data from a sensor;   merging the received moving object data and the received sensor data into a set of merged data;   based on the set of merged data, one or more historical traits concerning the object; and the medium that the object is moving through, automatically determining:
 a predicted location or range of locations for the moving object, 
 a potential path of travel for the moving object; and 
 an alert concerning the moving object; and 
   providing the alert.   
     
     
         33 . A system for moving object predictive locating, reporting, and alerting, the system comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
 receiving moving object data corresponding to a moving object; 
 receiving sensor data from a sensor; 
 merging the received moving object data and the received sensor data into a set of merged data; 
 based on the set of merged data, one or more historical traits concerning the object; and the medium that the object is moving through, automatically determining:
 a predicted location or range of locations for the moving object, 
 a potential path of travel for the moving object; and 
 an alert concerning the moving object; and 
 
 providing the alert.