Patent ID: 8804459

Claim:
A method for passive determination of target data associated with a target, said target data comprising a target range (R), a target course (K) and/or a target velocity (V), said method comprising: providing predetermined limit values ( 10 ) for target data that are to be determined, measuring bearing angles ( 4 ) to the target by means of an arrangement of water-borne sound sensors of a sonar receiving installation ( 2 ) by directionally selective reception of sound waves emitted or sent from the target, estimating bearing angles determined from estimated positions of the target, minimizing bearing angle differences from the measured bearing angles ( 4 ) and the estimated bearing angles by iteratively minimizing the bearing angle differences over a plurality of processing cycles by means of at least one optimization method ( 6 ) comprising a CTMA method, wherein an estimated position of the target is determined as an optimized CTMA solution ( 12 ), from temporary target data, said at least one optimization method ( 6 ) taking account the predetermined limit values ( 10 ) for the target data to be determined, during the optimization, carrying out an error handling process ( 14 ) for identification and correction of incorrect limit values ( 10 ), said error handling process ( 14 ) including the following steps: a) limit values ( 10 ) are checked for possible errors by means of a plausibility test module ( 38 ) carrying out a plausibility test for identification of incorrect limit values ( 10 ), and b) i) if at least one incorrect limit value ( 10 ) is identified, one, a plurality, or all of the limit values ( 10 ) are changed using predetermined rules by means of a correction module ( 40 ) to obtain corrected limit values ( 20 ), and repeating the CTMA optimization method ( 6 ) and the error handling process ( 14 ) again, taking account of the changed limit values ( 20 ) for determination of new temporary target data, and ii) if no incorrect limit value ( 10 ) is identified, the optimized CTMA solution ( 12 ) from the optimization method ( 6 ) is output, and/or the target data which has been determined from the optimized CTMA solution ( 12 ) and is assumed to be correct is output, wherein said method includes using at least one computer.