Patent ID: 7026980

Claim:
A method for tracking a target, said method comprising the steps of: sensing information about the target, which information comprises at least one of (a) position over time and (b) positional angle as a function of time relative to the sensor, coupled with sensor position; applying said information to a plurality of filter sets, each filter set including a special filter matched to the parameters of a one predetermined possible type of target and a general filter which is of a more general type, in that the general filter does not include specifics of the predetermined possible type of target, for producing, from each of the special and general filters, target position, velocity, acceleration, and specific mass flow rate states, and covariances of those states; calculating from the states and covariances of each of said set of filters at least (a) estimated actual mass flow rate, (b) estimated thrust, (c) estimated velocity at staging burnout, and (d) estimate of remaining burn time for that stage; computing the likelihood that the states and covariances produced by said special and general filters of each of said set of filters represent the same target; selecting as representing the target, from among said plurality of likelihoods, that one which has the greatest magnitude.