Multi-Sensor Data Exploitation Capability

"Currently DOD imagery systems have standardized on the National Imagery Transmission Format (NITF) for the capture and recording of IMINT data. The author will argue that NITF is not an appropriate format for the capture of real-time sensor data,especially when it comes to issues such as multi-sensor fusion, sensor cueing, precise geo-positioning, and format adaptability to new sensor systems. Other sensor acquisition standards such as NATO STANAG 7023 are on the right track but are immature andlack the capabilities of a fully robust sensor acquisition capture format. Phase I will integrate the concepts of XML, Numeric-Homomorphic-Space-Time sensor modeling and Entity-Relationship data modeling with a real-time format such as STANAG 7023. It isbelieved that a truly robust sensor acquisition concept can be achieved. These concepts would enable a sensor acquisition format to describe it self to an adaptable processor utlizing common reference frames. Phase II will continue with a prototype of anadaptable processor matched to this highly self-descriptive format. The common space-time sensor model would provide a basis for the fusion of any sensor with any other sensor based on the definition of a set of common reference systems. With this addedcapability the description of a sensor is essentially boundless enabling the format to describe sensors as complex as SIGINT, Acoustical, Hyperspectral, Moving Target Indicator, & Syntheti