System and method for visualization of attitude and attitude/position dependent data
View Patent ↗A system and method for visualization of attitude dependent data is disclosed. An attitude sphere is defined around an object of interest located at the center. Grid points are defined on the surface of the attitude sphere to represent directions. An attitude dependent FOM result is mapped onto the sphere, which is color coded on the associated point to visualize attitude dependency. When used to analyze signals arriving at a receiver, the method accounts for motion of the receiver, the transmitter, and the signal sources. The objects comprise values of figures of merit (FOMs) that are accessible to a user. Additionally, the objects are updated dynamically to reflect the experience of the receiver over time. The receiver orientation may be optimized to minimize interference and jamming and/or to maximize signal strength of a desired signal.
1. A method for visualizing attitude dependent data comprising:
defining an attitude sphere around an object of interest, wherein the object of interest is located at the center of the attitude sphere;
defining grid points on the surface of the attitude sphere;
identifying sources of influence of the object of interest;
defining a vector direction from the object of interest to a grid point;
computing magnitude of a vector as a figure of merit value given direction of the vector and locations of the sources of influence; and
displaying the attitude sphere graphically wherein each grid point is assigned a grid color determined by the magnitude of the associated vector.
2. The method for visualizing attitude dependent data of claim 1 , wherein the object of interest is a radio receiver; wherein the sources of influence of the object of interest comprise radio transmitters and wherein the magnitude is representative of signal power density.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising visualizing changes in the attitude dependent data over time.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising visualizing changes in the attitude dependent data based upon changes in object parameters.
5. A system for visualizing attitude dependent data comprising:
means for defining an attitude sphere around an object of interest, wherein the object of interest is located at the center of the attitude sphere;
means for defining grid points on the surface of the attitude sphere;
means for identifying sources of influence of the object of interest;
means for defining a vector direction from the object of interest to a grid point;
means for computing magnitude of a vector as a figure of merit value given direction of the vector and locations of the sources of influence; and
means for displaying the attitude sphere graphically wherein each grid point is assigned a grid color determined by the magnitude of the associated vector.
6. The system of claim 5 , further comprising means for visualizing changes in the attitude dependent data over time.
7. The system of claim 5 , further comprising means for visualizing changes in the attitude dependent data based upon changes in abject parameters.
8. A communications receiver interference analysis system comprising:
a communications receiver;
a processor connected to a data interface and a user interface and adapted to execute evaluation software, the evaluation software comprising:
a data capture module adapted to receive signal data from the data interface relating to signals impinging on the receiver;
an attitude module adapted to:
define an attitude sphere around the receiver, wherein the receiver is located at the center of the sphere;
define grid points on the surface of the attitude sphere;
define a vector direction from the receiver to a grid point;
compute a magnitude of a vector as a figure of merit value of the signal data; and
a link analysis module, adapted to determine link measures using the figures of merit associated with the grid point;
a display module adapted to generate display objects in a three-dimensional space comprising the attitude sphere, the grid points, and the link measures; and
a display adapted to receive and display the display objects from the display module.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein different link measures are displayed as different colors.