Method and system for improving target localization and characterization

1. A method for determining a location and characterization of an object using a magnetic gradient tensor measurement of the object, said method comprising:

determining an object magnetic field candidate predicted from one of an object measured magnetic field gradient and an assumed object magnetic moment magnitude;

determining an object vector location and an object vector magnetic moment by combining the object magnetic field candidate with an object measured magnetic field;

determining a plurality of magnetic field candidates, each of the plurality of magnetic field candidates predicted from one of the object measured magnetic field gradient and the assumed object magnetic moment magnitude; and

computing a plurality of correlation coefficients, each of the plurality of correlation coefficients corresponding to a different one of the plurality of magnetic field candidates and the object measured magnetic field, wherein each of the plurality of correlation coefficients is calculated according to the formula C=(B T {tilde over (B)} i )/({tilde over (B)} i T {tilde over (B)} i ) where C is a correlation coefficient, B T is a measured magnetic field, {tilde over (B)} i is the predicted i th magnetic field candidate and i is a number of candidates.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising selecting a largest one of the plurality of correlation coefficients, wherein the object vector location and the object vector magnetic moment correspond to the magnetic field candidate generating the largest one of the plurality of correlation coefficients.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising determining a distance to the object according to the formula:

r =(| B |(36 k 2 +18) 1/2 )/(| G |(3 k 2 +1) 1/2 )

where r is a distance to the object, |B| is a scalar magnitude of the object measured magnetic field, |G| is a scalar magnitude of the object measured magnetic field gradient and k is a constant defined by k=({circumflex over (P)} i T {tilde over (M)} i )/({tilde over (M)} i T {tilde over (M)} i ).

4. A method in accordance with claim 3 further comprising computing k for each i, where i=1 to 4, and determining a final value of k corresponding to the value of i corresponding to a maximum correlation coefficient.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising determining each predicted magnetic field candidate according to the formula

{tilde over (B)} i =(3 {tilde over (P)} i {tilde over (M)} i T {circumflex over (P)} i −{tilde over (M)} i {circumflex over (P)} i T {circumflex over (P)} i )/| {circumflex over (P)} i | 5 for all i=1 to 4

where {tilde over (B)} i is a predicted magnetic field candidate, {circumflex over (P)} i is an object predicted vector bearing, {tilde over (M)} i is an object predicted scaled moment and i is a number of candidates.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising computing a plurality of residues, each of the plurality of residues corresponding to the predicted object magnetic field candidate and the object measured magnetic field and selecting a smallest one of the plurality of residues, wherein the object vector location and the object vector magnetic moment correspond to the smallest one of the plurality of residues.

7. A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein each of the plurality of residues is calculated according to the formula:

res =( B−r i {tilde over (B)} i ) n ,

where res is the residue, B is a object measured magnetic field, {tilde over (B)} i is the predicted magnetic field candidate and r i is specified by r i =(D/|{tilde over (M)} i |) 1/4 , where D is an assumed magnetic moment magnitude and {tilde over (M)} i is an object predicted scaled moment of the i th solution.

8. A method in accordance with claim 4 further comprising determining the object vector location according to the formula P=r{circumflex over (P)} i where P is the object vector location, r is the distance to the object and {circumflex over (P)} i is the predicted object vector location, and selecting a value of {circumflex over (P)} i corresponding to a value of i corresponding to a maximum correlation coefficient.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising determining the object vector magnetic moment according to the formula M=r 4 {tilde over (M)} i , where M is the object vector magnetic moment, r is a distance to the object and {tilde over (M)} i is an object predicted scaled moment.

10. A system for locating and characterizing an object, the system comprising:

a gradiometer, the gradiometer having a plurality of sensors;

a display; and

a controller for determining an object vector location and an object magnetic moment, wherein the controller calculates a plurality of correlation coefficients correponding to an object predicted magnetic field candidate and an object measured magnetic field, wherein each of the plurality of correlation coefficients is calculated according to the formula C=(B T {tilde over (B)} i )/({tilde over (B)} i T {tilde over (B)} i ) where C is a correlation coefficient, B T is a measured magnetic field, {tilde over (B)} i is a predicted i th magnetic field candidate and i is a number of candidates.

11. A system in accordance with claim 10 wherein the controller selects a largest one of the plurality of correlation coefficients and chooses the object vector location and the object magnetic moment corresponding to the largest one of the plurality of correlation coefficients.

12. A system in accordance with claim 10 wherein the controller determines whether a gradient noise exceeds a predetermined threshold value, when the gradient noise exceeds the predetermined threshold value the controller sends a message to a display that the object is almost in range, when the gradient noise is less than the predetermined threshold value the controller sends a message to the display reporting a position of the object.

13. A system in accordance with claim 10 wherein the gradiometer has at least three sides.

14. A system in accordance with claim 10 wherein the controller calculates a plurality of residues, each of the plurality of residues corresponds to the object predicted magnetic field candidate and the object measured magnetic field, and chooses the object vector location and the object magnetic moment of the object corresponding to a smallest one of the plurality of residues.

15. A system in accordance with claim 10 wherein the object includes one of a moving vehicle, an unexploded ordnance and a concealed weapon.

16. A system in accordance with claim 10 wherein a distance to the object is determined according to the formula:

r =(| B |(36 k 2 +18) 1/2 )/(| G |(3 k 2 +1) 1/2 )

where r is the distance to the object, |B| is a scalar magnitude of the object measured magnetic field, |G| is a scalar magnitude of an object measured magnetic measured gradient and k is a constant defined by k=({circumflex over (P)} i T {tilde over (M)} i )/({tilde over (M)} i T {tilde over (M)} i ).

17. A computer program embodied on a computer readable medium for locating and characterizing an object, the computer program being comprised of instructions, which when read and executed by a controller, cause the controller to determine an object vector location and an object magnetic moment by combining an object predicted magnetic field candidate with an object measured magnetic field, wherein the controller computes a plurality of correlation coefficients, each of the plurality of correlation coefficients corresponding to the object predicted magnetic field candidate and the object measured magnetic field, wherein the correlation coefficient is calculated according to the formula C=(B T {tilde over (B)} i )/({tilde over (B)} i T {tilde over (B)} i ) where C is the correlation coefficient, B T is a measured magnetic field, {tilde over (B)} i is a predicted i th magnetic field candidate and i is a number of candidates.

18. A computer program in accordance with claim 17 wherein the controller selects a largest one of the plurality of correlation coefficients, wherein the object vector location and the object magnetic moment correspond to the largest one of the plurality of correlation coefficients.

19. A computer program in accordance with claim 17 wherein the controller:

computes a plurality of residues, each of the plurality of residues corresponding to the object predicted magnetic field candidate and the object measured magnetic field;

selects a smallest one of the plurality of residues; and

chooses the object vector location and the object magnetic moment corresponding to the smallest one of the plurality of residues.

20. A method in accordance with claim 19 wherein each of the plurality of residues is calculated according to the formula:

res =( B−r i {tilde over (B)} i ) n ,

where res is the residue, B is the object measured magnetic field, {tilde over (B)} i is the predicted magnetic field candidate and r i is specified by r i =(D/|{tilde over (M)}|) 1/4 , where D is an assumed magnetic moment magnitude and {tilde over (M)} i is a scaled predicted object moment magnitude of an i th solution.