Method and System for Using Enhanced Location-Based Information to Guide Munitions

1 . A method of controlling a first ordnance munition, comprising:

determining, via a processor of the first ordnance munition, an approximate location of the first ordnance munition;

generating, via the processor, first location information based on the determined approximate location;

sending the generated first location information to a second ordnance munition in proximity to the first ordnance munition;

receiving, in the first ordnance munition, information from the second ordnance munition;

determining, via the processor, a more precise location of the first ordnance munition based on the information received from the second ordnance munition and generating second location information based on the determined more precise location; and

altering, via the processor, a flight path of the first ordnance munition based on the generated second location information.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising relaying video or telemetry data to a command unit device or a local team device.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

using, by the first ordnance munition, the generated second location information to identify a location of interest, wherein the identified location of interest includes an area inside a building, an interior portion of a tunnel, or a below grade area;

collecting, via the first ordnance munition, reconnaissance information from the identified location of interest; and

sending the collected reconnaissance information to a second ordnance munition.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving additional location information that identifies a location of the first ordnance munition from the second ordnance munition; and

determining whether the information received from the second ordnance munition is valid based on:

a result of comparing the first location information to the received additional location information;

a difference between the first location information and the received additional location information exceeds a first threshold value; or

a determination that a confidence value associated with the received additional location information exceeds a second threshold value.

5 . The method of claim 1 ,

wherein receiving the information from the second ordnance munition comprises receiving location information and telemetry data from a plurality of ordnance munitions,

the method further comprising synchronizing the location information and telemetry data received from the plurality of ordnance munitions to a common time.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the information from the second ordnance munition comprises receiving location information and telemetry data from a plurality of ordnance munitions, the method further comprising:

comparing the location information and telemetry data received from each of the plurality of ordnance munitions to the location information and telemetry data from each of the other ordnance munitions in the plurality of ordnance munitions to generate a comparison result;

using the generated comparison result to rank the location information received from each of the plurality of ordnance munitions; and

applying the received location information to a Kalman filter based on the rankings.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising using a sounding technique to determine a distance value that identifies a distance between the second ordnance munition and the first ordnance munition.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein using the sounding technique includes using radio communications to determine a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) value or a time of flight (TOF) value.

9 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising using the determined distance value to determine a confidence value for the generated second location information, wherein the confidence value is a numeric value indicative of a reliability of the generated second location information.

10 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising using the determined distance value to determine a confidence value for a location value associated with the second ordnance munition, wherein the confidence value identifies the likelihood that the location value accurately identifies the location of the second ordnance munition to within one meter.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining a distance value that identifies a distance between a second ordnance munition and the first ordnance munition by:

sending a request for position updates to the second ordnance munition, the second ordnance munition sending position information and a time value that identifies an amount of time between receiving the request for position updates and sending the position information;

determining a total elapse time value identifying a duration between sending the request for position updates and receiving the time value; and

using a difference between the received time value from the total elapse time value to determine the distance value.

12 . An ordnance munition, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations comprising:

determining an approximate location of the ordnance munition;

generating first location information based on the determined approximate location;

sending the generated first location information to a second ordnance munition in proximity to the ordnance munition;

receiving information from the second ordnance munition;

determining a more precise location of the ordnance munition based on the information received from the second ordnance munition and generating second location information based on the determined more precise location; and

altering a flight path of the ordnance munition based on the generated second location information.

13 . The ordnance munition of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising relaying video or telemetry data to a command unit device or a local team device.

14 . The ordnance munition of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

using the generated second location information to identify a location of interest, wherein the identified location of interest includes an area inside a building, an interior portion of a tunnel, or a below grade area;

collecting reconnaissance information from the identified location of interest; and

sending the collected reconnaissance information to a second ordnance munition.

15 . The ordnance munition of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

receiving additional location information that identifies a location of the ordnance munition from the second ordnance munition; and

determining whether the information received from the second ordnance munition is valid based on:

a result of comparing the first location information to the received additional location information;

a difference between the first location information and the received additional location information exceeds a first threshold value; or

a determination that a confidence value associated with the received additional location information exceeds a second threshold value.

16 . The ordnance munition of claim 12 ,

wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that receiving the information from the second ordnance munition comprises receiving location information and telemetry data from a plurality of ordnance munitions; and

wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising synchronizing the location information and telemetry data received from the plurality of ordnance munitions to a common time.

17 . The ordnance munition of claim 12 , wherein:

the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations such that receiving the information from the second ordnance munition comprises receiving location information and telemetry data from a plurality of ordnance munitions;

the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

comparing the location information and telemetry data received from each of the plurality of ordnance munitions to the location information and telemetry data from each of the other ordnance munitions in the plurality of ordnance munitions to generate a comparison result;

using the generated comparison result to rank the location information received from each of the plurality of ordnance munitions; and

applying the received location information to a Kalman filter based on the rankings.

18 . The ordnance munition of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising:

using a sounding technique to determine a distance value that identifies a distance between the second ordnance munition and the ordnance munition, wherein using the sounding technique includes using radio communications to determine a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) value or a time of flight (TOF) value; and

using the determined distance value to determine a first confidence value for the generated second location information, wherein the first confidence value is a numeric value indicative of a reliability of the generated second location information.

19 . The ordnance munition of claim 12 , wherein the processor is configured with processor-executable instructions to perform operations further comprising determining a distance value that identifies a distance between a second ordnance munition and the ordnance munition by:

sending a request for position updates to the second ordnance munition, the second ordnance munition sending position information and a time value that identifies an amount of time between receiving the request for position updates and sending the position information;

determining a total elapse time value identifying a duration between sending the request for position updates and receiving the time value; and

using a difference between the received time value from the total elapse time value to determine the distance value.

20 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon processor-executable software instructions configured to cause a processor in an ordnance munition to perform operations comprising:

determining an approximate location of the ordnance munition;

generating first location information based on the determined approximate location;

sending the generated first location information to a second ordnance munition in proximity to the ordnance munition;

receiving information from the second ordnance munition;

determining a more precise location of the ordnance munition based on the information received from the second ordnance munition and generating second location information based on the determined more precise location; and

altering a flight path of the ordnance munition based on the generated second location information.