Higher Order Logic for Platform Identification in a Production System. A Method of Extending the Capabilities of a Production System Applied to Tactical Situation Assessment

摘要

This report describes a method of extending the capabilities of a production system applied to tactical situation assessment, to enable the system, whatever its type, to perform the higher order logical reasoning required for the solution of many platform identification problems. The method is implemented through (1) production rules for constructing and updating an intermediate framework in the system's data base, a framework that supports the process of associating tracks with platforms, and (2) production rules for performing the association process by using, for example, the notion of complete subsets of platform files and track files, along with logical sequences of reasoning. Many of the system logic rules underlying this method have been implemented in an experimental production system and tested against hypothesized data. Two examples are given, along with a step-by-step description of the response of the system to each new piece of information. The method as it is described uses only data having high confidence values. However, the conclusions which would logically follow from different assumptions about particular tracks or platforms could be determined by recording logical conclusions derived from less certain data, then reinitializing the data base by removing previous conclusions and replacing selected questionable assertions with alternative assertions.