SeeTrack Technical Whitepaper - SeeByte · SeeTrack Technical Whitepaper ... Web Mapping Service...

SeeByte Ltd Registered in Scotland Number: SC194014 VAT Registration Number: 783656681 Registered Office: Orchard Brae House, 30 Queensferry Rd, Edinburgh, EH4 2HS

SeeTrack Technical Whitepaper Commercial in Confidence Version 1 May 2015 Dr Chris Haworth

SeeTrack v4 Architecture for Unmanned Systems C2 July 2015 Commercial In Confidence

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1 Introduction

1.1 Overview

SeeTrack is currently the chosen software solution for over twenty of the world’s navies and various scientific

and research institutes world-wide. At its core, SeeTrack is a mission planning, monitoring, post processing and

reporting tool for rapid on-site analysis and data fusion. It is used to operate leading brand AUVs, Gliders,

ROVs and Diver Handheld Navigation systems, and can process large amounts of sensor data, including bathy,

side-scan, imaging sonar and video. The latest generation of SeeTrack also includes support for modern high-

bandwidth sensor suites, including Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS). SeeTrack allows operators to plan, execute

and assess off-board missions in less time and with fewer errors than would be possible with conventional

tools.

Using an intuitive user interface the operator can simply plan and save their required mission and run the post-

mission analysis for all their off-board assets. With the mission saved though SeeTrack, future repeat missions

can be conducted then contrasted simply and efficiently post-mission. Without SeeTrack, an operator has to

plan and program the mission with expert knowledge of each piece of hardware and its corresponding

software, launch the UUV and, upon its return, individually assess all data gathered during the mission from

each sensor and sonar before finally repeating any parts of the mission which were unsuccessful.

Considering the capital investments users are making in unmanned and off-board hardware, investment in

software is the answer to increasing the capabilities of that hardware and the efficient utilization of UUVs and

off-board assets. SeeByte has created a variety of product offerings to help manage off-board and unmanned

assets, ultimately providing situational awareness across all assets.

1.2 Tools and Services

SeeTrack v4 is an open architecture solution that is entirely based on a service oriented architecture (SOA)

approach. In this approach, all system components are separate modules capable of being swapped for third-

party equivalents. The following diagram provides a breakdown of the major components in SeeTrack v4.


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Figure 1: SeeTrack v4 System Architecture The two core components in the SeeTrack v4 architecture are:

Main User Interface – This provides the main interaction with the user and contains the GIS map display. It also contains the layer manager and data manager. The main user interface has APIs to allow third-party applications to fully integrate.

Data Core – This provides the back-end database and major web interfaces (OGC, Web Service and AMQP) to enable third-party integration through common formats and interfaces.

In order to allow third-party integration, that is capable of full integration with the core components, SeeTrack v4 introduces the concept of Tools and Services. These are the set of extensions (modules) and the major distinction is that Tools provide a user interface, while Services only provide data processing:

Tools – This set of modules provide major extensions to the core functionality that require interaction with the user. These include the Imagery Review Tool, Video Review Tool and Sortie Planner Tool. The tools are launched from the Main UI to appear as a separate window and third-party modules can fully integrate as Tools.

Services – This set of modules provide any extension that does not require user interaction – for example data processing services like ATR and Mosaicing. Third-party modules can fully integrate as Services.

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2 SeeTrack v4 In Operation

2.1 Campaign Management

Using the powerful new data management facilities, the aim of SeeTrack v4 is to provide the ability to manage

all data for a campaign (theatre of operation). The campaign data manager allows searching by location, date,

sensor-type or asset, ensuring that operators can find the data they need quickly and easily. SeeTrack has been

designed to cope with many years of operational usage. This is complemented by a set of object (contact)

management and reporting tools that can provide a flexible solution regardless of the workflow.

2.2 Mission Planning

Specific platform planning capabilities can be configured

using XML files. SeeTrack reads these files and

dynamically reconfigures the mission planning interface to

show settings and configurations specific to that platform.

This provides a single interface for planning multiple

heterogeneous assets while still retaining the unique

capabilities of each platform. The concept of allowing

mission-on-mission planning has also been taken even

further to support the broader concept of campaign

management.

SeeTrack has always provided an extended format for

common data and interface formats. This includes DNC,

S57 / S63 Encrypted ENC Charts, and AML Small Bottom

Objects v3. The addition of S63 chart support ensures that all users have the widest access to charts, wherever

in the world they are currently operating.

2.3 Mid-mission Monitoring and Real-time Operations

The system has been designed to be

able to cope with a wide-range of

maritime systems, from UUV / Glider

operations through to towed side-

scan and live ROV operations. This

means that a range of real-time data

processing and visualisation tools

have been developed to meet user

requirements. This includes real-

time waterfall display for SAS, real-

time 3D gap-fill visualisation and

video / forward-look sonar tools for

data viewing, object marking and geo-referencing of data.

2.4 Post-Mission Data Analysis and Reporting

As sensor technology continues to advance, SeeTrack has also advanced to handle the next generation of

sensor data. Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS) produces large volumes of data, even on short missions, and

SeeTrack now includes the specialist processing and visualisation tools necessary to deal with the data


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volumes and the high resolution imagery. Finally the campaign management systems provide a flexible set of

data management and reporting tools to enable end-to-end workflow in the SeeTrack v4 architecture.

3 Modular and Open System Architecture

3.1 Overview

SeeTrack’s Modular and Open System Architecture that has been designed specifically to take the data from a

wide range of sensors, including CTD, video, forward-look sonars and side-scan sonar for automated

processing and 3D visualization. This combines a hardware independent solution with an open-architecture

approach. This allows any new sensor or vehicle that is being introduced into service to be fully integrated.

The key features are:

Support for Logical Data Models

Open, modular architecture allows easy extension and integration with other systems

Net centric, including a wide range of standards (WSN, AMQP, WFS, WMS, WCS)

Handling high-volume and high-bandwidth data sources, such as synthetic aperture sonars

Distributed System Management, includes remote access and data synchronisation

User Authentication and Role Assignment

3.2 Common Interfaces and Formats

A major theme throughout the design and implementation of SeeTrack is on the use of common interfaces and

common formats to ensure wide-spread interoperability and compliance. The two major subsystems for this

are the web communication system and the web mapping system.

The communication backbone for the system is currently based on a combination of AMQP and Web Service

Notifications (WSN). AMQP is taken from the world’s busiest share trading systems to provide a proven “event

notification” system equipped with incredible scalability. This system provides a subscription model to enable

third-party modules to receive any system notification when certain events take place (e.g. when a mouse

click occurs or when a data source is updated). The Web Service chosen is the Simple Object Access Protocol

(SOAP), an open-standard using standard technology (HTTP). It provides a simple method of passing data

between different modules, regardless of their location or source language. Finally the logical data model

supports adapters to allow interfacing with other middleware technologies, such as ROS or DDS, to increase

compatibility.

The web mapping system uses Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards to ensure widespread

compatibility. The following three components are certified OGC compliant:

Web Mapping Service (WMS v1.1.1)

Web Feature Service (WFS v1.0)

Web Coverage Service (WCS v1.0)

3.3 Data Management

A critical factor in SeeTrack’s successful adoption across domains and integration with existing and future

systems and contact management is to use a Logical Data Model (LDM). Simply the LDM provides a published

structure for the system by capturing data items of importance and how these data items relate to one

another. By using published standards, even if this may still be under development, SeeTrack is able to

formalise how it stores and processes data. This helps to facilitate third party integration.


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By following a logical data model, it is possible to develop modules that clearly define the data flow, including

data input and data output interfaces. This includes both the top-side software architecture and any

embedded component on the vehicle.

Figure 2 shows SeeTrack’s Logical Data Model. The bottom three layers provide the system communication

abstraction to enable higher level concepts to be built. These data models use standard operating systems,

protocols and middleware to facilitate communications across an intranet or the internet.

Next, at the heart of SeeTrack’s LDM is the Relational Database and the Service Oriented Architecture, both of

which are provided by SeeTrack’s Data Core (ST Core). Here the data is stored and presented as a

combination of Metadata and references to raw data repositories. Metadata provides an underlying definition

or description that summarises basic information about the raw data, which makes finding and working with

particular instances of data easier. The Information Layer also contains additional information about what the

data is and what it means – i.e. the models. For storing the data SeeTrack has chosen to use one of the world’s

most advanced open-source database – PostgreSQL – to access a wide-range of features, including distributed

access and data synchronisation.

The next layer up is platform specific adaptors in the Adaptor Layer. These allow interfacing with any other

system, including proprietary third-party platform interfaces. The modularity of these service-oriented

systems allows for insertion of technology and capabilities by third-parties.

Finally the top-layer is the main application with which the user interacts. In fact, the lower layers are entirely

invisible to the end user, even if the advantages are entirely clear to the end user.

Example instances of LDM used by SeeTrack include UAS Control Segment (UCS) Architecture, Mine Warfare

Data Model Working Group, NATO Industry Advisory Group SG-157 and SG-202, NATO JCGUAS USC2 ST MDCS

(The Joint Capability Group Unmanned Air Systems Specialist Team also look after STANAG 4586).


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Figure 2: SeeTrack v4 Logical Data Model

3.4 Software Development Kit

The final component of the SeeTrack v4 modular and open system architecture was to ensure that a high-

quality Software Development Kit (SDK) is available to enable third-party integration.

SeeTrack V4 comes pre-loaded with many common Tools and Services (see figure 1). These allow users to get

up and running with leading brands of unmanned maritime systems and sensors. With these tools the users

can plan missions, monitor assets, process the data and generate common reports. It is not uncommon for

users to require integration of new sensors or platforms or new Tools and Services to process other data

streams or run specific algorithms. This is possible with the SDK.

Third party developers have access to the same capability available to SeeByte engineers through its open

architecture to help them develop their own Tools and Services. The SDK includes a full Interface Control

Document (ICD) that outlines all the inputs and outputs and the required information to interface with

SeeTrack V4. The SDK comes complete with system diagrams and example code.

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4 Conclusion SeeTrack is designed to maximise the capabilities of unmanned and off-board systems for all maritime tasks.

SeeByte’s smart software solution provides users with the capability to rapidly plan a mission, gather data and

integrate it into one layered image of the underwater space in a significantly reduced time with fewer errors or

false alarms. SeeTrack v4 also enables simultaneous multiple platform use and mission visualization. In

particular, missions can be combined to form a single integrated picture from all the sensor data gathered

from multiple missions.

SeeTrack v4 effectively consolidates inputs from various sensor feeds to provide a comprehensive picture of

the situation. SeeTrack provides a common interface for the vehicles and their sensors to allow users to easily

view information in a single real-time display, enabling a more reliable and efficient decision-making process.

By using an open-architecture framework, where SeeTrack is fully compatible with a wide range of marine

sensors and systems, users are not limited to specific hardware or types of vehicle. This allows operators to

use the best sensors for the task as they are not affected by compatibility constraints when using a range of

heterogeneous assets.

SeeTrack uses a modular approach, meaning that individual modules can be substituted and changed

according to the user’s requirements. By using a Logical Data Model approach, where each layer of the

software design feeds relevant information into each module, SeeTrack is able to provide fully compatible

integration with data management systems. Finally, the layered approach to the data model allows structured

interaction and standardised data to be passed easily both within SeeTrack and outwith to other data

management systems.

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