Rockwell Collins' Single Integrated Picture (SIP) Topology-driven Optical Non-linear Engine (STONE) technology was developed to resolve problems with information overload. As sensors improve and data links grow faster, data from four to six systems for identification and tracking are often presented simultaneously to the warfighter. To reduce confusion created by real-time information, STONE uses new algorithms that fuse data from disparate sensors, both active and passive. The Rockwell Collins STONE engine is designed so that no single decision or hypothesis drives the fusion result, allowing confidence in the track to build as more data is collected. Its data fusion creates a single, actionable track, reducing the warfighter's decision time.

STONE technology is based on a hybrid of Advanced Statistical approaches and optically-based Fourier-Plane pattern recognition techniques. These algorithms are inherently parallel, allowing STONE to fuse data from radars, data links, Identification Friend or Foe (IFF), video and Electronic Warfare Support (EWS)/Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) systems in real-time. Furthermore, STONE's pattern-matching capabilities are used in other SIGINT applications, analyzing SIGINT data from several operational echelons in real-time to identify signals of interest.