Visual disruption network, and system, method, and computer program product thereof

• US 10,156,429 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2017
• Issued: 12/18/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Moraites, Stephen C., Herman, Carl R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnston, Phillip A
• Assistant Examiner(s): TSAI, HSIEN C
• Application Number:
  US15/658,030
• Publication Number:
  US 20170336177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/02 Anti-aircraft or anti-guided missile or anti-torpedo defence installations or systems cartridges or missiles for producing smoke or for dispensing radar chaff or infrared material F42B5/15, F42B12/48, F42B12/70; informative reference: details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00; jamming or electronic countermeasures G01S7/38, G01S7/495, H04K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0056 for blinding or dazzling, i.e. by overstimulating the opponent's eyes or the enemy's sensor equipment
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 5/00 Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more direction or position line determinations; Position-fixing by co-ordinating two or more distance determinations using active systems G01S13/00, G01S15/00, G01S17/00

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosed subject matter involve an airborne-based network for implementing a laser-based visual disruption countermeasure scan pattern system, method, and computer program product. The scan pattern can be comprised of a plurality of lasers each with their own scan pattern and may be used to disrupt an optical system of a weapon or an individual. One vehicle in the network can transmit target information and/or scan information to one or more other vehicles or to a non-vehicle remote location in the network.

Claims

1. A visual acquisition disruptor scan pattern method, comprising:

electronically receiving, from a first vehicle at a remote location, information at a second vehicle regarding a common portion of at least two different previously identified flash detection areas; and

responsive to said electronically receiving, automatically increasing laser energy from a first intensity to a second intensity, the laser energy being applied from at least one of first vehicle and the second vehicle in scanning fashion to the common portion.

2. The visual acquisition disruptor scan pattern method according to claim 1, further comprising:

increasing scanning frequency of the laser energy.

3. The visual acquisition disruptor scan pattern method according to claim 1, further comprising:

electronically receiving, from the remote location, information regarding a plurality of different flash detection areas including said at least two different previously identified flash detection areas; and

deploying a plurality of different laser scan patterns corresponding to said plurality of different flash detection areas, a number of the different flash detection areas matching a number of the different laser scan patterns, and each laser scan pattern enveloping its corresponding flash detection area.

4. The visual acquisition disruptor scan pattern method according to claim 3,

wherein the plurality of different laser scan patterns are deployed simultaneously or substantially simultaneously from the first and second vehicles, and

wherein the plurality of different laser scan patterns are maintained substantially for a same amount of time.

5. The visual acquisition disruptor scan pattern method according to claim 1,

responsive to said electronically receiving, maintaining the laser energy at only the first intensity to any uncommon portion of the at least two different previously identified flash detection areas.

6. The visual acquisition disruptor scan pattern method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second intensity of laser energy to the common portion are each an amount sufficient to interfere with an optical system of a weapon or an optical system of a person.

7. The visual acquisition disruptor scan pattern method according to claim 1, wherein the remote location is associated with one of a ground-,water-, space-, or air-based vehicle.

8. The visual acquisition disruptor scan pattern method according to claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to said electronically receiving, applying the laser energy at only the first intensity to any uncommon portion of the at least two different previously identified flash detection areas.

9. The visual acquisition disruptor scan pattern method according to claim 1, further comprising:

responsive to said electronically receiving, reducing the laser energy applied to any uncommon portion of the at least two different previously identified flash detection areas from the first intensity to a third intensity during said increasing of the laser energy to the common portion.

10. The visual acquisition disruptor scan pattern method according to claim 1, further comprising:

identifying locations of stationary or moving ground-based threats to the first vehicle based on the at least two different previously identified flash detection areas; and

generating respective ground-projection zones around the identified locations, the ground-projection zones being indicative of possible error in the identified locations.

11. The visual acquisition disruptor scan pattern method according to claim 8, wherein the stationary or moving ground-based threats are human beings firing any one of a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG), anti-aircraft artillery (AAA), and small arms fire at the first vehicle.

12. The visual acquisition disruptor scan pattern method according to claim 8, wherein the respective ground-projection zones around the identified locations are defined based on respective positions along a path of the first vehicle at which hostile fire associated with the stationary or moving ground-based threats occurred.