System and method for ultra wideband subarray beam steering

• US 20060028374A1
• Filed: 11/17/2004
• Published: 02/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Time Domain Corporation (Humatics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Time Domain Corporation (Humatics Corporation)
• Inventors: Fullerton, Larry W.
• Application Number:
  US10/992,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20060028374A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/67
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 5/08 Ground-based tracking-systems for aerial targets
• 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 13/005 the high-energy beam being a laser beam

Abstract

An active protection system comprising an ultra wideband (UWB) radar for threat detection, an optical tracker for precision threat position measurement, and a high powered laser for threat kill or mitigation. The UWB radar may use a sparse array antenna and may also utilize Doppler radar information. The high powered laser may be of the optically pumped solid state type and in one embodiment may share optics with the optical tracker. In one embodiment, the UWB radar is used to focus the high power laser. Alternative interceptor type kill mechanisms are disclosed. In a further embodiment, the kill mechanism may be directed to the source of the threat. In a further embodiment, an antenna array is steered by using subarray groups having fixed timing within the group and variable timing from group to group.

Claims

1. Method for active protection of a resource comprising the steps:

providing an ultra-wideband (UWB) radar;

said UWB radar further comprising a sparse array, wherein said sparse array further comprises at least one subarray wherein the subarray elements have fixed timing relative to one another;

using said UWB radar to search for a threat;

determining a first location of said threat using said UWB radar;

providing an optical search device;

determining a second location of said threat using said optical search device;

imparting damage to said threat based on said second location of said threat.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical search device initiates an optical search based on said first location of said threat, and said second location of said threat is determined based upon said optical search.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the optical search device and the device imparting damage utilize at least one common optical element.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein damage is imparted to the threat by a high power laser.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the laser is focused in accordance with range information provided by said UWB radar.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein damage is imparted to the threat by an intercepting device.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the intercepting device is deployed in accordance with range information from said UWB radar.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the UWB radar coverage is divided into sectors with a portion of the radar array dedicated to each sector.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the array comprises separate transmit and receive antennas.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the array comprises two antenna elements in the vertical dimension.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the radar produces an instantaneous radiation pattern of greater vertical height than horizontal width.

12. A system for protecting a resource, said system comprising:

UWB radar configured for detecting a threat;

said UWB radar further comprising a sparse array, wherein said sparse array further comprises at least one subarray wherein the subarray elements have fixed timing relative to one another;

optical tracking subsystem for precision location of said threat; and

threat kill device.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the threat kill device is a high powered laser.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the high powered laser and optical tracking device utilize at least one common optical element.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the optical element is a mirror.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the mirror is mounted on a gimbal.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein the high power laser is focused in accordance with range information from said UWB radar.