Forced premature detonation of improvised explosive devices via noise print simulation

• US 20080134868A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WSOU Investments, LLC (WSOU Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Krock, Richard E., Runyon, James Philip, Rauscher, Karl F., Goldman, Stuart Owen
• Granted Patent: US 7,698,981 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 89/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0081 the high-energy beam being acoustic, e.g. sonic, infrasonic or ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 5/04 Rendering explosive charges harmless, e.g. destroying ammunition F42B39/14 and F42B39/20 take precedence ; extracting primers, dismantling ammunition F42B33/04, F42B33/06 ; chemical deactivating of explosives C06B21/0091; Rendering detonation of explosive charges harmless

Abstract

An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) defense system is described that forces premature detonation of IEDs by radiated sound energy signals. Embodiments of the invention provide for radiating sound energy signals from a stationary or mobile platform to a stationary or mobile area defining an “IED detonation zone.” IEDs within the IED detonation zone that are triggered by sound energy sources will receive the radiated sound energy signals, thereby forcing premature detonation of IEDs in the detonation zone.

Claims

1. An IED defense system for forcing premature detonation of IEDs having a triggering mechanism responsive to sound energy signals, the IED defense system comprising:

one or more sound energy platforms including speakers for radiating sound energy signals;

one or more controllers for activating the platforms to radiate sound energy signals within a zone defining an IED detonation zone; and

one or more reflectors adapted to receive and reflect the sound energy signals radiated within the IED detonation zone, yielding reflected sound energy signals, at least one of the sound energy signals and reflected sound energy signals thereby forcing premature detonation of IEDs having a triggering mechanism responsive to sound energy signals within the IED detonation zone.

2. The IED defense system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the platforms are adapted to radiate sound energy signals defining high intensity sound waves.

3. The IED defense system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the platforms are adapted to radiate sound energy signals defining a characteristic noise print of a prospective target.

5. The IED defense system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the platforms define stationary platforms adapted to radiate sound energy signals within a geographic zone defining a stationary IED detonation zone.

6. The IED defense system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the platforms define mobile platforms adapted to traverse a transportation path, the mobile platforms adapted to radiate sound energy signals while advancing along the transportation path defining a mobile IED detonation zone.

7. The IED defense system of claim 6, wherein the mobile platform comprises a terrestrial vehicle adapted to traverse a terrestrial path, the mobile IED detonation zone defining at least a portion of the terrestrial path.

8. The IED defense system of claim 6, wherein the mobile platform comprises an aircraft adapted to traverse an airway, the mobile IED detonation zone defining at least a portion of the airway.

9. The IED defense system of claim 6, wherein the mobile platform comprises a sea craft adapted to traverse a seaway, the mobile IED detonation zone defining at least a portion of the seaway.

10. The IED defense system of claim 1, wherein the one or more controllers include a system controller for activating a plurality of platforms to radiate sound energy signals within the IED detonation zone.

11. The IED defense system of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the one or more controllers define independent controllers for independently activating respective platforms to radiate sound energy signals within the IED detonation zone.

4. (canceled)

12. (canceled)

13. A method for implementing an IED defense system comprising:

deploying one or more stationary platforms and one or more reflectors about a designated geographic area defining a stationary IED detonation zone, the stationary platforms including speakers for radiating sound energy signals within the stationary IED detonation zone; and

activating the platforms to radiate sound energy signals within the stationary IED detonation zone, and causing the reflectors to receive and reflect the sound energy signals radiated within the TED detonation zone, yielding reflected sound energy signals, at least one of the sound energy signals and reflected sound energy signals thereby forcing premature detonation of IEDs having a triggering mechanism responsive to sound energy signals within the stationary IED detonation zone.

14. (canceled)

15. A method for implementing an IED defense system comprising:

deploying one or more mobile platforms adapted to traverse a transportation path, the mobile platforms including speakers for radiating sound energy signals along at least a portion of the path thereby defining a mobile IED detonation zone; and

activating the platforms to radiate sound energy signals within the mobile IED detonation zone, thereby forcing premature detonation of IEDs triggered by sound energy signals within the mobile IED detonation zone.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

deploying one or more mobile reflectors adapted to receive and reflect the sound energy signals radiated within the mobile IED detonation zone.