Forced premature detonation of improvised explosive devices via radiated electromagnetic energy

• US 20080134869A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Runyon, James Philip, Krock, Richard E., Rauscher, Karl F., Goldman, Stuart Owen
• Application Number:
  US11/317,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20080134869A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 89/1.13
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/12 Means for clearing land minefields; Systems specially adapted for detection of landmines
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/32 Decoy or sacrificial vehicles; Decoy or sacrificial devices attachable to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0043 Directed energy weapons, i.e. devices that direct a beam of high energy content toward a target for incapacitating or destroying the target
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/005 the high-energy beam being a laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0068 the high-energy beam being of microwave type, e.g. for causing a heating effect in the target
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0075 the high-energy beam being a radiofrequency beam
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/14 for the transfer of light or images, e.g. for video-surveillance, for television or from a computer screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/24 for communication related to weapons
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 2203/34 involving multiple cooperating jammers
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/43 characterized by the control of the jamming power, signal-to-noise ratio or geographic coverage area
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/62 by exposing communication, processing or storing systems to electromagnetic wave radiation, e.g. causing disturbance, disruption or damage of electronic circuits, or causing external injection of faults in the information
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/65 using deceptive jamming or spoofing, e.g. transmission of false signals for premature triggering of RCIED, for forced connection or disconnection to/from a network or for generation of dummy target signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/68 using passive jamming, e.g. by shielding or reflection shielding of apparatus or components against electric or magnetic field H05K9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 3/92 related to allowing or preventing remote control

Abstract

An Improvised Explosive Device (IED) defense system is described that forces premature detonation of IEDs by radiated electromagnetic energy signals. Embodiments of the invention provide for radiating electromagnetic 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 electromagnetic energy sources will receive the radiated electromagnetic 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 electromagnetic energy signals, the IED defense system comprising:

one or more directed electromagnetic energy platforms including energy transmitters for radiating electromagnetic energy signals; and

one or more controllers for activating the platforms to radiate electromagnetic energy signals within a zone defining an IED detonation zone, thereby forcing premature detonation of IEDs having a triggering mechanism responsive to electromagnetic 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 electromagnetic energy signals defining high intensity light beams.

3. The IED defense system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the platforms are adapted to radiate electromagnetic energy signals defining light beams arranged in a geographic pattern simulating vehicle headlights.

4. The IED defense system of claim 1, wherein one or more of the platforms are adapted to radiate electromagnetic energy signals defining infrared energy signals.

5. The IED defense system of claim 1, further comprising one or more reflectors adapted to receive and reflect the electromagnetic energy signals radiated within the IED detonation zone.

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

11. 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 electromagnetic energy signals within the IED detonation zone.

12. The IED defense system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more controllers defines an independent controllers for independently activating a corresponding at least one platform to radiate electromagnetic energy signals within the IED detonation zone.

7-10. -10. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

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

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

activating the platforms to radiate electromagnetic energy signals within the stationary IED detonation zone, thereby forcing premature detonation of IEDs having a triggering mechanism responsive to electromagnetic energy signals within the stationary IED detonation zone.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

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

16-17. -17. (canceled)