Method and Apparatus for Remotely Disabling Vehicles

• US 20080223641A1
• Filed: 01/30/2008
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fiore Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fiore Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Elson, John Todd
• Granted Patent: US 8,387,735 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/167
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/04 Cutting off the power supply under fault conditions protective devices and circuit arrangements in general H01H; H02H
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/0068 the high-energy beam being of microwave type, e.g. for causing a heating effect in the target

Abstract

Method and apparatus for remotely disabling a vehicle using modulated microwave energy. The modulation characteristics are preferably tailored for different types of vehicles. This approach enables the use of a low power radiation source, which minimizes injury to people and property and which enables the use of portable devices, such as for use on law enforcement or military vehicles.

Claims

1. A method of disabling a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a database of one or more parameters for disabling specific vehicles;

identifying a vehicle; and

transmitting modulated microwave radiation to the vehicle, the radiation being varied according to one or more of the parameters specific to the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the parameters are selected from the group consisting of frequency, amplitude modulation, pulse width modulation, and pulse repetition rate.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the peak power required to disable the vehicle is less than about 5 kW.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the average power required to disable the vehicle is less than about ten watts.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the radiation is narrowband L-band radiation.

6. The method of claim 1 performed by an occupant of a second vehicle.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the parameters for a specific vehicle are chosen for the database to be those that disable the vehicle at the lowest transmitted power.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of varying a parameter of the transmitted radiation around the value of that parameter stored in the database.

9. An apparatus for disabling a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a portable power supply;

a modulated narrowband microwave source;

one or more antennas; and

a database of parameters specific to a plurality of vehicles.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said antennas comprise an antenna array.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said antennas are selected from the group consisting of helical antennas and stub-loaded helical antennas.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said antennas radiate circularly polarized radiation.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said antennas are substantially conformal to a surface of a second vehicle.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said source comprises an L-band source.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said source transmits microwave energy having a peak power of less than about 5 kW.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said source transmits microwave energy having an average power of less than about ten watts.

17. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the parameters are selected from the group consisting of frequency, amplitude modulation, pulse width modulation, and pulse repetition rate.

18. The apparatus of claim 9 contained in a second vehicle.

19. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said source is variable according to the parameters in the database.

20. The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a cooling system.