Safeguard System for Ensuring Device Operation in Conformance with Governing Laws

• US 20100269674A1
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Brown, Kenneth W., Gallivan, James R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,921,588 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 89/1.110
• 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: G08B 15/00 Identifying, scaring or incapacitating burglars, thieves or intruders, e.g. by explosives

Abstract

A safeguard system ensures device operation in conformance with governing laws for devices such as directed energy weapons or surveillance systems, whose misuse may discomfort, harm or otherwise violate the legal rights of a person. A legal protocol is defined by rules embodying the laws that govern the use of the device and requires as inputs an authorization to use the device and input condition(s) relating to at least one of a use of the device, an attribute of a human target of the device and an operational environment of the device and human target. The safeguard system applies the rules to the authorization and input condition(s) to generate a control signal that ensures the device is used in conformance with the legal protocol. A documentation system records the authorization, input condition(s) applied rules, and control signal.

Claims

1. A safeguard system for devices whose illegal misuse may discomfort, harm or otherwise violate the legal rights of a person, comprising:

A storage circuit containing a legal protocol for use of the device, said legal protocol defined by rules that embodying those laws governing the legal use of the device and requiring an authorization and an input condition(s) relating to at least one of a use of the device, an attribute of a human target of the device and an operational environment of the device and human target;

An authorization system configured to provide the authorization for the use of the device on a human target;

An input(s) configured to receive said at least one input condition; and

An evaluation circuit that applies the rules to the received authorization and input condition(s) to generate a control signal that controls the device in conformance with the legal protocol.

2. The safeguard system of claim 1, further comprising:

Means for receiving modifications to the set of rules from an external source and updating said storage circuit.

3. The safeguard system of claim 1, wherein said set of rules is hierarchical as a function of a multi-valued authorization.

4. The safeguard system of claim 1, wherein said rules require input conditions relating to at least two of the use of the device, the attribute of the human target of the device or the operational environment of the device and human target.

5. The safeguard system of claim 1, wherein said rules require an input condition related to the attribute of the human target, said input condition being at least one of a location, movement, persistence, identity, physical condition or an effect of the past use of the device on the human target.

6. The safeguard system of claim 1, wherein said rules require an input condition related to the operational environment, said input condition being at least one of a location of the device, a zone of use for the device, a time of requested use, a movement of the device or an urgency level.

7. The safeguard system of claim 1, wherein said rules allow for a limited use of the device prior to receiving authorization.

8. The safeguard system of claim 1, further comprising means for requesting and receiving remote authorization from the authorizing entity.

9. The safeguard system of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor that provides said at least one input condition to said input(s).

10. The safeguard system of claim 1, wherein said rules require an input condition specifying the requested use of the device, said evaluation circuit generating the control signal that either enables the device for the requested use or disables the device.

12. The safeguard system of claim 1, wherein said control signal configures the device for use in conformance with the legal protocol.

13. The safeguard system of claim 12, wherein said input condition partially specifies a requested use of the device, said evaluation circuit generating a control signal that specifies the remainder to configure the device for use in conformance with the legal protocol.

14. The safeguard system of claim 1, further comprising a documentation system that documents the requested use of the device.

15. The safeguard system of claim 14, wherein the authorization, input condition(s), applied rules and control signal are documented.

16. The safeguard system of claim 15, further comprising a sensor that senses an effect on the human target of the use of the device, said effect being documented.

17. The safeguard system of claim 14, further comprising means for communicating the documentation to a remote location.

18. The safeguard system of claim 1, wherein the set further comprises rules for detecting tampering based at least in part on the authorization and input conditions and for taking remedial action.

19. The safeguard system of claim 1, wherein the rules further embody additional non-legal factors to conform the legal protocol for use of the device to a standard higher than a minimum legal standard established by the governing laws.

11. The safeguard system of claim 11, wherein when said evaluation circuit generates the control signal to disable the device, said evaluation circuit also generates a message that details the reasons the requested use did not conform to the legal protocol.

20. A non-lethal directed energy weapons system, comprising:

A directed energy weapon adapted to transmit a directed energy beam to illuminate human targets; and

A safeguard system that controls the weapon according to a legal protocol, said legal protocol defined by rules of engagement that embody the laws governing the use of the weapon, said safeguard system applying a received authorization to use the weapon and a sensed input condition relating to an attribute of the human target to the rules of engagement to generate a control signal that fires the weapon in conformance with the legal protocol.

29. The non-lethal directed energy weapons system of claim 20, wherein said rules require a sensed input condition related to the operational environment, said input condition being at least one of a location of the weapon, a zone of use for the weapon, a time of requested use, a movement of the device or a threat level.

30. The non-lethal directed energy weapons system of claim 20, wherein said rules specify a geographic zone of use and require sensed input conditions that provide the location of the weapon and its zone of use, said safeguard system determining whether the weapon'"'"'s zone of use conforms to the specified geographic zone of use.

31. The non-lethal directed energy weapons system of claim 20, wherein said rules require an identify friend or foe (IFF) to fire the weapon.

32. The non-lethal directed energy weapons system of claim 20, wherein said rules allow for the weapon to be fired at a limited energy for a limited number of shots prior to receiving authorization or the sensed input condition.

33. The non-lethal directed energy weapons system of claim 20, wherein said rules require an input condition specifying the requested use of the device, said safeguard system generating the control signal that either enables the device for the requested use or disables the device.

34. The non-lethal directed energy weapons system of claim 33, wherein said requested use includes a desired effect on target.

35. The non-lethal directed energy weapons system of claim 20, wherein said safeguard system issues the control signal to configure the directed energy weapon to emit a directed energy beam that conforms to the legal protocol.

36. The non-lethal directed energy weapons system of claim 20, wherein said safeguard system includes a documentation system that documents the authorization, sensed input condition, applied rules and control signal.

37. The non-lethal directed energy weapons system of claim 36, wherein the safeguard system receives a sensed input condition relating to an effect on the human target caused by exposure to the directed energy beam, said documentation system document said effect.

38. The non-lethal directed energy weapons system of claim 36, further comprising means for communicating the documentation to a remote location.

39. The non-lethal directed energy weapons system of claim 20, further comprising rules for detecting tampering and for taking remedial action.

21. The non-lethal directed energy weapons system of 20, wherein said safeguard system includes an authorization system for authorizing an operator to use the weapon.

22. The non-lethal directed energy weapons system of 21, wherein said received authorization is a multi-valued authorization that in part determines which rules apply.

23. The non-lethal directed energy weapons system of 21, wherein said received authorization includes a chain of at least two authorized personnel including the operator to use the device.

24. The non-lethal directed energy weapons system of 20, wherein the safeguard system applies the rules to the authorization and sensed condition for a specified requested use of the weapon.

25. The non-lethal directed energy weapons system of 20, wherein said sensed input condition being an attribute of the human target selected from at least one of a location, movement, persistence, identity, physical condition or an effect of the past use of the weapon on the human target.

28. The non-lethal directed energy weapons system of claim 25, wherein said sensed input conditions provide the location of targets within a zone of use and motion of targets towards or away from a protected area, said safeguard system directing the beam towards targets in the zone of use moving towards the protected area.

26. The non-lethal directed energy weapons system of 20, wherein said sensed input condition measures an IR signature of the human targets of the directed energy beam.

27. The non-lethal directed energy weapons system of claim 26, wherein said sensed input condition measures the IR signatures for a plurality of human targets, said safeguard system discriminating those targets that have and have not been exposed to the beam and directing the beam towards targets that have not been previously exposed.

40. A surveillance system, comprising:

A surveillance device adapted to monitor a specified target; and

A safeguard system that controls the surveillance device according to a legal protocol, said legal protocol defined by rules that embody the laws governing the use of the surveillance device, said safeguard system configured to apply a received authorization to use the surveillance device and at least one input condition relating to a specified use of the surveillance device and/or an attribute of the target to the rules to generate a control signal that controls the surveillance device in conformance with the legal protocol.

41. The surveillance system of claim 40, wherein said rules further embody a court order for a particular use of the surveillance device to monitor the specified target.

42. The surveillance system of claim 41, wherein safeguard system applies the rules to a sensed input condition relating to attributes of the court order to generate the control signal that controls the surveillance in conformance with the legal protocol.

43. The surveillance system of claim 42, wherein said sensed input condition comprises GPS coordinates.

44. The surveillance system of claim 43, wherein said sensed input condition further comprises a date and time.

45. The surveillance system of claim 40, wherein said safeguard system further comprises means for receiving changes to the court order from a remote external source.

46. The surveillance system of claim 40, wherein said safeguard system further comprises a documentation system that records the authorization, input condition and use of the surveillance device.

47. The surveillance system of claim 40, further comprising a plurality of different surveillance devices that are controlled by the safeguard system.